Key Verse: “When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” (John 8:10-11 CSB)
In their minds, the scribes and the Pharisees had found the perfect way to trap Jesus. As Jesus sat in the temple teaching the crowd, the religious leaders dragged in a woman who had been caught in adultery. They put her front and center before Jesus for all to see.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women” (v.4-5). This was true but not entirely. The law stated that if a man committed adultery with a married woman, “both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10). In this case, they had only brought the woman before Jesus.
Regardless, they knew they had the legal right to put her to death. But they wanted to see how Jesus would respond. Would He show her compassion like He had done to others? Or would Jesus condemn her according to the law, like they were prepared to do. “What do you say?” they asked Jesus.
Jesus didn’t say anything right away. Instead, He “stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger” (v.6). We aren’t told exactly what He wrote. But when the Jewish leaders persisted in their questioning, Jesus stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her” (v.7).
What exactly was Jesus saying to them with this statement? Jewish law said that the hands of those who witnessed a detestable act like this should be the first in putting the person to death. (Deuteronomy 17:7) Perhaps Jesus was reminding them of this. Or perhaps, He was pointing out their hypocrisy in the moment. Paul wrote, “Therefore, every one of you, who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things” (Romans 2:1). Was it possible that some of those condemning this woman were guilty of the same thing?
One by one, beginning with the oldest, the religious leaders began walking away. Soon, it was just Jesus and the woman. Jesus looked at her and said, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore” (v.10-11).
Jesus’ words to this woman reveal the incredible heart of compassion that He has for all of us as sinners. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). As serious as her sin was, what this woman needed in this moment was not condemnation, but the compassion of Jesus. She needed Jesus to save her.
And that’s exactly what He did. Jesus didn’t minimize, excuse or ignore what she had done. But neither did He condemn her. Instead, in her worst, most humiliating and shameful moment, she encountered the compassionate grace from the One who could truly transform her life.
When we sin, the same is true. Jesus has come not to condemn us in our sin, but rather to save us through His finished work on the cross. Every act of disobedience has been taken care of by Him. He paid for it all. We can now rest in His amazing grace. And with the power of His Spirit we can go and from now on sin no more!
Prayer: Jesus, my sin is great, but your grace is greater! Thank you that you have come not to condemn me, but to show your compassionate love toward me. I put my hope in all that you have done at the cross. I pray that the same grace that saved me would now help me to live a life worthy of you. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
