"He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (John 8:7).
Commenting on John 8:1–11 and its account of the woman caught in adultery, Hendriksen writes, “Though it cannot now be proved that this story formed an integral part of the Fourth Gospel, neither is it possible to establish the opposite with any degree of finality. We believe, moreover, that what is here recorded really took place, and contains nothing that is in conflict with the apostolic spirit. Hence, instead of removing this section from the Bible it should be retained and used for our benefit.”
There is some evidence that this story was not part of the oldest and best manuscripts, and that many Greek expositors did not comment on it. However, the story does fit into the context of the Gospel. The characters are true to the rest of Scripture—nothing compromises the person of Christ, and the Pharisees act as they do elsewhere. Also, Papias, a disciple of John, wrote about this story. Augustine maintained that the story had been extracted by those who thought it would encourage women to sin and providentially replaced later.
Because it is not clear, it is best to take Hendriksen’s advice, treat the account as valid, and benefit from its lessons. One lesson is that the Pharisees were not concerned about justice, but about trapping Jesus If Jesus had agreed that the woman should be executed, He would have violated Roman law that prohibited anyone but Romans to execute criminals. If He had declared her innocent, He would be accused of violating Mosaic law.
Jesus first responded in silence, writing quietly in the sand. His delayed response intensified an already tense situation. Then He stood up and declared, “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” Jesus was not excusing the woman’s sin, nor was He undermining the seventh commandment or even abolishing the Mosaic death penalty. He was saying that the Pharisees were not in a position to be pointing out sin. Jesus, knowing their hearts, understood they wanted to murder Him. Yet they had the audacity to judge this woman who had committed a lesser crime than what they wanted to commit. Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees, exposing their own sin and confounding their schemes.
You should always be careful to check your motivation when you want someone disciplined. What makes us so quick to judge? if you want justice done in a situation today, ask yourself about your motives. As you read the further study passages, let them discipline you, driving you to Jesus.
