John 8:4-11 (WEL) They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned, so what do you say?” 6 They said this craftily, tempting him, so they could accuse him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 As they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is sinless among you be first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 After hearing this and being convicted by their conscience, they left one by one, starting at the oldest down to the last, until Jesus was left behind with the woman still standing there [literally—in the midst]. 10 After Jesus straightened himself and saw no one but the woman, he said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” Jesus then said to her, “I don’t condemn you either; go, and do not sin anymore.”
V4 They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.
A seemingly innocent question, but it is a setup to entrap Jesus.
Lots of things are wrong about this even on the surface: 1) Mosaic Law required both participants (Leviticus 20:10) and 2) two witnesses are needed (Deuteronomy 19:15-21, Hebrews 10:28, and based on Deuteronomy 17:6, two witnesses were needed for a conviction of a death penalty offense).
V5 “Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned, so what do you say?”
If Jesus complied with their wishes, He would have not met the two witnesses requirement and they could accuse Jesus of rebelling against Roman law which forbade the Jews from using the death penalty.
AskAndyAI explains why the Jews in Jesus’s life could not carry out the death penalty:
“Beginning when Rome subdued Israel under General Pompey (about 63 BC), the Roman authorities removed from the Jewish authorities the general right to carry out capital punishment. The Jewish courts could hear religious and criminal cases and even pronounce a death sentence, but they lacked the civil authority to execute—so when a case might lead to death, they had to hand the accused over to the Roman governor (as in the trial of Jesus before Pilate). John 18:31 records the Jews saying to Pilate, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” which reflects this situation.
“There were narrow exceptions mentioned in historical sources (for example, some references allow the Jews to execute in certain temple-related matters), and isolated incidents like the stoning of Stephen show complexities in practice. But the basic legal reality in the first century was Roman control of capital punishment, which is why the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate rather than executing him themselves.
Relevant Scriptures include:
• John 18:31 (NASB-1995): “So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,”
• Matthew 20:18-19 (NASB-1995): “”Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify [Him], and on the third day He will be raised up.”
V6 They said this craftily, tempting him, so they could accuse him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
If Jesus had appealed to Roman law and had her turned over to Roman authority, then there was a good chance the death penalty would not happen, and secondly, the Jews could accuse Jesus of disregarding Mosaic law.
Jesus did not hesitate but stated to write on the ground. What He wrote is unknown.
Mosaic Law did require the death penalty, but both parties would have to be punished (Leviticus 20:10).
Principle: Adultery is a death penalty sin. In God’s sight, even committing adultery in our minds is a sin (Matthew 5:27-28).
V7 As they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is sinless among you be first to throw a stone at her.”
They kept badgering Him for an answer. Look at the brilliance of His answer. He did not look to Mosaic or Roman Law. He told them, “If you are innocent, then carry out the death penalty.” No one reported it to the Romans or picked up any stones to carry out capital punishment.
Principle: In difficult situations demanding an answer to a two-forked question, it can be advisable to ask them what they would do. No matter what they answered, then tell them, “Go ahead; you first.”
V8 Again, he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
What He wrote the second time is unknown.
V9 After hearing this and being convicted by their conscience, they left one by one, starting at the oldest down to the last, until Jesus was left behind with the woman still standing there [literally—in the midst].
After hearing Jesus’s reply, they were convicted of their own sin. The convicting work regarding sin is a ministry of God the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
Finally, all the men were gone. Now, there is only Jesus and the woman. There are no witnesses at all.
Jesus could have passed judgment on every one of them for either physical or thought-life adultery. Jesus showed mercy in that He gave some more time for them to repent. They still would have to face God’s judgment at the Great White Throne and received their death penalty of separation from God and any possible comfort that He could give (Revelation 20:11-15). The Lake of Fire is the final destination and is eternal torment (Revelation 14:11, Matthew 25:41, and Jude 1:7).
V10 After Jesus straightened himself and saw no one but the woman, he said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”
There are no witnesses now. He asks her two questions. He is a judge and wants an answer.
V11 She said, “No one, sir.” Jesus then said to her, “I don’t condemn you either; go, and do not sin anymore.”
She tells the truth. Jesus replies, “If no one is here to condemn you, I do not either.”
Jesus does not excuse the sin for He states, “Go and do not sin anymore.” He is referring to adultery.
Jesus also reaffirms His position of not acting as a judge; it is not the proper time. See John 8:15, John 3:17, Luke 9:56, and Luke 12:13-14.
We learn:
- How to respond to difficult situations and questions.
- Jesus was sinless in His response to this situation.
Questions:
- How do you handle difficult questions?
- How do you handle false accusations?