John, chapter 8 part 1

We are not perfect. There isn’t a single one among us that is without sin. Unfortunately, it is part of human nature that we feel the need to cast judgment on people. Sometimes it is not even a scathing judgment like we see with the adulterous woman at the beginning of John 8. It can be as simple as walking in a crowd with some friends, seeing someone different walking by, and sharing a, “Get a load of THAT guy,” moment with everyone else in your group. It just happens.

We see that judgmental nature in action at the beginning of John 8. An adulterous woman is brought into the courts. Mosaic Law stated that it was perfectly legal, even required, that she be stoned to death. Jesus was there, however, and with just a few words, taught how things were going to be different. Jesus came and overwrote Mosaic Law because in essence, He was the law.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." – John 8:7-11

Remember, we are to hate the sing, but love the sinner. As we learned earlier in this very book, Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to say it. If anyone had the authority to condemn this woman it was Jesus. Instead, He embraced her as someone who was lost and needed a new direction.

The second part of this opening deals with Jesus being questioned on His authority. I’ll allow you to draw your own conclusions, as Jesus said His testimony was not only His own, but His Father’s as well. Because He was sent by the Father, that alone was enough.