1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:1-11.
Early in the morning on The Mount of Olives; Christ began to teach in the temple. During His teaching the Pharisees and scribes have brought unto Him a woman whom they accused of committing adultery.
They asked “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” This question was not asked because they wanted Christ to expound on the Law of Moses; but to trap Christ in his words, and accuse Him of disobeying the law. If Christ would have acquit the woman they would accuse Him of despising the Law of Moses; and if He would have condemned the woman to death they would have brought the Romans against Him on the charges of stirring up trouble and assuming authority which alone belonged to them. They were so blinded by their own sins they could not see they had already broken the Law of Moses by not bringing in both parties. As stated in the law “And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” Leviticus 20:10.
Christ knew their motive and began to write on the ground the sins of the woman’s accusers; however; the Pharisees became impatient due to no verbal response, so they continued to ask. Christ rose up and said “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then Christ resumed writing their sins on the ground. The accusers saw that Christ knew not only their past sins, but also their intentions on the matter of the woman. They became fearful, thinking Jesus would expose their secrets, and they therefore “being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
Christ did not excuse or condemn the unlawful act, but showed compassion and redirection to the woman. “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” This was a lesson for all mankind as a reminder that when we sin or if other’s sin against us we ought to show the same exact treatment. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” Proverbs 27:17. We were made to uplift, motivate and strengthen each other; not blame, criticize and tear down each other’s countenance. "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32.
-Forgiveness is greater than vengeance, and compassion more powerful than anger.
