Have You Dropped Your Stone yet?

Whenever I am tempted to see myself as the judge of other people’s sin I find myself reflecting on the way Jesus handles a difficult situation between religious leaders and an adulterous woman. I remember that in the story of this shame filled woman every single one of her accusers had to drop their stones! On top of that I reflect on the reality that this amazing story isn’t about exactly what we think it is about.

In John 8:1-11 we see a detailed account of this woman being dragged in front of Jesus while He was in the temple courts. The men seemed to be filled with rage, self-righteous indignation, and less than pure motives. Their goal was to trap Jesus into condemning this woman publicly to thwart His message of Grace. 

Make no mistake about it she had very likely broken the Law of Moses they were accusing her of and according to that law could have been executed. But Jesus knew the hearts of each person present. Jesus knew that the hearts of these men were equally if not more fully sin filled with the sin of Sodom, which we know, because Ezekiel (Ezekiel 16:49) tells us, was pride. These men had such pride that they couldn’t see that Jesus was the fulfillment of that law who had come to usher in the covenant of Grace intended since Genesis 3:15.

It was this prideful self-righteousness that takes center stage not the shame of this woman. When Jesus declares; “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” (John 8:7b) This declaration was made knowing full well that only one person present met those requirements. Yet Jesus, the one who could cast the stone at the woman instead watched as one by one these men dropped their stones and left the scene of their crime.

Yes crime. They were each guilty of acting as the sin sheriff by judging their sister without being honest about their own fallen sinfulness. They falsely thought that their religious indignation was enough to decide the fate of this woman, who was not alone in her adultery, because adultery takes two and according to the law, they were using to accuse her this man was equally guilty yet, somehow spared this humiliating experience.  

Once alone, Jesus turns to this beloved woman asking “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  when she answers no we see one of the most grace filled moments found in the earthly ministry of Jesus when He declares “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

Sadly, we spend all our time focused on this part of the interaction, because, like the accusers in this story, we want to leave space for us to somehow still be able to judge. But in doing this we miss the point which in the original language was not a command of moral perfection. Instead, it would have sounded more like an invitation to: “Come to Me. Trust Me. Let Me free you from the power of sin.” Grace first. Transformation through relationship, not condemnation.

Even those who left the ground littered with stones would have numerous opportunities in the days and weeks ahead to experience this radical forgiveness & grace, yet sadly, we see throughout the remainder of the Gospels, most of the men continued to choose religious piety over true heart change brought about by the gracious good news Jesus was proclaiming.  

I choose to be like the woman who stands in the grace of Jesus. Who cast off her shame to begin life anew. Who likely didn’t use her newly found righteousness to assume the position of judge but instead chose to create places of inclusion, peace, forgiveness, and gospel grace.