Let she or he who is without sin...

John 7:53-8:11, “Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”]]"

Often the application of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments has a sin hierarchy. Some sins are worse than others. Notwithstanding blasphemy which God alone holds as unpardonable the Ten Commandments are sin in God’s sight and forgivable. The scribes and Pharisees don’t seem to think so. They’re going to stone this woman to death until Jesus confronts them on their own sinful ways. Later in Jesus ministry at the end of His earthly time the scribes and Pharisees knew the only thing that they could ‘charge’ Him with that could not be argued by everyday folk was blasphemy. The lesson today is about the sinful nature of all humanity as an affront to God. These Temple leaders were going to kill this woman for adultery when Jesus stopped them with their sins. The truth is that all of us are sinners none more so or less so – all have sinned and that was and is His point. Only Jesus judges – we seek forgiveness.

Prayer: Father thank You for this glorious day in Your kingdom. Thank You for Jesus and thank You for forgiveness and mercy. Help us not to judge lest we be judged. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.