“…He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone at her.” – John 8:7 (KJV)
According to the Gospel of John, the Pharisees, in an attempt to discredit Jesus brought a woman charged with adultery before Him. It is noteworthy to mention that they said they caught her in the very act of adultery, yet no man was brought before the Messiah. They reminded Jesus that adultery was punishable by stoning to death according to the Mosaic Law and challenged Him to judge the woman so that they might then accuse Him of disobeying the law. Jesus thought for a moment and then replied, “He that is without sin among you, let Him cast the first stone at her”.
The people around Him were so convicted by their conscience that they all departed. When Jesus found Himself alone with the woman, He asked her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you”? Her reply was, “No one, Lord.” (NKJV). “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Jesus declared.
The religious leaders and the crowd’s intention was to stone the adulterous woman to death. They were intending, however, only to implement one section of the Mosaic Law and neglect the other part, which said that an adulterous man also must be stoned to death (Leviticus 20:10). Deuteronomy 22:22 also says, “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.”
It is evident that way before the “Doctrine of Dirty Hands” was instituted in the United States court system, Jesus had already proven the concept over two thousand years ago. The doctrine, in summary, states if the defendant can prove that the plaintiff has unclean hands, i.e. acted unethically, then the plaintiff’s complaint is dismissed. Jesus was the attorney for the defendant, and the conscience of the accusers convicted them as being unethical. Thus, their complaints against the adulterous woman were dismissed.
Beloved, many may have been involved in adulterous relationships, which goes against the grain of God’s institution of marriage. Homes may have been broken up because of unfaithfulness, but God forgives. In fact, Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for all our sins, and He is currently seated on the right-hand side of God, interceding for us – Romans 8:34. He’s still representing us. But my brothers, let us not take the grace of God for granted by continuing to disrespect the sanctity of marriage, lest we be cast into hell along with other sinners – Revelation 22:15.
Read: Luke 5:32; Romans 8:34
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 15:1-10; Acts 11:19-30; Acts 12:1-19; I Kings 2:13-46; I Kings 3:1-15
