The Reformed Christian world has recently been reminded that even people who are thoroughly biblically grounded can fall. I don’t need to put names out there, and if you don’t already know then that’s probably for the best. But for those who don’t, one of the very significant reformed preachers and leaders of our time has been exposed having an affair. This man’s teaching ministry has been significant and he has helped many people see the beauty of Christ as he has preached through the Bible. As often happens when these “faith heroes” fall, we can be in shock. We can feel betrayed. But we can also put ourselves in the place of God and condemn the sinner to hell. The truth of the matter is that “there but for the grace of God go I”. Jesus encounters such a sinner in our passage today and he models for us how we can respond. Let’s have a look.
Scripture: John 7:53–8:11 (ESV)
They went each to his own house, but 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 taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
We have to recognise that this is a tricky situation for Jesus to find himself in. The scribes and the Pharisees want to trap Jesus and so they ask him what they should do with this woman caught in the act of adultery. I often wonder - well where is the man who was caught with her… Anyway, these religious leaders are trying to catch Jesus out. If Jesus tells them to stone her, then he is agreeing with the law of Moses, but he would be risking trouble with Roman authorities who do not allow for public executions. But if Jesus says “let her go” he is contradicting the Mosaic law.
Now Jesus sees the trap and he starts to write on the ground. What exactly he writes we don’t know. Some people speculate that it is her sins, some speculate that it is a list of the sins of those who want to stone her. Either way the religious leaders keep pushing and keep questioning. They want Jesus to answer and he gives a very wise response. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her”.
In doing this Jesus shifts the focus from the woman’s sin to the sinful state of the hearts of her accusers. Jesus here shows us how easy it is to pick out the sin in another, while all the way excusing the sin that lives in our own heart. We can be so quick to condemn others, that we fail to recognise that “there but for the grace of God go I”. One of the great theological truths of Reformed theologians recognise is the total depravity of mankind. We are all totally unable to save ourselves. We like to think that we are better than other people, but really all of us need forgiveness.
Now it is true that the Bible does instruct us in places to judge other believer’s sins. However the context for that is to protect the church, to bring the sinner back from their sin and ultimately to restore them to full fellowship in the church community. This task often rightly belongs to the eldership and leadership of a congregation. So the next time we are tempted to judge someone because of their sin, we should pause and ask ourselves, am I qualified to throw this stone?
If we consider the state of our own heart, we might just recognise that we aren’t so different after all.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the example you are to us in scripture. Please give us your wisdom to know when we are qualified to throw the metaphorical stone. Help us to examine our own hearts first, and then to act out of love. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge
Today, consider who you have been judging in your heart. In prayer ask God how you might best love that person.
Drop your stone