Among Snares
391
could be accused to the Romans as one who was assuming authority
that belonged only to them.
Jesus looked for a moment upon the scene,—the trembling victim
in her shame, the hard-faced dignitaries, devoid of even human pity.
His spirit of stainless purity shrank from the spectacle. Well He knew
for what purpose this case had been brought to Him. He read the heart,
and knew the character and life history of everyone in His presence.
These would-be guardians of justice had themselves led their victim
into sin, that they might lay a snare for Jesus. Giving no sign that He
had heard their question, He stooped, and fixing His eyes upon the
ground, began to write in the dust.
Impatient at His delay and apparent indifference, the accusers
drew nearer, urging the matter upon His attention. But as their eyes,
following those of Jesus, fell upon the pavement at His feet, their
countenances changed. There, traced before them, were the guilty
secrets of their own lives. The people, looking on, saw the sudden
change of expression, and pressed forward to discover what it was that
they were regarding with such astonishment and shame.
With all their professions of reverence for the law, these rabbis,
in bringing the charge against the woman, were disregarding its pro-
visions. It was the husband’s duty to take action against her, and the
guilty parties were to be punished equally. The action of the accusers
was wholly unauthorized. Jesus, however, met them on their own
ground. The law specified that in punishment by stoning, the witnesses
in the case should be the first to cast a stone. Now rising, and fixing
His eyes upon the plotting elders, Jesus said, “He that is without sin
among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” And stooping down, He
continued writing on the ground.
He had not set aside the law given through Moses, nor infringed
upon the authority of Rome. The accusers had been defeated. Now,
their robe of pretended holiness torn from them, they stood, guilty and
condemned, in the presence of Infinite Purity. They trembled lest the
hidden iniquity of their lives should be laid open to the multitude; and
one by one, with bowed heads and downcast eyes, they stole away,
leaving their victim with the pitying Saviour.
Jesus arose, and looking at the woman said, “Woman, where are
those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No