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52
The Ministry of Health and Healing
Their pretended reverence veiled a deep-laid plot to ruin Jesus.
If He acquitted the woman, He might be charged with despising
the law of Moses. If He declared her worthy of death, He could be
accused to the Romans as one who assumed authority belonging
only to them.
Jesus looked upon the scene—the trembling victim in her shame,
the hard-faced dignitaries, devoid of pity. His spirit of stainless
purity shrank from the spectacle. Giving no sign that He had heard
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the 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 Him to give the matter His attention. But as
their eyes, following those of Jesus, focused on the pavement at His
feet, their voices were silenced. There, traced before them, were the
guilty secrets of their own lives.
Rising, and fixing His eyes upon the plotting elders, Jesus said,
“‘He who is without sin among
you
, let him throw a stone at her
first.’” See verse 7. And, stooping down, He continued writing.
He had not set aside the Mosaic law nor infringed upon the au-
thority of Rome. The accusers were defeated. Now, their robes
of pretended holiness torn from them, they stood, guilty and con-
demned, in the presence of infinite purity. Trembling lest the hidden
iniquity of their lives should be laid open to the multitude, with
bowed heads and downcast eyes they stole away, leaving their victim
with the pitying Savior.
Jesus arose and, looking at the woman, said, “‘Where are those
accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one,
Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin
no more.’”
Verses 10, 11
.
The woman had stood before Jesus, cowering with fear. His
words, “‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at
her first,’” had come to her as a death sentence. She dared not lift
her eyes to the Savior’s face, but silently awaited her doom. In as-
tonishment she saw her accusers depart speechless and confounded;
then those words of hope fell upon her ear, “‘Neither do I condemn
you; go and sin no more.’” Her heart was melted, and, bowing at the
feet of Jesus, she sobbed out her grateful love, and with bitter tears
confessed her sins.