by Gary L. Evans
The Woman Accused of Adultery
John 8:3-6 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
The word “tempt” is from the Greek “pi-rad’-zo” which means “to test.”
So the scribes and Pharisees were testing Jesus to see what He would do about this. To what purpose? So that they could have some reason to accuse Him of sin. But Jesus outsmarted them by just writing down some stuff on the ground.
What did Jesus write on the ground? Do you think that might be important?
Jesus was of the tribe of Levi and also of Judah, thus He was of the Priesthood and of the king line. Jesus wore Priest’s robes. So the hypocrites came to Him trying to trick Him with a complex legal matter. But Jesus had long before demonstrated His mastery of The Law at the age of twelve in The Temple.
Consider this verse in The Law pertinent to this case.
Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
The hypocrites presented the woman, and accused her of adultery. But where is her husband? The husband is the plaintiff in this case, but he is not present at this trial. Was he on vacation? Had he gone to another town on business? Or had he abandoned his wife and left her homeless out in the streets? Was he even still alive? We don’t know.
And it takes two to commit adultery, so where is the adulterer? The Law requires that they both be put to death, the adulterer and the adulteress, not just the woman. The hypocrites claimed that they caught them in the very act. So they must know who the guilty man was. Why did they not present the adulterer to Jesus? Could he be among them?
And what were these men doing looking into the bedroom where this crime took place? Are they peeping Toms? Something is really wrong here. These hypocrites are up to no good, and it is very obvious. So what does Jesus decide to declare? MISTRIAL!
John 8:7-8 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Now Jesus was certainly speaking about the matter of this trial. So His question to them about their sins was in the context of this case. Because to bear false witness in a capital case such as this demands the death penalty for a false accuser. That’s God’s Law.
Deu 19:16-19 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
Also these men certainly knew who the man was that committed adultery with the woman. To protect the man guilty of adultery would make them guilty of Conspiracy After the Fact, so as witnesses each would in turn be guilty of adultery along with the adulterer.
Exo 23:1-2 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
The phrase, “to put the hand with the wicked,” implies to be a co-conspirator in a crime.
Exo 23:6-7 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
The phrase, “to wrest judgment,” means to deny justice, so again it implies conspiracy.
At least one of these possible transgressions applied to those hypocrites accusing the woman. Jesus knew every detail of this matter, and even the thoughts of their minds. So He, being the judge, could decide to have these men put to death for bearing false witness or for conspiracy, and order them be put to death right now on the spot!
Joh 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
Twice Jesus wrote something down on the ground. Do you think He might have scribbled The Law against False Witness or against Conspiracy down on the ground for them to read? Because those hypocrites all scurried away like roaches in the night when you turn on the light! And apparently they just left that poor woman standing there alone with Jesus. They weren’t interested in her anymore.
Joh 8:10-11 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus told the woman that she was free to go. We are all guilty of sin in some way, and so was she. But obviously, she was not guilty of adultery.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.