Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11-12 NIV

 

It was the worst day of her life. Ashamed wouldn’t begin to describe how the likely half-naked woman felt, as she was dragged through the streets.

We find the story in the Bible book of John. The religious leaders of the day hated Jesus and hatched a plan to ask Him a question that would trick Him either way He answered. As Jesus taught in the Temple early in the morning, in they came with a woman who they put in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, ‘this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (John 8:4).

Then Jesus did something remarkable. Ignoring His adversaries, He stooped down and began writing in the dust. Suddenly all eyes were off the woman shaking in shame and on Jesus, as he silently wrote. The religious leaders “kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, ‘All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone! Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust” (John 8:7-8).

Dramatically, the Bible says, “When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one” (John 8:9a) “Jesus straightened up and asked… ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin'” (John 8:11-12 NIV).

Jesus saw her immorality as sin, He condemned it and told her to leave it.

But He also gave us a beautiful picture of His care for the woman, and for all of us who have sinned. God’s kindness, not condemnation, not shaming, says scripture, is meant to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4)