The First Stone

Passage: John 8:1-11

“She’s breaking the rules!” My kids are 2 and 4, and this is already a steady refrain in our household. They’ve both caught on to the fact that any rule that applies to one should be leveraged against the other. If one is disciplined for breaking a rule, the other must never be allowed to get away with a similar infraction. That wouldn’t be fair.

We learn this lesson young, and we never forget it. If I’m held to a certain standard, I’m going to make sure everyone else is held to that standard, too. Fair is fair. We are quick to cry foul when someone else gets away with a sin we’ve gotten nailed for. We apply this principle to every sphere of life, but nowhere does it become more apparent than in our religious life. Those of us who adhere to the rules of any faith get bent out of shape when the people around us break the rules. Especially when they seem to be getting away with it.

This is nothing new. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, he dealt with a steady stream of people who expected him to serve as arbiter in their complaints against sinners. Rabbi, she’s breaking the rules! John 8 describes such a scenario, and clearly presents Jesus’ position on other people’s sin. Jesus is hanging out in the town square when the religious right, the Pharisees, approach. They’re dragging a scared and disheveled woman by the elbow. “Rabbi,” they say, “this woman’s an adulteress. The law requires death by stoning. What do you say?” They know the right answer. They want to see if Jesus plays by the rules.

Jesus doesn’t even look up from what he’s doing. He says, “Go ahead. Stone her, as the law requires. But the first stone has to be thrown by the one of you who has never violated the law himself.” The men look down at the stones in their hands. They avoid looking at each other. They all had the stones to condemn an obvious sinner. None has the stones to lie about his own standing before God. When Jesus looks up, the only person standing before him is the accused. Jesus feigns surprise. “What, there’s no one to condemn you?” The woman shakes her head. “Well,” says Jesus, “then neither do I.” As the woman turns to go Jesus clears his throat. She turns, and her eyes meet his. He says, “Leave your sin behind. Here’s your shot at a new life. Take it.”

The Pharisees’ motives were all wrong. They wanted to see a sinner get hers. In spite of themselves, however, they did the right thing. They brought the sinner to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t make the world right by condemning sinners. He makes it right by redeeming them. If you’ve got the stones, let him start with you. Instead of being the first to throw, be the first to accept Jesus’ offer: Leave your sin behind. Here’s your shot at a new life. Take it.