The account of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) shows the complimentary roles of law and grace. “We know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully” (1 Timothy 1:8). The woman was said to have been “caught in the very act.
” Yet she alone was brought for punishment raising doubt about the accusation. She likely was a sinful woman that served the Pharisees purposes. The Pharisees’ goal was to trap Jesus.
If He advises against stoning her, he is going against the Law (Leviticus 20:10) and is a heretic. If He recommend stoning her, He is an insurrectionist. He would be going ignoring the Roman government which had stripped the Jews of their ability to impose capital punishment (John 18:31).
Jesus’ response was, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Jesus is not saying only the sinless could judge. If this were the case, no human could judge another.
Jesus is calling them out for their false accusation. They were there bearing false witness against the woman. The law saves the woman from their evil intent.
First, the law requires that two or three witness testify in a capital case (Deuteronomy 17:6). No individual witnesses testified against her to Jesus. Next, the law requires, “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death” (Deuteronomy 17:7).
Jesus is simply following the law when calling for one of her accusers to cast the first stone. He doesn’t have to determin.
