Today’s Saturday Spotlight
Is the woman caught in adultry
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Jesus is teaching in the temple when the scribes and Pharisees bring a woman who had been caught in adultery. They place her publicly before Him and say:
“Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.”
— John 8:4
They remind Jesus that the Law of Moses prescribed death for adultery and ask, “So what do you say?” John explicitly tells us their question was a test, intended to give them grounds to accuse Him (John 8:6).
Jesus bends down and writes on the ground. When they continue questioning Him, He stands and says:
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
— John 8:7
One by one, they leave.
Jesus then asks the woman:
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
She answers, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus replies:
“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
— John 8:10–11
What Jesus is—and isn’t—doing
Jesus does not say that adultery isn’t sinful. His final command is explicitly “sin no more.” Grace does not redefine her sin as acceptable; Jesus extends mercy while calling her away from it.
There is also a significant problem with the accusation. Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22 hold both the adulterous man and woman accountable. Yet the religious leaders bring only the woman. That strongly suggests their primary concern isn’t simply carrying out justice—they are using her situation to trap Jesus.
Jesus turns their attempted trial around. The accusers who placed the woman before Him ultimately leave, and she is left standing before the One who actually has authority to judge her.
There is a beautiful tension in Jesus’ final words:
“Neither do I condemn you” — grace.
“Go, and from now on sin no more” — truth.
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