NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU!

John 7:53-8:11 / Keywords 8:11

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

53 Then they all went home,

8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

1. The religious leaders interrupted Jesus’ teaching in the temple by bringing a woman caught in adultery. They asked Jesus to judge her (4-5). They intended to trap Jesus by forcing him to take a stand against the law. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger, maybe to calm down the heated situation. When the questioning persisted, Jesus said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (7). Jesus sided with Moses. His verdict was that the woman was guilty—but so were they. Jesus’ words exposed their hypocrisy and pricked their conscience until they left, one by one, until only Jesus was left.

2. No one can condemn others, for no one is righteous (Ro 2:1). Jesus is the only person who could condemn her, but he didn’t condemn her. Rather, he forgave her and set her free from the guilt and condemnation of sin (11a). Jesus was condemned in our place and bore all our sins in his body (1 Pe 2:24; Gal 3:13). Jesus came not to condemn but to save (3:17; 12:47). Forgiveness enables us to live a new life. We find forgiveness of sin and a new life only in Jesus (Ro 8:1-3)!

Prayer Lord, thank you for your forgiving love that enables me to live a new life. Help me remember your grace and follow you leaving a life of sin.

One Word Jesus forgives, not condemns!