One of the most familiar events in the life of Jesus is recorded in John chapter 8:1-11. This event took place in the last six months of Jesus’ life on earth, and it reveals much about Him, His mind and His attitude toward mankind.
By this time a great deal of anger and frustration was pent up in the leadership of the Jews. In chapter 7:32-46 we read that officers who were sent to arrest Jesus, returned saying, “No man spake as this man.”
As a result, attempts were made to place Jesus in a situation where He would be viewed as a false prophet. Instead, Jesus’ wisdom was made known and His grace confirmed.
In our text we read that Jesus was teaching in the temple area when the “scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery,” verse 3. They hoped to place Jesus in a dilemma by which He would either violate God’s law by forbidding them to stone her to death, or He would violate Roman law by giving them His permission to put her to death.
Again, they underestimated Jesus’ skill and knowledge of both man and their Scriptures, the Law of Moses.
This is what Jesus knew:
- Under Moses’ law a person’s guilt had to be established by two or more innocent witnesses, Numbers 35:30.
- Those innocent witnesses were required to “throw” or “cast the first stone,” Deuteronomy 13:9-10, 17:2-7.
- The punishment for both false testimony in a capitol crime and adultery were the same – death, Deuteronomy 19:15-19.
- While the woman did not claim to be innocent, no witness could – or would – testify against her, and Jesus could not because He was not a “witness,” John 8:10-11.
Many of us know those who want to deny anyone the right to judge the actions or motives of someone else. The question is usually, “Why did Jesus not ‘condemn’ her? If He did not, then how can we ever judge anyone?” Then the familiar, but often abused statement is quoted:
“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” John 8:7 NKJV
It is not surprising that some then proclaim that only those who are “without sin” today are worthy of making any judgments about anyone. They forget, however, as mentioned before, that Jesus was not a witness and therefore could not – in harmony with the Law of Moses – “condemn her.”
Yes, Jesus did say, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” Matthew 7:1. And every one of us must be very careful how we pass judgment upon others, especially before we are acquainted with all the facts. Even this passage must be considered along with all that is in this context and then harmonized with other Bible statements. In Matthew 7:4-5 we are told that before we judge another for having a “mote” (or “speck” NKJV) in their eye we should “first” remove the “beam” (or large “plank”) from our own eye. Then we can “see clearly to remove the speck” from our brother’s eye.
Then we must consider Jesus’ words in John 7:24:
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
There are matters that must be “judged” and corrected if possible. As an example, how can we do what Jesus demanded: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves,” Matthew 7:15, if we are forbidden from making any judgements at all?
Should we allow teachers to teach that which contradicts the Bible because we cannot “judge” anyone at any time? Of course not, for the Bible says a church’s elders are to stop the “mouths” of those who teach what is false, Titus 1:5-11.
If we cannot make any judgments, how can we “hate every false way,” Psalm 119:104, 128?
Must we be sinlessly perfect before we can correct someone, even in the kindest way? If that is true, the apostle Paul violated that principle when he publicly brought to light the sins of Simon Peter, as recorded in Galatians 2:11-14. Paul had not lived a sinless life, but he loved Peter’s soul, and he did that which could prevent Peter and the gospel he preached to suffer. He rebuked him, and Peter loved Paul, his “beloved brother,” because of it, 2 Peter 3:15.
If judging others is always wrong, what are we to say about God’s great prophets, Jeremiah, Micaiah, Elijah, Amos, and even Jonah, whose task was correcting those who practiced and taught that which was wrong?
God’s people do not spend their time searching for flaws in their friends and neighbors. When sin overtakes another, however, we are the best friend of that person who is corrected and brought back into fellowship with God and those who love Him. Let’s be careful in this area, but not be afraid to do what God says we must do.
