Lawful Grace

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 determine the punishment or who should impose it – the law already has.

Finally, the law requires a severe punishment for false witnesses. “If the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother.” (Deuteronomy 19:18-19). In this case the false accusers would be stoned.

When confronted with the Law, “they began to go out one by one” (John 8:9) leaving the woman alone with Jesus. Her life is spared by the lawful use of the law.

Jesus now demonstrates that He is fully God and fully man. As a man He says, “I do not condemn you” (John 8:11). Jesus is not dismissing her past sins. He is stating He cannot, as a man, condemn her because the requirements of the law have not been met.

Later in that same verse He says, “From now on sin no more.” As God, Jesus knows her sin and is warning about its consequences. He had saved her from physical death. Now He is acting to save her from spiritual death by calling her to repentance.

Galatians 3:24 states, “Therefore, the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” The law shows us our need for a Savior, “for all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and Jesus died and was resurrected to be our Savior.