He That Is Without Sin

When the scribes and Pharisees dragged the woman who had been caught in adultery before the Savior hoping to trap him in a no-win situation by demanding that He say whether they should stone her or not, Jesus replied, "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." I have always assumed that Christ was talking to the obnoxious bunch of hypocrites trying to trap Him in His words, but now I am not so sure. I believe Jesus was speaking directly to the accused woman. When everyone else heard Jesus's statement, they all left, convicted by their consciences, but the woman didn't leave. She obeyed Christ's command. She knew her guilt, she felt remorse and Godly sorrow for what she had done, and, with the bravery and the humility of one who had truly repented, she waited and gave Him who was without sin the opportunity to cast the first stone. The unbelieving crowd all left, assuming that there was no one there who was without sin, but the woman believed and recognized Him who was without sin. That is why Christ tells her "neither do I condemn thee." Neither does He that is without sin choose to cast the first stone. When Christ saw that she chose to give Him the opportunity to cast the first stone, He recognized that she had truly repented. His words to her to "go and sin no more" were less the outraged injunction against a proud and rebellious sinner and more a loving encouragement to one who had strayed but is now committed to living righteously. For all of us who are putting off the day of our repentance because we fear the righteous vengeance of a wrathful God, let us have the humility and the courage of the woman in this story and let He who is without sin cast the first stone. I know that when we do, we will find that neither does our Savior condemn us but will go with us into this next chapter of our lives to help us to always strive to sin no more.