John 8:1-11 CSB
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. [2] At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. [3] Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. [4] "Teacher," they said to him, "this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. [5] In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" [6] They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. [7] When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, "The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her." [8] Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. [9] When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. [10] When Jesus stood up, he said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" [11] "No one, Lord," she answered. "Neither do I condemn you," said Jesus. "Go, and from now on do not sin anymore."]
Romans 2:1 CSB
Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.
Cancel Culture
It is far too easy for us to judge others, often pulling them down just to lift ourselves up. In our modern world, we don’t even need proof; gossip alone serves as a form of “murder” by reputation. We see this in “Cancel Culture”—the creature that sets the bait, asking questions designed to have no correct answer. The goal is to force a “yes” or “no” that makes the target an outcast, regardless of the truth. These traps are usually disguised as a search for justice, but they are served up only to destroy.
Jesus faced exactly such a moment. Mere men tried to corner the Savior, forcing Him to say something that would turn the crowds against Him. The Scribes, the professional interpreters of the Law, believed they had crafted the perfect dilemma. They brought a woman caught in a sin that carried the death penalty and threw her into the center of the circle.
“Teacher,” they said, “this woman was caught in the act. Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
The trap was sprung. If Jesus called for her to be stoned, they would mock His claims of mercy. If He said to set her free, they would accuse Him of defying the Law of Moses. Furthermore, the Law required that both offenders be punished, yet these “guardians of justice” brought only the woman, fully aware of her impending doom.
Then, Jesus did something unexpected. At Mount Sinai, God came down and twice wrote the Ten Commandments with His own finger. Here, Jesus stooped down twice and wrote in the dust. While we don’t know exactly what His finger traced in the dirt, many believe He was listing the hidden sins of the very men standing there with stones in their hands.
As He spoke the famous words, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone,” the crowd began to melt away. The older men left first. Perhaps as we age, we become more keenly aware of our own failures and our glaring need for a Savior.
According to the Law, a person could only be executed on the testimony of two or more witnesses. By dismissing the accusers, Jesus won the petrified woman’s freedom while remaining perfectly obedient to the Law. There were no witnesses left to throw a stone. But His mercy came with a transformation: “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
This is the command to us today. We must turn from the things that drag us away from our loving Father and instead enjoy the forgiveness found only in Him. Since we have been shown such great mercy, we are called to carry it forward. “Cancel Culture” has no place in the vocabulary of a believer. Forgiveness is our keyword. We choose to drop the stones and offer the same grace that was once offered to us.
Reflection Questions
- Is there someone in your life you have been “canceling” or judging based on gossip or a single mistake? What would it look like to drop that stone today?
- If Jesus were to stoop down and write your hidden struggles in the dust, would you be the first to leave the circle or the last? How does that realization change how you view “sinners”?
- Jesus didn’t just forgive the woman; He told her to “sin no more.” In what area of your life is God calling you to use your freedom to walk in a new, holy direction?
Prayer
Father,
We thank You for the grace that stood between us and the judgment we deserved. Forgive us for the times we have been quick to judge and slow to show mercy. Help us to remember that we are all in need of Your covering blood. Give us the strength to walk away from our past sins and the heart to offer forgiveness to those who have tried to pull us down. Let our lives be defined by Your mercy, not by our judgments.
Amen.
