John 8:3-11 And the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the middle,… Note: I. That the VILEST SINNERS ARE OFTEN THE GREATEST ACCUSERS. Were there a worse lot of men in Judea or on the round earth than these Scribes and Pharisees, and members of the Sanhedrim, who now accused this woman? It is ever so: the more base and corrupt a man is, the more ready to charge crimes on others and the more severe in his censures. II. That the SEVEREST JUDGE OF SINNERS IS THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. "They which heard Him, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one." Observe two things — 1. Christ's method of awakening their conscience. (1) He expresses by a symbolical act His superiority over their malignant purposes. He stoops down as if He were utterly indifferent. (2) He puts the question of the woman's punishment upon their own consciences. "He that is without sin," etc. Observe — 2. The force of their awakened consciences. They were convicted, and went out one by one. Ah! there is no judge so severe and crushing in his sentence as that of a guilty conscience. III. That THE GREATEST FRIEND OF SINNERS IS JESUS CHRIST. The accusers are gone, but the accused remains with Jesus alone. Observe — 1. He declines pronouncing a judicial condemnation upon her. "Neither do I condemn thee." He does not mean that He did not disapprove of her conduct and condemn her morally, but judicially. He declines to pronounce judgment. 2. He discharges her with a merciful admonition. "Go, and sin no more." An expression, this, implying(1) That she had sinned. Adultery is a terrible moral crime. (2) That He forgave her. "Go." I absolve thee. (3) That her future should be free from sin. "Sin no more." Let bygones be bygones; let oblivion cover thy past; let virtue crown thy future. Thus Jesus deals with sinners. Desolate, branded, forsaken of all, He alone will stand by thee. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,WEB: The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the midst, |
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