What must she have thought?

The Adulterous Woman (John 8)

What must it have been like for her? What must have been going through her mind? She’s been caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees have control over her life, they will decide weather she lives or dies. But the men with all the power do the strangest thing. They bring her before a man known simply as “The Rabbi”. She might have known who he was, of all the wondrous deeds he had done. Then again, she might not have. The Pharisees ask this rabbi a question concerning her, her fate. Her final minutes hang in the balance and they ask a mere teacher his opinion on the law of Moses. And His answer will determine her sentence, if is she to be stoned to death?

Confusion surfaces in the small crowd that’s gathered, no more so than in the woman condemned. The teacher bends down and begins to write in the sand. What is he writing? Why is he doing it? The Pharisees began to grumble at this nonsense; some already have stones in hand. How ready they are to end her life! The woman wrings her hands in nervous frustration. Doesn’t this man know any moment could very well be her last? He’s only making the situation worse by playing in the dirt like a small child. Her breath comes short but quick as panic arises. She is sure the end has drawn near.

The man stands slowly, with much determination. He says the strangest thing, “Whoever of you is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Once again the man bends to write on the ground.

The woman flinches waiting for a dozen or so stones to fly in her direction. Surely this is to be the hour of her death. Nothing happens. Cautiously she opens one eye then the other. She glances over her shoulder at the Pharisees behind her to find quiet the shock. The old men have already begun to walk away, moments later the younger ones also drop their stones leaving her and the rabbi in their dust. She stands still waiting, not sure if this is real. Perhaps it is but a cruel prank, her punishment shall be much worse than stoning.

The man straightens up, “Where have they gone,” He asks kindly, “Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she tries to find her voice but a mere whimper comes out. Will he condemn her? Will he hate her for her crimes and wish her to die? Surely he must.

“Then neither do I,” he replies, catching her off guard for she did not expect him to say such. His voice is soft yet holds all the power and authority of a king, “Go now; leave your life of sin behind you.” His words break something; it is as though a victory has been won.

She stares at the ground, the sky- anywhere but at him until she cannot stand it any longer. Finally her gaze settles on the Rabbi’s face. He is serious. His eyes burn like flames of fire but contain such tenderness, such love and mercy. The teacher does not condemn her. No one has ever treated her with such kindness as this man. Never has the woman ever felt so relieved as she does now. She’s never felt so free. With his act of compassion, this pronouncement of mercy the woman no longer desires to live the ways of her old life. Instead she will follow him.

In a way she did die. Not physically of course. The woman died to her old self. What must have gone through her mind? What must it have been like for her? I think I know because we must die daily in order to follow him, the man who could have cast the first stone but chose not to. Instead, He hung on a cross of wood, His arms stretched wide all to say: “I love you.”