Misery must like company, for wherever it is there always seems to be a crowd. Seems there are many things we won't share, but misery is not one of them. Find one person moaning and complaining, and pretty soon you have a crowd. Throw in an attorney or two and you have a class action suit. Negotiate with the accused before you go to trial, and accept an out of court settlement, and we all live happily ever after. The attorneys that is, the rest of us are still surrounded by the misery we started with, with only our pockets lined with some green to make the pain more bearable. No one has accepted guilt, usually part of the agreement, very little has been done to correct the wrongs, and sadly once you have been compensated, you cannot deal with the problem again. Double indemnity the courts call it, for our protection. Sadly, none of us feel safer.
Back in the time of Jesus, Roman law prescribed stoning for capital offenses. Offenses that today seem like misdemeanors back then were taken seriously. Adultery for instance. Our society is so taken by adultery that TV shows brag about it. Books are written on. Billboards offer attorney's help, for a fee, but no one wants to confront it for the sin it is. But the Romans did. The same Romans who used the cruelest form of punishment regularly-crucifixion, also used stoning as an effective punishment.
The accused were taken into a field after the court had found them guilty. No rights here, and the entire village was required to attend. And were required to participate. First the witnesses would throw large, heavy stones at the condemned. Then all in attendance were required to hurl stones until the perpetrator was dead. This way all were guilty, but none could be accused individually of causing the death. By spreading the guilt around, all had a hand in it. So as a witness, your words better not be gossip. Not a judge, but an executioner. And as a citizen, you would be sure to have blood on your hands.
When Jesus was confronted with the woman caught in adultery, He uttered the famous words "he who is without sin cast the first stone." We can only speculate on what He wrote in the dust, but as our savior He is privy to all our sin. His words were potential death sentences for the crowd. And as a witness to our sin, would have been required to throw the first stone. He was/is witness to our sin, and our guilt, and according to Roman law should have cast the first stone, but instead chose forgiveness. Reminding others of their sin, the crowd left. His words-"go and sin no more." Great advice for all of us who are guilty. His forgiveness available to all who were there.
But being there in the crowd, if she was stoned, He would have been forced to stone her also. The law. Never any salvation in it-it only points to your sin and ends in death. Only heavenly intervention saved her, and also Jesus from betraying His real purpose-to seek and save those that were lost. Mercy and grace we call. Once again thwarting the devil's plan to trap Him.
So often we are in similar circumstances, and must remember Jesus' words. Go and sin no more. Trust God when in the situation to get us out of it, not betraying what we believe or who He is. For this story, like all other stories and parables, are referred to by the characters in them, but are really about Jesus. Not us. Jesus. And they are told to remind us of His deity, His love, and His power, and how when in the spirit we have authority over sin, and even death.
We all deserve stoning. Guilty as charged, get out the stones, for everybody must get stoned. Question-since we are all guilty, who would be left to stone us? Once again, the foolishness of the law. Thankfully Jesus took all the stones for us. The cross took care of that. Remember the words of Jesus, and how He changed this woman's life. And how He has changed yours. If you were in the crowd, you would have had to pick up a stone also. And been required to throw it. You see, we are all guilty-except Jesus. Even when the Pharisees thought they had Him trapped, to make Him a killer and a judge, jury, and executioner, He rose above them all in love. Not condemning them or the woman-for His advice is for all. Jesus never threw a stone at anyone. Can we say the same?
Witnesses were always required to cast the first stone. As a witness of Jesus, can we put down the stones we carry, and offer love to those who accuse us? What does our witness say about Jesus? Can we love the sinner, but hate the sin? To all those who have attacked me, or who ever will, I say "go and sin no more. I forgive you." Interestingly we are formed out the dust, and that is where Jesus wrote that day. Words written in dust, for a person made out of it. A command, not a suggestion. Good advice, Godly advice. That only works when taken. Are you stoned, or just stupid?
Lastly He asked, "where are your accusers?" Resist the devil, the accuser, and he will flee. Go and sin no more. Love then, and still today covers a multitude of sins.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com