V 7. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
The whole of this incident was deliberately planned by the Pharisees as a confrontation designed to trap Jesus into saying something for which He might be condemned. To suggest that the woman should be let off would expose Him to the charge of ignoring the Law, whereas to agree to stoning her to death would paint Him as heartless and unfeeling. Hence the silence.
But the issue won’t go away – until Jesus touches consciences.
The response comes as a reminder of Jesus’ own words in John 3:17 ‘ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him ‘ Jesus’ mission was to rescue, not to judge or condemn the world. The time will certainly come when He returns to judge the world in righteousness, but that was not His purpose as the incarnate Son of God. His reply on this occasion fits His purpose; by stirring the consciences of His listeners He points them to their need of a Saviour/Messiah. They were driven to recognise their own failures and need of forgiveness. So they backed off and slunk away; guilt prevented them from condemning the woman.
Note however that Jesus did not condone or make light of the woman’s sin. Love cannot just turn its back on sin and say it doesn’t matter. Wrongdoing does matter and love deals with it gently and firmly. His final word, in verse 11 is ‘Go and sin no more.‘ The woman is pointed back in the right direction – that is what love does rather than stand in judgement and condemnation.
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