Show Don't Tell: John 7:53-8:11

Instead of saying "Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery," watch him write in the dirt. They all go home, but Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appears again in the temple courts, where all the people gather around him, and he sits down to teach. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees bring in a woman caught in adultery. They make her stand before the group: "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They are using this question as a trap, to have a basis for accusing him. Jesus bends down and starts to write on the ground with his finger. When they keep questioning him, he straightens up: "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stoops down and writes on the ground. Those who hear begin to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus is left, with the woman still standing there. "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir." "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." Not condemned—but not excused either. Grace with a call to change.