Theme: THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE
Text: “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” – John 8:9.
Comment: At the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, sin had become so commonplace among the Jews that the laws were not always enforced. One of the reasons was that the person who should complain to the judges was likely to be guilty of the same offence or of other serious offences. Adultery was one of such sins. There is the striking record of the Scribes and Pharisees who brought to him a woman caught in adultery and asked him what should be done to her. According to the law of Moses, they said, such an action carried capital punishment. (It should be noted that they, contrary to the law, brought only the woman and left the man. See Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22) But Jesus Christ who knew their intention asked that any of them who was not a sinner should cast the first stone. None of them did. Rather, they were conscience-stricken and went out one by one. (John 8:1-11) People of God should judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24) There are many hypocrites who claim to be godly but are devils at heart. Scripture says, “Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” – Romans 2:22-24.