The Savior and the Sinner

August 17, 2026

The religious leaders had carefully set their trap. They dragged a woman caught in the act of adultery and forced her to stand before Jesus in the temple courts. “Teacher,” they said, “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 cared nothing for the woman herself. The man involved was nowhere to be found. This was never about justice. It was about embarrassing Jesus and finding a way to accuse Him.

Jesus did not answer right away. Instead, He bent down and wrote on the ground with His finger. We are not told exactly what He wrote, but one powerful possibility comes from Jeremiah 17:13, “Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.” Only days earlier Jesus had stood in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles and declared Himself the source of living water. By writing in the dust, He may have been placing their names under the judgment of that very prophecy. One by one, the accusers dropped their stones and walked away, beginning with the oldest.

When only the woman remained, Jesus stood up and asked, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. Jesus replied, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10-11).

This moment exposes two great lies we still believe. The first is the lie that “I am a good person.” Scripture is clear: “There is no one righteous, not even one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). The Pharisees knew this was true, as each one walked away without throwing a stone.

The second lie is that a loving God would never punish anyone. Yet the same God who is rich in mercy is also perfectly just. Revelation speaks of a final judgment in which those whose names are not written in the book of life face eternal separation from Him. Love without justice is not holy love. Justice without mercy leaves us all without hope. At the cross, and in this temple courtyard, both meet perfectly in Jesus.

We can see ourselves in every person in this story. Sometimes we are the religious leaders, quick to condemn others while hiding our own sin. Sometimes we are the silent crowd, watching, judging, but unwilling to get involved. And sometimes we are the woman, exposed, ashamed, and desperately in need of mercy. The good news is that Jesus still speaks the same words to every sinner who comes to Him, “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Notice the order. Mercy comes first. Then the call to a new life. Jesus does not ignore sin, but He does not crush the sinner either. He offers forgiveness that frees us to walk in a different direction.

This week, ask yourself honestly which role you are playing. Have you been quick to pick up stones against others? Have you been standing on the sidelines? Or do you need to hear Jesus’ words of mercy spoken over your own life? The same Savior who defended the woman caught in adultery stands ready to defend and restore you. Receive His mercy. Then extend that same mercy to someone else who needs it.

Which of the three groups in the story (religious leaders, crowd, or the woman) do you most identify with right now? How does Jesus’ balance of mercy and the call to “leave your life of sin” speak to you? Is there someone you have been quick to condemn whom God might be asking you to view with greater mercy? What would it look like for you to truly receive Jesus’ words, “Neither do I condemn you,” this week?

The trap was meant to destroy Jesus. Instead, it revealed the heart of the Savior toward the sinner, and toward every one of us. It is this willingness to give His life for every sinner that makes Jesus the greatest gift we have ever been given. We best thank God for this precious gift by living our lives to Glorify Him. (To learn more about Al Earley or read previous articles, see www.lagrangepres.org. You can purchase my book, My Faith Journal, at Amazon.com, a compilation of 366 articles as a daily devotional. Check out my podcast on YouTube, called “My Faith Journey”).