Section 5
throw a stone at her" (8:7). The Lord seemed to be saying, "You may stone her to death, but someone must take the lead. No one is qualified to take the lead in this except the one who is with out sin. Let the one who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her." This word pierced their conscience. I believe that even be fore the Lord spoke these words, while He was still writing on the ground that their conscience was touched. What did the religionists do? Be ginning with the older ones and up until the youngest, they went out one by one (8:9). The oldest, being the wisest, went away first. They knew that they were not qualified to take the lead in stoning the woman to death. But they were qualified to take the lead to run away. All the younger ones followed them.
Who is without sin? No one. Do not condemn others, for while you condemn others you are the same as they are. You are not qualified to con demn others. You are birds of the same feather. If you condemn another bird, you simply con demn yourself. Only the Lord, the great I Am (8:28, 58), is without sin, and only He is qual ified to condemn sin. What wisdom the Lord Jesus has! After the religionists left, notice how lovingly and gently the Lord expressed Himself to