Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 3
Ver. 6.—But Jeſus ſtooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7. So when they continued asking him, he lift up himſelfe and ſaid unto them, He that is without ſin among you, let him firſt caſt a ſtone at her.
8. And againe he ſtooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9. 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.
In the ſecond place, we have Chriſts dealing with them who brought the woman, and propounded the caſe. And, 1. He writes upon the ground as if he heard them not, in teſtimony of his ſleighting them, ver. 6. 2. When his ſilence ſeemed to them to flow from ſome advantage they had of him in this matter, and therefore they importune him the more: He leaves the queſtion, and turnes to the queſtioners, bidding them ſearch their own boſomes, and ſince they needed not witneſſes, who were to caſt the firſt ſtone, Deut. 17.7. He bids thoſe among them, who were without ſinne, ſupply that office; and again writes upon the ground, in teſtimony of his diſlike of them, ver. 7, 8. Upon this, 3. Followeth the effect of Chriſts anſwer, which is the conviction of theſe wicked men, who being conſcious to themſelves what they were, and not willing to confeſſe it, nor to debate with him who could bring them out to light before the people, they take advantage of his ſtooping down, to ſlip quietly away, leaving the woman and Chriſt alone (not ſimply alone, for the multitude ſtayed and the woman in the midſt, but all the accuſers left them) And this they did, beginning at the eldeſt, who were moſt guilty, and moſt prudent to diſcerne what was in this anſwer, ver. 9. For clearing this anſwer a little, Conſider, 1. As for that phraſe, he that is without ſinne, which imports a compleat purity, we need not here curiouſly diſtinguiſh it, from that blameleſneſſe and being irreprehenſible, which is elſewhere urged, 1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.6. ſeeing the Law of God requires both, and it was their great preſumption to inſult ſo over the woman, and over Chriſt as an enemy to the Law, when yet they were not only not ſinleſſe, but not free of the like groſſe crimes, if not the ſame, wherein the woman was taken. 2. Chriſts requiring they ſhould be without ſinne who execute this ſentence, doth not condemne Magiſtrates, who execute juſtice, though themſelves be ſinners; Yea, though they be vitious themſelves. For he doth not ſpeak, as a Magiſtrate, preſcribing that none ſhould be puniſhed but by innocent and blameleſſe men; nor doth he condemne the doing of juſtice and puniſhing of ſinne in it ſelfe: But as a teacher, he ſheweth what God will finde culpable in Magiſtrates; to wit, if they make little conſcience of their own ſinnes, when yet they puniſh ſinne in others 3. Albeit Chriſts diſcourſe doth not anſwer directly to their queſtion, yet it fully breaks their ſnare laid for him, and brings a ſnare upon themſelves. For it doth not ſtrike againſt Moſes Law, ſeeing he acknowledgeth the equi…y of the ſentence of ſtoning, though he was not a Judge to pronounce it, and as a Miniſter would have them look to their own conſciences. Nor doth this rough dealing contradict his doctrine of free-grace, ſeeing he is ſpeaking to unhumbled Phariſees, that he may fit them for his mercy, and he deales ſweetly with the woman afterward. But as for them, his diſcourſe doth indeed pinch them, while as they who boaſted ſo much of reſpect to the Law, are found to regard it ſo little in their own practice, that their conſciences ſends them away confounded. Doctrine, 1. As Chriſt knoweth who propound queſtions, only to tempt him, and who deſire to be taught; So he who warmely entertains the one, doth juſtly ſleight the other, as unworthy of an anſwer: for, But Jeſus ſtooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. It is but curioſity to enquire what he wrote; but his end in it, was, not only to ſhew, that it is fitter Miniſters do any thing, then employ themſelves in civil affaires; but chiefly to ſhew, that their queſtion was idle, and deſerved no anſwer. 2. Chriſts enemies may get leave to think that they have ſome notable advantage of him and his followers, only that their own diſappointment may be the more ſhameful and ſad: for, before they are convinced, they think Chriſt is ſilent becauſe he knew not what to ſay, and therefore they continued asking him, as inſulting over him in their own mindes, if not alſo in their expreſſions. 3. Albeit Chriſt be tender and gracious toward humbled ſinners; Yet he will ſtrictly preſſe the Law upon all ſuch as conceit of their righteouſneſſe, and will not come to him; Therefore doth he deal ſo roughly with thoſe men, and points out what the Law required of them. 4. The perfect and ſpiritual Law of God doth require of men, not only that they be without publike and viſible blemiſh: but that they be without ſinne or ſpot: for ſo much doth Chriſt require of theſe unhumbled men, that they be without ſinne, 5. It is the will of God, that theſe who puniſh ſinne in others, ſhould be ſenſible of their own failings and that the ſenſe of their own ſinnes make them tender toward others: And it is a token of unſanctified Spirits, when men who cenſure or puniſh others, do not look upon their own wayes, nor do abſtain from all lewd practices themſelves, nor look upon the worſt of ſinners as their own picture, if they were left to themſelves: for, this is the ſcope of Chriſts anſwer, as is before explained. 6. In our neceſſary medling with wicked men, it is our duty to take heed we do nothing that may ſeeme to approve them in their wicked wayes: Therefore, again he ſtooped down and wrote on the ground, to teſtifie that as at firſt he liked not their diſcourſe; So yet he approved it not (however he had anſwered it) nor would keep up conference with them. 7. As without Chriſts power, the moſt ſpiritual doctrine will do no good to the beſt of men; ſo when he pleaſeth, he can put an edge upon a very ſhort ſentence, to make it waken the moſt benummed conſcience, and cauſe it imprint inward challenges upon the heart, and outward ſhame upon the foreheads of men: for, ſo doth it here appear, they are convicted by their own conſcience, and glad of an opportunity to ſteal away. 8. A wakened conſcience will get other things to think upon, then to be taken up with idle cavils about Religion, or deſcanting upon the faults of others onelyonly, for, they quit both their tempting of Chriſt, and accuſing of the woman, and ſteal away. 9. A wakened conſcience will tell a man, that the longer he liveth, his guilt is ſtill encreaſing, and he hath daily the more cauſe to be aſhamed of himſelf for it, for, ſo much is imported that they went out, beginning at the eldeſt, even to the laſt. 10. Every conviction of conſcience is not ſaving, nor is every one in a ſtate of grace, whoſe conſcience findes the edge of the word, to make him aſhamed of ſin; for, theſe men are convicted; and went out, as being aſhamed, who yet are but in the gall of bitterneſſe. 11. It is a ſure evidence of an unſound wakening of conſcience, when mens convictions make them flee from Chriſt, and ſhun either his further convictions or comforts; Whereas it is good not to go away from him, when ſin is diſcovered, and the truly humbled ſinner is kept with him till he finde favour: for, ſo appears in them, being convicted, they went out from Chriſt, and that one by one, without noiſe, when he was now ſtooping down, that ſo he might not have occaſion to ſay any more to them: whereas the poor woman, though let go, ſtands ſtill in the midſt, in the place where ſhe was ſifted as a guilty perſon, till ſhe hear what Chriſt will ſay to her. 12. All the plots of wicked men againſt Chriſt, will at laſt tend to their own viſible and open ſhame: for, this was the iſſue of their enterpriſe. They came in with a reſolution to have entrapped Chriſt, and they are ſent out with much ſhame and confuſion on their own faces.