Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalm 85:10
Often, while living in a fallen world, the lines are blurred between victim and perpetrator. Nothing so vividly illustrates this blurring of lines than the account of the adulterous woman brought to Jesus for justice in John 8:1-11. Her story brings up a very important question. Why was she the only one brought before Jesus to be stoned?
While the Law did advise stoning as the proper punishment in Leviticus 20:10, the emphasis is placed on the man first, and then the woman. And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
In John’s account, justice seems to apply only to the weaker party, the one who had no voice or means of escape. Was the woman tricked into this situation only to trap Jesus? Did tragic circumstances lead her into this desperate place?
Though she had clearly been caught in a sinful decision, Jesus did not bring down the hammer of justice like the religious leaders hoped He would. Instead, John writes that He stooped down to write in the dirt. While what He wrote remains a mystery, His words following this silence convicted the hearts of those accusing the woman.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. John 8:7
Ironically, Jesus was the only one without sin in the crowd. While He could have stoned the woman, He instead extended forgiveness out of the fountain of blood that He would soon shed for every sinner who stood around Him that day. However, the mercy He extended was also paired with truth.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:10-11
Mercy met truth and offered the woman an escape from the bondage that held her in its grip. This nameless woman did not need to forgive herself to move on; she was forgiven by the only One who had the means to do so. By that forgiveness, she could also extend forgiveness to those who had used her for their own purposes. Out of the fountain of His grace, Jesus enabled her release while also enabling her path forward into a new life. “Go and sin no more” gave her permission to let go of the past while starting her new journey with Jesus.
When life is riddled with injustice, with blurred lines of being hurt and of hurting others, know that Jesus untangled the confusion of sin on the cross. His mercy extends to every humbled soul who will kneel before Him in repentance. His truth will not reject anyone, but it will lead them forward with hope. When mercy and truth meet, lives change forever. Sinners become saints. Addicts to sin trade in their bondage for a new life in Christ. Broken homes are restored. Whispers of accusation become shouts of amazement at what God has done.
But mercy must be met with truth for real change. Cheap grace, as Bonhoeffer called it, will change nothing. Forgiveness without truth only leads to more destruction. You must take Jesus’s words in their entirety, or you will reject the hope He offers. Jesus is an all-or-nothing kind of Savior.
His Song in the Night 