The woman caught in adultery..

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:10, 11 ESV)

I've been struggling with this passage for a couple of weekes now, mainly because it evokes so much emotion for me. I get so angry at the religious leaders for their treatment of this woman. I get so frustrated by the commentaries I read that get wrapped up in the mystery of what Jesus wrote on the ground. And my heart breaks for this woman who has found her way into such a wretched situation. But as I've reflected and prayed and journaled on this passage, I have been able to peel back all the layers and bring it back to what I believe is the essence of this story. A story of one sinful woman's encounter with Jesus, and I discover that it is story much like mine. I don't know much about how judgment day is going to pan out, but I know that like this woman, there are going to be people who will bring their charges against me and call for my death. They will be just as insistant, just as convinced that they are right in their accusations against me, and like the woman, I will be cowering at the feet of Jesus, waiting for the inevitable first blow. But Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.' The question is; why doesn't Jesus condemn her? He alone was without sin, and he alone had the authority to condemn her, but he chose not to. Is the answer that he thought that what she had done wasn't that big a deal? That even though she was certainly guilty, that she doesn't deserve death? But how can we say that, when Jesus is God and he wrote the law that condemns adulterers to death? Did he change his mind? Was he afraid to condemn her? Was he afraid to execute a woman in an occupied country where it was illegal for anyone but the Roman Governer of the region to order executions? But can we really say that Jesus is a man who suffered from fear? The man who slept through storms, walked on water and daily rebuked and humiliated the most respected leaders of the town? Can we say that this man would not do what is right because he was afraid? The truth is, that Jesus took the sin of this woman onto himself and died in her place. Jesus died so she would have the chance to try again, and live a life of love, and not of sin. He suffered and died for her, even though what she had done was disgusting in his eyes. And likewise, when the time comes for me to be judged, no charge will be able to be brought against me, because Jesus has already paid the price for my sins.