When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
I have no idea where the expression “caught red-handed” came from. Nonetheless, you and I know what being caught “red-handed” means.
For many years, my family attended a summer conference center in Indiana. J. R. Whitby, who lived in Tulsa, and I always looked forward to hanging out together every summer at this camp. In addition to liking J. R. as a friend, I always looked forward to the array of fireworks he’d bring along. These were legal in Oklahoma, but they were not legal in Indiana.
One day—J. R. and I were thirteen—we decided to slide to the edge of firecracker safety. “What would happen if we lit a cherry bomb, put a big tin can over it, and then stood on the can?” I wondered out loud. J. R. thought it was a terrific idea, and since it was mine, I was elected. He lit the cherry bomb, quickly set a big juice can on top, and then I stood on the can. What I remember was covering my ears with my hands and squeezing my eyes tightly shut. The shock from the exploding firecracker sent a shock wave from the soles of my tennis shoes to my baseball cap. Thankfully, but not fittingly, I survived without a scratch. The juice can, however, wasn’t so fortunate. The impact of the explosion turned it inside out. J. R. and I celebrated at the success of our adventure. Boys.
Moments later we were walking across the campground. However, not having the presence of mind to throw away the evidence, I was carrying the shrapnel remains of the can in my hand. Presently, a city police officer approached. For a moment, I forgot what I was toting, but by the time it dawned on me, it was far too late. “You boys know anything about the fireworks?” He had caught us red-handed. There may be no more graphic example of being caught red-handed in the Bible than the story of the self-righteous men who tattled on the woman caught in the act of adultery. Of course, what she had done was despicable. According to the law, it was a capital offense. Jesus knew that adultery broke hearts and created chaos. But He had a message for the woman’s accusers.
They had heard that Jesus was building a “soft on crime” reputation. And since the law about adultery was black-and-white, they thought they’d see if Jesus would break the law Himself through leniency toward the woman. “So what do you say?” they challenged (v. 5). Instead, Jesus turned the tables on these merciless thugs.
As if to ignore them, Jesus stooped down and made a few marks in the dirt with His finger. They continued their sanctimonious charges. Then Jesus stood up. I love this picture—watching Jesus preparing to level these high-and-mighty fools. “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7). Jesus had delivered a knockout punch.
These men gathered around the woman each held the graphic evidence of their own sinfulness—as visible as the torn-up tin can in my thirteen-year-old grip. They were red-handed sinners, just like the woman—just like us. But Jesus was willing to forgive them all, starting with the adulterous woman crouching there, continuing with each of the men in the circle, and finishing with you and me—if we’re willing to repent. Isn’t this incredible?