The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 513

disgu~t. Like I\ flower from a cold March wind, his tenderly holy n11ture nl\turnlly shrank from the foul moral atmosphere !\round him. (2) In hia calm demeanour, Alt.bou_r:h quite cognizant of the cunning plot, its mnlicious design l\nd inspiring hatred, yc-t he was unruffled. 'Vhy was he so calm and self-possessed? Because ho wns so holy. (::J) In his vindication of the Law. "Ho that is without sin of you," eto. The claims of the LRw were admitted; it suffc-red no loss at his hands. (4) In hiij condemna- tion of si'.n. That of the woman, and not loss that of her accusers. (6) In the scatl1ing c_ffect <1.f hi'.s words on hi'.s foes. Their self-conviction was the sympathy of conscionoe with the holiness of its Lord. His presence and words became to thorn uubearnble. Fearing another burning sentence or II piercing look, they had left before he had rniscd himself from the ground; they flcid his holy presence as some beasts of prey flee to their dens before the rising sun. 'l'hey would rather meet the anger of a storm thrm the pure gaze of that eye. 5. His Divine tenderness and =reg. This is seen: (1) In his C"ond,ict towards his enemies. They were more his foes than those of the woman. They were really the friends of guilt, but foes of innocency. Disgusted as he must have beeu with them, he treated them Yery tenderly. He took no advantage of his great superiority. There seems to be a technical error in the charge; this he passed by. Whatever might be the full meaning of his writing on the ground, it certainly meant thnt he tried to avoid public exposure of their guilt, and to convict them by private correspondence; and failing thi!<, he exposed them in the mildest manner. (2) In his conduct towards lhe woman. Most teachers would be to her harsh and censorious, but he was not. His holiness seemed to have burnt from its very centre and flowed in love nnd tenderness. Whether this woman was a confirmed sinner or the victim of a stronger and a more i-ioful nature, it is evident she was sinful au<l. degraded enough. Still he treated her ns a woman, thongh fallen, and respected her remaining sensibilities. His conduct glowed with more than human tenderness, and breathed more than human mercy. " Neither do I condemn thee "-words which probably mean more than a simple refusal to act as a legal judge ; but, in consequence of a penitence of heart which no eye could ~cc but his own, they were meant to canvfy the acquittal of a higher court, and the h)Pssing of Di'l'ine pardon. He dismissed her with an honest but a hopeful caution: "Go, and sin no more "-language involving condemnation of the past, but full of hope with regard to the future; and if his advice were acted upon, he would become her Defender and Friend. LESSONS. 1. The '17Wst depraved and wiclred really are the most harsh and censorious. The servant which has been forgiven a. hundred pounds by his master is the most likely ro abuse his fellow-servant who owes him fifty. He who has a beam in his own eye is the first to charge his brother with having a mote. The witness-box ia more sinful often than that of the criminal. 2. The most holy are the most merciful. Jesus was so purely holy that he could afford to be abundantly merciful. He is the foe of sin, but the Friend of sinners. 'l'he climax of holiness is love and mercy. 3. Outward morality may stand the test of a human judge, but not that of the Divine 011,. 'l'he Law is spiritual; the Jndge is omniscient. What is real and immortal in man is spiritual; what he is spiritually he is really to God. Jesus was more tender to tempted and fallen sinners than to self-righteous hypocrites. 'l'he former he helped, the latter he denounced. A scar on the skin is more easily cured than cancer on the vitals. The accused fared better than her accusers. 4. The greater the opposition to Jesus the 'TnON 'brightly his character shone, and the more unfortunate and impenitent sinners an benefit&l. 'l'he character of Jesus never shone more brightly than in this cunning and dark plot. His superior knowledge, wisdom, authority, holiness, and mercy shone so brilliantly that in the fiery furnace we see One not like unto, but the very Son of man and the very Son of God; and the poor woman derived a great advantage. On the tide of hRtred she was carried into the lap of infinite love, e.nd by the seething wave of human vindictivenei;s she was thrown into the warm embrace of Divine forgiveness. 5. The sinner and the Saviour are best alone. Jesus alone, e.nd the woman in the midst. Spell-bound by his authority, and more by the secret and magic influence of his Divine compassion, she stood still. Her accusers all were gone, and she was the only one that remained in the Divine society-a dumb suppliant at· his feet. No one should go hetwcen the sillller and the Saviour, between the sick and the Physician. Lot them alnne. A sound advice will be given, and eternal benefit dor-ived.-ll. '1', <lit. vtn. 1-59.] 1'ltE GOSt>Et AOCORDING TO S'i'. JOFIN. 8A9