John 8:7

Without sin. Jesus gives the persistent inquirers an answer they are not expecting, and for which they are unprepared. None of them can lay claim to sinlessness. Perhaps before Heaven’s tribunal some of them are more guilty than the woman (cf. DA 461). None of them accepts the challenge.

Jesus is not stating a general principle, one that would make absolute sinlessness the necessary condition of fitness for taking part in the punishment of guilt. This would nullify law, for no one fitted to carry out the execution could be found. He speaks here of a case where men set themselves up as judges of others, whom they ought not to condemn unless they themselves be guiltless. Jesus abhorred adultery (see on Matt. 5:27-32), but He also abhorred self-righteous judging (see on Matt. 7:1-5).

First. That is, be the first of the group to cast a stone.

Casta stone. According to Deut. 17:7 (cf. eh. 13:9), the witnesses were to be the first to cast a stone upon the condemned man. The procedure of stoning is described in the Mishnah as follows: “The place of stoning was twice a man’s height. One of the witnesses pushed him by the hips, [so that] he was overturned on his heart. He was then turned on his back. If that caused his death, he had fulfilled [his duty]; but if not, the second witness took the stone and threw it on his chest. If he died thereby he had done [his duty]; but if not, he [the criminal] was stoned by all Israel, for it is written: The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people [Deut. 17:7]” (Sanhedrin 6. 4, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 295).