John 8:7
"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."
This is a well-known incident in the Holy Bible. A woman, caught in the act of adultery, was brought before Jesus by the Scribes and Pharisees. They rightly asserted that under the Mosaic Law this woman should be stoned (Deuteronomy 22:22). However, their true intent was to trap Jesus (John 8:6), who preached repentance and forgiveness. If Christ argued for her release, then He would be breaking the Mosaic Law. A classic "catch-22" type argument, yes?
No, not really. Instead of falling into their trap, Jesus countered with a request of His own ... "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone ..."
Imagine the silence brought on by this statement. One by one, those in attendance, even the Scribes and Pharisees, left the scene, convicted of their own sin(s). Jesus closed out this encounter by telling the woman "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:11).
There are a few lessons to be learned from this story, but the simplest is recognizing that we are not perfect. We are sinners, just like those whom we accuse. But when we are convicted, we all desire forgiveness.
Drop the stone ...