Great Defender

Early one morning, the teacher came to the temple courts. People gathered, and he began to teach. Suddenly, the religious leaders interrupted, bringing a woman before him. She had been caught in adultery. They made her stand before the crowd and said, "Our law says she should be put to death by stoning. What do you say?" They did this to trap him. If he agreed, he would seem cruel. If he disagreed, they could accuse him of rejecting God's law. At first, he said nothing. Then he bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. Then he stood and said, "Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone." One by one, the accusers walked away, starting with the oldest, until only the woman remained. "Where are your accusers?" He asked. "Does no one condemn you?" "No one, sir," she replied. "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and sin no more." Later, he spoke again to the crowd saying: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." But the words, "Before Abraham was, I am." was the final straw for the religious leaders and they picked up stones to stone him.