John 8:11 Commentary and Bible Study

What she said was very meaningful, but if you read it quickly you miss it. ‘She said, No man, Lord.’ But actually she meant that more literally than you realise. She knows he is the Lord, he has delivered her. Where are your accusers? Has no man accused you? ‘No man, Lord.’ And what about God? She feels guilty before God. She is a deeply repentant woman: ‘No man, Lord’, and the Lord’s response confirms this.‘And Jesus said unto her’, this is the forgiveness of Christ. ‘Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.’ What a statement that is. You could look at it and say, Oh, he just gives her a reprieve. She is still going to be judged in the Day of Judgement. She is just reprieved for the time being on earth. When Christ uses words, he uses them as God – ‘Neither do I condemn thee.’ She has been forgiven; her record is clean. ‘Neither do I [the second person of the Godhead] condemn thee.’ You are clean. How wonderful to be declared clean by God.And when he says to her, ‘Go, and sin no more’, that is not a command. It is not advice; it is not an exhortation. You are a different woman. It is a statement of bestowal of new life upon her. You will not be one who plans to sin anymore. You will not be one who lives to sin anymore as you did. You are forgiven and you are given a new life.