Elders

When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders.

 - From John 8 

The people of 2023 need to hear this. Read it. Reflect upon it. 

First of all, look at the behavior modeled by who?

 . . . The elders. 

There are so many gaps to this narrative of the woman caught in adultery. The Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman (drag her?) to Jesus . . . demanding that He tell them what to do about the woman "caught" in adultery. 

Where did this happen? What were the Scribes and Pharisees doing there? Who was she committing adultery with . . . and why is nothing done about that person?

There is a very real likelihood, just from reading between the lines and considering basic, predictable human behavior, that the man committing adultery with the woman was a respected member of the community; maybe himself a Scribe or Pharisee. When he got caught . . . it was very obvious, that something would have to be done about it. 

How like modern people, particularly modern leaders. They go about their corrupt practices. They commit their crimes. And then, before they can get caught, they blame their opponents. A group of American politicians collude with Russia . . . but before they can get caught, they blame their opponent for doing the same. 

There's a weird component to human nature, that makes this type of maneuver easy. For whatever reason, if I go on and on about how evil another person is - because they are doing, or will do, what I am already doing . . . you develop a sort-of teflon against being accused of doing the same. And you're the one doing it!

This is what the Scribes and the Pharisees were doing! If you point the finger enough, you are training people not to notice it, when you're the one doing whatever it is you're pointing at!

Perhaps this is the real lesson of the account of the Woman Caught in Adultery. And perhaps it has a lot to do with the mysterious words Jesus was scribbling into the ground. 

And notice that it takes a great deal of maturity to handle this concept. This is why the elders left first.