Perhaps no biblical story better illustrates the true grace that God offers than that of Jesus' encounter with the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Bringing her before Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees reminded Him that, according to the Law of Moses, she deserved to be stoned. In that regard they were correct. They erred, however, by at least two other measures.

First, they obviously failed to consider their own worthiness to pass judgment. Jesus revealed Heaven's perspective: There stood a group of sinners about to stone a woman caught in a sin they had probably done or dreamed of doing themselves. They were hypocrites, and they slowly slipped away as they were able to admit it to themselves.

Their second error was this: Even if they had all been blameless, they would not have been automatically warranted by God to condemn her. Jesus Himself modeled this. Although He was sinless God in the flesh, He did not cast a stone. We see that G od who decrees laws and penalties also reserves the right to mercifully grant lawbreakers time to repent—and to forgive those who do repent.  That is what Jesus did. He certainly didn't let the adulteress off because she deserved or earned it. No, there was only one reason He didn't dole out the punishment He had prescribed in the Mosaic Law— pure grace .

But how much grace did Jesus actually offer her?

 “Come now; let us leave” (John 14: 31).  With this brief statement, Jesus beckoned the disciples to follow Him.  After singing a hymn, the group left the upper room where they had all celebrated Passover.  Jesus lead the group down the stairs and out into the chilly spring Jerusalem evening air with eleven disciples in tow.  Eleven?       

Yes, remember that Judas had already left the Passover meal, and choosing to betray his Master, Satan entered into him. (John 13: 27)  With Judas on his way to the high priest’s house to betray the Messiah for 30 pieces of silver (the price of a slave), Jesus was on His way to Gethsemane.  They would meet again—for the final time—in the garden, in just a few short hours.      

 Tonight would be the last night on earth for Judas and the last night before the cross for Jesus.  On Friday, Judas would hang himself most likely on a tree (Matthew 27: 5), and Jesus would also hang “on a tree” that very same day. (Acts 5: 30)