With all their professions of reverence for the law, these rabbis, in bringing the charge against the woman, were disregarding its provisions. It was the husband's duty to take action against her, and the guilty parties were to be punished equally. The action of the accusers was wholly unauthorized. Jesus, however, met them on their own ground. The law specified that in punishment by stoning, the witnesses in the case should be the first to cast a stone. Now rising, and fixing His eyes upon the plotting elders, Jesus said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." And stooping down, He continued writing on the ground.

Trods al deres hævdelse af ærbødighed for loven lod disse rabbinere dens bestemmelse ude af betragtning ved at fremkomme med anklagen mod kvinden. Det var ægtemandens pligt at rette anklage imod hende, og de to skyldige skulle have samme straf. Anklagernes handling var aldeles ulovlig. Jesus kom dem imidlertid i møde på deres eget grundlag. Loven sagde udtrykkeligt, at hvis nogen skulle stenes, så skulle vidnerne i sagen være de første til at kaste en sten. Nu rejste Jesus sig, og medens han så stift på de sammensvorne ældste, sagde han: "Den af jer, der er syndfri, lad ham være den første, der kaster sten på hende!" Og derefter bøjede han sig atter ned og blev ved med at skrive på jorden.