The first psychologist.

I know what you're thinking?

We never truly know the thoughts of man. The human machine is just that, a complex, functional, emotional, mortal thinking machine which is always in a state of flux and being.  Hence, the human 'being' is in a state of 'Being' as Heidegger put it, alluding to ones existence. A state of existence that is unknowing yet real, living and dying simultaneously and cognitively and emotionally unique to oneself. Paradoxically, our unique emotional and cognitive state of existence is that which makes us to some degree at least, the same as everybody else. We live because we feel and think and we know that other human beings are doing the same; Feeling and thinking. Therefore, 'we' are human beings.

However, it is this universality of being human that makes us both original and the same.  That is why we believe that we can help one another.  When we see a child crying we want to hug it because we know that we wanted a hug in the same situation yet we are all different, coming as we do from different backgrounds.  We also share a common thread morally as human beings and nobody knew this better that the one they called Jesus. Whatever your belief about Joshua Ben Joseph he definitely understood the human condition and realised that morality wasn't about rules or the breaking of them in a logical, legalistic fashion. Instead, Jesus was interested in us as emotional, psychological beings.  It was our hearts and the hearts of others that he was interested in protecting; it was our hearts that he desired for us not to break.  Hearts he realised were only broken by the actions of others and through the actions or in actions of ourselves.

Never was this more obvious or evident in his 'let he who has not sinned cast the first stone' statement.  This is not so much a statement about sin or redemption. Instead, it is a shrewd statement regarding the human being and how a human being 'is' and without a doubt helps lay the foundations for Maslow, Jung and Freud. Jesus isn't so much trying to expose the hypocrisy of the Jewish people who wanted to stone to death the woman who commit adultery and has therefore apparently offended the Jewish Torah or law. Yes, it is true that Jesus does allow the opportunity to acknowledge the hypocrisy in throwing stones at people while yet the persecutors may have acted the same way themselves. However, it is not until the reader of the gospels reads other stories and parables that we get to see that there is something greater at work- an understanding that the psychological make up of human beings is capable of doing great good or evil depending on many variables. (Mainly psychological- nurture etc.)

  More importantly then because this has been established the main tenet from the teachings of Jesus, especially in this story, is that we should never ever judge another human being. Any trained psychologist worth their salt will tell you this today. Freud, although eccentric and probably one dimensional knew it. No story, fantasy, obsession or experience was too bad for Freud or many of the others. These great minds did not judge their subjects.  Instead, they choose to understand them and by doing so laid the foundations for helping many individuals who would have otherwise have been thrown to the wolves or in Jesus time, the Pharisees.

Jesus knew, when these JUDGES had stone in hand, that he must reach deep into their psyches for change to take place. Instead of just making them realise that many there were in fact hypocrites he really wants to ask the following: How do you know you wont ever commit adultery? Murder? Rape? Why not you? How can you stand there and not only be Judge and jury today but be judge and jury for all time.  By condemning that person today you are in fact making the statement that you will remain faultless of such actions yourself for all time. Otherwise you wouldn't dream of doing it.

Jesus very shrewdly touches us by suggesting that we must forever remain humble. Yes we should strive to do our best but we should avoid the de-humanising action of baying for blood when somebody fails to be their best. Our turn will come when we don't measure up to the mark too. It will happen often.  Therefore, the next time you read the headlines about a person who hasn't measured up, no matter how serious their crimes, it might be helpful to remember the advice of the first psychologist; don't judge and be merciful. It might also be helpful to soak your hand in a nice lavender basin of hot water- stones and rocks after all, cause bruises and blisters. Avoid lifting unless building a house!