Cast The First Stone – Meaning Of This Expression
CAST THE FIRST STONE – In this topic, we are going to know the meaning and a bit of history of the expression “Cast The First Stone”.
We all have heard of this expression before and in many versions. But what does it actually mean?
Meaning
It basically means to be the first to criticize or accuse someone, according to WritingExplained. This is in the case of someone committing a mistake and the person would be the first to accuse the person committing a mistake.
On the other hand, this is also a reminder and a suggestion not to simply criticize others out of a whim when you yourself also make mistakes.
Origin
This is a shorter version of the expression “let he who is without sin cast the first stone“, which came from the Bible, when several people want to throw stones at a woman, who is accused of adultery. That is when Jesus Christ said that those who have no sins would be the first to cast the stone. Surely no one is without sin, thus, unable to throw the stone.
This is from the Book of John chapter 8, verse 7, which is read the following:
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
John 8:7 New International Version (NIV)
Back in the days, throwing stones, also known as Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of punishment where they throw stones at the accused until he or she dies from blunt trauma.
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