The gospel authors of the first century penned the episode of the adulteress, but the leaders of the early Church could not accept a God who could contradict the law of Moses. Some leaders of the Church were afraid that Jesus’ position of “Neither do I condemn you” could lead to the justification of any behaviour as licit and permissible.
It helps us understand how difficult it is to accept the image of a God that Jesus presents to us. It is not about the woman’s adultery that the scribes and the Pharisees could not accept, but it is the image of God that Jesus preached that they could not accept. This woman’s adultery is only an excuse to set a trap for Jesus.
People in various cultures are obsessed with the sexual sins of others. Even in today’s society, moral policing in defence of public decency leads to fanaticism and violence. The moralists take pleasure in exposing or defaming the moral sins of others. Maybe these people act out of frustration because they do not have the chance to enjoy their desires.
They bring the woman to Jesus because of his reputation of being a friend of sinners and the poor. If he sided with law enforcing Jews, that would be contrary to the messages of mercy and forgiveness that Jesus was advocating. If he spoke for the woman, they could accuse him of breaking the law of Moses.
Jesus does not respond. He bends down and begins to write on the ground. The reference is clearly to the only text in the Bible where the finger of God writes on the stone, on the two tablets, the Ten Commandments. They tell you how you must live, the mistakes you must avoid, and the positions you must take.
With this gesture, Jesus is asking, “Are you still stuck to the law written on the stone? The prophet Jeremiah had announced that God would write his law not on stone, but in their heart one day.” The crowd grew uneasy because they had been exposed. Their hypocrisy has been revealed. They moved away, starting with the elders, the “priests,” — says the Greek text.
Today we are invited to examine our conscience. Are we not the ones who delight in throwing stones at others through gossip and slanders. Are we in any way better than the Pharisees? The Lord says, “Do not judge.”
However, Jesus challenges those who continue to claim righteousness and respectability and hurl stones, no longer with the hands, though, but defaming, isolating, uttering harsh judgments, and spreading gossip. Jesus does not tolerate anyone who throws these cruel stones at those bent under the weight of their own mistakes.
For your reflection:
Do we still believe that God will judge and punish the sinners for the evil committed at the end of times? Let us pay attention. Jesus did not say to the sinful woman: “For this time, I do not condemn you.” Instead, he says: “I do not condemn you” (v.11), neither today nor tomorrow nor ever.
Father Josekutty
Mathew CMF
