Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more

 

 And everyone went to his own house.  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.  But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?"  She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

 

- John 7:53-8:11 

 

 Yesterday we completed reading the passage in Luke's Gospel in which Jesus gave to the disciples a lengthy discourse on the end times (see Luke 21).  He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you will see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 And everyone went to his own house.  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  In today's lectionary reading, on this Wednesday as we get into the heart of the Advent season in preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we are given a reading from John's Gospel.  This passage (John 7:53-8:11) is the story of the woman caught in adultery.  Notably, it is not found in several ancient manuscripts.  Neither is it covered in the extensive commentaries of St. John Chrysostom and certain other patristic authorities.  But, my study Bible reminds us, it is still sealed by the Church as inspired, authentic, canonical Scripture, and it bears the same authority as all other Scripture.  It is important that we understand Scripture in this sense.  The setting for this story is Christ's time at the Feast of Tabernacles, an eight day harvest festival.  Jesus has been sparring with the religious authorities, who have attempted and failed to seize Him.  Even the temple officers sent to arrest Him have failed to do so. 

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.  But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  My study Bible comments here that the law dictated the death penalty for adulterers (Leviticus 20:10).  It says that this ordinance, however, was not observed to the letter in the days of Jesus.  But the Pharisees have brought this particular woman because they saw another opportunity to test Jesus.  If He objected to the punishment, He could be accused of opposing the Law.  If He upheld the punishment, then He could be accused of showing no mercy to sinners.  My study Bible also notes that this is the one place in the New Testament where Christ wrote something.  There are several theories regarding what He wrote.  Some suggest that He wrote out the Ten Commandments, which all of the accusers had violated at least once.  Others say that He wrote the names of the accusers who had themselves committed adultery.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?"  She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."  My study Bible says that Christ's answer confounds the Pharisees, because He upholds a great principle of the Law -- that the wages of sin is death (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23) -- but without neglecting its greater aspect of mercy (Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalms 117:2-118:4; Hosea 6:6).   This mercy, it says, is offered freely to all repentant sinners.  In order for us to receive this gift, we must in turn flee from sin, as Jesus teaches the woman ("Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more").

 

 It's important that we pay attention to Jesus' words to this woman.  He tells her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."  His response to her manifests what my study Bible notes:  He upholds a great principle of the Law, that the wages of sin is death -- but without neglecting its greater aspect of mercy.  When we look at this statement, that "the wages of sin is death," we should understand it in a particular sense, in order to understand Christ.  My study Bible cites Genesis 2:17 and Romans 6:23 as the Scripture that underpins it.  But we should not understand "death" as punishment for sin.   Rather -- as implied in Jesus' command to "go and sin no more" -- sin leads us away from God, and to be without God is to enter into death, for it is in God that our life is held and maintained.  God's mercy is never stinted, but apart from God, there is only death.  This is why "the wages of sin is death."  All manner of sin in some way participates in death, in corruption; lies are characteristic of the same, building our lives on false ground, living on values that corrupt and ultimately bind us to oppression, suffering, and that which takes away life and the quality of life.  This is particularly true in terms of righteousness, or the way we relate to others within any sense of community, and thus the issue of adultery becomes important in this context of abuse and broken relationships.  It is with this point of view that Jesus admonishes this woman, after she is forgiven, to "go and sin no more," because to "sin more" would be once again to enter into the way of death, the path which leads to our own loss of eternal life promised by Christ.  This promise is not a "reward"  and its absence is not "punishment."  It is, in fact, our choice for the way of life and the way of death (Deuteronomy 30:15-20), but these are paths that in fact affect our ontological reality, who we are and who we become.  This is not simply about what happens after we physically die, but about our own quality of life in this world, and the blessed way He offers, in contrast to the way of death, which is synonymous with evil and the evil one.  For there are fruits of the Spirit which come with this way of life, as well as fruits of the flesh (that is, life outside of this blessed way).  To walk in this way is to experience a type of peace and joy that aren't to be found elsewhere.  This woman has received the mercy of Christ -- and rightly so, for all kinds of reasons.  But nonetheless, He instructs her to "go and sin no more."   To continue to do so is to walk the way of death, but to follow Him is the way of life more abundantly.  For He is the way, the truth, and the life.  The way to enter into this life is through repentance, for we all sin, even if it's simply to miss a higher mark to which we're called, a better way.  In all cases, our way of life is to follow Him.