He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first

 

 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 read that, on the last day, that great eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."  Others said, "This is the Christ."  But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?   Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"  So there was a division among the people because of Him.  Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.  Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"  The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?  Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed in Him?  But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."  Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"  They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee?  Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."

 

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."  My study Bible explains that today's story of the woman caught in adultery is not found in several ancient manuscripts.  In addition, it isn't fond in the commentaries of St. John Chrysostom and certain other patristic figures.  But it is still sealed by the Church and understood as inspired, authentic, canonical Scripture.  It bears the same authority as all other Scripture.  In the Orthodox Church, this passage is read on one of the two days when St. Mary of Egypt, a reformed prostitute, is commemorated.  

"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 says that the law dictated the death penalty for adulterers (Leviticus 20:10).  But this ordinance, however, was not observed to the letter in the time period of Christ's life.  The Pharisees have brought this particular woman because there is an opportunity to test Christ.  If He object to the punishment, He cold be accused of opposing the Law; if He upheld the punishment, Jesus could be accused of showing no mercy to sinners.   Additionally, this is the only place in the New Testament where we're told that Jesus wrote something.  There are several theories regarding what Jesus wrote, which my study Bible sames as follows:  Some say that He wrote out the Ten Commandments, which all of these accusers had violated at least once.  Others suggest Jesus 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 comments here 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 does not neglect its greater aspect of mercy (Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalms 117:2 - 118:4; Hosea 6:6).  Christ's mercy is offered freely to all repentant sinners, my study Bible says; but in order for us to receive this gift, we must in turn flee from sin, as Christ says to this woman.  

 

Christ's compassion for women transcends the mores of His place and time.  There are numerous references to His relationships to women throughout the Gospels that express this.  One example is His friendship with Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus.  There is this particular episode told in St. Luke's Gospel, of the time Jesus visited.  His sympathy with Mary, who wanted to learn from Him (as His male disciples were no doubt listening as well) is profound when we consider that it is she who is not doing what is expected of her as female in the household -- at least according to her sister (See Luke 10:38-42).  In St. John's 11th chapter, we will read about the raising of Lazarus.  In verse 5, we read that He loved Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus.  It also contains the shortest verse in the English version of the Bible, "Jesus wept," and we're asked to observe just how deep His sympathy and compassion is with these women who mourn their brother.   In Matthew 27:55-56, we read about the many women who followed Him from Galilee and served in His ministry.  Luke 8:2-3 mentions several women whom Jesus had healed, and who supported His ministry out of their own substance.  Lest we forget, it was to a woman (and a Samaritan at that) that Jesus first openly revealed Himself as the Christ (see John 4:1-43; esp. verse 26).  At His Resurrection, it is to a woman that He will first be revealed as well John 20:11-18.   So what we find altogether in the Gospels is a well-rounded picture of Christ's sympathy with women, His willingness to trust and to reveal Himself to them, to teach them, to accept them in key roles in His ministry, and to include them as His beloved friends.   In today's reading He reveals Himself to be entirely just, standing up to the men that accuse the woman taken in adultery, but also warning her about the state of her own relationship to God and sin:  "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."   Ultimately, we we can observe about Christ is just that, that He is perfectly true to His Father in the sense that His judgment is just and true.  In this story of the woman taken in adultery, He exemplifies what He has just taught in the temple to the religious leaders, that "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him."  Moreover He sets the example of His own teaching to them, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (see both statements in Saturday's reading).  Jesus' sympathy and relations with women are not merely a kind of inverse prejudice, nor a special indulgence; they are instead manifestations of His righteousness and just judgment.  He counsels compassion and recognition of one's own capacity for sin, and at the same time enforces the need for communion with God.  Let us endeavor, all of us, to follow His example.