A woman caught in adultery

JESUS went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.

And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Jesus unmasks the evil intent of the scribes and the Pharisees who present a woman caught in adultery. They ask his opinion, not just to embarrass him but to do away with him. They figure that anything Jesus will say will get him into trouble.

Jesus gives them an unexpected answer. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Look who is talking! Jesus makes them admit their sinfulness in public. They have no right to harm him. Neither do they have the right to condemn their fellow sinner, the adulterous woman. Because of this, the religious leaders leave one by one.

Before and after he hurls the challenge, Jesus bends down. He will bend down again at the Last Supper when he will wash the feet of the apostles.

Jesus does not condone the sin but purifies the sinner. He does not abolish the Ten Commandments. He wants to bring out the best in us, especially in those condemned by society, by male supremacists, or by hypocrites.

The woman does not deny her sin. She waits for the rain of stones. Nothing happens; everything is quiet. Jesus asks, “Where are they?”

The woman may very well reply, “They are gone. They realize they are also sinners in need of mercy.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2019,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-8959701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http:// www.stpauls.ph.