There’s a shocking story nestled in John’s gospel.
While Jesus is teaching in the temple one morning, the Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman who’d been caught in adultery before him. According to Mosaic law, such an act is worthy of stoning so they ask Jesus, “what do you say?” (John 8:5 ESV).
Calmly, Jesus responds, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And one by one her accusers trickle away.
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” Jesus asked the woman at the center of such attention.
Amazed, she said, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Moments away from being thrust into the center of self-righteous attention and stoned to death, this woman finds herself alone with Jesus, alive, and given new life.
I’d like to offer an exercise to you based off of this story.
Sin no more
In approaching this story, where our emphasis lies reveals much about the disposition of our hearts.
For the longest time I read this as a story primarily about sin. Nowhere in the passage is her innocence claimed. Neither John nor Jesus deny wrongdoing. She is guilty.
Jesus, mercifully, grants her another chance.
But notice, after granting her this chance he still tells her to “sin no more.” The expectation for holiness stands and her forgiveness—to me at least—seemed provisional.
When reading this story, my bias was on the “sin no more” part. We’re supposed to me holy after all, right?
Scandalous mercy
There is, however, another way to read this story.
It’s a simple observation that John includes this story in his gospel record because it was so shocking. And the shock had everything to do with the scandalous mercy extended to this woman.
The shock value had little to do with “sin no more” and everything to do with “let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
The part of this story that was most scandalous to both those in the crowd then and readers of John’s gospel now—the part that’s most scandalous to me—is his lack of condemnation.
In a crowd of self-righteousness, the truly righteous one puts a mirror on the ground in which this woman’s accusers see their own sins as well. Far from being holier, they too are guilty…..we too are guilty.
Where are you?
Let this story be a prism for reflection.
Where do you fall in these two readings? Do you find yourself emphasizing the wrongdoing or marveling at the mercy of Jesus?
And consider this not just in this story but also in the lives of others, the lives of those around you in the here and now.
What’s more shocking?
The sin of this woman or the scandalous mercy of Jesus?
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! If you enjoyed it, would you pass it onto a friend?