By Paul Hammons
December 16, 2018
When we look at John’s account of Jesus and the adulterous woman in John 8:2-11, we’re told very little about a lot of the specifics of the story: Was the woman set up or falsely accused? What was Jesus thinking while he was writing in the dirt? And why did Jesus choose to give the answer he gave?
We often fill in the blanks on our own in some of those very important questions, leading us to make assumptions not only about what happened, but what Jesus’ message to us is based on this story. Some come away thinking that Jesus is minimizing or downplaying the question of sexual immorality. Some might see Jesus here taking a stand against the death penalty. And some would say this is the ultimate reflection of his early command to “judge not, that you be not judged:” what right do any of us have to condemn sin in anyone else?
As with any story in the Bible, context and complementary scriptures are the key to understanding the story. When we see how Jesus spoke strongly about upholding the law (Matthew 5:17-20) and condemning adultery in other passages (Matthew 5:27-30), it seems impossible that Jesus is simply saying that we should ignore adultery or that God doesn’t care how we live.
And when we see the context of the passage, in which the Jewish leaders are trying to trap Jesus by forcing him to either refute the law of Moses or call for an illegal act under Roman law, it’s clear that Jesus’ response is designed to do neither, but instead force the accusers to look at what their own motives are. They clearly are not concerned about adultery or keeping the law purely for its own sake. Their focus was on finding an opportunity to condemn and destroy the Messiah.
In his answer, Jesus not only shows his respect for the law by refusing to overstep his own authority under the law to serve as judge over an accusation he had not witnessed, he shows his mercy toward a sinful woman, while instructing her to “go and sin no more.” In this single instance, Jesus displays the mercy, wisdom, and righteousness which defined his entire life.