Jesus and the Adulteress

 

Jesus and the Adulteress (John 7:37-8:11)

(In no other Gospel... Often not including 7:37-52)

1. Cultural, political and theological background

1. Cultural and Political

   1. Although almost equal legally, women were seen as inferior except when a good wives.

   2. Middle East was and still is ”shame-pride culture” where the honor of the family/clan is paramount and leads to honor killings and generational feuds.

   3. The honor of a family was very much grounded in the fidelity of women

   4. Blood lines very important so identity of the paternity of children essential which is one reason for harsh punishment of adultery

   5. Delicate balance of forces: soldiers patrolled constantly and paced above the cloister ready to stop any possible form of violence, uprising, unrest

   6. Jews forbidden to impose death sentences – demanded by Mosaic Laws for many offenses

2. Theological timing/Mishnah central redemption through substitution Issah

1. 1 “Here is my servant,” whom I uphold, my chosen one in who I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.

   Essential for understanding this passage: Is 42:1-4

1. Timing is important:

   1. 7:37-38 last day Sukkot (festival of Booths)

   2. The day of event was considered a Sabbath

2. Jesus demonstrated deep understanding of Mosaic Laws and their interpretation (Mishnah 200 a.d.)

3. Essential to connect our sins with Christ's death and ultimately our redemption (example of captured generals of Rome) – one of seven ways in which our sins are tied to Christ's sacrifice.

4. Important issue: why is this story only found in John's Gospel, and why do some of the early copies omit it entirely? Is this a true story?  (hint: early manuscripts were written by hand for wealthy individuals/powerful individuals for whom this story may have proven problematic)

1. Overview and Importance of John 7:37-52

   1. Sukkot (Festival of Booths)

      1. Also, Feast of Tabernacles, seventh and last festival on the Jewish Biblical calendar (Lev 23)

      2. Instructed to live in temporary shelters for seven days

      3. Remembrance of God's provision in wilderness and a looking forward to promised Messianic age

      4. Celebration starting on 15^th day of the seventh month of Jewish calendar (Tishrei)

   2. Narrative starts on last day (completion or suggestion of fulfillment)

   3. Jesus' paraphrasing of Isaiah 55:1-4 had an impact because of the implication causing:

      1. The Scribes and Pharisees immediately ordered Jesus to be arrested

      2. The crowds were divided with some seeing Christs as possibly the Messiah while others...

         1. Same implications made by Rabbi Hillel

         2. There were others at that time claiming leadership of the Jews

      3. Debate about the genealogy and origin of interest but not part of today's lesson

   4. Why didn't the Temple Police arrest Jesus (John 7:46)... also tells why division?

   5. Obviously, the encountered enraged the Scribes and Pharisees, but why?

      1. Basically, see crowd as uneducated (do no know the law)

      2. Believe they are accursed (by whom and for what end... or just unmanageable?)

   6. Nicodemus attempted to defend Jesus using the law, but was shut down (weak defender?}

   7. Knowing that He had enraged the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus still returned the next day

2. Strategy of the Scribes and Pharisees, and why

   1. The Scribes and Pharisees had been shamed by the implied reference to Isaiah 55 and probably saw it as a challenge to their authority made on their own turf.

   2. They needed to redeem their prestige and disgrace/shame/humiliate Jesus (cultural thing)

   3. They needed to rid themselves of the troublesome Jesus

   4. Confrontation using the woman

      1. Initial problems:

         1. One wonders how they “caught her in the act” since they were supposedly righteous men

         2. One wonders what happened to the man, who must have been known

      2. the Scribes and Pharisees saw only two possible outcomes to their entrapment:

         1. Jesus upholds the law (Lev 20:10), condemns the woman to be stoned and is immediately imprisoned by the ever present Roman Military for inciting a crowd. Thus removing him from society and regaining their power. Jesus is shamed and loses his following.

         2. Or, Jesus declines to condemn and by so doing shows contempt for the Mosaic Law. Again, the Scribes and Pharisees regain their power, Jesus is discredited and loses his following

   5. Important to note that the festival ended the day before, so the day of this confrontation was also considered a special Sabbath and all the rules/laws of the Sabbath were in place.

3. Jesus' response, a practical example of redemption

   1. Jesus writes in the dust (it is a Sabbath, but writing in the dust is not considered work)

   2. No one knows what Jesus wrote, but we can infer from what follows that he referenced the law

   3. Jesus' challenge invokes Isaiah 53:6 and Ecclesiastes 7:20 which creates a problem

      1. If anyone starts the stoning process, they proclaim themselves sinless, contrary to scripture

      2. But, if they do not start the stoning, they acknowledge their own sinfulness

   4. Why did Jesus begin writing in the dust again? Was it to avoid seeing the Scribes and Pharisees' humiliation? He does not gloat over his success nor does he make matters worse for them.

   5. This is a story of selfless love and how redemption works

      1. By publicly humiliating those powerful men, Jesus redirected their condemnation of and anger toward the woman to himself, accepting. Paying the price of her sin. See Isaiah 42:1-4

      2. Jesus demonstrates the life-changing power of costly love

      3. The woman was “redeemed” from a violent and painful death by Christ redirecting the anger

   6. Jesus' final words to the woman neither condemns her nor does he give her a formal acquittal – he refuses to judge her (we are left not knowing the woman's response to the final words nor what happened to her. Did she change her ways?)

4. What does this reveal about Jesus?

   1. Compassionate. The woman's sinfulness in no way diminished his willingness to save her

   2. Brilliance and astuteness in dealing with conflict from a political and institutional weak position

   3. Courage to return to the temple and accept the challenge made by those in authority

   4. Knows and accepts the law (writing in dust, quoting scripture) but removed the penalty for her sin

   5. Jesus showed that He knew the law, but did not judge, condemn or condone but acknowledged the sin and redirected the anger to himself – redeeming the woman by taking the anger toward her to himself

   6. Jesus called for a reformation both for the woman (… sin no more) and her accusers. He forced the crowd to exam themselves and thus discover their own need to reform.

   7. “Jesus lives out a core meaning of the cross. He offers the woman a costly demonstration of unexpected love. The reader is obliged to reflect on how the woman in the story may have responded, and in the process think deep thoughts regarding his or her response to the costly love of God offered on the cross to the world (Jn 3:16)”

5. This is also an example of substitution, one person substituting themselves in place of another (share)

6. Importance for today – our redemption story

   1. Like the woman, we have been caught in the act of sinning by God Himself

   2. Like the woman, the law says we must die for our sins

   3. Like for the woman, Christ is taking onto himself the consequences of our sins (out of love)

   4. Like the woman, the Scribes, the Pharisees and all in the crowd, we are challenged to reform.