Art Reading Scripture

Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery, 1500's, Lucas Cranach the Elder, National Gallery of Sweden

Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7

The account of the Woman Caught in Adultery was most likely not original to the Gospel of John. The most ancient manuscripts did not include it. Other manuscripts vary as to where they placed it: after John 7:36 when the chief priests and Pharisees sent the temple police to arrest Jesus, after John 21:25 clearly marking it as an addition appended to the Gospel, or even after Luke 21:38 directly before the plan to arrest and kill Jesus and perhaps serving in place of the story of the woman anointing Jesus before his passion in Matthew 26 and John 12. No matter, the story found a place in the Gospels. The effort to include it so late in the composition of these accounts indicates its significance, as does the power of the story convict all, to condemn judging, and to proclaim mercy even to those who might be most despised or guilty.

The phrase painted at the top of the painting in German is, "Let anyone who is without sin be the first to throw a stone." Directly in front of Jesus is a man with eagerness in his eyes, perhaps lechery that exposes his own excessive sexual desire. The man has a basket of stones and one in his hand ready to be thrown. Among the others are some who are thinking to themselves about what Jesus said; one appears angry, one hesitant, some looking at each other questioningly; a few gaze upward, perhaps wondering if God knows their unrepented sins; two of them, one on the right and one on the left, each with one eye, peer out at us, the viewers maybe with the question, "would you cast the first stone?", or "what is your sin?", or "who have you judged?"

Jesus, at the center, does not look at anyone. His gaze seems a bit blank as he stares off into space, accusing no one, simply letting his words have their impact. He gestures to the woman with one hand, and holds her arm with the other. Another man with armored hand and scarred face, a soldier, temple police, grasps her other arm. Is he simply fulfilling his duty? The woman gazes downward, not meeting anyone's eyes. A veil over her exposed breast indicates that she has been caught. What happens next is still an open question, filled with all the possibilities found in the faces of her accusers.

The law was clear, "You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14 But the law as applied in this instant by the woman's accusers curiously omits an important point. "If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death." Leviticus 20:10 Where is the man, "the adulterer"? If she was caught in adultery, he clearly must have been with her. Did they let him go free? Was he one of them whose indiscretion they were able to dismiss because they also had participated in such indiscretions with prostitutes or mistresses? The history of men's dalliances with sexual immorality is very extensive and sadly accepted or given a mere shrug. Indeed, by the end of the story all the men left, "one by one, beginning with the elders." The bearded man with his hand raised was perhaps the first to understand the truth of Jesus words. Jesus invited them to fulfill the law, but deeper he invited them to examine themselves. Presumably even the man with the stone in hand, most certain of the rightness of the cause, also left.

In the end no one could condemn her lest they also condemn themselves. They were not merciful. They were simply ashamed. Jesus remained with her, not because he did have the right to condemn and judge her sin, but because he met her with the mercy to forgive, and the grace to send her back to life. His admonition to "not sin again," is one her accusers did not hear, but which equally applied to them. They might have said the same thing to her in disgust, as though to say, "Next time we won't let you go!" Jesus spoke to her with love, perhaps even knowing that some things never change, but even so there is hope. "Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Nor should there ever be stones in our hands.

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer