“An elaborate ‘set up’?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, December 11, 2024
John 7:53 – 8:11 (Forward, p. 32) CEV p. 1111
I really can’t understand it: such a blatant disregard—and lack of concern, to boot—for the welfare of everyone involved. But then, it runs true to what is often portrayed as the motivation of murderers in the murder mysteries that I have watched of late. In almost every case, the murderers are concerned only with what they can get out of it.
And so it is with today’s ‘case’. Her accusers care not a whit about the woman supposedly caught in the very act of adultery. They are simply ‘using her’ for their own ends, for their personal gain. If they had really been concerned about following the Law of Moses and having it played out fully, they would have brought in her accomplice, her ‘partner in crime’, as well. (As it is, I wonder whether it was not a ‘set up’ simply to try to catch Jesus up. Indeed, that is what our text suggests; “they wanted to test him and brings some charge against him.”) So, in their reasoning, they didn’t care about the woman at all, and the sad fact that she could have been stoned to death. She was expendable as far as they were concerned.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses were hoping against hope that Jesus would fall into one of two traps, either going soft on the Law and insisting that it not be obeyed in this case, or else maintaining that it should be carried out, and not doing the loving thing and thereby having the woman stoned to death.
However, Jesus does exactly what the Law commands, but with a twist. The Law commands that the witnesses to the deed take the initiative in throwing the first stone. And so, Jesus says, ‘whoever is without sin, whoever has never sinned, can cast the first stone.’ And they all realized that they too were under sentence, perhaps not for this particular sin, but certainly for some sin, and so were just as guilty. And so, who were they to act as judge, jury, and executioner! And so, starting with the eldest, they all slunk away, leaving just the woman and Jesus there alone.
Jesus asked, “Where is everyone? Isn’t there anyone left to accuse you?” “No, sir”, she replied. And Jesus answered, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don’t sin anymore.” She is set free, set free to start anew, set free to live a life without this condemnation and without the sentence of her past hanging over her. What a wonderful gift, and such a gift is ours as well, ours for the taking. As with her, what we do with it is entirely up to us. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you’” (verse 11b).
“In the Bebemba tribe in South Africa, when a person acts unjustly or commits an offense, the entire village gathers. The people of the village form a large circle where the accused person stands unfettered. Then, each person of the tribe shares with the accused, one at a time, the good things that person has done. They bombard the accused person with their good deeds, kind words, and compassionate actions. They praise the accused’s strengths, good attributes, and kindnesses. This can go on for days until everyone in the village has had a chance to offer a word. At the end, the circle is broken, and the accused person is welcomed back into the community, and they celebrate.
“Imagine how different our communities of faith would be if we practiced circles of caring. Imagine how different our world would be if we followed the example of the Bebemba. I imagine the Beloved Community of Christ being built on circles of compassion, with Jesus, the Prince of Peace, leading us along the Way.”
MOVING FORWARD: “Follow the example of the Bebemba the next time someone has wronged you.”