The Option of Mercy (KBS #7)

Dear DJAN Friends,

 

Our reading for today underscores the difficulty of determining the actual text of the Bible. The story of the woman caught in adultery (where's the man?) is absent from the earliest and best manuscripts, and, thus, is put in brackets in some modern English translations. The story apparently circulated in early Christian communities, but isn't found in New Testament manuscripts until the 3rd century, when it was inserted in various places. Whatever its authenticity, these verses have spoken to generations of Christians about the grace of Jesus Christ.

 

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before them, they said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, sir." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again" (John 8:2-11).

 

To understand the story, we need to know that ancient Jewish law commanded the death penalty for this offense, but the Roman occupiers reserved the death penalty for themselves. So the question posed to Jesus is a trap: the law of Moses or the law of Caesar? Notice that Jesus assumes the universality of sin (if you haven't sinned, go ahead and throw stones), does not condone sin (don't do it again), and then offers mercy beyond traditional condemnation–a word of grace for us all. But what on earth is he doing writing in the dust?! As Rowan Williams puts it, Jesus dithers. He refuses to "jump to conclusions" or "rush to judgment." He resists the hasty tweet or quick, intemperate email, until the voices of judgmentalism fade away and mercy is the clear option. Surely there is some lesson here for our times.

 

May God grant us understanding and commitment.

—Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon