“THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE” Jesus Mafa
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. Now what do you say? Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened and said to them, Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. And 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.
Jn 8, 3-5; 7-11
My feminine sensibilities require that I share my reaction to the early part of the story: The woman was caught in adultery and the Law instructed that she be stoned. Surely she did not commit adultery by herself, but the patriarchal structure of society is blatantly exposed by the omission of any male culpability. These types of stories make clear that fact that Scripture was written by men and from a male point of view.
Despite that history, the story is rich in meaning, revealing the human tendency to self-righteously pass judgment on others. Jesus would have none of it.In one of the many stories that show his counter-cultural relationship with women, he also shows us the face of our compassionate God. Jesus, the only one who could have cast a stone, being without sin, did not. Instead he enveloped the woman in loving forgiveness, sending her away with the admonition to sin no more.
He knew that we are all sinners; we just commit different kinds of sins. Some people are more inclined to sexual misconduct, and that seems to have worried the scribes and Pharisees more than sins of pride and callousness toward others. Human beings are creative in wrongdoing and often oblivious to their own. What about injustice, greed, theft, ignoring the poor, widows, and orphans? What about war that kills thousands of civilians or poisoning air, water, and soil, spoiling them for future generations? What about anger, abuse, and violence? The list of sins is long, and focusing on them in others can help us forget that they reside in us as well.
Putting someone down can make us feel important. Becoming pumped up with self and condemning those who dont view the world as we do is easy for those whose love is imperfect: That is all of us. Jesus, on the other hand, who IS perfect Love, shows us the way of God: Love and forgiveness, respect and trust. He sends the woman on her way. He doesnt follow her, make her sign a pledge, or require her to report back to him at a later date. He loves and trusts her to change her behavior for the better.
Forgiving God, give me a heart that does not need to judge others. Help me know that my worth comes not from being better than the people around me, but from being a your child, your beloved. Give me a heart that accepts, loves, and forgives myself as well as others.
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