5th Sunday of Lent
John 8:1-11
From a legal point of view, the case is crystal clear: the woman has committed adultery. There is no doubt about it. She was caught in the act. And the law of Moses is clear: adulterers should be stoned to death. There are no open questions here. So, the trial could have been conducted quickly and more discreetly, without a large audience. The public accusation in the temple in front of all the people has the sole purpose of putting Jesus to the test: Is he faithful to the law or not? The woman is actually just a tool in a plan.
The accusers are exploiting a behaviour that is deeply rooted in us humans. When problems arise, when things don’t go as they should, when there is chaos, we are very happy to find someone to blame. Someone who hasn’t followed the rules. Someone who is causing the chaos. Once we have identified this person, we can all distance ourselves from him or her. Then we can eradicate the evil from our community by excluding this single person, or better still, eliminating him or her completely. After that, everything will be good again. Order is restored. And our community has grown closer together because together we have successfully fought for the good. At least that’s how it feels.
The scribes and Pharisees have actually chosen Jesus as the person they want to eliminate in order to restore order. But they find nothing that he could have done wrong. He is without sin. So, they don’t manage to persuade the people to go along with their plans. Not yet. On Good Friday they will have succeeded.
For now, they arrest the adulteress. It is obvious that she has done evil. This is where the dynamic just described sets in: The wrongdoer has been identified. And everyone distances from her. She must be excluded from the community. Even more, she must be physically destroyed in a collective action, the stoning. Everyone can do his bit to restore order. All you have to do is take a stone and throw it at the sinner. She deserves it, without a doubt. You do something good when you throw the stone. You are taking the side of morality and order. ‘Where is your stone? Why haven’t you thrown it yet? Do you agree with immorality? If you don’t throw a stone, you’re agreeing with evil!’
Don’t think that this dynamic only exists in archaic societies. No, in our supposedly civilised world it has become even worse. Modern communication media have accelerated the dynamic. Anyone can throw a stone on social media. And very often this creates a mass movement. A shitstorm. Everyone who joins in feels great. After all, they are on the side of the good. And they feel part of a large community that is fighting evil.
Don’t say that a shitstorm can’t be compared to a stoning. In a matter of minutes, civil existences can be destroyed, people become unemployed, can no longer get a bank account or a seat in a restaurant, are threatened on the street or are even physically attacked. Some commit suicide. The consequences a shitstorm can have bear no reasonable relation to the crime allegedly committed.
How does Jesus react to this dynamic? At first, he says nothing. He bends down and starts writing on the ground with his finger, as if the whole case were none of his business. In doing so, he stops the dynamic. He calms the storm. It becomes quiet. Everyone waits for his answer. This moment of delay and silence is important. It allows everyone to think about what he or she is doing. Such a moment of delay and silence would also be good for any debate on social media. You don’t have to answer straight away. Take your time!
And then Jesus says just one sentence: ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Jesus forces each and every one to reflect. Ask yourself whether it is not you who has broken the rules. Whether it is not you who has done evil. The result is clear. One by one, they leave the square. Everyone knows that he or she is a sinner. And if you are a sinner yourself, what right do you have to stone someone else for committing a sin? If we find ourselves tempted to stone others because they are sinners, even if it is only with comments on social media, then we should first repeat this sentence to ourselves: ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone.’
We are all sinners. No one is authorised to throw a stone. The only one who has not sinned in the scene in the temple is Jesus. But he does not throw a stone. Instead, he writes on the ground with his finger until everyone has left. Except for the adulteress. She remains alone standing there, in front of Jesus.
At this point, we can identify with this woman: After I have examined my conscience, I have recognised myself as a sinner. I stand alone in front of Jesus, as a sinner. Will he condemn me?
‘I do not condemn you. Go and do not sin any more!’
This sounds familiar. It is what Christ tells us through the ministry of the Church in the sacrament of confession. Our sins are forgiven. The burden is lifted from our shoulders. And we receive the grace of Christ, new strength to keep ourselves better away from sin in the future. This is the only way to free the world from evil. Through repentance and the healing of the sinner. Not through his elimination.
‘As I live, says the Lord, I do not wish the sinner to die, but to turn back to me and live.’ Amen.
