The Woman Who Would be Stoned... John 8: 1-11

“Get your hands off me!” the woman cried as she was dragged out to the tent. The two men carelessly pulled her kicking and screaming through the streets. Their orders were to bring this fighting she-cat to the Temple courtyard where the religious leaders waited. “Stop that!” one of the men yelled as she scratched his arm that held her captive. “What do you want from me?” burst from her frightened yet fearless lips. The men just pushed through the bustling crowd and finally arrived in the courtyard, dumping the snarling woman at the feet of leaders. “Here you take her, she is nothing but trouble.” One of the Pharisees reacted with disgust but asked them, “Did you catch her with the man?” One of the men spat a “Yes!” as he turned away. “You caught her in the act?” another one asked them. “Of course, where is my money?” the man answered with impatience to leave. The rabbi turned to the scribe behind him and said to pay the men.  The chink of coins could be heard as the pieces of silver were counted out. Once the transaction was completed one of the elders grabbed the woman’s arm and escorted her to a man standing nearby.

The man from Galilee turned to see the unkempt woman shoved at him. She grabbed at his arm to keep from falling to the ground. Once she was able regain her balance she pulled her hands away as if she’d been burned. Looks of anger and suspicion filled her blue eyes as she dusted herself off straightened her veil and warily moved a short distance away. Her mind raced as she looked at this bearded man and thought, “what does this man want from me now?” All she had ever known men who wanted to use her in some way. As she turned towards the men who paid to have her delivered to the courtyard, she took note of their religious garb. She knew the likes of these men who walked down the street as if they were better than everyone else and who now looked at her with disgust. How did she get here? Ever since her husband died and left her penniless, she had to beg for food and shelter. Some people were kind and generous while others chased her away like a pesky dog. There were a few who even called her names like whore, which cut to her very core. How did it happen that she went from a wife with a home to living on the street selling her body to survive? The shame of being caught in bed with a man weighed heavy on her and now she was standing in front of another man wondering about her fate.

One of the religious leaders pointed his finger at the woman and asked, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” The woman sneered at her accuser and turned defiantly towards the man they called teacher. The leaders smirked at each other as they had been plotting this trap for sometime so they could prove that he disobeyed the Law. They had him this time for sure! The leaders and the woman gaped as Jesus stooped to the ground to draw lines in the sand. A whisper ran through the crowd, “Look at him, he’s ignoring the Pharisees!” With outrage, the leaders asked him again what he thought would be a fitting punishment for the adulteress woman. The man Jesus grabbed a rock and stood up saying, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The fearful woman heard the gasps and saw the horrified looks on the their faces as they backed away from the offending rock. The crowd watched the exchange and waited to see who would be the first to throw a stone. The woman quickly turned back to the man who once again was writing in the sand. When she looked up again something strange happened. With contempt on their faces, the leaders backed away and left the area. The woman didn’t know what to do at this point as only the crowd of onlookers remained. The man Jesus rose and looked directly at her asking, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” Again she looked around and replied softly, “No one, sir.” With a slight smile and a soft touch to her cheek he declared, “Then neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin.” The woman’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him in disbelief, “Is he serious? I am free to go?” She continued to look at him with suspicion because she could not believe her good fortune.

The man turned away from her and began to teach the crowd standing around them. Celebrating her freedom she turned to leave just as the man Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” The woman stopped, captivated by the words of dark and light. Could she come out of the darkness to enter into the light? She watched as he touched everyone around him no matter if they were sick, poor, or desperate. Even the children ran to him with glee. Still pondering his words, “Then neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin,” the woman continued to trail behind him to find out if this man offered a new way, a new hope filled with light.