VII.
Let’s read again this week’s Scripture focus. As you read it, what do you notice about those who seem eager to stone another, and what do you notice about Jesus?

VIII.
John 8:1-11, 56-59 (NRSVue)

… Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 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 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 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.”

Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

IX.
Why do we want to stone others? Oh, wait, should I have said “Why did they want to stone others”?

I guess that in one way is more true to this text. But is it what we should take away from their encounter with Jesus and our encounter with Jesus?

When might I be on the side of those who want to “test” Jesus and the Gospel as to how strongly it upholds my view of what is right and wrong? What Christ-like love calls us to?

When might I be on the side of those who “picked up stones to throw at [Jesus]” when Jesus asks me to consider how authoritative his word is in my life?

When can I drop the stones and walk away as “the elders” did?

When can I acknowledge that I am not perfect? That I sin?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}