And everyone went to his own house. [7:53] There is a suddenness to this simple line. Clearly after the long back and forth between Jesus and the crowd, the crowd amongst it self, they were either exhausted and out of argument, or perhaps simply having much to ponder, either way it is a rather abrupt moment. It also is reminiscent of St. Luke’s words after Christ has died on the cross: When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts…..[23:48]
This evening we cross the threshold into Holy Week and, revealing his profound understanding of Divine Mercy, which we are about to witness in chapter 8 of the Holy Gospel according to St. John, St. Gregory Nazianzen urges us: If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up your cross and follow Christ. If you are crucified beside Him like one of the thieves, now, like a good thief, acknowledge your God. For your sake, and because of your sin, Christ Himself was regarded as a sinner; for His sake, therefore you must cease to sin.
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. [8:1]
The very name of the place, Mount of Olives, refers to a place which is an important one in salvation history: As David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. [2 Sam.15:30]; On that day God’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives….[Zec.14:4]; When they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives…[Mt.21:1]; As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be of your coming, and of the end of the age?” [Mt.24:3]; As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple area…[Mk. 13:3]; As He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples.[Lk.19:29]; During the day, Jesus was teaching in the temple area, but at night He would leave and stay at the place called the Mount of Olives.[Lk.21:37]; Then going out He went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. [Lk.22:39] Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. [Acts 1:12]
The above passages link the Mount with the promises of a Redeemer, Jesus, and with the constant communion in love and prayer between Jesus and the Father, the entry into Jerusalem the week of His Passion, the place of the agony in the Garden and the Ascension of Jesus. But early in the morning He arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to Him, and He sat down and taught them. [v.2]
There is here a statement of both ordinariness in the life of Jesus and of fearlessness. He knew the Pharisees hated Him, were constantly seeking ways to trap Him that they might eventually kill Him. St. John now presents us with one of these traps, particularly vile because the evil men use a vulnerable human being, a woman, to set the trap.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and
made her stand in the middle. [v.3]
How could they have possibly caught her? Clearly either she was a known prostitute and they had the police arrest her, or some neighbour spied upon her, or some wife whose husband was having an affair with her reported her, however it happened no mention is made of the man who was complicit in this. Perhaps he was the one who denounced her and struck a deal to save himself.
The evil behind what the scribes and pharisees is about should not be ignored, because it goes to the heart of what Jesus will say shortly as a challenge to anyone who would judge or condemn another human being, either in our hearts, thoughts, or by some external action.
Interior judging of others quickly morphs into anger and anger devours both the angry person and everyone around them.
Love is of Christ.
Anger is of satan.
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. So what do You say?” [v4,5]
Their sneers and disdain for the woman, their hatred of Christ, wafts across the ages as a stink that hangs in the air. This too oozes from anyone who disdains another human being.
They said this to test Him, so that they could have some charge to bring against Him. [v.6]
There is a way human beings, with crafty questioning, test others regarding their faith, political alliance, race, and so forth, to be sure they are ‘one of us’.
To do so is to test Christ Himself.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. [v. 6 cont.]
Nowhere else in the Gospel accounts is mention made of Jesus writing.
Scholars have speculated for millennia as to what Christ might have written since St. John does not say. Clearly whatever He wrote was not considered by St. John as important as what Jesus says and does.
But when they continued asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” [v.7]
Jesus does not enter a legal dispute with them, rather His answer implies: The hands of the witnesses shall be the first raised to put the person to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. [Deut.7.17]
Frankly that makes these men, who by their very presence indicate they were witnesses,
on top of all the other evil darkening their hearts, clearly lacking any shred of compassion.
Again He bent down and wrote on the ground. [v.8]
It may appear Jesus is showing disdain by appearing to ignore them. Rather what clearly Jesus is doing is allowing them time to be stirred in their consciences.
It is to be hoped that such stirring would have motivated them to compassion, but what happens next might indicate self-preservation as clearly, if anyone of them threw a stone, the people would have reacted, harshly no doubt, at such blasphemous arrogance, for Jesus pointedly said only the sinless one could throw the first stone.
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So He was left alone with the woman before Him. [v.9]
In the pre-Vatican II ritual of prayers for souls at the hour of death, one prayer has the line: We implore You, O Lord, do not remember the faults of his [her]youth and his [her]ignorance…..
It is a grace, perhaps this is what the elders experienced, to be mindful that what we may have done out of youthful ignorance, if repeated in adulthood, is a far heavier burden in old age.
If graced with enough years to be an elder, our hearts, from life experience and hopefully wisdom, should have transformed into hearts like Christ’s own.
We elders should be living icons of compassion.
© 2019 Fr. Arthur Joseph
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