Then each went to his own house, 1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 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. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. 4 They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 7 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.” 8 Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, [and] from now on do not sin any more.”
John 8:1–11 recounts the episode of the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees bring the woman before Jesus, citing the Law of Moses, which calls for her execution by stoning (cf. Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22–24). Their aim is to trap Jesus—if He upholds the Law, He defies Roman law which forbade Jews from executing anyone (cf. Jn. 18:31); if He refuses, they can accuse Him of setting aside the Law of Moses.
Jesus responds not with a legal argument, but with a moral one: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7). One by one, the accusers leave, convicted by their own consciences. Left alone, Jesus tells the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more” (v. 11).
This passage is rooted in the interplay of divine justice and mercy. The Law (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22–24) required punishment for adultery, but Jesus reveals its deeper aim: not destruction but conversion (cf. Ez. 18:23). This reflects God's character as revealed in Exodus 34:6–7—“merciful and gracious… yet not declaring the guilty guiltless.” God’s mercy always assumes a call to repentance.
Jesus’ action fulfills the prophetic spirit of Hosea 6:6: “It is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice”—emphasizing love over legalism. He demonstrates that while sin is real and serious, God's response is not immediate condemnation but the offer of grace and renewal (Rom. 5:20; Titus 3:5–7).
In the context of salvation history, this scene anticipates the Cross, where Christ takes upon Himself the punishment due to sin (Isa. 53:5–6; 2 Cor. 5:21). The woman, like all sinners, stands before the Just Judge who offers forgiveness and the possibility of new life. Her story mirrors the spiritual condition of all humanity and Christ’s mission to “seek and to save what was lost” (Lk. 19:10).
During Lent, this passage underscores themes of repentance, divine mercy, and renewal. It invites the faithful to examine their own hearts (Ps. 51:3–4), to drop the stones of judgment, and to embrace the mercy that Christ extends to each sinner (Joel 2:13; Is. 1:18). It is a profound call to personal conversion and a reminder that the path to resurrection passes through the humility of repentance.
Merciful Father, You are gracious and just, slow to anger and rich in steadfast love. Through Your Son You reveal mercy that calls to repentance. Forgive us, as You forgave the woman, and teach us to walk in holiness and compassion. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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