In today’s Gospel – John 8:1-11 – “the scribes and the Pharisees” bring to Jesus “a woman caught in adultery.” They ask Jesus how she should be treated. “They said this to test him.” The religious authorities mask their malevolence in a concern for the Law of Moses. Apart from the obvious deceit, there are two other very important and interrelated issues at play in this encounter.
Firstly, there is an unwarranted identification of the Law of Moses with the religious authorities’ teaching on the Law of Moses. A more appropriate approach by the religious authorities would be a humble recognition of the mystery of God’s presence with the people, loving them into freedom. There is no hint here of the vision given in the prophet Isaiah: “Thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1-13).
Secondly, the religious authorities confuse custom with tradition. The tradition – grounded in and expressive of the Covenant relationship as expressed by the prophet Isaiah – is the gift of God’s very self, eternal and life-giving. Tradition is the living and loving relationship between a living and loving God and a living and loving people. People are liberated by their engagement with the tradition, “borne on eagles’ wings” as Psalm 91 would have it. Tradition needs – and enlivens – custom and gives it its raison d’être.
Custom is the necessary servant to tradition. It is a human construct, temporal, it can be life-giving if it is faithful to the tradition but can also be death-dealing when it ceases to be a servant of the tradition. Custom tends to be very complex, gathering more rules and regulations as time passes. People can get stuck in custom and become slaves of custom. Custom can seduce us with the promise of control, engendering the impression that everything is fine so long as the rules are being observed. Custom can become the enemy of tradition rather than its servant.
Bearing in mind this distinction between tradition and custom, we might ask some questions. Is the real story here about this woman? Is it about an act of adultery? What is the significance of Jesus’ retort, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”? How do you read the last exchange: “‘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.’”
Journal and reflect on these questions
What does Jesus' response to the accusers reveal about God’s justice and mercy?
How might we, like the Pharisees, sometimes confuse human-made customs with God’s true intention in tradition?
In what ways can focusing on rules distract us from living out love and compassion in our daily lives?
How does Jesus’ refusal to condemn the woman invite us to rethink how we view and treat those who have made mistakes?
What does it mean to be “liberated by tradition” rather than enslaved by custom in our own faith journey?
How can we ensure that our religious practices stay rooted in a living relationship with God rather than mere habit or control?
In what areas of your life might Jesus be inviting you, like the woman, to “go your way and sin no more”?
Discuss
Discuss - Who am I
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, you see beyond our faults and failures and meet us with mercy, not condemnation. Just as you stood with the woman in her shame and lifted her with love, stand with us in our brokenness and help us to encounter your grace. Teach us to let go of judgment, to live with compassion, and to recognize the sacred worth in every person. May your words—“Neither do I condemn you”—echo in our hearts, calling us to walk in newness of life, with humility, forgiveness, and love. Amen.
(Audio Available)
