Walking with Jesus: Fifth Sunday of Lent

For Sunday, April 3, 2022

Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11

The more I read and reflect on Jesus in the Gospels, I believe every word He speaks is important. I have found that it is easy to jump over His words and think I know what He is saying. When I reflect and do research I find that there is a deeper meaning and, so often, a message for me personally. I find myself asking, “What is Jesus saying to me? How is He leading me closer to Him and the promise of Heaven? How can I place His message into my daily living?” Any research has to consider the context of the writing … what went before this passage … was this passage the response, or does it contain an even deeper response from Jesus than what was said? Today’s passage is one of these.

In Chapter 7, Jesus has been teaching in the temple area and the Jews are amazed at how well He knows the scriptures, seemingly without studying them. Jesus says, “My teaching is not My own but is from the One who sent Me …” [John 7:16] The crowd feels He is possessed because Jesus is telling them He is bringing them God’s word. The crowd is curious: If this is the person the religious authorities are trying to kill, why are they letting Him speak openly? Could He be the Messiah?

The Pharisees are suspicious about what is happening and send word to the chief priests, who in turn send soldiers to arrest Jesus. But Jesus responds, “I will be with you only a little while longer, and then I will go to the One who sent Me. You will look for Me but not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.” [John 7:33-34] The people begin to wonder if He is the Prophet (from David’s line) or the Messiah (also from David’s line) who is to come from Bethlehem … “but this one is from Galilee.” The guards go to the chief priests without arresting Jesus, saying they have never heard anything like this man. Nicodemus replies, “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” [John 7:51] Their fellow priests say no prophet comes from Galilee, and “… then each went to their own house, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives” [John 7:53] ... probably to pray.

Early the next day Jesus returns to the temple area, and we have today’s passage. The scribes and Pharisees are constantly trying to discredit Jesus, making Him look like a fool or even a disciple of Satan. The crowd can’t figure Him out: His words are so true and His actions so caring and His healings so improbable and permanent. Who is this man … is He from God? 

The scribes and Pharisees decide to set the ultimate test: one which they feel will put them in “good stead” with the religious authorities and maybe even the Roman rulers. It's a shrewd trap, but Jesus beats them at their own game, turning the tables on them and exposing the hypocrisy of their supposed zeal of the Mosaic law.

The scene is set: The temple area is becoming crowded. Something is happening. Dressed in grandiose style in tassels and robes, a large group of Pharisees and scribes enters the temple with the temple guards “to render definitive judgment.” They drag in a frightened woman, ashamed, feeling she is doomed and being set up to be stoned to death. It is Passover, Jewish prime time. Two big questions arise: First, what is Jesus writing in the dirt? And second, why haven't they also brought in the man? After all, it takes two to commit adultery. And Jewish Law requires the same punishment on both parties: stoning to death.

During Jesus‘ ministry, he was consistently telling us of God’s love for each of us … all the time … and in all circumstances. We believe that God loves us, and we live our lives in response to that love. Since I am to know that I am loved by God, how do I respond to that love in my daily life? The ultimate moral norm determining right and wrong is, How do I best show love in this situation … a giving, serving, caring, love? Sunday Homily Helps offers: “How do we see God’s love as present right here, right now in our midst? How do we respond to that love as individuals and as a community?”

When Jesus gave His greatest commandment of loving God and loving neighbor as ourselves, He set it firmly as the absolute priority in living the Christian life. So in each situation we find ourselves, God offers us forgiveness ... not condemnation. Do I do likewise? Do I ask for His grace?

So what was Jesus writing in the sand? Scriptural scholars have wondered about this. Some say it was the sins of the accusers. This certainly would have turned them away shame-faced. Others say Jesus was just giving them a chance to reconsider their thinking. One of my teachers said Jesus was just doodling. You know how disturbing it is when a person does this when we are talking about something serious and they just can’t be bothered! I personally like this one, but there is truth in each explanation. The bottom line is, we don’t know … but they went away. And why didn't they bring in the man? Maybe they were just too anxious and afraid of their own behavior. Maybe they enjoyed some of their own sins a bit too much and didn’t want to admit them to others so they could continue to enjoy their comfortable sin.  

So I reflect on:

• As we move toward Holy Week, what are we seeing and not seeing? Can we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us where our hearts are hardened?
• Why is there hardness of heart in cultures, in families, in governments and in places of work, amid groups of friends? Can we help the “whole story” to be told?
  

Sacred Space 2022 states:

“A meeting with Jesus is always a life-giving experience, as He Himself has said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.’”