EmmDev 2020-06-30 [Snapshots of Jesus] Indignant Mercy

Indignant Mercy

Today we have a strip of those grainy black and white photographs that you often see in the movies when someone has been put under surveillance.

The Pharisees caught a woman in adultery. They caught her in the act, probably only leaving her time to wrap something around herself. She is dragged before Jesus and they demand that she be stoned.

(Flashbulb #1: The woman's frightened face)
I imagine Jesus pursing His lips and anger entering His eyes as He analyses the facts:

• She didn't commit adultery by herself but she is here alone.
• They were placing Him in an impossible position:
  
  1. If she is stoned, He will be in trouble with Rome for inciting violence
  2. If he lets her off, then He compromises the OT laws
• The woman is being reduced to bait.

(Flashbulb #2: Jesus face: grim with the recognition of the manipulation)

He bends down to write. We are not told what. Many scholars believe that He wrote a summary of the Ten Commandments.

(Flashbulb #3 - the curious faces of the Pharisees starting to smile as they see the law being written, thinking that Jesus will go with the stoning and that they can get the Romans to do their dirty work because they will be perfectly willing to testify that Jesus incited the stoning.)

Jesus straightens up. (Flashbulb #4) Resolute determination and righteous indignation written all over His face) "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone"

(Flashbulb#5) Gobsmacked incredulous faces of the Pharisees - all smugness gone - colour draining away as they realise that they are now in an impossible situation)

(Flashbulb#6) An incredulous woman and Jesus, compassion mixed with urgent seriousness) "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

(Flashbulb#7) Deserted dusty street with 30 or 40 stones dropped on the ground and dusty footprints leading away from them.)

Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."      (John8:10-11)

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