#9 FOUR-LETTER WORDS

The story found in John 8:1-11 is often called The Story of the Adulterous Woman. It is known by many people in America whether they are Christians or not. Unfortunately, it is often misunderstood or misquoted. One source of misunderstanding comes from having an American sense of justice. Americans think of justice as a judge giving somebody what they deserve. If found guilty, a person is sentenced to an appropriate penalty; but, if found innocent, they are let go without a penalty. A simple standard of guilt or innocence. What else could justice be? In many cultures, the purpose of a judge is to set things right. This is key to keeping relationships in order, which is a high priority. In this story, Jesus acts as this kind of judge. Another source of misunderstanding is the context of how the story is often read. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees are not asking Jesus to judge her because that is not within his authority. They are asking him to evaluate the situation based on his standing as a teacher. They wanted to trap him and were using the woman as the bait. They obviously did not care about her in any way.