Caught

Caught...

In John 8 the Pharisees interrupt a church meeting Jesus is holding in the temple courts.

They drag in a woman caught in the 'act'! What 'act'? Adultery! And following 'custom' they stripped her to the waist.

Moses' law says to stone her to death. Roman law says only Romans can execute. Don't see anything about stripping.

They (the Religious Right) are out for blood. The woman's and Jesus' blood. They now want to mix Him up on the law and probably stone them both.

Here is my view:

They, the (Religious Righteous or the Righteous Religious) 'caught' her. (I have always though adultery took two) Then they dragged her to the temple. Seems to me, she probably wasn't out on the street committing adultery. Certainly, she and her partner were in some secret or at least enclosed place. The 'RR' was probably out prowling around trying to catch someone in the act.

Perhaps, the partner in this adultery could outrun the 'RR' or was too big and heavy to drag through the streets. Or, maybe a Pharisee?

They drag her in. Interrupt Jesus and his teaching to expose the sinner.

Expose physically - stripping her to the waist. To show how shameful she was? And, so they could all get a good eyeful?

Expose her morally - caught in the act.

Look at us, they probably thought. We are such moral, law-abiding men of God. We would never do such a thing. And it is our job to help God stamp out sin. Adultery in particular.

She was caught. Dragged. Stripped. Exposed.

Jesus turned the whole thing around. Took the attention from the Caught and Exposed to the Catchers and Exposers. He said,"You, who are without sin, throw the first stone."

Now, this is where I get a little nervous. His words point to my heart. I suddenly become part of the 'RR'. Catching others. Judging others. Dragging - telling about others. Exposing - gossiping about others.

And then Jesus says to me "Go and sin no more."

Caught. Again. Exposed. Again. But, forgiven - once again.