Neither do I condemn you....

John 7: 53 – 8: 11

John 8: 11

And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’

This passage and the story it contains may not have been in the original manuscripts of John’s Gospel, but it is still worth considering; why? Because if a community of disciples thought it was necessary to include it perhaps there was slippage away from what Jesus of the Nazareth sermon actually taught regarding the social actors and issues contained in this story. In this story there are questions being asked and answered through a story that is mobilising certain key personal and social identities within a wider community that is debating essential characteristics of social cohesion and justice. The teacher is Jesus and He is portrayed as a threat to the ruling religious elite who are attempting to entrap Him. It is interesting that they choose two very significant social identities namely gender and sexuality and the social constructs of law, authority and justice. What should happen to a woman (where is the man caught in the alleged adultery? The woman is sexualised as a deceptive Eve) law breaker? Jesus will have none of this stereotyping of women or indeed stereo typing of sexuality. Jesus knows these people are intent on killing the woman and they are intent on dragging Jesus into their misogynistic, murderous schemes. Ah ‘guilt and innocence?’ It is suggested by the writer that the teachings and practices of Jesus of the Nazareth sermon are clear.  If anybody has only met their needs God’s way and never their own way they can land the first blow, otherwise, what right have you to condemn to death?  It is clearly being taught that we have all met our needs our own way; on this basis we are all condemned.  The writer is appealing through Jesus to the readers of John’s gospel to reject the old misogynistic sexualised view of women and embrace a new inclusive, mutually empowering and life giving approach of inclusion and equality. The accusers walk away one by one not wanting to be claiming to be sinless; that would be blasphemy and yes you’ve guessed it; this would result in their own death penalty. Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you….’ Jesus offers a new way of life, a life which rejects meeting our needs our own self-centred way. Jesus offers us all the opportunity to hear His words and put them into practice; He offers us a new view of each other free from the old stereotypes and misogynistic views. These are very contemporary concerns for our time and place in history. They were obviously concerns of those early disciples who felt they had to include this story in the story of Jesus as it revealed his teaching and practice; the practice of inclusion, equality and restorative justice.