The Adulteress: A Story of Mercy, Judgment, In the Light of True Charity
Jn 8:1-11 Gospel Reflection for 3/23/2026
1[B]ut Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again” (Jn 8: 1-11 RSVCE).
This Gospel about the “Adulteress” is without doubt one of the most popular passages in the Bible. And yet despite its popularity it is also a truly beautiful passage in that it gives us such a grand example of Jesus’ mercy. Many might not be aware of this, but this story was not actually part of the original Gospel of John, so there is also a bit of mystery that surrounds it. This story was actually first referenced in the Didascalia, a third century writing on church discipline, that probably adopted it having been passed down from oral tradition.1
Nevertheless, this story stands on its own for baptized Christians that addresses the problem of forgiveness of sin as it relates to the passing of judgement on others.2 Perhaps its insertion is related to the next passage in John, just a few lines away where Jesus says, “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And even if I do judge, my judgment is true…” (Jn 8:15,16 RSVCE).3 In today’s Gospel passage it is made clear that the “Law” as understood and enforced by the Pharisees needed the heart of Jesus to fulfill its meaning. They were, as it stated, trying to trick him, and seemed more concerned with being right as the letter of the law was concerned, than the deeper loving meaning that encompassed the whole of the Son of Man’s mission and teaching. Jesus wasn’t merely trying to win the argument with his retort, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” But rather, was appealing to their and everyone’s hypocrisy when it comes to judging others.
Judging in itself is right and just when done in full virtue of supernatural charity, but we all must be very careful. Very often we drift out of the virtuous mean and find ourselves condemning the sinner along with the sin. We would often do better to adopt a heart of humility and forgiveness both for own shortcomings and others’. So, as Jesus did indeed show mercy and did not condemn the woman, He did still admonish her to,"…go and do not sin again.” Both mercy and justice abound in perfection with our Lord Jesus Christ, and he is offering his forgiveness to us constantly, knowing that we are imperfect and thus sinners, in need of a Savior. Praise be to God that this is so, and that we are given the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation by our Lord to reestablish the beautiful relationship with him that he wants us to have.
The Collegeville Bible Commentary,” Eds. Dianne Bergant, Robert Karris, (Liturgical Press: Collegeville MN, 1989), 995.
Ibid., 995.
Ibid., 995.
Amen
What is the basis for the assertion that this story was not always a part of John’s Gospel? I had never heard of that. This assertion seems unlikely to me. I would love to see where it came from.