Gospel of John, chapter 8:11

There is sin; and then, there is sin.

The scribes and the Pharisees in today’s gospel story (John: 8:1-11) were guilty of a greater sin than the woman they led to Jesus to be stoned to death because she was caught in the act of adultery. They condemned this woman to an ignominious death because of her human weakness, but they themselves were guilty of a far greater offense; namely, spiritual pride; they felt superior to her because they observed the mosaic law which ordered such women to be stoned. They had no compassion for the weakness of others. They were also guilty of hypocrisy and self righteousness because they behaved, on the surface, as though they were without sin while inside they were full of dead men’s bones ( Matthew 23: 27 ).

Jesus turned the tables on these self-righteous hypocrites, who sought to lay a trap for Him. He said to them: “let the one among you who has no sin be the first to cast a stone at her.” Upon hearing this rebuke, they “drifted away one by one, beginning with the elders.” The story ends with Jesus’ extraordinary compassion for the woman. Rather than condemn this woman, He forgives her; only saying: “from now on, avoid this sin.”

In this amazing story, we learn something about sin. For the Pharisees, sin consisted in the objective observance of  the details of the law; such as observing the commandments regarding the Sabbath, and other prohibitions of the mosaic law such as circumcision. There’s nothing wrong, in itself, with observing the law, and Jesus did not come to abolish it, but to fulfill it ( Matthew 5: 17 ). Jesus had a more radical appreciation of sin as a tendency or orientation towards evil that has its origins within a person; in those ugly dispositions like anger, lust, pride, jealousy, wickedness, evil thoughts, greed, and hypocrisy. These were the things that led to sinful acts and broken relationships, and this is what Jesus wanted to heal. The Pharisees may have behaved, externally, as though they were without sin because they observed the external works of the law; but, inside, they were corrupt and full of hypocrisy as today’s gospel story illustrates.

The woman in today’s gospel story, gave in to lust, and committed the sin of adultery. She was forgiven by Jesus and told to “avoid this sin.” Her accusers on the other hand, clung to their sin: to their pride, their vengeance, and hypocrisy by condemning the woman rather than helping her reform her life; and by wickedly, setting her up in order to trap Jesus into breaking the mosaic law so that they could condemn Him also.

St. Paul distinguishes between the works of the law, and the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). The Pharisees observed the works of the law in the Old Testament, but they were not without sin; they were self-righteous. The works of the flesh refer to the causes or roots of sin within us; such as anger (Matthew 5:21-26); lust (Matthew 5:27-32); revenge (Matthew 5:38-42). These are the things that Jesus talks about that lead to sin. These are the kind of bad habits we need to pluck out of our psychological being if we are to follow Jesus. These are the things we need to avoid, if we are to be made clean, and reject sin.

“A clean heart create for me, Oh God!” (Psalm 51)

Fr. Hugh Duffy

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