The newspapers and social media have been overflowing with comments recently about a certain Westminster government adviser and what he should or shouldn’t have done during the lock down period. Yesterday we had the extraordinary spectacle of this individual explaining in great detail in a press conference in London what he had done and why.
I have no intention of offering any comment on the details of this case, enough has been said already. However, as a Christian pastor I have been deeply disturbed by the tone of some of the criticisms I have seen on line and in the print media about this situation. When this is combined with the abuse outside his London home and apparently from others who made the journey to do the same outside his parent’s home near Durham, I think it is time to take stock as a society how we handle the shortcomings of others and in turn how we would want to be treated when we have made mistakes.
Jesus in John chapter eight was pressured to pass comment on the conduct of someone who was judged to be a heinous sinner who needed to be punished for their wrongful behaviour.
John 8:3-11 states:
At dawn He appeared again in the temple courts where all the people gathered round Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. 7 When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ 11 ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
The context (John 8:3) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery… It was so obvious that a sinner had been caught flagrantly breaking God’s moral law and punishment must follow.
No-one could dispute the logic of such a claim. There is a problem, though, as every child knows that when you point the finger at someone else as a sinner, there are other fingers that point back at another sinner – ourselves! These individuals who dragged this woman before Jesus were assuming their moral superiority over her and expecting Jesus to agree. They ‘knew’ what had taken place and had the right to pass judgement.
Can I ask how many of us in the United Kingdom had already passed judgement on this government adviser long before his lengthy account of his actions at the press conference yesterday? How easy it is to rush to negative judgements on the conduct of others. Might it not be wiser to wait to see if we have gained an accurate account of proceedings first?
The claim (John 8:4b-6) ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.
The clue that something was wrong here is the fact that only one of the two people involved had been brought before Jesus. They were not interested at all in the man involved with her. He has been allowed to go free without charge. More remarkably, they were not really bothered about the woman and her conduct; she was being used as bait in a trap as they sought to ensnare Jesus into saying something they could possibly use against Him. In effect, they were using this couple simply as a means to achieve a particular end. It raises the question, how do I ensure I treat other people fairly?
The challenge (John 8:7) When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’
What a challenging declaration from Jesus. Instead of the woman being put in the spotlight, it was now this group of men who were making the allegations against her and who by implication were quite prepared to stone her to death should the opportunity arise. Jesus cleverly puts the question back to them in front of their friends and in effect invited them to polish their own halos or drop the case altogether. Do you and I need to remember this challenge of Jesus when we too are tempted to pass judgement too hastily on the words or actions of another person?
The conclusions (John 8:9-11) At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ 11 ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
It was a remarkable day. The accusers had left and the woman was free to go. However, Jesus knew that she had made a bad choice, but she was not alone in that respect. Her accusers were equally guilty in wanting to use her to attack Jesus. May God help us to have a right view of ourselves as well as a similar understanding of our families, friends and neighbours as we continue living in the light of the lock down regulations.
Our song for reflection today is: ‘Purify my heart’
Brian Talbot