ACC ~ John 8 v3 - 4

THE TONGUE IS DECEITFUL

AUGUSTINE: The Jews, it says, brought a woman, possibly a prostitute, to the Lord, to test him, and they said, “Master, this woman has just now been caught in adultery. In the law of Moses it is written that any woman caught in adultery should be stoned. What do you say?” That is what the tongue said, but it did not acknowledge the Creator. These people had no inclination to pray and say, “Snatch my soul from a deceitful tongue.” [1] It was deceitfully, after all, that they had approached him.

This, you see, is what they were intending to do. The Lord had come not to destroy the law but to fulfill it and to forgive sins. So the Jews said to themselves, “If he says ‘Let her be stoned,’ we shall say to him, ‘What has become of your forgiving sins? Aren’t you the one who says “Your sins are forgiven you?” [2] But if he says, ’Let her go,’ we shall say, ‘What has become of your coming to fulfill the law and not to destroy it?’” Notice how deceitful toward God the tongue is. SERMON 16A.4. [3]

[1] Ps 120:2 (119:2 LXX, Vg).

[2] Mk 2:5.

[3] WSA 3 1:349-50.

ANOTHER TEST FOR JESUS

BEDE: If he determined that she was to be stoned, they would scoff at him inasmuch as he had forgotten the mercy that he was always teaching. If he prohibited the stoning, they would gnash their teeth at him, and, as they saw it, rightly condemn him as a doer [1] of wicked deeds contrary to the law. But it was beyond the ability of earthly stupidity to find out what he would say and from heavenly wisdom to fail [to know] what he would answer. Far be it from blind wickedness to stand in the way of the “Sun of justice” [2] to keep him from giving light to the world. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.25. [3]

[1] “Doer” = factorem; var.:“promoter” = fautorem.

[2] Mal 4:2.

[3] CS 110:246-47.

Jn