ACC ~ John 8 v5 - 6

JUSTICE AND MEEKNESS BOTH MAINTAINED

AUGUSTINE: Why would they accuse him? Had they caught him committing a crime, or was that woman involved with him in some inappropriate way? What then does it mean that they tested him in order to accuse him? There was a wonderful gentleness that shone out preeminently in Jesus. They had already remarked about Jesus being overly lenient. Indeed it had been prophesied about him… “Ride on and reign because of the word of truth, of meekness and of righteousness.” [1] So as a teacher he brought truth, as a deliverer he brought gentleness, as an advocate he brought righteousness. Each of these would be part of his reign, as the prophet had foretold by the Holy Spirit. When he spoke, his truth was acknowledged. When he acted against his enemies, he used no violence. His meekness was praised. So they laid a stumbling block for him when it came to the third issue, of justice. For the law had commanded the adulterers to be stoned, and surely the law could not command what was unjust. If anyone said anything other than what the law commanded, he would be detected as an unjust person. Therefore they said among themselves… “If he decides to let her go, he will not be just. But,” they say, “in order to maintain his meekness, which has made him already so acceptable to the people, Jesus must decide to let her go.” They were hoping to find an occasion to accuse him as a transgressor of the law so that he too would be stoned with the woman…. But our Lord in his answer both maintained his justice without leaving out gentleness. They laid the snare for him, but they were the ones who were caught in it because they did not believe in the one who could pull them out of the net. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 33.4. [2]

[1] See Ps 45:3-4 (44:4-5 LXX, Vg).

[2] NPNF 1 7:197-98**.

JESUS’ ACTIONS CONDEMN THE ACCUSERS

AUGUSTINE: He who had come as a redeemer, not as a hanging judge—he who had come to redeem what was lost—turned away from them as though unwilling to look at them. This turning away from them is not empty of meaning. Something is to be understood by this turning away. It is as though he were saying, “You bring me this sinner, you who are sinners yourselves. If you think I ought to condemn sins, I shall begin with you.” SERMON 16A.4. [1]

[1] WSA 3 1:350.

JESUS INSCRIBES THE SINS OF THE WOMAN’S ACCUSERS

JEROME: The Scribes and Pharisees kept accusing her and kept earnestly pressing the case, for they wished to stone her to death, according to the law. “But Jesus, stooping down, began to write with his finger on the ground,” the sins, to be sure, of those who were making the accusation, as well as the sins of all mortal beings according to what is written in the prophet, “Those who depart from you shall be written in the earth.” [1] AGAINST THE PELAGIANS 2.17. [2]

[1] Jer 17:13 LXX.

[2] FC 53:321-22*.

GROUND BEARS FRUIT, HEARTS OF STONE DO NOT

AUGUSTINE: He wrote with his finger on the ground, as if indicating that the names of people like these men were to be written in earth, not in heaven, which is where he told his disciples they should rejoice that their names were written. Or perhaps he meant to convey the idea of humility when he bowed his head [to write on the ground]…; or he wrote on the ground to signify that the time had now arrived when his law should be written on soil that would bear fruit and not on sterile stone, as before. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 4.10.17. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 6:233**.

THE SAME FINGER THAT WROTE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

BEDE: When the Lord was about to give pardon to the sinful woman, he desired to write with his finger on the ground, in order to point out that it was he himself who once wrote the Ten Commandments of the law on stone with his finger, that is, by the action of the Holy Spirit. And it is good that the law was written upon stone, since it was given to subdue the inmost hearts of a hard-hearted and defiant people. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.25. [1]

[1] S 110:249.

THE FINGER OF GOD IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

AUGUSTINE: What was signified by this indulgence? Grace. What was signified by that hardness? The law given on stones. This is why the Lord was writing with his finger, but now on the ground from which he could obtain crops. But anything sown on stone does not come up, because it cannot put down roots. The finger of God wrote both then and now. It was by the finger of God that the law was written, and the finger of God [now] is the Holy Spirit. SERMON 272B.5. [1]

[1] WSA 3 7:307.

Jn