WEEK 21.6b: 53 They each went to their own homes, 1 And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he returned to the temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The legal experts and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. Placing her in the center of the group, 4 they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone women like this. What do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, because they wanted a reason to bring an accusation against him. Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.7 They continued to question him, so he stood up and replied, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone.” 8 Bending down again, he wrote on the ground. 9 Those who heard him went away, one by one, beginning with the elders. Finally, only Jesus and the woman were left in the middle of the crowd.10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Is there no one to condemn you?”11 She said, “No one, sir.”Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, don’t sin anymore.”Episode SummaryJamie presents the Wild Way's first Excursus episode, diving deep into the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53-8:11). While this passage wasn't originally part of John's gospel, it remains universally valued and included in Bible translations today. Jamie reframes this familiar story by examining not just the woman's sin, but the grievous actions of the powerful men who exploited and abused her for their own purposes.Key PointsThe Woman's Situation: Caught in adultery, publicly shamed, facing death by stoning, with no sign of the male partner who should have faced the same punishmentThe Men's Actions: Voyeuristic witnessing of the sexual act, physical force in bringing her to trial, public humiliation, and readiness to commit murder while twisting the lawJesus's Response: Takes a nonviolent approach by writing in the dirt, diffusing tension and protecting everyone involved - both the woman from death and the leaders from committing murderThe Finger of God: Jesus writing with his finger echoes God writing the Ten Commandments, symbolically showing Jesus as the author of the law, not just its recipientNo Condemnation: Jesus calls the woman's actions sin without judgment, anger, or shame, offering her dignity and two clear paths forward---SJTJ s a year-long contemplative journey through the Gospel of John. We invite you into Scripture, reflection, and intentional practices to help you pause, listen, and respond to God’s love in transformative ways. Weekdays are 10-12-minute devotionals to help you abide in the presence of Jesus and the Word of God, learn by studying the Scriptures, and go with intention to love the world. Weekends we release a short prayer of examen reflecting on the previous week and/or a longer teaching podcast that more deeply explores the themes and implications of John. Occasionally we have an excursus episode, which is basically an extra episode addressing listener questions or certain topics that require extended exploration.BibliographyVisit our websiteFollow us on social media for weekly practices: @gothewildwayContact us: podcast (at) thewildway.caAll Scripture from the Common English Bible (2012) unless otherwise noted.Music credits:Weekday music by Maksym Dudchyk on Pixabay. Used with permission.Examen music: Music by Laniakea from Uppbeat. License code: HRU7UD9ID388DFJTTeaching podcast: Music produced by Nick OsborneDONATE TO THE WILD WAY⁠.  Your support helps us create spiritual formation and discipleship resources that help people be formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others. 

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