By Mark Wilmoth

This story bothers some folks.

First, there’s the problem of the text. Look up John 8:1-11 in your Bible and you’ll probably see a footnote that reads “The earliest manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11.” Why waste time studying a text that might not even belong in the Bible? Well, you should know that there are over 400 Greek manuscripts (The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language.) that include this text. Almost all Bible scholars accept this as a genuine story; the scholarly debate doesn’t concern its legitimacy or accuracy. The debate centers mostly on where this text should be placed in John’s gospel. There’s little disagreement about the story itself because it reads so much like what we expect Jesus to do. It fits his nature and character; it’s who he is.

In fact, that’s what the scribes and Pharisees were counting on when they brought the adulteress to Jesus. Think about it, when’s the last time you caught someone “in the act of adultery”? Not a suspicion, a confirmation — “in the act.” If you caught one person “in the act,” wouldn’t you, in fact, catch two? So where’s the man who was with her? Most scholars conclude that he was part of the plan. He would lure the woman into an extremely compromising situation, she would be caught “in the act,” and then taken to Jesus as a test (John 8:6). This woman probably already had a reputation. She must have already worn some labels: “Loose” as in “apt to fall.” “Willing, as in “not her first rodeo.” “Adulteress.” Their plan hinged on her weakness.

Some labels stick, and adulteress (or adulterer) is one of them. “Addict,” “sex offender,” “killer” and “thief” stick pretty tightly, too. Of course, if Jesus judges according to the Mosaic Law, this adulteress won’t wear her label for long; the penalty for adultery was death. So the Pharisees said to Jesus: “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Jesus answered, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” With that one sentence, Jesus required the scribes and Pharisees to label themselves, with only two options: “Innocent” or “sinner.” John 8:9 records that “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.” For one of the few times in Scripture, the Pharisees got it right. They called themselves “sinners” and walked away.

Then Jesus gave the adulteress a new label: “Forgiven.” Jesus didn’t excuse her sin or pretend that it didn’t matter, but he “asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

In his book, God for the Rest of Us, Vince Antonucci tells about starting a church in Las Vegas. Forty million people visit annually because “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” When Verge Church began, Travis was the first person to be baptized. Travis was a pimp. As pimps go, his was a good life. Travis had lots of money, and he could sleep with any of his girls whenever he wanted. Privately, however, Travis hated his life: “I have nothing. I have a graveyard inside of me,” he admitted to himself.

When Travis came to church, Vince happened to preaching about Jesus’ story of the prodigal son from Luke 15. The story clicked. Recognizing that “wild living” accurately described his own life, Travis approached Vince at the conclusion of the service. Sobbing, Travis exclaimed, “I didn’t know I could be loved like that.” Vince met with Travis, answered his questions and explained how Travis could become a different person and begin living a very different life, directing Travis to baptism as an important step. Weeks after he was baptized and living his new life, Travis said, “Looking at the person who went into the water, that person was dead. The picture of baptism is just beautiful. You go down and you’re buried in this grave, and then you’re resurrected. And looking back, I’m a completely different person. It’s wild.”

No matter what label you’ve been wearing in your life, Jesus offers a better one. Instead of “drunk” or “loser” or “pervert” Jesus offers you “forgiven.” Accept his offer. It’s wild.

Mark Wilmoth is with Pinehurst Christian Church in Marietta. For more information regarding Pinehurst Christian Church, visit www.PinehurstChristianChurch.org