PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

206
The history of the woman taken in adultery, n: ..
corded in the eighth chapter of St. John's Gospel, has
been thollght by sc;ne to give countenallce to that
crime. As Christ told the woman., "Neither do I
condenzn thee," we nlust believe, it is said, that he
deemed her conduct either not criminal, or Jlot a
crime_ however of the heinous nature which we rep·
resent it to be. A more attentive examination of
the case will, I think, convince us, that froln it nothing
can be concluded as to Christ's opinion concern·
ing adultery, either one way or the other.
The
transaction is thus related: "Earl}'~in the morning
Jesus came again into the temple, and all the people
came unto him; and he sat down and taught them ;
and the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a
womall taken in adultery; and \vhen they had set
her in the midst, they say unto hiln, IvI".ster, this woman
w~ taken in adultery, ill the ve~ act: now
l\loses In the law COlnnlanded that suc'll should be
stoned; but what sayest thou ? rl"his they said tempting
him, that they nlight hlive to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down, and v;itll his finger wrote
on the ground, as though Ile h{~drd thelD not. So
when they COlltillued a~king 11iul,--- he lift up himself,
and said unto them, He that is without ~in amongst
you, let him first cast a stone at her; and again
)le stooped dO\Vll aI1J wrote on the ground : and they
\\·Ilich 11card it, beil1g convicted by their O'V,;ll COI1-
~;cience, ,vent our Olle by OIle, begillning at the eldest,
even unto tl1e last; al1d Jesus was left aloIle, and the
\VOnlan standing ill the tnidst. '\Then Jesus had lift
up himself and saw none but the woman, he said unto
her, W Ol11an, w llere are those thine accusers?
llatll no man cOlldemned tllec ? She said Ullto Ilii11.
No man, Lord. And he said unto ller, Neither do I
condenzn thee; go and sin no nlore."
" This they said, tempting him, that they might
have to accuse him," to draw him, tllat is, into an
exercise of judicial authority, that they might have