The Villain and the Victim

One morning when Jesus sat teaching in the temple courts, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in the act of adultery. The scriptures don’t mention her name, where her partner was or how they discovered her sin. We’re told only this one detail, which according to the law of Moses, had the power to end her life at that moment. The crowd pressed Jesus emphatically for his response in the matter, though rather than fall into their web of deceit, Jesus does some mystery artwork on the floor and tells them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 ESV) The story ends with the accusers walking away one by one, and Jesus dramatically looking around and asking the woman if anyone had condemned her. I can imagine her eyes flitting nervously to where the men once stood, as she respectfully replies, “no, no one”. Jesus then responds, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11 NIV)

Although we don’t know the details of this nameless woman’s life of sin, when Jesus admonished her to leave that life, it was clear she had some choice in the matter. She wasn’t forced to be where she was and by all accounts was an adulteress, guilty of wilfully betraying her husband and her marriage. At this point many in our day might label her the villain, just as those teachers and Pharisees had done. Her husband would then receive a victim’s status with all its perks. The really interesting thing is this story isn’t about her husband and how their family was destroyed by a thoughtless and selfish wife. The story is about a villainous woman who seemed to have made a lifetime of poor relationship choices.

Perhaps if we look a little closer we may see what Jesus saw, that not only was she a villain, she was also a victim in need of compassion and grace. Yes, she may have had a choice in her adult relationships, but what choices were made for her early in life that may have warped her sense of self, distorted her perception of love and relationships, or seeded a belief that sex equals love? It is a crisis perhaps even more common today. We live in a culture that promotes reckless sexual connections as a viable outlet for stress, loneliness or to offset marital dissatisfaction, yet for far too many sex without strings, though exciting and gratifying for the flesh, is a fleeting substitute for the deep connection most people actually crave.

The story doesn’t tell us what happened after the woman scurried home, but I don’t believe many people walk away from an encounter with Jesus and remain unchanged. He isn’t a magic fairy waving his sparkly wand, but he is the son of God and when he touches people they are healed and that’s just what this woman needed, the healing and redemptive touch of the God who made her. I believe the Jane Doe of this story returned home a changed woman, no longer a victim or a villain, but a faithful wife and a devoted follower of Jesus that I will one day meet in the life to come.