10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
-John 8:10-11, NIV
Lessons from the Woman Caught In Adultery Story
What strikes me–among many things–in this story is how the faithful husband is left unmentioned in the whole story. It does not follow the common “wisdom” of this age as far as cheating is concerned.
You do NOT have Jesus asking about the her husband’s “share” of marriage problems that “drove” her to cheat.
Jesus does NOT teach us to divide up the blame or responsibility for the adultery. Instead, he extends mercy with the charge to stop sinning. This is directed at the adulteress, NOT her husband.
I know I am making a big deal about the absence of the husband in this story recounting. But I believe it IS a big deal as it exposes what many churches do as un-Christlike when it comes to dealing with adultery situations.
Jesus deals with this adultery situation WITHOUT reference to the faithful husband!
It is as if he is irrelevant to handing out justice or mercy because he is!!! As is consistent with Scripture (2 Cor 5:10), Jesus only instructs the sinner to do differently. Yes, he extends mercy. However, he does not excuse the sin and does NOT shift blame–in the least–to the faithful husband.
