Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Hai sau Chúa nhật Thứ 5 Mùa Chay
So với bản chất con người của chúng ta, Chúa Giê-su là một vị thầy không bao giờ lên tiếng trách móc hay lên án với những người có tội. Người phụ nữ bị bắt ngoại tình hôm nay rất đáng xấu hổ và cũng thật tội nghiệp . Trong thời của Chúa Giêsu không có nhóm nggười nào dám đứng lên để bênh vục cho những người phụ nữ bị lên án như cô gái hôm nay trong bài Tin Mừng.
Nếu chúng ta thử suy luận, thì cái tôi ngoại tình là cái tội không phải là chỉ có người phụ nữ, mà cả người đàn ông cũng có tội nữa. Nhưng theo luật của Do Thái là tội ngoại tình chỉ có phạt người phụ nữ, còn những người đàn ông ngoại tình thì không có ai thắc mắc gì cả. Có nghĩa là người đàn ông có thể "lănh nhăng" với những phụ nữ mà không bị buộc vào tội ngoại tình và không bị trừng phạt. Mà họ lại lên án quá khắt khe và tàn nhẵn với người phụ nữ khi mà thôi.!
Khi Thiên Chúa tạo dựng nên con người theo hình ảnh của Ngài, hình như chỉ là người đàn ông đã được chú ý và có tầm quan trọng hơn người nữ vì người phụ nữ đến sau. Chúng ta có thể hiểu như thế khi Kinh Thánh được viết bởi con người nên ý nghĩa có thề không đầy đủ. Nhưng hôm nay qua bài Tin Mừng, chúng ta đã nắm rõ hơn về tình yêu của Thiên Chúa. Nhiệm vụ của Đức Chúa Con là đến để làm cho con người chúng ta biết yêu kính và phụng sự Thiên Chúa, Việc làm và hành động của Chúa Kitô đã làm nổi bật lên được trong việc này. Tôn kính, thương yêu mọi người vì tất cả mọi người dù là nam hay nữ đều mang một hình ảnh của Thiên Chúa và được biểu lộ thật rất rõ ràng trong những hình ảnh con người của chúng ta.
Mùa Chay Thánh này giúp chúng ta có cơ hội để suy gẫm về sự chăm sóc của Thiên Chúa đối với tất cả chúng ta. Trong thế giới ngày nay, có vẻ như chỉ có sức mạnh. và sự khôn ngoan thông trị được thiên nhiên vì thế chúng ta hay đổ lỗi cho người khác và tha thứ cho chính mình? Vì vậy, ở đây hôm nay Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta một bài học. Ai là người trong chúng ta không có tội, và có thể đổ lỗi cho người khác.? Tại sao chúng ta không biết cầu nguyện cho nhau và giúp đỡ lẫn nhau trong cuộc hành trình đầy khó khăn và thử thách trong khi chúng ta tiến về Nước Trời của Thiên Chúa ? hơn là tìm cách phán xét người khác một cách bất công.
Considering human nature, Jesus as a teacher did not pronounce any condemnation against the sinner. Being appreheded is already very shameful for the woman. At that time there were no feminine groups to help a condemned woman. If we consider adultery here, it is not only the woman who was at fault but both man and woman. Does it mean that man can play with women without being charged with adultery and left unpunished?
When God created man in his own image and likeness, it appears that it was only man that was given importance for the woman came later. We understand how Holy Scripture written by man is very inadequate. Now we have a better grasp of God's love. The mission of God the Son to make us know, love and serve God is very well manifested in this action of Christ. Respect for people as image of God is very clear in this episode. This season of Lent gives us a chance to reflect on God's care for all of us.
In our world today, it seems only the strong, the powerful, and the wise lord over nature. Do we blame others and excuse ourselves? So here Jesus gives us the example. He who is blameless can blame others. But is there any among us who is blameless? Would we not rather pray for one another and help one another in our not-so-easy journey to God's kingdom?
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” John 8:4–5
Justice has to be fulfilled. God is perfectly Just. That is why, in the Old Testament, capital punishment was prescribed for serious sins. Sometimes the Old Testament can be difficult to understand, particularly in relation to capital punishment. The Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, prescribes the death penalty for sins such as adultery, other sexual offenses, blasphemy, idolatry, gravely dishonoring parents, violations of the Sabbath, murder, sacrilege, perjury, and witchcraft. These laws were intended to preserve the holiness of God’s people and to emphasize the gravity of sin, which disrupts their covenantal relationship with God.
Jesus’ approach to these sins appears to be in stark contrast with the Old Testament laws, as is evident in His merciful treatment of the woman caught in adultery. This is because Jesus reveals the fuller meaning behind these laws: to lead sinners to repentance and conversion. Jesus came not to abolish the Old Law but to fulfill it (cf. Matthew 5:17).
Adultery, like other grave violations of God’s Law, demands justice. In today’s Gospel, we see how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament law against adultery, and by extension, every other grave offense against God. He does not downplay the seriousness of the sin; rather, He fulfills justice by offering mercy and forgiveness, while calling the sinner to conversion and repentance. This is the deeper purpose of the Law of Moses—not mere punishment, but the transformation of the heart toward God.
Both the Old Law and the New Law of grace and mercy place high moral demands on believers. Yet, the New Law brings to completion the intent of the Old Law. Jesus’ merciful treatment of sinners does not abolish the need for justice but fulfills it in a new and profound way.
But what about the death penalty? Doesn’t justice still need to be fulfilled, as required by God in the Torah? Indeed, and this is precisely why Jesus died—to fulfill all justice. He took upon Himself the penalty for sin, including the capital punishment that was due for grave offenses, thereby restoring justice on behalf of all humanity. Once justice is fulfilled through His sacrifice and sin is repented of, conversion becomes possible. This is the true intent of God’s every law, both old and new—to lead sinners to repentance, restoration, and ultimately, salvation.
Though the poor woman in today’s Gospel was humiliated and afraid, we must see ourselves—and every other person—in her. We are all guilty of sins deserving of death, but Jesus, in His mercy, has taken that punishment upon Himself. Jesus’ statement to the scribes and Pharisees who wanted to stone her illustrates this fact: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). We have no right to condemn another who is sorrowful and repentant because God is merciful and has paid the price for that person’s sins by His own blood. In fact, we have no right to condemn ourselves when God offers mercy, so long as we repent and convert.
Reflect today on this sinful woman and rejoice in Jesus’ mercy that fulfills all justice. Know that this is how He treats you; He calls you to treat others with the same mercy. His sacrifice has already restored justice on your behalf; all He asks of you is your trust, repentance, and willingness to forgive others. Hope is possible for us all, just like it was for this sinful woman, because Jesus paid the price of sin. Be open to that gift of mercy and offer it to others, knowing that Christ’s Passion and death have fulfilled the demand for justice for sin.
Most merciful Savior, my sin requires punishment, and You have paid that punishment, fulfilling all justice. Please forgive me and be merciful. As You do, help me to see the ways I need to repent, convert, and offer mercy to others, to the same extent that You have been merciful to me. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. Another Trap: According to the Torah, adultery was a capital offense. Deuteronomy 22:22-24 prescribes stoning for both the man and woman involved (see Leviticus 20:11). The question that the scribes and Pharisees pose to Jesus is this: “Should this woman, caught in adultery, be stoned to death?” The religious authorities weren’t really concerned about the Law and the administration of justice. Their goal was to entrap Jesus. That was what the religious authorities tried to do with the question about paying taxes to Caesar. Neither question was an easy yes or no. In this case, if Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees to stone her, according to the Law of Moses, the scribes and Pharisees would just go to the Roman authorities and accuse him of advocating rebellion against the Roman authorities – since, by law, the Romans were the only ones able to apply capital punishment. If, on the other hand, Jesus told them not to execute the woman caught in adultery, they would go to the people and say that Jesus was not a true prophet because he denied the Law of Moses.
“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
This is a powerful line spoken by Jesus. The judgmental and condemning Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who had apparently been caught “in the very act of committing adultery.” Was she a sinner? Yes, indeed she was. But this story is not so much about whether or not she was a sinner. It was about the attitude Jesus had toward sinners as compared to that held by the self-righteous, judgmental and condemning Pharisees.
First of all, let’s look at this woman. She was humiliated. She had committed sin, was caught, and was publicly presented to all as a sinner. How did she react? She didn’t resist. She didn’t remain in denial. She didn’t get angry. She didn’t fight back. Instead, she stood there humiliated, awaiting her punishment with a sorrowful heart.
Humiliation over one’s sins is a powerful experience that has the potential to bring forth true repentance. When we encounter someone who has sinned in a manifest way and is humiliated over their sin, we must treat them with compassion. Why? Because the dignity of the person always supersedes their sin. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God, and every person deserves our compassion. If one is obstinate and refuses to see their sin (such as in the case of the Pharisees), then an act of holy rebuke is necessary to help them repent. But when one experiences sorrow and, in this case, the added experience of humiliation, then they are ready for compassion.
By stating “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” Jesus is not justifying her sin. Rather, He’s making it clear that no one holds the right of condemnation. No one. Not even the religious leaders. This is a hard teaching to live for many in our world today. It is commonplace for the headlines in the media to almost compulsively present us with the most sensational sins of others. We are constantly being tempted to be outraged at what this or that person has done. We easily shake our heads, condemn them and treat them as if they were dirt. In fact, it seems that many people today see it as their duty to act as the “watchdogs” against every sin they can dig up on others.
Reflect, today, upon whether you are more like the Pharisees or Jesus. Would you have stood there in the crowd wanting this humiliated woman to be stoned? How about today? When you hear about the manifest sins of others, do you find yourself to be condemning of them? Or do you hope that mercy is shown to them? Seek to imitate the compassionate heart of our divine Lord; and when your time of judgment comes, you also will be shown an abundance of compassion.
My merciful Lord, You see past our sin and look to the heart. Your love is infinite and awe-inspiring. I thank You for the compassion You have shown to me, and I pray that I may always imitate that same compassion to every sinner all around me. Jesus, I trust in You.
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