I'm Afraid that the Passage of the Woman Caught in Adultery is Often Misrepresented
One of the many objections against the death penalty is the woman caught in adultery. They say that Jesus supposedly "abolished" the death penalty in the scenario of Jesus and the adulterous woman. We need to read the whole context and understand it before we can jump to conclusions:
8 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not].
7 So when they continued asking him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
We need to understand the context. First, we have to know that the woman indeed was really in a situation of sin. Nobody can deny her guilt. What we see is that the woman was caught but where was the man? We need to read the Old Testament law about the penalty for adultery:
22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
Extramarital affairs require two to tango. In criminal law, adultery and concubinage take two to tango. Both the spouse and the third party are charged with adultery. The problem was just where was the man in all of this? The Pharisees were already taking the law into their hands. Verse 6 tells us that they were tempting him. Other verses render verse 6 as follows:
This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. (ESV)
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. (NIV)
The big problem is presented that the Pharisees were trying to put Jesus in a moral dilemma. Jesus was writing something on the ground. Until now, all we can do is guess. I feel like Jesus probably wrote a passage of the Old Testament law before revealing their sins. Others speculate that Jesus wrote down the sins of the Pharisees. Regardless, we know the Pharisees were revealed to be hypocrites. They pretended to be highly moral people. However, all they cared about was their reputation and not the law be upheld. It's doubtful that the woman had a fair trial. Jesus ended up telling them, "The one who has no sin, let him cast the first stone."
How can one look at Jesus' phrase, "Let he who sinned got cast the first stone."? It should be looked at the context that the Pharisees had their so-called superior "morality" and were above everyone. They thought that they had the law in their hands. The Pharisees already were acting like they were above the Law when they should be under it. The issue was not going against the death penalty but taking the law into your hands. It's really like saying, "If you haven't sinned at all then you have the right to take the law into your hands. If not, you don't have that right." Just remember Jesus also later would mention people who dishonored their parents were also cursed (Matthew 15:4-6, Mark 7:10). Jesus didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. Jesus didn't break the Law with what He did. Rather, Jesus exposed a severe miscarriage of the legal system that the Pharisees did. Jesus didn't condone to the wrong of the woman either. Though Jesus forgave her, He also told her to go and sin no more.
Besides, the New Testament didn't get rid of death penalty. Romans 13:4 also writes:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (KJV)
4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (ESV)
What is the sword used for? Planting onions and trees as such that fake Catholic apologist I ran into the Internet would suggest? The sword is used for law enforcement or even putting to death people who broke the law.
Even Paul said this proving that he also approved of the death penalty in Acts 25:11:
For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. (KJV)
The verse is even found in Roman Catholic translations of the Bible. It's not among the verses in question that usually goes into the footnotes. The GNT also renders it as:
11 If I have broken the law and done something for which I deserve the death penalty, I do not ask to escape it. But if there is no truth in the charges they bring against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to the Emperor.”
As said, the death penalty is still in the New Testament. The ceremonial law such as the priesthood is gone. However, the moral law stays the same. God invented the death penalty so man has no right to abandon it. Though the death penalty must always be carried by a fair judicial system. Otherwise, it wouldn't be striking terror to evildoers if innocent people were executed by mistake. Perjury needs to be really recriminalized and false witnesses should also be put to death if necessary.
See also: