“耶稣说：‘我也不定你的罪，去吧！从此不要再犯罪了。’” - 约 8:11

被带到耶稣面前的妇人，是“在犯罪之时”被捉拿的，所以人人都知道她有罪；人们大概也知道，宗教领袖们并不关心她，他们只不过是想用这个机会来试探耶稣而已。

那么，耶稣有什么反应呢？请留意衪并没有任何反应。衪没有进一步羞辱妇人，衪也不去辩论当时的宗教规条，衪甚至没有追问：“与她犯奸淫的男人在那里？”

耶稣一点也不着急。尽管他们不住地问衪，衪却弯着腰用指头在地上画字。在适当的时候，耶稣便站起来，把事件的重心从妇人身上转移到控告她的众人身上：“你们中间谁是没有罪的，谁就可以先拿石头打她。”

控告妇人的众人一个一个慢慢地离开了，最后，只有那妇人仍然站在原地。耶稣没有羞辱她或教训她，衪只是慈爱而又清楚地对她说：“去吧！从此不要再犯罪了！”

邻舍可能会做坏事。同事有可能会在慈善机构盗用数以千计的款项。青年人可能会醉酒、撞毁一个家庭的车辆、并且需要人保释出狱。年轻的父亲可能会对他子女的母亲不忠。

我们应该怎样回应这些事？如果你认为自己没有罪，你就可以自视为高人一等、回避他们、羞辱他们！然而，如果我们都是罪人，那就让我们效法耶稣的做法吧。

（AM）

祷告

神的儿子耶稣，什么事情你都见过了，求你赦免我恶劣的行为和批判的态度。惟愿我们能够彼此相爱和激励，就像你爱和激励我们那样。阿们。

约翰福音 8:1-11

1于是各人都回家去了。耶稣却往橄榄山去。
2清早又回到殿里，众百姓都到他那里去，他就坐下教训他们。
3文士和法利赛人带着一个行淫时被拿的妇人来，叫她站在当中，
4就对耶稣说：“夫子，这妇人是正行淫之时被拿的。
5摩西在律法上吩咐我们把这样的妇人用石头打死，你说该把她怎么样呢？”
6他们说这话乃试探耶稣，要得着告他的把柄。耶稣却弯着腰，用指头在地上画字。
7他们还是不住地问他，耶稣就直起腰来，对他们说：“你们中间谁是没有罪的，谁就可以先拿石头打她。”
8于是又弯着腰，用指头在地上画字。
9他们听见这话，就从老到少，一个一个地都出去了，只剩下耶稣一人，还有那妇人仍然站在当中。
10耶稣就直起腰来，对她说：“妇人，那些人在哪里呢？没有人定你的罪吗？”
11她说：“主啊，没有。”耶稣说：“我也不定你的罪。去吧，从此不要再犯罪了！”

Neighbors Acting Badly

“‘Neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’” - John 8:11

The woman who was brought to Jesus had been “caught in the act” of adultery, and everyone knew she was guilty. They probably also knew that the religious leaders didn’t care about her but were just trying to trick Jesus.

So how did Jesus respond? Notice how he did not respond. He did not further shame the woman publicly. Nor did he debate the religious laws of the day. He didn’t even ask, “Where’s the man who was with her?”

Jesus took his time. He bent down and wrote on the ground, even as they kept questioning. When the time was right, Jesus stood up and shifted the focus from the woman to her accusers: “If you are without sin, go ahead and start throwing stones.”

The woman’s accusers drifted away, one by one. And finally, when only the woman remained standing there, Jesus did not shame her further by lecturing her. He simply said to her, kindly and clearly, “Go and live a changed life!”

Neighbors can do bad things. A coworker can embezzle thousands of dollars from a local charity. A teenager can get drunk, wreck the family car, and need to get bailed out of jail. A young dad can cheat on his children’s mother.

How do we respond? If you are without sin, go ahead and feel superior, shun them, put them down! But if we too are sinners, let’s do as Jesus did.

(AM)

Prayer

Jesus, Son of God, you have seen it all. Forgive us our misbehavior and judgmentalism. May we love and encourage each other as you love and encourage us. Amen.