The gospel for the 5th Sunday in Lent, lectionary cycle C, is the story of the woman caught in adultery. The placement of this pericope falls between Jesus’ contentious encounter with religious leadership during the Festival of Tabernacles and  Jesus’ dialogue that begins, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) – which begins another contentious encounter. As many commentators have noted, the John 7 dialogue seems to flow more smoothly into the “Light of the World” discourse than the story of the woman caught in adultery. More on this later.

In any event, our gospel is another point of contention with the religious authorities in Jerusalem. Jesus has already sensed that “some” meant to kill him (Jn7:12) which to be the rumor on the street (v.25). The Pharisees, concerned about the rumbling of the crowds, send guards to arrest Jesus (v.32). Failing on that point, they will seek to engage him on other matters and at other times.