The pericope of the “woman caught in adultery” is beloved and well-known. And yet, it does not appear in the oldest manuscripts of John’s Gospel. When it is found in older manuscripts it is located in other positions, either after verse 36, or after verse 44, or at the end of this Gospel, or even in another gospel: following Luke 21:38. 

We are left to conjecture that the biblical scribes thought it too important to be lost but had little clue as to its proper location. Further complicating the provenance of the passage, the different manuscripts do not agree on the text either. In addition, some scholars hold that the style of writing is not consistent with the remainder of the gospel. Other don’t disagree, but hold that the passage is too short with limited vocabulary to make definitive judgements about the stylistic quality. But most, if not all, would agree that the spirit of the narrative is compatible with the Johannine message. It is also noted that the passage does not fit well into the context of Chapter 7 while noting 8:12 makes for more logical continuation following 7:52.

Throughout the history of the church it has been held that, whoever wrote it, this little story is authentic. It is referred to by the late 1st century bishop Papias who was a student of St. John the Evangelist. It is also mentioned in the Apostolic Constitutions (2.24). 

If you look closely at your bible you will likely see brackets ([ ]) surrounding the passage with accompanying footnotes referencing its uncertain manuscript history. The Catholic Church has long held it to be part of the Canon of Scripture.

Image Credit: Detail of “Christ and the Adulteress” Rembrandt, 1644 | National Gallery London | PD-US

Reflecting on the story in John’s gospel of the woman caught in adultery, Pope Francis says: “the Gospel says that everyone went away, one by one, beginning with the elders: it is evident that they had a big debt against them in the bank of heaven.” Then comes “the moment of Jesus, the Confessor”. He was left alone with the woman standing before him. “Jesus was bending down and was writing with his finger on the ground. .. Then “he got up and looked” at the woman, who was “full of shame, and he said to her: Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? We are alone, you and I. You are standing before God, without accusations, without gossip: you and God”.

This coming Sunday is the 5th Sunday in Lent and our gospel is the “women caught in adultery.” When Jesus heard what the teachers of the law said, Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. There is no hint of why he wrote or what he wrote. One scholar offered that Jesus wrote out Ex 23:1 “You shall not repeat a false report. Do not join the wicked in putting your hand, as an unjust witness, upon anyone.”  Another suggested: “O Lord, the hope of Israel, …those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.” (Jer 17:13 ESV)  The suggestion is that “written in the earth” is the polar opposite of being written in the book of life (Ex 32:32; Dan 12:1).  But already mentioned, there is no hint of why he wrote or what he wrote.