Mary of Bethany: Our Model of Service for the Servant of the Father - Monday of Holy Week

The Gospel Reading of Monday of Holy Week (John 12:1-11) describes what Jesus did on the six days before Passover (John 12:1). It also means the six days before his death, as he was crucified and died on the day of preparation for Passover (John 19:31, 42). His corpse had to be removed and buried before sundown of that day because Passover began upon sunset.

Featuring Mary in this Gospel narrative, an important message is “serving with love”.

Jesus with his disciples were at the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, in Bethany, six days before Passover celebration (John 12:1), meaning that six days prior to the death and the burial of Jesus, as he died on the Cross and was buried on the day of Passover preparation,  the day that Passover began with sundown (John 19:31, 42). Prior this occasion, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44), and it was the sixth sign that Jesus performed. He also visited Mary and Martha, and it was when Martha kept herself busy serving, while Mary sat by feet and listened to him (Luke 10:38-42).

This time, Mary was not sitting by Jesus’ feet and listening to him. Instead, she kept herself busy in anointing his feet with very expensive fragrant ointment and dried them with her hair afterward (John 12:3). And Martha served dinner (John 12:2), as she did before (Luke 10:40).

What is significance of Mary’s service to Jesus six days before his death?

It was said by Jesus in defending her service of anointing for him when Judas complained this anointing as “wasting money” because the money used for the ointment could have been used to care for the poor (John 12:4-6):

Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial (John 12:7).

John indicates that Judas’ motive to complain about the expense of the anointment that Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet was not to care for the poor but it had do with his greed (John 12:6).

The ointment that Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet was quite expensive, and this was for sure. And her service to Jesus pointed to his corpse being treated with expensive myrrh mix with aloe (John 19:39). Furthermore, this was also an projection from the time when the Magi brought myrrh, along with gold and frankincense (Matthew 2:11), signifying Jesus as the King with gold, as the sacrificial offering with frankincense, and for his suffering and death with myrrh – reflecting his royalty with gold, divinity with frankincense, and humanity with myrrh.

In a way, Jesus not only having his feet anointed with fragrant ointment by Mary and eating dinner served by Martha, reflects the last rites, three-fold Sacramental rites, consisted with  confession, viaticum (Eucharist to go on the last journey), and anointing.

Since Jesus has no sin, he had no need of confession. Instead, Jesus was speaking, perhaps, of his plan of actions for his last six days to his companies at the dinner table, while Mary was anointing his feet. However, Judas tried to disrupt this significant ritual because his heart was not for Jesus but only for himself. And that made him prone to have Satan enter in him (Luke 22:3; John 13:27).  

Mary must have “sacrificed” her savings to purchase the anointment for Jesus. Rather than positioning herself on a high position, not even sitting at the dinner table, Mary was under the table, applying the ointment on Jesus’ feet and drying it with her hair. This symbolizes Mary’s humility and love in her service to Jesus.

Do you have humility and love to serve Jesus as Mary did? She listened to Jesus when Jesus wanted someone to listen to him (Luke 10:38-42) and took her action of service with humility and love when Jesus needed (John 12:1-11). This is why Jesus defended her on both occasions (Luke 10:41-42; John 12:7).

Do you know what Jesus needs from you before you would serve him?

You need to listen to him first to figure it out.

The First Reading (Isaiah 42:1-7) is drawn from the first servant song (Isaiah 42:1-9) out of four servant songs in the Book of Isaiah.

Jesus, whom Mary served in preparing him to complete his prophesized service to his Father, is Lord to us and is servant to the Father.

Jesus came to serve (Matthew 20:28//Mark 10:45) and he taught how to serve one another with love as his disciples (John 13:1-20, 31-35).

This is Holy Week. Jesus has already entered into Jerusalem to consummate his public mission, which started upon his baptism and fasting (e.g. Matthew 3:13-4:11). For this mission, he was anointed by the Father (Acts10:38; cf. Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1). And, as its completion drew near, he was anointed by a humble and loving human, Mary of Bethany.

For the rest of Holy Week, except for Holy Thursday, the First Readings (Isaiah 42:1-7; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Isaiah 52-13-53:12) are drawn from the servant songs in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-13;50:4-11; 52:13-53:12), as Jesus is about to finish his service to the Father for us.

Christological Truth of Jesus the "I AM" Pre-Existing with the Father the "I AM WHO I AM" - Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

In Jerusalem, Jesus continues to reveal his Christological (Messianic) truth in his unique relation to the Father through his debates with those who refuse to believe but brew their desire to kill him (John 8:12-59), even after he saved a woman who was accused of adultery (John 8:1-11). The debate started as they put Jesus in inquisition because he performed a work of healing a paralytic man near the mikvah of Bethsaida on a sabbath day, and because Jesus explained that what he did to the paralytic man was not in violation of the sabbath commandment but rather it was a work of his Father, whose work continues beyond the Creation (John 5:16-47). It was also when they began to think of killing Jesus because they thought that Jesus was equating himself to God by calling Him as his father (John 5:18).

After this, Jesus returned to Galilee. But, when he returned to Jerusalem for the seven-day feast of the Tabernacle, their inquisition continued on while their desire to kill Jesus grew, and Jesus revealed more of his Christological (Messianic) truth not only in his relation to the Father (John 7:14-36) but also in connection to the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). During that time, Jesus enigmatically touched upon his death, resurrection, and ascension (John 7:33) before mentioning how he is related to the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). And this is later projected in his farewell discourse to his disciples during the Lord’s Supper (John 14:1-21;16:5-33).

Then they brought a woman accused of adultery to Jesus without any witnesses and the man who should be also accused to have committed adultery with her, to trap Jesus in his response (John 8:2-6). Knowing who they were and evil in them, Jesus invalidated their persecution against the woman and set her free, entrusting her to sin no more (John 8:7-11)

And the debate on Jesus, who he really is, resumed (John 8:12).

We have been following how Jesus tries to convict those who refuse to believe but rather try to kill him with his Christological (Messianic) truth and how they react ever since Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent (John 5:17-30) through daily Gospel Readings, and now we have reached the last portion of the debate in John 8 (John 8:51-59) on Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent.

Throughout his argument with those who refuse to believe in him but want to kill him, Jesus progressively reveals his Christological nature in his unique object relation to the Father. But, they accuse Jesus for calling God as his Father and grow in their hostility and murderous desire. They also come to realize that they just cannot “win” in their argument against Jesus as he continues to reveal their hypocrisy and ignorance.

In response to Jesus’ words on their need to be enlightened by the truth in his words to be freed from the slavery of their sins (John 8:31-32), they argued that they do not need to hear such a thing because they were free children of Abraham (John 8:33). But, Jesus has pointed out that they were not free because they are enslaved to their own sins (John 8:34-41). And Jesus further argued against them that they are not children of Abraham nor children of God but convicted them as children of the devil for what who they have made they are (John 8:42-47).

Though they have argued that they are children of God, Jesus disputes this because they do not love him but want to kill him (John 8:42-47). It is because loving God as their father also means loving Jesus, who is His Son. And this is not simply because the Father loves him but also he is “I AM” (John 8:24, 28) and the Father is “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). In other words, Jesus is not just a mere human being from Galilee as they think and ridicule (i.e. John 7:41; cf. 52), but he is also the Christ (Messiah) and God, who is “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14). This is why Jesus revealed who he is as “I AM”(John 8:24,28).

Now Jesus says to them:

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death (John 8:51).

This is reiterating what he said before:

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).

Have they ever even tried to open their hearts to Jesus’ word?

Nope.

Rather, out of their narcissistic pride, which keeps them ignorant and their hearts as harden as stones, they only grow in their anger toward Jesus.

So, when he invited them to free themselves from the slavery of sins, they shifted themselves to the denial mode, arguing that they do not need to hear to be free because they have never been enslaved as children of Abraham (John 8:33-41a).

In response, they try to trip Jesus again by picking a certain expression of Jesus. So, they said, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death’. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”(John 8:52-53).

One aspect of their deep ignorance is that they are utterly fundamentalists. They also show their ignorance of the scriptures, because they would have understood what Jesus means by “will never see death”(v. 51) in relation to the Messiah (Christ) (i.e. Isaiah 26:19; Job 19:25-27), who is of Abraham’s stock (i.e. Genesis 12:1-3; cf. Acts 3:24-26).

So, Jesus says:

If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad (John 8:54-56).

Again, Jesus makes it clear that his being, “I AM” (John 8:24, 28), is because of his Father, “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14). That is why he knows the Father, though they, who identified themselves as children of God (John 8:41), do not. And because Jesus, who is, “I AM”, has known his Father, “I am who I am”, he also knows Abraham, as his Father knows.

It is very important to note that not only the Father has rejoiced (i.e. Matthew 3:17; 12:18; cf. 42:1) but also Abraham has to have seen Jesus, who is of his stock, to have been sent by the Father (John 8:56).

But to their fundamentalist mentality, Jesus’ Christological (Messianic) quality not only in relation to the Father but also to Abraham is too difficult to recognize – even though they pride themselves as experts of the scriptures.

So, they argued back to Jesus, saying, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”(John 8:57).

Had they truly been well-versed with the scriptures, as they should, then, they would not have said such a stupid thing, because it is found in the scriptures that Abraham was already aware of the coming of the Messiah out of his stock (even way before Isaiah prophesized the coming of him out of David’s royal lineage, which stems from Jesse’s stock, Isaiah 11:1). To understand this, we need to understand the First Reading (Genesis 17:3-9).

The First Reading (Genesis 17:3-9) is God’s promise (covenant) with Abraham. First, God called Abram as Abraham. The former name means “an exulted father”, while the latter is understood as “a father of all nations”. By calling Abram as Abraham, God promised him to become the father of all nations. This is a reiteration of God’s first covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3).

Thus said God to Abraham:

No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings will stem from you (Genesis 17:5-6).

For Abraham to be the father of all nations (a multitude of nations), he needed to procreate. So, God promised him to be fertile. And this points to the birth of Isaac and so forth, leading to David and to Jesus (i.e. Matthew 1:1-17).

So Isaac was born, as promised by God, but God commanded Abraham to offer him as a sacrifice to Him to test his faith (Genesis 22:1-14). During that time, Abraham said to Isaac, “God will provide the sheep for the burnt offering”(Genesis 22:8). And the real “the sheep” is the one whom the Father, who is “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14) has sent – His only begotten Son, and he is Jesus, “I AM” (John 8:24, 28). So Abraham’s son, Isaac, did not have to be offered as “the sheep”.

In this, Abraham was aware of the coming of the Messiah as “the sheep”, pointing out that Jesus, the Messiah (Christ), to be offered as Korban Pesach (Passover Sacrifice)(Exodus 12:1-14)(John 19:31-42), and John the Baptist called “the sheep”(Genesis 22:8), as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

This is why Jesus said, “Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad”(John 8:56).

Abraham, the father of all nations”, has rejoiced to see “the sheep”(Genesis 22:8) has come, as sent by God the Father (i.e. John 3:16; 1 John 4:9), to do His work (John 5:17); is well-pleased of him (i.e. Matthew 3:17; 12:18). And, because Jesus is “I AM”(John 8:24, 28), as his Father is “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14), which in Hebrew also means, “He is who He is”, “He is who was”, and “He is who He will be”. In other words, God the Father is immutable and everlasting. And because the Son was with the Father, before he was sent to us in the human flesh of Jesus by incarnation (John 1:14; Luke 1:30-33, 35)(John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-17), Jesus was with his Father, in  the divine substance, when He spoke to Abraham for covenants.

Thus says Jesus:

Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM (John 8:58).

Just as the Father has been and is and will be always “I am who I am”, his Son, Jesus, the Christ, has been and is and will be always “I AM”. After all, he is alpha and omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13).

Have these ignorant unbelievers ever convert their hearts and receive Jesus’ word of the truth to remain in it to be delivered from the slavery of their sins?

Well, instead, the truth in Jesus’ word, his Christological (Messianic) truth in relation to God the Father and father Abraham, only made them more murderous. And this reflects these words of David:

Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all (Psalm 34:20).

Overview of Lent and Paschal Triduum on Cycle C

The Lenten journey of 40 days from Ash Wednesday to the sunset of Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), except for Sundays, is punctuated by six Lenten Sundays. It is our transformative and transcendental pilgrimage to the Cross to die to our old sinful being and to the empty tomb to rise into renewed life with the risen Christ. On this journey of penance, pride gives its way to humility, and we unload sins for absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can travel light. And this is how our Lenten conversion works with our contrite heart. 

The Gospel Readings of these Lenten Sundays give important themes to reflect to make sure that we are engaging in our Lenten commitments authentically so that our Lenten journey will bear meaningful fruits abundantly, leading us to the delight in the Lord (i.e. Isaiah 55:1-10, First Reading of Tuesday of the First Week of Lent; 58:1-9a, 9b-14, First Readings of Friday and Saturday after Ash Wednesday). If we compare our Lenten journey to a marathon, then, these six Lenten Sundays are like the aids stations on the marathon course. Therefore, the Gospel Reading themes from these six Lenten Sundays offer points of reference to ponder so that we can make sure not only to stay on course – not to be derailed from the course by devil’s temptations but to continue the journey authentically – just as these aids stations on the marathon course are to ensure runners will not drop out and finish. God wants all of us on our Lenten journey to say, as Paul said nearing his martyrdom: I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Since we have just passed the midpoint of our Lenten “road less traveled”, punctuated by the six Lenten Sundays, of which the 6^th one is Palm Sunday, also called, Passion Sunday, let’s view how the entire Lenten journey course goes.

Ash Wednesday (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18): Jesus gives the authentic way to engage in our Lenten commitment to prayer, fasting (abstinence), and almsgiving (cf. Isaiah 58:1-9a, 9b-14, First Readings of Friday and Saturday after Ash Wednesday).

First Sunday (Luke 4:1-13): Temptation: Learning from how Jesus fought the temptations from the devil, we arm ourselves to overcome temptations to stay on our Lenten journey course.

Second Sunday (Luke 9:28b-36): Transfiguration of the Lord, in which Jesus’ divinity is briefly revealed visibly in the glorious light that points to the resurrection of the Lord, so that we know that our Lenten journey will take us to the glory of Jesus’ resurrection, which we will be celebrating for 50 days from Resurrection Sunday until Pentecost Sunday. And this is what the delight in the risen Lord (Isaiah 58:14) refers to in the Lenten context.

Third Sunday (Luke 13:1-9): God’s mercy gives us a “grace period” through the parable of the barren fig tree.

Fourth Sunday (Domingo Laetaere) (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32): God’s mercy allows a sinner to have a fresh start with the clean slate through the parable of the prodigal son. And who is against this? This is also known as “Domingo Laetaere”(Laetare Sunday), because this is the Lenten Sunday to rejoice (laetare) , reflecting the rejoicing of the Lord over the conversion and return of sinners, reflected in the joy of the father of the prodigal son.

Fifth Sunday (John 8:1-11): God’s mercy forgives but our mistaken sense of righteousness condemns through the narrative of the woman condemned by the self-righteous leaders for adultery but forgiven by Jesu.

Palm Sunday (Luke 22:14 – 23:56): The Passion and death of Jesus: Following him from the Lord’s Supper at night before his death to the burial of his body. By going over the entire Holy Week, this is to remember what our sins have done to Jesus and why he has walked the Via Dolorosa. This helps us to experience the effect and the wights of our own sinfulness to understand why we have come through the 40-day long Lenten “road less traveled”.

The Holy Week, which concludes with Paschal Triduum, begins on Palm Sunday. It commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem, where the crowd welcomed him so enthusiastically, waving palms and shouting their praise to him as the Son of David in the name of the Lord the Most High and asking him to grant them salvation, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9). But, as the Gospel Reading for this last Sunday of Lent (Luke 22:14 - 23:56, Cycle C) reminds us, the sentiment of people in Jerusalem toward Jesus rather quickly turns into intensely hostile hatred, shouting to crucify him.  Something important to ponder upon and reflect, examining our own hearts and letting God probe our hearts (i.e. Psalm 139:23-24; Jeremiah 17:10) in connection to the Examen (the examination of conscience ) from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola (# 24-31, 32-42, 43), which focuses on the movement of the Holy Spirit leading through a spiritual pilgrimage to Christ. By probing and examining our hearts, as well as, conscience, we recognize our sinfulness honestly and objectively, so that we can repent and seek reconciliation and transformation.

Lent ends at the sunset on Holy Thursday, and it is when Paschal Triduum begins to go through the passion, death, and burial of the Lord, which is reflected in the Gospel Reading of Good Friday (John 18:1-19:42). During Paschal Triduum, we see the increasing darkness, reflected in Tenebrae mourning prayer with the gradual extinction of candles.

Following Holy Thursday evening Mass, the blessed sacrament is removed from the tabernacle to the special altar of repose outside the sanctuary through the procession. Then the altar in the sanctuary is stripped, and the sanctuary will be darkened to reflect the darkest in Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony, followed by his arrest, trial, and via crucis – until the completion of Exultet at the beginning of Paschal Vigil Mass, following the Lucernarium.

Then, through the Scripture Readings leading to the Epistle Readings and the Gospel Reading, we reflect on the renewal of the Creation. And we also renew ourselves in the Paschal light, which is prefigured in the light of the Transfiguration in the Gospel Reading of the Second Sunday of Lent. And, then, we are in the delight in the risen Lord (i.e. Isaiah 58:14).

Illegitimate Children of Abraham vs. Nebuchadnezzar, Pagan King of Babylonia – Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

The Gospel Reading of Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent (John 8:31-42) is the immediate continuation from the Gospel Reading of Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent (John 8:21-30), which follows the Gospel Reading of Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (John 8:12-20). Through these readings, we see Jesus’ progressive revelation of his Christological (Messianic) truth to those who refused to believe to see if their eyes would ever open to the truth in Jesus.

In this Gospel narrative (John 8:31-42), we see how superficial some people’s faith is, because it begins with Jesus’ verbal punch against those who once believe in him but easily lost their faith. Such a faith is like a seed fell on rocky ground where it could not extend its roots and therefore easily withered (Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21).

Thus says Jesus:

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).

Note that Jesus says, “If you remain in my word” to them. It suggests that they cannot retain the word of Jesus in them because of their feeble faith.

Though they may have believed in Jesus, they have found out that they really cannot make their hearts home for Jesus’ word as the seed of faith to grow. It is because they find the expression of  “the truth will set you free” offensive.

What is their problem with this expression of the truth and freedom in Jesus’ words?

As offspring of Abraham, they believe that they have never been enslaved to anyone (John 8:33). That is why they are offended, for they have thought that Jesus does not see them as free people, as he has called them to be free by accepting the truth in his word.

Their view on being free is wrong on two grounds. And it is due to their narcissistic pride, which is a vice, in association with sins.

First of all, as Jesus points out, they have been enslaved to their own sins (John 8:34). But their misplaced pride keeps them blind to this truth. That is why they think that they are free. Had they been able to humble themselves to Jesus and the truth in his word, then, they would have realized the fact that they have been enslaved to their sins.

Secondly, they are wrong to say that they have never been slave to anyone because, historically, children of Abraham have been slaves. It seems that they have forgotten why children of Abraham celebrate Passover and observe the feast of Unleavened Bread. Not to mention, Passover was the watershed event to set children of Abraham (Israelites) free from many years of slavery in Egypt. After the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC by the Babylonians, children of Abraham never had national sovereignty, except for some period of the Hasmonean dynasty, prompted by the Maccabean Revolt, until being conquered by the Roman Empire. Even during the time of Jesus, they were ruled by Caesar’s powerful Roman Empire, and the Jewish territory ruled by Herod was a vassal state to Rome. They need some history lesson as their pride to be “free” people is due to their utter ignorance of their own history. But, the real problem is that their pride prevents them from learning historical truth.

So Jesus says to these people who clings to sins – who choose to remain as slaves to sins:

A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free (John 8:35).

Historically, this statement may make reference to the fact that Ishmael and his mother left the house of Abraham but Isaac remained, because they were rather servants to the house of Abraham (Genesis 21:1-21). However, a point that Jesus is making through the above statement is that the Son of the House of the Lord comes to free them from the enslavement of their sins and bring them to his House, the House of the Lord, where they can stay as free people with him forever – if they let his word make home in their hearts.

Namely, Jesus, the Son of God, is the one to free those who have been enslaved by sin from the house of sin to the house of the Lord (e.g. Psalm 23:6; 27:4; 2 Samuel 7:11; Joel 3:18; John 14:2), where he is the son, therefore, belongs forever.

Jesus goes on:

I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father (John 8:37-38).

With these words, Jesus challenges their falsely self-identification as children of Abraham. As Paul writes, true children of Abraham are those who are faithful to God and to the one sent by God, namely Christ in the humanity of Jesus – not those who are lost to the works of the Law, whether they are genetically linked to Abraham of not (Galatians 3:1-7). Also saying “no room among you” for his word, Jesus was indicating that their condition has worsened from being like the rocky ground to the hard-surfaced path – so word of Jesus has no space to sprout its truth in their hearts (i.e. Matthew 13:3-6, 19-21).

Now, Jesus is about to reveal what he has seen with his Father in regard to the true children of Abraham. Remember, Christ pre-existed before the Creation (John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-17). Also, by being “I AM” (John 8:24, 28), we also understand how Jesus and his Father, who is, “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14), have been in their unique relationship.

Thus says Jesus:

If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this (John 8:39-40).

Being children of Abraham means to remain steadfastly faithful to God. This also means to be so to Jesus, who testifies to have been sent from Him by Him, so he is “I Am”, as his Father is, “I am who I am”.  And doing the works of Abraham, for example, is to be hospitable to those who are sent by God, as well as, those who are associated with Him (Genesis 18:1-15). But, these “children of Abraham” are trying to kill Jesus, who has testified to be from the Father, to do His work on earth. So, Jesus points out that they are not true children of Abraham, because their faith is not genuine and their works are not the works of Abraham but their own ancestors, who have committed many sins, including murder.

Now they do not know what to say to Jesus.  What he said about them being children of Abraham is true. They have been just reminded that they have not been living as true children of Abraham.

So, they say that their only Father is God Himself and that they are God’s legitimate children (John 8:41). Note that they have shifted the gear in their counterargument to Jesus from claiming themselves as children of Abraham to children of God the Father, because they are no longer able to argue with him as children of Abraham. Jesus has just proved that they are not really children of God as their faith is not genuine, far from Abraham’s faith. He also argued that their illegitimate faith is associated with their inability to do the works of Abraham.

Those who do not see “I AM”( John 8:24, 28) in connection with “I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14) in Jesus are those who are blind to the truth of Jesus being lifted up by them (John 8:24). It is because their faith is not like the faith of Abraham. If it were, then, they would know the truth through the word of Jesus, which would find a home in their hearts (i.e. John 8:31-32). But their hearts have been so hardened by their sins. Their pride has made their hearts as hard as stones, thus, a seed of the word of Jesus cannot sprout its roots to grow (i.e. Matthew 13:3-6, 19-21).

So now, these false children of Abraham invoke God in their struggle to find legitimacy for themselves. But Jesus is going to throw more verbal punches to this. So, he says:

If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me (John 8:42).

Jesus has been telling this Christological (Messianic) truth ever since when he was questioned about his healing work for a paralytic man on a sabbath day (John 5:17-47). But because of their hardened hearts, because of their blindness, they have never been able to see this truth. Thus, they remain to be slaves of sins.  

In fact, Jesus’ verbal punches against these illegitimate children of Abraham, of God, continue on:

Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot bear to hear my word. You belong to your father the devil and you willingly carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I speak the truth, you do not believe me. Can any of you charge me with sin? If I am telling the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not listen, because you do not belong to God  (John 8:43-47).

We can see Jesus’ frustration with their obstinate ignorance attributed to their sinfulness, including pride.

Jesus has revealed so much about who he is, his Christological (Messianic) truth in his unique relation to the Father, as we can see in John 5:17-47; 7:14-52; 8:12-47. Yet, they remain ignorant as their hearts never receive the word of Jesus, thus, keeping themselves enslaved to sins, because their pride prevents the truth in Jesus’ word from setting them free. So, they reply to Jesus:

Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed? (John 8:48).

Because they are not able to see who they are and their problem, they continue attacking Jesus groundlessly. Now, they call Jesus “possessed”.

So, Jesus has to say to these children of the devil (i.e. John 8:44), who belong to the worst place in the netherworld (i.e. John 8:23):

I am not possessed; I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the one who judges (John 8:49-50).

And we will see how the rest of Jesus’ verbal punches against these illegitimate children of Abraham, of God, unfold in the Gospel Reading of Thursday of Fifth Week of Lent (John 8:51-59).

In the First Reading (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95), we see true children of Abraham, demonstrating their steadfast faith even facing a death threat imposed by a pagan king of Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar. In this reading, we also see how this pagan king’s eyes were opened to the truth about God.

Three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were pressured to obey Nebuchadnezzar’s order to worship his deity. But it would mean abomination to God. So, these three faithful Jewish men flatly refused and willing to go through Nebuchadnezzar’s punishment of throwing into the burning furnace. Such a death threat did not affect them at all because of their faith, trusting God’s providence.

Lo and behold, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained intact in the fire – though Nebuchadnezzar had thought that they would be incinerated fast. This pagan king of Babylonia was amazed at what he saw: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unbound and walking in the powerful fire, together with another man, who looked like the Son of God, though these three were bound together when thrown into the fire.

What else could Nebuchadnezzar do then?

So, he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out” (Daniel 3:93).

Furthermore, thus said Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia:

Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree for nations and peoples of every language that whoever blasphemes the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces and his house made into a refuse heap. For there is no other God who can rescue like this (Daniel 3:95-96).

What a change in Nebuchadnezzar’s perception of God! He recognized that God of Israel, God of children of Abraham, made the fire powerless to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for their steadfast faith.

Now see the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar in the First Reading (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95) and those who call themselves as children of Abraham in the Gospel Reading (John 8:31-42). The former, though pagan, opened his eyes to God.  But the latter remained blind to God but kept their murderous desire to kill the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar recognized the possibility of the presence of the Son of God together with three legitimate children of Abraham: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who kept the faith like Abraham. The Son of God, whose presence with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in fire, is indeed the pre-incarnated Christ the Son of God. And sensing his presence in fire, Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes opened. But, these children of the devil who refused to believe, never saw the Son of God, even though he was speaking to them with his truth.

Illegitimate children of Abraham are worse than Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king of Babylonia.

By the way, in regard to Daniel 3, the way it is written in the Protestant canon is different from it is in the Catholic canon.

Protestant Bible, such as NIV (New International Version) does not have the Prayer of Azariah (Abednego), which is found in NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) as a part of the Apocrypha, but the Catholic Bible, such as the New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE), incorporate it in Chapter 3 of the Book of Daniel. The prayer of Azariah is grafted in vv. 24-90 of Chapter 3 of the Book of Daniel. The First Reading of Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95) bypassed the Prayer of Azariah (Daniel 3:24-90).

There is another interesting difference in regard to Daniel 3:92, (NABRE) which says quotes Nebuchadnezzar:

I see four men unbound and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.

But in the NIV (Daniel 3:25), it is written this way:

I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.

In KJV (King James Version), Daniel 3:25:

I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

The NABRE and the KJV translate “לְבַר־ אֱלָהִֽין/elahin lebar” as the son of God, while the NIV translates it as the son of gods.

It is because “אֱלָהִֽין/elahin” can be translated both as “God”, to indicate the God of Israel, or “gods” (e.g. Daniel 2:11), depending on the context, just as “ אֱלֹהִים/Elohim” can be translated likewise.

It seems that the NIV sees Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth person with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the fire from a pagan perspective for translating it in plural deities. But, the NABRE and the KJV indicate that Nebuchadnezzar opened his eyes to the God of Israel.

What is your opinion?

Jesus’ Christological Revelation Continues On: I AM and Being Lifted Up – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

From the Gospel Reading of Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent (John 5:17-30) on, Jesus has been progressively revealing his Christological or Messianic identity in the context of his unique relationship with the Father, upon justifying his healing work on a sabbath day as doing his Father’s work, which continues beyond the Creation. But because of this, he continues to face hostility from those who refuse to believe in him and wanted to kill him. A main reason for their obstinate disbelief and growing hostility is Jesus’ testimony to his unique relationship with the Father. Psychologically, their minds are rigid in thinking. Therefore, they continue to reject Jesus because the way he testified to himself did not fit in their cognitive bias. Their minds are not developed enough to see the reality beyond the frame of their assumption.

As Jesus continues to speak the Christological (Messianic) truth in his relationship with the Father, those who are hostile and unwilling to believe try to find a way to discredit his testimonies and what he does in his Father’s name, those who watch them debate become divided: those who come to believe and those who remain not to believe.

Jesus said that he brings division (Luke 12:51; cf. Matthew 10:34; cf. John 7:43). By the end of John 7 (7:43), there became a clear division between those who believed in him and those who did not.

In the Gospel Reading of Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent (John 8:21-30), we recognize the division between those who belong below and those who belong above. And this division reflects the division between those who came to believe in Jesus and those who stubbornly refused to believe.

In John 8:12-20, we see those who refused to believe in Jesus argued that Jesus’ testimony to himself is not valid. But Jesus asserted that his testimony to himself is valid because of his unique relationship with the Father, who validates everything done and said by Jesus (John 5:31-37a; 8:14-18).

So, Jesus said to those who wanted to arrest and kill him and the rest of the people in the Temple area:

I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come (John 8:21).

This statement is reiteration of what he said previously:

You will look for me but not find me, and where I am you cannot come (John 7:34).

These statements about where Jesus would go and not finding him are annoyingly enigmatic to those who refused to believe and want to kill him. By adding “you will die in your sin”(John 8:21), it seems that Jesus has spoken again about where he would go and not to be found in reference to the fact that those who do not believe in him and remain sinful will never find him in where he will be but only those who believe and convert and obey him will (i.e. Proverbs 1:27-33).

Now, their ignorance and hatred make them say, “ He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” (John 8:22).  Such a statement is rather insulting to Jesus as it assumes that he would fall to the lowest place in the netherworld, for Mishneh Torah (Rabbinic interpretation of the Torah) on Hilchot Rotzeiach Ushemirat Nefesh (Murderer and the Preservation of Life) teaches that souls of those who have committed suicide are subject to severe judgement in heavenly court because of willfully rejecting God, who is the author of life, by ways of rejecting life given by Him.

What a gross willful misinterpretation by twisting Jesus’ words! See what a “cocktail” of ignorance and hatred can do.

To this insulting attack, Jesus throws this set of verbal punches:

You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins (John 8:23-24).

It is like Jesus telling, “Guess who really are destined to the lowest place? You assumed that I would go there for committing suicide but your utter sinfulness makes you belong there, and you cannot overcome your sinfulness because you don’t believe in me (and do not believe my testimonies)”.

And there is a new development in Jesus’ progressive revelation of his Christological (Messianic) identity, and it is, “I AM”.

Who is “I AM”?

Remember what God identified Himself as, “אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה  אֲשֶׁ֣ר  אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה  (eyah aser eyah): I am who I am”(Exodus 3:14) to Moses, when he asked God how he should identify Him to the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 3:13). This self-identification of God reflects that God’s almighty omnipotent and omnipresent nature. And now Jesus reveals his Christological (Messianic) identity with God, “I am who I am” by identifying himself as “I AM” (ἐγώ εἰμι/ ego eimi)(John 8:24). This means to tell that he is, indeed, God, who is "I am who I am".  Therefore, he is not only being sent by the Father to do His work but he is with Him in the consubstantial way (i.e. John 10:30, 38; 14:10-11, 20; cf. John 15:1-11;17:23).

So, Jesus’ message is that rejecting and not believing in him means rejecting God, who is “I am who I am”, because Jesus is “I AM”.  However, they might not have to die in their sins if they repent and convert and come to believe in Jesus, who is God, for He is merciful to those who repent and return to Him (cf. Deuteronomy 4:28-35).

Though Jesus has revealed his Christological identity this far, now identifying himself more clearly with the Father, “I am who I am”, those who refuse to believe but remain hostile, remain ignorant and confused (John 8:27).  

Jesus further says:

When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him (John 8:28-29).

Now, with this statement, Jesus seems to have some hope for conversion of those who refuse to believe and show increasing hostility, indicating that they may realize who he is in his relation to the Father and finally believe in him to be saved, as he is lifted up on the Cross. Remember what Jesus said to Nicodemus?:

No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:13-15).

We know that the centurion and those with him at the foot of the Cross came to believe (Matthew 27:54). And you will find out if they would ever come to senses with their sins, repent, and come to believe, as you continue to follow the Gospel Readings toward and through the Holy Week.

Jesus has indicated to Nicodemus that his death on the Cross (being lifted up on the Cross, as his Cross is raised up) is in juxtaposition to the serpent lifted up on Moses’ pole (Numbers 21:9). This suggest that those who looked up him lifted up on the Cross and believe in him upon repenting and converting their hearts may be saved by his grace, in spite of their past sinfulness. This is because the Israelites who committed sin of ingratitude were saved from God’s lethal judgement by looking up the serpent lifted up on Moses’ pole, as described in the First Reading (Numbers 21:4-9).

Now Jesus starts to reveal his looming death on the Cross as he continues to speak of his Christological (Messianic) identity in the context of his unique relation to the Father, in addition to have made it clear about his divine nature by saying that he is “I AM”.

The story about Jesus testimony to himself, his progressive revelation of his Christological identity will further continue. So, stay tuned.

Daniel: Light of Justice Saves Susanna, Christ: Light of Life Saves Us - Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

The First Reading of Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (Daniel 13:1-9,15-17, 19-30, 33-62) is not found in typical Protestant Bible and Jewish Tanakh. If a Protestant Bible has the Apocrypha, then the story of Susanna can be found. In the Catholic Bible, it is incorporated as Daniel chapter 13, and chapter 14 is the story of Bel and the Dragon, while the Book of Daniel in Protestant Bibles has 12 chapters. Also, in the Catholic version of the Book of Daniel, the prayer of Azariah is incorporated in Daniel 3:24-90. It is because the story of Susanna (Daniel 13), the story of Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14), and the prayer of Azariah (Daniel 3:24-90) are not found in the original Hebrew-Aramaic version of the Book of Daniel. These are, however, found in the Greek-translated Old Testament, known as the Septuagint.

Daniel 13 or the story of Susanna is about a beautiful young chaste Jewish woman of faith, Susanna, married to Joakim, the most respected man among the Jewish diasporas in Babylon during the exilic period.

Susanna’s extraordinary beauty grew lustful attention from two judges. It came to the point where these pervert judges no longer control their lustful desires. Having premeditated, they attempted to violate her. So, they trapped her in the garden and demanded her to let her give herself in for their desire. They also threatened her to testify against her that she was committing adulterous relation with a young man (Daniel 13:19-21). Of course, this testimony is completely false.

Susanna had a choice: to give herself into these wicked men’s lustful desire and keep it secret, or to scream for help, risking to be made the target of the wicked men’s false accusation, which weighs death penalty. To this, Susanna let her conscience lead. And she took the latter choice.

Now these wicked judges exposed Susanna to the public to humiliate and made a grossly false testimony against her. In response, Susanna looked up to heaven and prayed to God:

Eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things for which these men have condemned me (Daniel 13:42-43).

God heard her prayer and sent Daniel, filled with the Holy Spirit (Daniel 13:44-45), to expose the lie made by these two wicked man against innocent Susanna.

Daniel said to the people:

Are you such fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without investigation and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her (Daniel 13:48-49).

Then, Daniel examined these two separately one at a time.

But, Daniel asked essentially the same questions, “Under what tree you saw them (Susanna and a young man) together?”(Daniel 13:54), “Under what tree you surprised them together”(Daniel 13:58). One said a mastic tree (Daniel 13:55) but the other said a oak tree (Daniel 13:59). Mastic tree is small but oak tree is large. Therefore, these trees cannot be mistakenly seen as the same.

By letting them make inconsistent testimonies about the tree, under which they alleged Susanna to have had a sexual relation with a young man, Daniel proved that their testimony against Susanna was rather false. People praised God for the justice that saved Susanna from the murderous plot of the wicked men. And these men were condemned to death in accordance with Deuteronomy 19:18-19. Thus, justice of God was served by the clever legal defense of Susanna by Daniel.

So, how does this story of Susanna and Daniel in the First Reading about God’s justice (Daniel 13:1-9,15-17, 19-30, 33-62) relates to the Gospel Reading (John 8:12-20)?

What Daniel did, on behalf of God, to save Susanna from the false accusation in the First Reading (Daniel 13:1-9,15-17, 19-30, 33-62) was to bring the light of justice (i.e. Isaiah 59:9) to reveal the darkness of the wicked men, who tried to rape her and then to kill her by abusing the Law. In the Gospel Reading (John 8:12-20), Jesus makes this Christological self-identification:

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).

Christ the light means justice and darkness represents the human wickedness, which was manifested, for example, in the elders’ attempt to rape and kill Susanna (Daniel 13) and also to use a woman, accusing her of adultery, to trap Jesus to press false charge against him (John 8:1-11). And he came to this world to save us from this darkness and redeem us into the light of life. And it demands us our hearts’ conversion through penance.

So, how did the audience of Jesus take the statement?

First, the Pharisees complained that his self-testimony is invalid because he was testifying for himself (John 8:13).

To these men in darkness, Jesus said:

Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me (John 8:14-18).

Now compare the above statement of Jesus to the below statement of Jesus:

If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf (John 5:31-37a).

Now we can skim out Jesus’ logic in validating his testimony to himself, which is to say that he is the light of the world to shepherd people to the light of life (John 8:12).

It is not just because John the Baptist also testified to him but the Father gives testimony to him.

So, then, the argument once again shifted on to Jesus’ relationship with the Father (John 8: 19; cf. 5:17-47; 7:14-29).

The Pharisees asked Jesus where his Father is, and Jesus answered that they cannot know where the Father is because they do not see who Jesus is (John 8:19). Namely, ignorance of Jesus’ Christological identity in relation to the Father keeps us in darkness and prohibits us from knowing the Father, because there is no way but through him to know the Father (i.e. John 14:6-11).

The Gospel Reading (John 8:12-20) also echoes what Jesus said to Nicodemus:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God (John 3:16-21).

Daniel’s presence to the scene of Susanna’s execution is juxtaposed to the God’s light shines to enlighten the ignorant and to reveals the concealed injustice committed by the wicked. So, with the light of God’s justice brought by Daniel, Susanna, who was innocent but falsely accused by the wicked who tried to rape her to cover up their crime, was saved from execution, resulting in the wicked were executed according to the Law. This is reflected in the Gospel Reading (John 8:12-20), in which Jesus identifies himself as God’s light to the world with its source found in the Father in heaven. But, the wicked who wanted to kill Jesus obstinately resist to the Christ the light because they want their darkness to prevail and keep the people in the darkness of ignorance.

Are you in the light of Christ? Or are you in darkness of evil?

We are heading to the dark hours as we are to enter Holy Week and further into Paschal Triduum. While some will remain in darkness as it will get darker, we, on the other hand, will continue to walk in the Christ the light to witness how God’s justice will prevail through his Resurrection.

Remember, by his death during the darkest hour, Jesus the Christ overcome death so that we will enjoy life in Christ the light (i.e. 2 Timothy 1:9-10).

Jesus, Our Defense Lawyer, the Parakletos, to Bring God’s New Way of Justice with Mercy - Fifth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Some people drain their assets to pay for their legal defense in courts. To them, that’s the price of justice for them. Such is life in the adversarial litigation culture, which feeds only greedy lawyers.

In the Gospel Reading of the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C (John 8:1-11), we see Jesus in light of a defense lawyer, appointed by God, for a woman accused of committing adultery.

Does it mean that God was contradicting Himself for providing the Law against adultery yet to give a leeway to escape from justice? If it is how you think, then, you may be prone to be fooled by the religious leaders’ anti-Jesus propaganda. Read and study the Law and exercise your faith-driven conscience in regard to what the religious leaders were doing with the woman against Jesus. The accusers, who were the scribes and the Pharisees, claimed to Jesus that the woman was “caught” in the very act of committing adultery (John 8:4) and asked Jesus for his legal opinion, as she was to be stoned to death, according to the applicable Mosaic Law (John 8:5; cf. Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24).

To this, Jesus’ “legal opinion” resulted in the acquittal of the woman with his words, “do not sin any more”(John 8:11). But, the way Jesus “defended” her was not like what a typical lawyer would do as he did not get into the technicality o the applicable Law, such as calling and cross-examining two witnesses, which the Law demands, and calling the man, involved in her alleged adultery. Remember, it takes two to commit adultery. The way Jesus acted as the defense lawyer for the woman is a new way of bringing justice, and its essence is mercy with trust, and such a new way is the way of God, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 43:16-21).

When the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman, whom they claimed to have caught in the very act of adultery, and asked his legal opinion to test him in order to accuse him (John 8:4-6a), Jesus prostrated and started writing something on the ground with his finger (John 8:6b). It is not certain what he wrote on the ground. But, it is possible that he was writing the names of those who brought the woman, because he knew their sins. And he wrote their names as to say that they were bound to be condemned, in light of Jeremiah 17:13, which says that those who have forsaken the Lord to be registered in the netherworld. And yes, they had forsaken the Lord because they brought the woman to trap Jesus, not just forsaking but trying to attack the Lord. What other sin can be as great as such one? And in their effort to trap the Lord to kill him, they were using the woman.

Jesus' act of writing something on the ground with his finger (John 8:6b) can be juxtaposed to God writing His commandment on the first stone tablet (Exodus 34:1) and to Moses writing more of God's commandments in the second stone tablet (Exodus 34:24). This is to suggest that Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17) by showing his new way of interpreting and applying and observing (i.e. Matthew 5:21-48). Thus, Jesus' legal opinion on the woman to be stoned to death according to the Law by her accusers, the scribes and the Pharisees, was to be a fulfillment of the Law, which was abused by the scribes and the Pharisees to attack Jesus, at the expenses of the woman's life. 

There is also something fishy about the way the scribes and the Pharisees tried to execute the woman by stoning for committing adultery, as they alleged, because the Law in Deuteronomy 22:22  requires both a woman and a man to be brought together for execution. Not to mention, the case cannot be established unless at least two witnesses are secured (Deuteronomy 19:15) ,and making a false testimony is entitled to death (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). They did not bring the man, who was in the adulterous relationship with her. And no witnesses were present at the scene. They simply brought a woman, claiming that she was caught in the act of adultery, to be stoned to death according to Deuteronomy 22:22. So, they asked Jesus for his view on this.

Can we trust what the scribes and the Pharisee said about the woman? Of course not. Chances are, they were using this woman as a bait to trap Jesus so that they would be able to press charge on her. There was a possibility that a woman was falsely accused of adultery and to be executed by stoning simply to attack Jesus. Otherwise, they would also bring the man in the adulterous relationship with her, because the Law (Deuteronomy 22:22) requires both to be brought and to be executed, if she had truly committed adultery and at least two testified in accordance with Deuteronomy 19:15.

It was likely that these experts of the Law, the scribes and the Pharisees, were abusing the Law to trap Jesus. So, it was time for a new way of practicing the Law to be brought so that the Law would be fulfilled.

Though the scribes and the Pharisees wanted to make this a trial of the woman to trap Jesus (John 8:6a), Jesus was turning this occasion to a trial of the woman’s accusers.

So, Jesus answered their questions on his legal opinion on her “punishment” for adultery, saying:

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her (John 8:7).

This is a change of the tide. Jesus is now turning the target of the trial from the woman to her accusers.

The result is, that none of the accusers threw stones at her and left the scene, leaving Jesus and the woman. And Jesus acquitted her (John 8:10-11).

Did Jesus ask her if she had actually committed adultery? As far as it is written by John, no. Why would Jesus ask such a question as God is not interested in digging up our past sinfulness (Isaiah 43:25)? And this is just like how the father of the prodigal son was upon his return. He did not ask his younger son, who squandered his inheritance money, what he did with the money, as in the Gospel Reading of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32).

Because of His mercy, God is not as interested in our past but more interested in how we live from now to the future (Isaiah 43:18-19). So, Jesus was putting his trust in her from that point on, saying her not to sin any more (John 8:11b).

So, how much did the woman pay for her defense attorney, Jesus?

Nothing, monetarily.  Jesus was her pro-bono lawyer. And this is how God works for us. He trusts us, as a lawyer trusts his or her client to defend. That is why God has never drawn a contract with us but always a covenant, which is always open-ended on our side because it is based on God’s trust in us.

So, the price she has to pay for her legal defense by Jesus is to live her life without committing sin, whether she had actually committed adultery or not. 

Putting a whole life to meet God’s trust through the Christ is the “price” we pay to have our Parakletos, as reflected in the Second Reading (Philippians 3:8-14). It is not that you have to drain your bank accounts and sell your house. Jesus is not that kind of lawyer to send you his bills. But, he wants you to live your whole life worthy of his trust in you – not to sin any more. That is why Paul says that is is a priceless gain to find a new life in Christ (Philippians 3:8), which is to be new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). And this is how God’s justice is carried out according to the Law, and its substance is His mercy. It is because God trusts in us in our new life in Christ upon being touched by His mercy, upon going through conversion of our hearts through His mercy. According to Jesus’ legal opinion, what the woman accused of adultery needed was not the death sentence according to the Law but the mercy of God so that she can live a new life in Christ. And this is just how God makes a new way, as He converts the inhabitable land into the land abundant with life, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 43:16-21).

For us to retain our Parakletos, Jesus (1 John 2:1), our payment is to live a life worthy of God’s trust with mercy , thus, to live a life in Christ (Philippians 3:9), which means to live in the freedom from sin, freedom in God (Romans 6), freedom from the Law (Romans 7), namely, the children of God, letting the Holy Spirit, another Parakletos (John 14:16) dwelling in us (Romans 8). This is our payment to retain our defense attorney, Jesus. Can we afford this?

Of course, we can, as we keep our faith in Christ.

Let God’s mercy change us into new creations in Christ, because this is how our Parakletos defends us so that we are free from the Law (Romans 7).

Only the mercy of God can renew us, as Jesus did to the woman who was accused of adultery by the sinful hypocrites.