Law in the New Testament: The Story of the Woman Taken in Adultery

Abstract

It is admitted that the celebrated Pericope de Adultera is a piece of authentic tradition going back to the beginnings of the church, though it is extracanonical and its text evidently suffered from its independent wanderings before it found its way into the canonical gospels. It was readily used to show that, as our Lord was supposed to have shown mercy, if not actually unasked forgiveness, to an adulteress, so the church ought to deal leniently with offenders. Other doubtful interpretations have been and are placed on the passage; and the story, as it lies baldly on the paper, might well give offence. Perhaps this helps to explain why it was not used by the compilers of our gospels. In any case it has its obscurities, and it is the purpose of this paper to attempt to clear them up. From the material submitted here it may be possible, by the use of strict reasoning, to recreate what actually took place.