To Cast the First Stone by Knust Jennifer Wright Wasserman Tommy

Author:Knust, Jennifer Wright,Wasserman, Tommy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Princeton University Press

6

“In Many Copies”

THE PERICOPE ADULTERAE IN THE LATIN WEST

Ambrose of Milan is the first secure witness to a Johannine pericope adulterae in Latin Gospels, though he was far from alone in his appreciation for the story. One of his earliest mentions of the passage is found in a set of teachings designed for the catechumens of Milan, who were instructed to adopt new, higher standards during their postbaptismal Christian life. After baptism, the bishop adjured his audience that Christian husbands and wives must no longer commit adultery: “You committed adultery as a Gentile; you committed it as a catechumen. It is forgiven you; it is remitted by baptism. Go, and see that you sin no more” (Abr. 1.4.23).1 He supported this teaching with an allusion to the pericope adulterae, assimilating all extramarital sexual activity to the category stuprum (illicit sex), including concubinage and adultery, and applying the same standard to men and women alike.2

A few years later, the bishop turned to the pericope adulterae again, this time in a set of two private letters. In the first letter, Ambrose introduced the story by citing the Gospel of John explicitly: “well known, too, is the acquittal of the woman who in the Gospel according to John was brought to Christ, accused of adultery” (Ep. 68 [26].2).3 He then quoted a number of verses from the story, arguing that, “the Jews were condemned by both testaments” (Secundo autem scripsit, ut gemino testamento Iudaeos scias esse damnatos; Ep. 68 [26].4).4 In the second letter, Ambrose did not mention his source directly, though he was clearly citing the Johannine pericope adulterae. He included Jesus’s words, “Let him who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at her!” (Qui sine peccato est, prior lapidet eam; Ep. 50 [25] .5), as well as the final dialogue between Jesus and the woman:

“Where are they who accused you? Has no one stoned you?” She responded, “No one.” Jesus said, “Go, and from now on do not sin” (Ubi sunt qui te accusabant? Nemo te lapidauit? Et illa respondit: Nemo. Dicit ei Iesus: Nec ego te damnabo. Vade et amodo vide ne pecces). (Ep. 50 [25].7)5

This letter, which addressed a question about capital punishment, recommended mercy when possible but defended the execution of the unrepentant guilty: “It is possible for the guilty one to have hope of correction,” Ambrose explained, “if he is unbaptized, that he can receive forgiveness; if he has been baptized, that he can do penance and offer his body to Christ” (Ep. 50 [25].8).6 Nevertheless, those without remorse may legitimately be given a death sentence, a principle he defends by recalling the example of “the Jews” in the pericope adulterae. “When the Jews had found an adulteress, they brought her to the Savior, seeking to entrap Him.… The Lord Jesus, foreseeing this, bent His head and wrote on the ground” (Ep. 50 [25].4).7 After bowing his head, Ambrose speculated, Jesus inscribed divine judgment into the ground, writing, “earth, earth, write that these men have been disowned” (cf.

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