I received a call, way back, to commission a painting based on "The Woman Caught in Adultery" - one of those stories that made Jesus famous.
Mmm… I told him I was interested, but couldn't take any money up front - I couldn't say where the story would take me - (he might not like it).
What happened...
The high-powered religious leaders were jealous of Jesus.
He was smart, charismatic and followed by huge crowds.
Worse yet, he was breaking the "rules" - hanging out with prostitutes, drunks and liars - (fishermen). He was dangerous.
So, like good politicians, they thought up a scheme to discredit him.
Bringing a woman "caught in adultery - in the very act",
they slyly asked: "Now, Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: what do you say?" With this, they hoped to lay her sentencing in the lap of Jesus,
knowing that if he said: "stone her", he'd lose his followers,
and if he let her go, they could question his commitment to God, and take him down that way.
After leaning down to write something in the sand, (and giving time for suspense to build),
he looked around and said:
"He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." Brilliant.
It's assumed by theologians (who live in books full of words), that he wrote words in the sand that day…
we don't know, it doesn't say.
I love to draw, so it isn't a surprise that I imagined him drawing in the sand - drawing this woman before him - loving her.
For the others she was just a handy prop - in this trap to snare him, but for Jesus, she was the one person truly at risk, so he pointed her out with his art.
I hadn't talked to my friend since that first call months before,
(because I didn't want any outside influence) - he thought I'd forgotten all about it.
He loved it,
it's in good hands now.
