Fifth Sunday of Lent (3)

God is good Defense atty

Good Defense atty:

not sleazy but good,

follows law

but gets person off if legally can.

Wages of sin death Romans 6:23.

OT req DP, w/o pity, if 2 to 3 witnesses

much much lenient than reality Heb 10:28-29. tells us

NT reveals sin brings death infinitely worse than physical all receive

sin=departing from God/Good and

by very nature own punishment

greatest horror we can conceive

laws in Old New parent trying scare child act in own interest.

have 2 laws

Mosaic DP commanded God that prevents others sinning [OT symbol physical death for Scrutiny]

law nature that sin is eternal and physical death

Thus enters Divine Defense Atty

upholds these just laws but finds way to get his people off

Strategy [Main Masses]:

adulteress brought in court

If Jesus says kill her Romans arrest him b/c only they can do executions

If says ‘let go’ then disobeying own law not to abolish.

Does symbolically, what accomp reality:

keeps just law and gets us off.

No stoning

As of Old, right after God says DP for murderers, Cain murders his brother

God, bends down and writes a mark on earth of his flesh

the mark stops people from killing

So too writes ground, probably fulfilling Jer 17:13, writing the potential accuser names

too afraid cast accusation

no accusers

law requires 2-3

stone her now violate the law of Moses.

the law there save sinner ultimate death by fear and payment

warns sin no more

not there to just ‘get at the sinner’ or trap in law they themselves dont follow

so he fulfills both letter AND spirit of that law

symbolic/earthly

same God OT says wills not death sinner Ez 18:23

not by abolishing justice but by finding legal loopholes in our favor

symbolizes real strat:

Death and sin are one in the same

sin is to separate self from God

sin justly deserves eternal death (separation from God) by very nature

justice is quality of God, so can’t be forsaken

So how God preserve this justice and get us off?

by writing name in Earth

God who cannot change or suffer takes on a Nature that can

pays debt self

lamb of infinite dignity takes on weight of sin which is against infinite dignity

free sacrifice of self fulfills debt of justice and his justice becomes our mercy

justice and mercy kiss

Conclusion

God good D atty

will go to any lengths to get us off Except violating justice.

take advatange of this atty’s services while can,

he will not force his representation before the Throne of reality.

we must, go and sin no more

Notes:

Me

2nd reading: salvation not assured (even by St. Paul), but hoped for.

Defense attys rejoice. Kept justice but found a way to get her out of punishment

they look how can condemn (ultimately unjustly)

He looks way to let off (ultimately justly)

For the innocent to judge, not the malignant

only God therefore judges

Commentators

Pitre

Gospel

certainly common by Augustines time, but jumps around where it is in Gospels

hidden b/c scandalous?

Deut 22 (stone both man and woman adulterers) Lev 20

Trap:

‘dont stone’ Moses law violator

‘stone her’ Roman law violator Jn 18:31.

‘trap springs back on them’

Writing in the dirt

does twice

3 maj interp

indifference

sins accusers (Jerome)

sign judgment against pharisees Jer 17:1 and 13. (Ambrose and Augustine and most prominent) Jn 7 identifies self living water fount

Deut 17:6. need 2 or 3 witnesses for death sentence

so faithful to mosaic law

1st reading

New Exodus

2nd reading

word means ‘excrement’

Old not bad, but in comparison worthless