Jesus And The Woman Of Adultery
Children's Resources
Spotlight On Jesus
Readers' Theater For Children's Church
Characters
Narrator
Woman 1
Pharisee 1
Pharisee 2
Woman 2
Jesus
Questions
1.
What sin had this woman committed that they brought her to Jesus?
2.
What was the real reason they brought the woman to Jesus?
3.
What did Jesus tell them to do?
4.
Why did they leave without hurting the woman?
5.
What did Jesus tell the woman?
Narrator: One day Jesus was teaching in the temple. As he spoke, a group of men came toward him, rudely pushing their way through the crowd, as they roughly dragged a woman along the ground. She was terrified and sobbing hysterically.
Woman 1: (desperately pleading) Mercy, please! I beg for mercy! God in heaven, help me.
Pharisee 1: (angrily) Hey there, Jesus! We've come to get your opinion on something.
Pharisee 2: We caught this wretched woman in the most vile of sins, committing the most heinous of fleshly transgressions -- the act of adultery.
Pharisee 1: We've brought her here for your judgment. What should we do with this "thing" that has disgraced the glorious purity of womanhood? This wretch has broken her sacred marriage vows, has dishonored the reputation of her blameless husband, and broken the eternal law of Moses.
Pharisee 2: Moses has written in our holy scriptures that such a woman should be dragged out of the city and her brains bashed out with stones.
Pharisee 1: That's what Moses said. What do you say?
Woman 2: Better watch out, Jesus. They're trying to trap you.
Woman 1: (pleading) Gracious sir, have pity on me. I know I'm a sinful woman. I've slipped from the ways of God. I deserve judgment, but I beg for mercy.
Woman 2: You men have dragged this woman here to be judged. Where's the man who is equally guilty? Moses said the man is to be punished as well.
Pharisee 2: Hush, woman. Are you trying to lecture us on the teachings of the law?
Woman 2: I'm not trying to lecture anyone. I'm just asking a question. Why didn't you bring the man as well?
Pharisee 2: Ignore the imbecile.
Pharisee 1: Well, Jesus, we're waiting for your opinion. What should we do to this woman?
Woman 2: He has stooped down and is writing in the sand. Doesn't look like he's going to answer you.
Pharisee 1: We came for your opinion, but apparently you have none. Perhaps you yourself have broken this law and thus are reluctant to judge this woman.
Pharisee 2: Or perhaps you are ignorant of the commands of scripture. (chuckles)
Pharisee 1: Or perhaps you think you're greater than Moses and can nullify his command.
Woman 2: Maybe he just doesn't consider you guys worth answering. (chuckles)
Jesus: You wish my answer? Here it is. If you yourselves don't need God's mercy, then you need not show mercy to others. But if you realize that you, too, need God's forgiveness, then show it to others, including to this lady. Whoever of you has never committed a sin may throw the first stone.
Woman 2: (laughs) He got you there, didn't he?
Pharisee 2: He did say we can go ahead and stone the woman.
Pharisee 1: But only if we ourselves are sinless.
Pharisee 2: Well, who hasn't sinned and more than once? I'm certainly not claiming to be perfect. I'm not throwing the first stone.
Pharisee 1: Me, either. I'm leaving.
Pharisee 2: We might as well all leave.
Jesus: Dear lady, I don't see any of your accusers.
Woman 1: They've all left, rabbi. You forced them look into their own hearts and they were condemned. I have looked into my own heart and I hate the darkness that I see there. Lord, forgive me.
Jesus: I do not condemn you. Your faith has made you clean. But from now on, do not sin this way again.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
Narrator
Woman 1
Pharisee 1
Pharisee 2
Woman 2
Jesus
Questions
1.
What sin had this woman committed that they brought her to Jesus?
2.
What was the real reason they brought the woman to Jesus?
3.
What did Jesus tell them to do?
4.
Why did they leave without hurting the woman?
5.
What did Jesus tell the woman?
Narrator: One day Jesus was teaching in the temple. As he spoke, a group of men came toward him, rudely pushing their way through the crowd, as they roughly dragged a woman along the ground. She was terrified and sobbing hysterically.
Woman 1: (desperately pleading) Mercy, please! I beg for mercy! God in heaven, help me.
Pharisee 1: (angrily) Hey there, Jesus! We've come to get your opinion on something.
Pharisee 2: We caught this wretched woman in the most vile of sins, committing the most heinous of fleshly transgressions -- the act of adultery.
Pharisee 1: We've brought her here for your judgment. What should we do with this "thing" that has disgraced the glorious purity of womanhood? This wretch has broken her sacred marriage vows, has dishonored the reputation of her blameless husband, and broken the eternal law of Moses.
Pharisee 2: Moses has written in our holy scriptures that such a woman should be dragged out of the city and her brains bashed out with stones.
Pharisee 1: That's what Moses said. What do you say?
Woman 2: Better watch out, Jesus. They're trying to trap you.
Woman 1: (pleading) Gracious sir, have pity on me. I know I'm a sinful woman. I've slipped from the ways of God. I deserve judgment, but I beg for mercy.
Woman 2: You men have dragged this woman here to be judged. Where's the man who is equally guilty? Moses said the man is to be punished as well.
Pharisee 2: Hush, woman. Are you trying to lecture us on the teachings of the law?
Woman 2: I'm not trying to lecture anyone. I'm just asking a question. Why didn't you bring the man as well?
Pharisee 2: Ignore the imbecile.
Pharisee 1: Well, Jesus, we're waiting for your opinion. What should we do to this woman?
Woman 2: He has stooped down and is writing in the sand. Doesn't look like he's going to answer you.
Pharisee 1: We came for your opinion, but apparently you have none. Perhaps you yourself have broken this law and thus are reluctant to judge this woman.
Pharisee 2: Or perhaps you are ignorant of the commands of scripture. (chuckles)
Pharisee 1: Or perhaps you think you're greater than Moses and can nullify his command.
Woman 2: Maybe he just doesn't consider you guys worth answering. (chuckles)
Jesus: You wish my answer? Here it is. If you yourselves don't need God's mercy, then you need not show mercy to others. But if you realize that you, too, need God's forgiveness, then show it to others, including to this lady. Whoever of you has never committed a sin may throw the first stone.
Woman 2: (laughs) He got you there, didn't he?
Pharisee 2: He did say we can go ahead and stone the woman.
Pharisee 1: But only if we ourselves are sinless.
Pharisee 2: Well, who hasn't sinned and more than once? I'm certainly not claiming to be perfect. I'm not throwing the first stone.
Pharisee 1: Me, either. I'm leaving.
Pharisee 2: We might as well all leave.
Jesus: Dear lady, I don't see any of your accusers.
Woman 1: They've all left, rabbi. You forced them look into their own hearts and they were condemned. I have looked into my own heart and I hate the darkness that I see there. Lord, forgive me.
Jesus: I do not condemn you. Your faith has made you clean. But from now on, do not sin this way again.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
