Jesus Saving A Prostitute

The following three pictures below are the modern artistic expressions of the biblical passage of John 8:1-11. Read this passage carefully. It is told that early in the morning when Jesus was teaching the people in a certain area of the Temple in Jerusalem, the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. And making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. Now what do you say?” When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

In view of the fact that for all the Jewish people in the time of Jesus the law of Moses should have been enforced without compromise, we cannot ascertain whether this incident is historical. The gospel common theme that Jesus is superior to the law of Moses (Mark 2:27-28) appears in this passage.

Look at the first picture above. Two cops are going to search through and capture a prostitute wandering about in a modern city (perhaps New York) at night. I do not know why these two cops want to investigate the woman; perhaps she is suspected of bringing with herself narcotic. Suddenly Jesus appears with glorious radiance enveloping him, standing in the middle to role as a mediator between the woman and the cops. These two cops are shocked by the sudden appearance of Jesus. But the night remains still. In your imagination, what are the sayings Jesus utters at this critical moment?

Next look to the second picture above. Twelve gentlemen are urging Jesus to do something with the prostitute who is standing beside Jesus, begging for his defense, protection and love. This incident happens in a certain area of the Temple. Why twelve men? Does the number 12 symbolize the twelve disciples of Jesus themselves, so they and Jesus are involved in a quarrel about a whore: is she to be condemned, or to be forgiven and protected? According to you, do men have authority over the very body of women?

Finally, look at the third picture above. Six people are quarreling over the fate of a pretty woman who has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. Aha, one of these six people is a Superman! Jesus, wearing a green T-shirt and a blue jean, is trying to save the woman by stretching his two hands to her. This woman is gazing at Jesus, expecting his love, defense and protection.

After viewing these three pictures, with the Johannine passage above being in the background, do you opine that a male should take the role of the protector of a female? Or, is it closer to the truth that a woman should and could protect and defend herself instead of begging the love and strength of a man?