Confront Victimizers, Comfort Victims: Jesus’ Response to Abuse

ABSTRACT

Paying close attention to the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53–8:11), the sermon frames the interaction between Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes, and the woman in terms of victim-victimizer dynamics. The sermon shows how Jesus responds differently to victim and victimizer. Ministering to each party in distinct ways, Jesus comforts the victim and confronts the victimizers. The sermon encourages hearers to reflect upon the use and abuse of power in relationship to domestic and sexual violence, calling contemporary Christian communities to emulate Jesus by comforting victims and confronting victimizers and victimizing patterns.

KEYWORDS:

• Comfort
• confrontation
• domestic violence
• empower
• forgiveness
• justice
• power
• sin
• victim
• victimizer
• violence

Notes

1. Jeffrey Gettleman, Rape epidemic raises trauma of Congo War, New York Times, October 7, 2007.

2. Matt Richtel, “Thou shalt not kill, except in a game at Church,” New York Times, October 7, 2007.