Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1908
Source: From RevoltLib.com
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
It happened once that Jesus’ disciples entered a village and asked for a permission to stay there overnight. But no one let them in. And the disciples returned to Jesus and told him about that and said: “Such evil people deserve to be killed by thunder.” And Jesus got upset and said: “You still don’t understand what spirit you are of. I teach not how to ruin, but how to save people. How is it possible to desire evil to a closed one? The same spirit of God lives in every person, the same as in you, and therefore you should not desire evil to happen to that very same which in yourselves.
Another time scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman taken in adultery, put her in front of him and said, “Teacher, this woman was taken in adultery, and according to the Law of Moses someone like her should be stoned. What will you say?” They asked that in order to test him. If he would say that this woman must be beaten by stones, that would be contrary to his teaching of love to all; however, if he would say don’t need to do that, he would have said what is contrary to the law of Moses. But Jesus did not answer them and only stood, bowed low, and scrabbled something with his finger on the ground. They asked him again about the same. Then he looked up and said to them: “You are saying that by law you must beat her with stones, - then do it, but let the one who knows no sin after himself throw the first stone.” And, having said this, he lowered his head, and again scrabbled with his finger on the ground. Prosecutors began to walk away one after the other, and only Jesus stayed there, and the woman. And Jesus looked up and, having not seen anyone except the woman, said to her: “Apparently, no one has condemned you?” She said: “No, Lord!” “And neither do I condemn you,” Jesus said. “Go, and don’t sin anymore.” (Luke 9, 52-56, John 8, 3-11)
Questions:
1) What did students say about those who did not let them in?
2) What did Jesus say?
3) How did they bring a woman to Jesus?
4) What did he say to the Pharisees?
5) That did the woman say?