To Cast the First Stone: The Transmission of a Gospel Story

Studying the John 8 passage about the adulterous woman threatened with stoning, Knust and Wasserman trace its subsequent incorporation into Gospel books, liturgical practices, storytelling, and art. They then explore how this vivid episode has been used over the ages: as an illustration of Christ's mercy, justification of the purported superiority of Christians over Jews, a model for the necessity of penance, etc. 464 pages, hardcover. Princeton University.