Jesus was a writer

JESUS WAS A WRITER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 8:6-8 6They were using this questionas a trap, in
order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent
down and startedto write on the ground with his
finger. 7When they kept on questioninghim, he
straightenedup and said to them, "Let any one of you
who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
8Again he stoopeddown and wrote on the ground.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Significance ofthe Writing on the Ground
ArchdeaconFarrar.
John 8:3-11
And the scribes and Pharisees broughtto him a woman takenin adultery; and
when they had sether in the middle,…
As St. John gives no explanation, we are left to conjecture.

1. Some think, as , Rupertus, and Lampe, that our Lord wrote on the ground
the texts of Scripture which settledthe question brought before Him, as the
seventh commandment, and Leviticus 20:10, and Deuteronomy 22:22. The
actionwould then imply, "Why do ye ask Me? What is written in the law, that
law which God wrote with His own finger as I am writing now?"
2. Some think, as Lightfoot and Burgon, that our Lord meant to refer to the
law of Moses forthe trial of jealousy, in which an accusedwomanwas obliged
to drink waterinto which dust from the floor of the Tabernacle or Temple
had been put by the priest (Numbers 5:17). The actionwould then imply,
"Has the law for trying such an one as this been tried? Look at the dust on
which I am writing. Has the womanbeen placedbefore the priest, and drank
of the dust and water?"
3. Some think, as , Melancthon, Brentius, Toletus, and a Lapide, that our
Lord's actionwas a silent reference to the text, Jeremiah 17:13:"They that
depart from Me shall be written in the earth."
4. One rationalistwinter suggeststhat our Lord "stoopeddown" from feelings
of modesty, as if ashamed of the sight before Him, and of the story told to
Him. The idea is preposterous, and entirely out of harmony with our Lord's
public demeanour.
5. Some think, as Euthymius, Calvin, Rollock, Chemnitius, Diodati, Flavius,
Piscator, Grotius, Poole,and Hutcheson, that our Lord did not mean anything
at all by this writing on the ground, and that He only signified that He would
give no answer, and would neither listen to nor interfere in such matters as
the one brought before Him. Calvin remarks:"Christ intended, by doing
nothing, to show how unworthy they were of being heard; just as if anyone,
while another was speaking to him, were to draw lines on the wall, or to turn

his back, or to show by any other sign that he was not attending to what was
said." I must leave the readerto choose whichsolution he prefers. To my eyes,
I confess, there are difficulties in eachview. If I must selectone, I prefer the
last of the five, as the simplest. Quesnell remarks:"We never read that Jesus
Christ wrote but once in His life. Let men learn from hence never to write but
when it is necessaryoruseful, and to do it with humility and modesty, on a
principle of charity, and not of malice."
(Bp. Ryle.)
The Scene and its Significance
ArchdeaconFarrar.
John 8:3-11
It is probable that the hilarity and abandonment of the feast, which had
grown to be a kind of vintage festival, would often degenerate into acts of
licence and immorality; and these would find more numerous opportunities in
the generaldisturbance of ordinary life causedby the dwelling of the whole
people in their little leafy booths. One such acthad been detectedduring the
night, and the guilty womanhad been handed over to the Scribes and
Pharisees.Evenhad the morals of the nation at that time been as cleanas in
the days when Moses ordainedthe fearful ordealof the "waterof jealousy" —
even had those rulers and teachers ofthe nation been elevatedas far above
their contemporaries in the real as in the professedsanctityof their lives —
the discovery, and the threatened punishment of this miserable adulteress
could hardly have failed to move every pure mind to a compassionwhich

would have mingled largely with the horror which her sin inspired. They
might then have inflicted the penalty with a sternness as inflexible as that of
the Pilgrim Fathers;but the sternness ofa severe and pure-hearted judge is a
sternness which would not inflict one unnecessary, pang and is wholly
incompatible with a spirit of malignant levity. But the spirit of these Scribes
and Pharisees wasnot by any means the spirit of a sincere and outraged
purity. In the decadence ofnational life, in the daily familiarity with heathen
degradations, in the gradual substitution of a Levitical scrupulosity for a
heartfelt religion, the morals of the nation had grownutterly corrupt. The
ordealof the "waterof jealousy" had long been abolished, and the death by
stoning as a punishment for adultery had long been suffered to fall into
desuetude. Not even the Scribes and Pharisees,for all their external
religiosity, had any genuine horror of an impurity with which their own lives
were often stained. They saw nothing but a chance of annoying, and
endangering One whom they regarded as their deadliestenemy. It was a
curious custom among the Jews to consult distinguished Rabbis in cases of
difficulty; but there was no difficulty here. It was long since the law of death
had been demanded; and even had this not been the ease the Romanlaw
would have interfered. On the other hand, divorce was opento the injured
husband, and the ease ofthis woman differed from that of no other who had
similarly transgressed. And even if they had sincerelydesired the opinion of
Jesus there was not the slightestexcuse for baling this womaninto His
presence, and thus subjecting her to a moral torture, all the more
insupportable from the close seclusionofwomen in the East. And therefore to
subject her to the superfluous horror of this odious publicity — to drag her
fresh from the agonyof detection into the sacredprecincts of the Temple — to
subject this unveiled, disheveled, terror-strickenwomanto the cold and
sensualcuriosity of a malignant mob, and this merely to gratify a calculating
malice — showeda brutality of heart and consciencewhichcould not but
prove revolting to One who was infinitely tender because infinitely pure.
(ArchdeaconFarrar.)

The Writing in the Dust
J. Trapp.
John 8:3-11
Perhaps He thus wrote to show that sin, which is written before God, and
graven, as it were, with a pen of iron, and with the pane of a diamond, is
pardoned and blotted out by Christ as easilyas a writing slightly made in the
dust.
(J. Trapp.)
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And againhe stoopeddown, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
Another period of silence ensued, as the Lord kept writing. The older heads in
the Pharisees'companysaw instantly that their scheme had failed. Notin a
million years were they prepared to produce a witness, much less a sinless
witness.

Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on John 8:8". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/john-8.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
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John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And againhe stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground. As before, having said
enough to confound them; and yet unwilling to pursue the matter any further,
or publicly expose them in any other way; and that they might have an
opportunity of withdrawing themselves without any further notice of his, he
took this method.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography

Gill, John. "Commentary on John 8:8". "The New John Gill Exposition of the
Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-
8.html. 1999.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
againhe stoopeddown and wrote — The design of this secondstooping and
writing on the ground was evidently to give her accusers anopportunity to
slink awayunobserved by Him, and so avoid an exposure to His eye which
they could ill have stood. Accordingly it is added.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
8:8". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/john-8.html. 1871-8.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Again he stoopeddown (παλιν κατακυπσας — palin katakupsas). Firstaorist
active participle of κατακυπτω— katakuptō old and rare verb (in Epictetus
II, 16. 22)instead of κατω κυπσας — katō kupsas in John 8:6.

With his finger (τωι δακτυλωι — tōi daktulōi). Not genuine, only in D and
Westernclass.
Wrote on the ground (εγραπεν εις την γην — egrapheneis tēn gēn). Imperfect
active of the simplex γραπω — graphō not καταγραπω — katagraphō The
secondpicture of Jesus writing on the ground.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on John 8:8". "Robertson's WordPictures of
the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/john-8.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
The Fourfold Gospel
And againhe stoopeddown, and with his finger wrote on the ground1.
And againhe stoopeddown, and with his finger wrote on the ground. Thus
giving them the opportunity to retire without the embarrassmentof being
watched.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files

were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon John 8:8". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/john-
8.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
8 And againhe stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground.
Ver. 8. And againhe stoopeddown] In sign of slighting, or that he might give
them the more confidence of going out, see John 8:6. Our Saviour dealt by this
adulteress somewhatlike as the Areopagites dealt by the dame of Smyrna,
whom they appointed to appear some hundred years after, to show that they
would neither condemn not acquit her. (Rous, Arch. Att.)
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography

Trapp, John. "Commentary on John 8:8". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/john-8.html.
1865-1868.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
8.] ἵνα μή, βλέποντος εἰς αὐτούς, αἰσχύνωνται, ῥᾷονοὕτως ἐλεγχθέντες, καὶ
ἵνα, ὡς αὐτοῦ δῆθεν ἀσχολουμένουεἰς τὸ γράφειν, ἐξῇ αὐτοῖς ὑπαναχωρῆσαι
πρὸ φανερωτέρας καταγνώσεως·καὶ αὐτῶνγὰρἐφείδετο διʼ ὑπερβολὴν
χρηστότητος. Euthym(122)The gloss in (123)(see var. readd.) is curious.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on John 8:8". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/john-8.html. 1863-1878.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
When our Saviour had said this, he returneth to his former posture and
action, (it being not a thing wherein he was concerned, who was not sent into
the world to be a secularjudge), as not at all regarding them.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon John 8:8". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/john-8.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
8. πάλιν κ. ἔ. He againrefuses to have the office of judge thrust upon Him.
The Readerof men’s hearts knew how His challenge would work: no one
would respond to it.
ἔγραφεν. Imperfect, as in John 8:6. A Venetian MS. ascribedto the 10th
century has the remarkable reading ‘wrote on the ground the sins of eachone
of them.’ The same strange idea appears in Jerome and elsewhere, shewing
how soonmen beganto conjecture what He wrote. Others suppose that He
wrote the answerin John 8:7. As has been shewn on John 8:6, it is not certain
that He wrote anything.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
"Commentary on John 8:8". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/john-8.html.
1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And againhe stoopeddown and with his finger wrote on the ground.’
The dual mention must be seenas significant. The writer clearly sees itas
important, and so therefore must we. Those with an eye to see would
remember ‘the finger of God’ writing the covenant. Was He thereby saying,
‘remember all the commandments that God has given you?’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on John 8:8". "PeterPett's Commentary on the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/john-8.html. 2013.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

8. Again… wrote—Nowwhatdoes that awful finger write? On his part the act
of writing declares that the finger of judgment (symbolized by the finger of
the future final Judge) is ever making its recordhoweverthe present case be
dismissed. Eachguilty memory on their part, perhaps, reads a different
record of scenes ofshame, or deeds of sin, to encounterthe Judge’s eye.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on John 8:8". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/john-8.html.
1874-1909.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
This is another enigmatic reference. It had the result of freeing Jesus" critics
from His convicting gaze. Perhaps the writer mentioned it to show that it was
God who would produce conviction through Jesus" authoritative words
rather than through His physical eye contact(cf. Matthew 7:28-29;John
7:46). By writing on the ground againJesus graciouslygave the scribes and
Pharisees anotheropportunity to rethink their decisionand repent.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon John 8:8". "ExpositoryNotes of
Dr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/john-8.html. 2012.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
John 8:8. And again he stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground. Jesus
returned to His writing on the ground, and left His words to sink into the
hearts of His hearers.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on John 8:8". "Schaff's Popular Commentary
on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/john-8.html. 1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament

John 8:8. Having shot this arrow Jesus againstoopedand continued writing
on the ground, intimating that so far as He was concernedthe matter was
closed.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on John 8:8". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/john-8.html. 1897-1910.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
wrote. The curses, as before.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on John 8:8". "E.W. Bullinger's
Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/john-8.html. 1909-1922.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
And againhe stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground.
And againhe stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground. The designof this
secondstooping and writing on the ground was evidently to give her accusers
an opportunity to slink awayunobserved by Him, and so avoid an exposure to
His eye which they could ill have stood. Accordingly it is added,
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
8:8". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/john-
8.html. 1871-8.
The Bible Study New Testament
Then he bent over again. By this, he dismisses them.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on John 8:8". "The Bible Study New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/john-8.html.
College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(8) And wrote on the ground.—The Cambridge MS. inserts, “with His finger,”
as in John 8:6. The repeatedactionrepeats His determination to avoid the
office of judge. He has answeredthem, and He leaves His answerto do its
work. There is a law written in their hearts, and this, while He now writes on
the ground, is convicting them.
There is a strange addition at the end of the verse, in one of the older MSS. of
this section, showing how men have tried to give a definite meaning to the
actionof writing. It reads, “and wrote on the ground the sin of eachone of
them.”
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

WILLIAM BARCLAY
At first Jesus stoopeddown and wrote with his finger on the ground. Why did
he do that? There may be four possible reasons.
(i) He may quite simply have wished to gain time and not be rushed into a
decision. In that brief moment he may have been both thinking the thing out
and taking it to God.
(ii) Certain manuscripts add, "As though he did not hear them." Jesus may
well have deliberately forcedthe scribes and Pharisees to repeattheir charges,
so that, in repeating them, they might possibly realize the sadistic cruelty
which lay behind them.
(iii) Seeleyin Ecce Homo makes an interesting suggestion. "Jesus wasseized
with an intolerable sense of shame. He could not meet the eye of the crowd, or
of the accusers, andperhaps at that moment leastof all of the woman.... In his
burning embarrassmentand confusionhe stoopeddown so as to hide his face,
and beganwriting with his fingers upon the ground." It may well be that the
leering, lustful look on the faces ofthe scribes and Pharisees,the bleak cruelty
in their eyes, the prurient curiosity of the crowd, the shame of the woman, all
combined to twist the very heart of Jesus in agony and pity, so that he hid his
eyes.
(iv) By far the most interesting suggestionemergesfrom certainof the later
manuscripts. The Armenian translates the passage this way: "He himself,
bowing his head, was writing with his finger on the earth to declare their sins;
and they were seeing their severalsins on the stones."The suggestionis that
Jesus was writing in the dust the sins of the very men who were accusing the
woman. There may be something in that. The normal Greek word for to write
is graphein (Greek #1125);but here the word used is katagraphein, which can

mean to write down a recordagainstsomeone. (One of the meanings of kata
(Greek #2596)is against). So in Job13:26 Jobsays:"Thou writest
(katagraphein)bitter things againstme." It may be that Jesus was
confronting those self-confident sadists with the recordof their own sins.
Howeverthat may be, the scribes and Pharisees continuedto insist on an
answer--andthey got it. Jesus said in effect:"All right! Stone her! But let the
man that is without sin be the first to casta stone." It may well be that the
word for without sin (anamartetos, Greek #361)means not only without sin,
but even without a sinful desire. Jesus was saying:"Yes, you may stone her--
but only if you never wantedto do the same thing yourselves." There was a
silence--andthen slowly the accusers drifted away.
So Jesus and the woman were left alone. As Augustine put it: "There
remained a great misery (miseria) and a greatpity (misericordia)." Jesus said
to the woman: "Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. Jesus
said: "I am not for the moment going to pass judgment on you either. Go, and
make a new start, and don't sin any more."
KENNETHBOA
But Jesus stoopeddownand with His finger wrote on the ground.” That is a
very intriguing little text, isn’t it, the idea of writing on the ground?
There is a tradition about this, Jeremiah 17:13, and it was this verse which
Jesus wrote on the ground, “Those who turn awayfrom You on earth will be
written down, because they have forsakenthe fountain of living water.”
Another option that some people think He may have written is Exodus 23:1:

“Do not join your hand with a wickedman to be a malicious witness.” Others
think He was writing a portion of the Law and the idea would be, from
Exodus 31, that He was reminding them about the TenCommandments. How
were they originally written?
Remember what it says in Exodus about the Ten Commandments? They were
written by the finger of God. So, it was with His finger that He was writing in
the sand and it would be an allusion to that imagery. It would be an indirect,
but visual, claim to His deity. These are all possibilities and we can’t know for
sure. He never wasteda motion and there was something going on there but
the text choosesnot to revealit. 2,000 years laterwe can enjoy our
speculation, just as we always wonder what was Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’.
They are fun to speculate about. The point is this; instead of passing judgment
on this woman we see that He turns it back on the judges. “But when they
persistedin asking Him, He straightenedup and said to them, ‘He who is
without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her’.”
ALAN CARR
Jesus IgnoredThem - While they were talking to the Lord, He just knelt down
and beganto write on the ground. He had no use for their pettiness and lack
of love for sinners.
(Ill. What did Jesus write? Well, for 2,000 years, menhave tried to solve that
little mystery. Today, I am going to give you a deep theologicalanswer:I don't
know!And, neither does anyone else!However, let me give you a little food
for thought in this matter. Maybe He wrote:

a. The Ten Commandments. After all, it was his finger that wrote them the
first time!
b. Perhaps He wrote their names in fulfillment of Jeremiah 17:13.
c. Maybe He wrote out Lev. 20:10 and Deut. 22:22.
d. Maybe He simply wrote the names of their girlfriends in the sand.
e. Maybe He simply wrote the word "Forgiven"!
Whateverthe Lord wrote on the ground, it surely got their attention. By the
way, He knows how to speak to your heart as well! How much better it is to
come to Him by faith and miss all that exposure and punishment!)
STEVEN COLE
Jesus respondedby stooping down and writing on the ground with His finger.
This is the only instance in the Gospels where Jesus wrote anything, but the
big question that you’re all wondering is, “What did He write?” Here’s the
answer:Nobody knows!Some have said that He was stalling for time so that
He could think of what to say, but that demeans our all-wise Lord. Some say
that He was writing the Pharisees’sins in the dust, like people today write,
“Washme” in the dust of a dirty car. Others say that He was writing the Ten
Commandments, which Godwrote with His finger on the tablets of stone.
Calvin (Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], pp. 319-320)suggestedthat He was

shaming His enemies by ignoring them, showing that they were unworthy to
be heard. But, the bottom line is, the text doesn’t tell us and so everyone is just
guessing.
DR. S. LEWIS JOHNSON
Now when the question is put to our Lord, we read in verse 6, that Jesus
stoopeddown and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he had not
heard them. One might ask the question, why did the Lord Jesus do that? It’s
been suggestedthat he wantedto gain time, and not to be rushed into a
decision.
Well I can understand how that might be the case,becausehaving been a
professorin a theologicalseminaryfor many years, I’m very skilled in
dodging questions. [Laughter] You would be interestedto hear a question put
to me that I don’t really know the answerto. I usually can put them off to the
bell. [Laughter] When the bell rings then I can go out and do researchonit,
and the next day I come back and they will think that I knew the answerall
along. I will say, first of all, “Now whatwas that question, repeatit?” and if
it’s still puzzling I might even say, “RememberI’m getting a little deaf,
[Laughter] so say it again.” And then I might ask a few questions myself, like
“Do you mean this? Or do you mean this, or is this the way you really want to
phrase the question?” And by then of course the welcome soundof the bell
comes and I say, “Well sorry, we’ll take that up tomorrow” and I’ll answer
the question. Some have thought that perhaps the Lord wanted to gain some
time to think over the matter.

It’s possible also, some have said, that the Lord Jesus took this time, gotdown
and wrote on the ground because he wanted by the repetition of the question
to have it impressed upon the minds of the scribes and the Pharisees thatthis
was a sadisticallycruel thing that they were doing to this woman and that they
might become embarrassedthemselves about what they were doing.
And still others, citing [indistinct] sayJesus was seizedwith an intolerable
sense ofshame. He couldn’t meet the eye of the crowd or of the accusers, and
perhaps at that moment leastof all, of the woman. And in the burning
embarrassmentand confusionhe stoopeddown so as to hide his face, and
beganwriting with his finger upon the ground. He was just embarrassedby
the factthat they brought an adulterous right into his presence and have said
to him, “She was caughtin the actwith her disheveled clothes and
appearance, andthe other things that might characterize a person caughtin
the actand draggedinto his presence.
And still others have said he wanted to write in the dust the sins of those who
were accusing him. It’s interesting that in some of the ancient manuscripts it
says, in these ancient manuscripts they’re not the oldestmanuscripts, they’re
later manuscripts and you cansee it’s a scribe who has made some additions
to the text, hoping that his additions were correct, that he sat down and he
wrote the sins of the men in the ground. But those manuscripts are not the old
and better manuscripts, and so it’s probably just a scribalsuggestionand
that’s all.
By the way, in connectionwith manuscripts we should always remember this;
the problem of the New Testamenttext is not that we don’t have old and good
manuscripts, it’s the fact that we have so many of them. The problem of New
Testamenttextual criticism is dealing with so many manuscripts. We have
older and better manuscripts of the New Testamentthan we have of any other
ancient writing. We have five thousand, over five thousand, Greek

manuscripts alone. And not only that, but translations into other languages
made very early; into languages like Armenian, Syriac, Egyptian, Latin, and
so on. In fact, there are literally thousands and thousands of manuscripts of
the New Testamentbecausethe early church felt that the word of God was
important. And so they copied those texts and they circulatedthose texts.
Well now, our Lord’s response then is to kneel on the ground, or stoopdown,
and write. I would think that this is one of the most dramatic silences in all of
the Bible. Why did he write? Now one reason, perhaps he wrote, was that it
was not his province to judge. It wasn’t his province to judge because he was
not an official judge. The priests could judge, but he could not judge. He was
not a priest. Now he was a priest after the order of Melchizedek, but he was
not a Levitical priest. And therefore he could not offer sacrifice for example.
He could not engage in the activities of a Levitical priest. The writer of the
Epistle to the Hebrews points that out when he says that Jesus came ofthe
tribe of Judah, not of the tribe of Levi. And so it was not proper to come to
him to pass judgment on a case like this. So he was not the judge, and
therefore it may well be that that accounts for his reticence. But they kept
pressing him. I’m sure that they thought “We’ve gothim at last.”
It’s like occasionallystudents will raise their hand when I’ve saidsomething
about the atonement, and being Universalists rather than believing in a
definite or particular redemption, they will call out some text. And I may
hesitate for a moment, they say, “We finally caughthim. We finally got him.”
And then of course, will launch into an explanation of the particular text, but
if I should hesitate at all they’ll ask it again, “What about so and so? What
about so and so? What about 2 Peter2:1? What about 1 John 2:1 and 2?”
And in the mean time they pesteryou with the questions because they think
they finally caught the professor.

Well right here our Lord is writing in the ground. And it says in verse 7, “So
when they continued asking him he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He
that is without sin among you, let him castthe fist stone at her.” They thought
that his silence may have arisenfrom evasionof the question. You know there
is a marvelous art in our Lord’s reply. Have you everthought what he did?
They had askedhim a judicial question. They had said, “What about Moses’
Law?” Well he moves from the judicial, which was not his particular
territory, into the moral province, beyond which he did not wish to go. So he
simply saidto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him casta stone at
her.” Again, there was a dramatic silence. Having said this, our Lord knelt
again, and he was writing on the ground. Now when they heard this, “He that
is without sin among you, let him castthe first stone” our Lord by this caused
them to begin to judge themselves, because thatwas really important thing so
far as he was concerned.
And as one of the commentators said, “Thenthe fun began.” Our Lord is on
the ground, he’s writing, he’s said “Let him that is without sin among you cast
the first stone” and there is silence, dramatic silence, the crowd around not
understanding, the Pharisees beginning to catch the point that they’re going
to have to make a decisionconcerning themselves;are they without sin, do
they have the right to castthe first stone? Someone has said, “This is the only
thing our Lord ever wrote, and it wasn’ta sermon, but the thing that he had
said was certainly a very convicting statement.” I wonder what he was writing
in that sand that was at his feet. He must have heard the shuffle of the feet, as
finally individuals began to move away, convictedby their own conscience
they went out one by one beginning at the oldest. Becauseofcourse the oldest
had the most sense. No, not necessarily. Perhaps because theyhad more
experience of sin. At any rate, from the older down to the younger, they all
beganto slink out because they were convicted by the things that the Lord
Jesus had said. They were not ashamed. I don’t think they were ashamed.
They are still anxious to put him to death, but they were outgeneraledby the
Lord Jesus Christ. Acknowledging the fitness of the statementthat our Lord
makes in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 37 where we read the words, “Forby
thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Well the conversation’s notover, the two are left. What Agustin, “Miseryand
mercy are left, the misery of the woman, and the mercy of the Lord Jesus
Christ.” Now the climax of the compassionof our Lord; and he turns to the
woman, having lifted himself up, and having seennone but her there, he said,
“Woman, where are those thine accusers?Hath no man condemned thee?”
And she replies, “No man, Lord.”
Now I’d like to lay stress on that, because I think while the term Lord may
mean only sir, and does seemto mean only sir in certain places. Probably
means that when for example, Sara calledAbraham lord, and that is setout as
one of the reasons why women ought to be in submission to men; they ought to
live like Sara did. She called Abraham lord. Probably means something like
sir. As I’ve mentioned to you before, Martha occasionallycalls me lord, but
she says it in such a voice that I don’t getany real pleasure [Laughter] out of
hearing it, [Laughter] “Sir?”
But now the reasonI think that this is probably a real instance of a
recognitionof something more than a man in him is because in verse 4 they
had spokento him and they had said to him, “Teacher, this woman was taken
in adultery, in the very act.” And so I’m going to saywithout absolute
dogmatism, that she probably had begun to recognize something unusual
about him, and so she said to him, “No man, Lord.” Now if she recognized
that the Lord Jesus was Lord, the only way in which she recognizedthis was
because the Holy Spirit had enlightened her.
Remember Paul says, “No man calls Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”
Now of course anybody can callhim Lord, just using the term, but Paul
means no man can callhim truly Lord, recognizing him as such and bowing
before his Lordship except by the Holy Spirit. That’s one of the many, the

countless, texts of the New Testamentthat teachthe efficacious graceofGod
the Holy Spirit, “No man can call him Lord exceptby the Holy Spirit.”
She said, “No man, Lord.” Notice she does not excuse herselfin any way. I
gather that in saying, “No man, Lord” the sense of penitence has already
fallen upon her. And then Jesus replies by saying, “Neitherdo I condemn
thee: go, and sin no more.” Isn’t it striking that the only person in that whole
gathering, all of that multitude in the temple area, the only personwho could
have casta stone at her, for he was the only sinless individual there, did not
casta stone at her, but said, “Neitherdo I condemn thee.”
Now I don’t think, this is a little difficult, I do not say this with dogmatism, I
do not think that the Lord Jesus couldhave said, “Neitherdo I condemn thee”
were it not for the fact that there is evidence already of repentance on the part
of the woman. One of the commentators said, “If Christ dismissed her and
forgave her sins, we can be sure too that she was repentant.” I would turn it
around and sayif Jesus Christ could say to her, “Neither do I condemn thee”
then that was an acknowledgementofthe factthat the Lord regardedher as
having repented. But he said, “Neitherdo I condemn thee.” In other words,
she was introduced into a new standing before him. Our Lord does not
condone what she has done. He will say, “go, and sin no more.” He will say
that what she has done is sin, but he does not condemn her because he has
given her a new standing, dependant upon the fact that she has repented of
her sin and has acknowledgedit before him.

What Did Jesus Write on the Ground?
Dr. David Kyle Foster
Author
Again he stoopeddown and wrote on the ground. – John 8:8
It has long been a mystery what Jesus wrote on the ground the day the scribes
and Pharisees draggedan adulterous woman before Him (John 8:3-11).
One day, as I was reading in Jeremiah, I was surprised to find the answer
hidden deep in the Old Testament.
Why Did Jesus Write on the Ground?
The scribes and Pharisees haddemanded that Jesus sentence the woman to
death, as taught in Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24.

[The NASB Study Bible notes that “they altered the law a little. The manner
of execution was not prescribed unless the woman was a betrothed virgin. And
the law required the executionof both parties, not just the woman”]
If Jesus had said to stone her, they would have chargedHim with hypocrisy,
because He was always teaching about mercy. If He said not to stone her, they
would have chargedHim with breaking the Mosaic Law.
Spotting their trick, He stoopeddown and wrote something on the ground,
saying:
If anyone of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.
(John 8:7)
He then proceededto write something else on the ground, after which they
dropped their stones and walkedaway.
What Was it That Jesus Wrote on the Ground?
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You will be put to shame. Those
who turn awayfrom You will be written in the dust because theyhave
forsakenthe Lord, the spring of living water. (Jeremiah 17:13)
I would like to offer that this passageseemsto indicate that Jesus first wrote
their names in the dust and perhaps then wrote a sin that they had committed
next to their name.
Busted by Jesus, they walkedawayin shame and frustration. You see, being
Yahweh, He knew what was in their hearts. (See 1 Chronicles 28:9;Matthew
12:25;22:18; John 2:25; 1 Corinthians 14:25).
According to the Venerable Bede, (as well as St. Augustine), when Jesus wrote
on the ground with His finger, He was harkening back to the time on Mt Sinai
when He had written the Ten Commandments on stone tablets with His finger
(Exodus 32:15-16).
Jesus is the Author Who Writes and Fulfills the Law

In other words, the same finger that had written the Law back then was also
the finger that was writing on the ground now.
Therefore, since He was the author of the Law, He was the One to properly
interpret and execute it (Exodus 31:18;Deuteronomy 9:10).
Additionally, being the One who was soonto receive the penalty for the sins of
the adulterous woman upon Himself, He had every right to extend grace and
mercy to her.
It is interesting to note that in Luke 11:20, Jesus referred to the “finger of
God” when He drove the demon out of a man who could not speak. The crowd
had accusedHim of driving the demon out by the power of Beelzebub—the
prince of demons.
In response, and for those with eyes to see it, Jesus’“fingerof God” language
indicated that He was the same God who wrote the Law on the stone tablets
and was therefore God Himself.
Photo Credit: ©Sparrowstock
Jesus Is the Only One Who Can Judge Hearts
We should note that because Godhad createdman “out of the dust” (Genesis
2:7) and since He had come to “write the law on people’s hearts” (Jeremiah
31:33;Psalm 37:31;Romans 2:14-15;2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10;
10:16), it is likely that when he wrote on the ground that day in the presence
of the scribes and Pharisees, He had in a sense, writtenthe supreme call to
mercy.
In the dust he sends the messagethat those who refuse mercy will not receive
mercy (James 2:12-13), and, “Be merciful, just as your Fatheris merciful”
(Luke 6:36).
That allows us to circle back to see one final messageto the Pharisees:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (Matthew 7:1)

That is the ultimate fulfillment of the Law.
You are a letter from Christ....writtennot with ink, but with the Spirit of the
living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2
Corinthians 3:3)
G CAMPBELL MORGAN
Then follows the matchless story. What did He do? He stoopeddown and
wrote. No, I cannot tell you what He wrote. I have often wondered, and read
the legends, and they are all suggestive.WhatHe wrote we do not know, but
the attitude was everything. It was the attitude of attention to something else,
and refusalto satisfyHis questioners. It was the attitude of dismissal.
But they would not let Him alone. They were determined to have an answer;
and so John says that "He lifted up Himself, and said, Whosoeveramong you
is sinless." This is the only place in the New Testamentwhere this particular
word occurs. It is not merely, Whosoeveramong you never sinned. It is far
more than that. It means literally, sinless. "Lethim first casta stone at her."
In these words He did not answertheir enquiry in the realm of comparison
betweenMoses andHis own opinion. It is as though He had said; I am not
discussing Moseswith you. If that is the law of Moses,let it stand as a law; but
if I do not discuss the law or the sentence, I am here to appoint the
executioners. In that saying our Lord revealedfor all time this principle, that
sinlessnessis the only qualification for punishing. That sentence put me out of
the stone-throwing business for the rest of my life! "He that is without sin
among you, let him first casta stone at her."

Then He stoopeddown and wrote again. Look at that crowd going out. That is
one of the most gloriouslyhumorous things on record. Every last man of them
went, and it is interesting that John says they went out one by one, from the
eldestto the youngest. I wonder what that means. Were they still standing on
the precedence ofthe elder over the younger? I prefer to think that the oldest
man went first, because he had most sense. Be that as it may, He clearedthem
all out. Exit the executioners.
John-RobertMorgan
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger.
This is the only time Jesus is describedas writing something. We know He was
literate, educated in the synagogue schools. He could read and write. He was
educated. But what was He writing? He was probably writing out the same
thing God Himself wrote 1400 years earlierwith the finger of the Almighty,
on tablets of stone: The Ten Commandments. That’s very possibly what He
was writing. One after another, He wrote the Ten Commandments, knowing
everyone standing in the circle around Him had broken those commandments.
When they kept on questioning Him, He straightenedup and said to them,
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again He stoopeddown and wrote on the ground.
As He finished the list, perhaps every person presentwas convictedof sin,
eachone unwilling to throw the first stone.

At this, those who heard began to go awayone at a time, the older ones first,
until only Jesus was left, with the womanstill standing there. Jesus
straightenedup and askedher, “Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your
life of sin.”
When Jesus said, “Neitherdo I condemn you,” He was extending forgiveness
to her. She had violated the law of God, but her sins would be nailed with
Christ to the cross. A little later in this passage, Jesuswill allude to the
moment when He would be lifted up on the cross;and in the cross we have
forgiveness ofsins. The other day Katrina hired a man who came and power-
washedour house. When I gothome I couldn’t believe the difference. I was
ashamedat how we had let the mold and filth build up on our siding. The
messageofthe Bible is that God can “powerwash” our souls, our lives, our
spirits with His blood. He forgives us and does not condemn us. John 3 says,
“ForGod did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but so
that the world through Him might be saved”—mightbe power-washed.
J. LIGON DUNCAN
Moses,the Law of Moses – that You’re supposedto obey, Lord Jesus – the
Law of Moses says stone her. What do You say, Lord Jesus? We leave it to
You, Rabbi.” All these people are watching. If He says, “Stone her,” canyou
imagine? Or if He says, “Let her go,” they will say, “This is your God? He

can’t even obey the Law!” You see, they’ve gotHim in the horns of a
dilemma. Either way they discredit Him. What does Jesus do? He kneels
down. He begins to write, the only time He everwrote anything, and He
begins to write in the streetand the dust. And they say, “Come on, give us a
decision, decision!” And finally He stands up and He says, “He that is without
sin, let him castthe first brick in your hand.” And He kneels down againand
He continues to write. And they’re saying, “Come on!” And then finally,
apparently, they read what He is writing and these Pharisees, beginning at the
oldest, walk away. And Jesus finally looks up and says to the woman, He said,
“Woman” – which is a term of honor; it’s a nice word – “Woman, where are
those who condemned you? None?” And she says, “None, Lord.” And He
says, “Neitherdo I. Go, and sin no more.”
Bible Questions Answered
What was Jesus writing in the dirt/sand when the Pharisees broughtto Him a
woman caughtin adultery?
Jesus writing dirt, Jesus writing sandaudio
Question:"What was Jesus writing in the dirt/sand when the Pharisees
brought to Him a woman caught in adultery?"
Answer: The story of the woman caughtin adultery is found in John 8:1–11.
Briefly, the story involves the scribes and Pharisees who, in their continuing
efforts to trick Jesus into saying something they could hold againstHim,
brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They reminded Him that the
Mosaic Law demanded her to be stonedto death. “But what do you say?” they
askedHim. At this point, Jesus stoopeddownand starting writing something
in the dirt. When He straightenedup, He said, “If any one of you is without

sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Then He stooped
down and wrote again. One by one, the people left (verses 8–9).
The Jewishleaders had already disregardedthe Law by arresting the woman
without the man. The Law required that both parties to adultery be stoned
(Leviticus 20:10;Deuteronomy 22:22). The leaders were using the woman as a
trap so they could trick Jesus. If Jesus saidthe woman should not be stoned,
they would accuse him of violating Moses’Law. If He urged them to execute
her, they would report Him to the Romans, who did not permit the Jews to
carry out their own executions (John 18:31).
There is a lot of speculationabout what Jesus was writing, including the idea
that He was writing a list of the sins committed by eachof the Jewishleaders
present. Another theory is that, since the woman was “caughtin the act” of
adultery, perhaps she was naked, and Jesus was writing in the dirt to avert
His eyes from seeing the nakedwoman. Both of these ideas are possible, but
there is no wayto know for certain. The point of the passageis not what was
being written in the dirt, but rather that hypocrisy in judging others is
forbidden. Because Jesus upheld the legalpenalty for adultery—stoning—He
could not be accusedofbeing againstthe Law. But by saying that only a
sinless personcould throw the first stone, He highlighted the fact that no one
is without sin and the importance of compassionand forgiveness.
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-writing-dirt.html
PastorScottL. Harris
Jesus response is not one they could have anticipated. Vs. 6b, But Jesus
stoopeddown, and with His finger wrote on the ground. There is no indication

as to what Jesus was writing, who He was writing to or why He was writing.
Basically, Jesusignores them and there demand for a judgement. His silence
toward them was probably deafening. Imagine being in a court room after the
case is presentedand the judge suddenly becomes silent and seems
preoccupiedin writing something. It is possible, if not probable, that Jesus
was writing something directed to them, but verse 7 indicates that they were
not paying attention to it if He was. They wanted an answerto their question.
7 But when they persistedin asking Him, He straightenedup, and said to
them, "He who is without sin among you, let him [be the] first to throw a
stone at her." 8 And againHe stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground."
Jesus is busy writing something on the ground with His finger and you can
almost hear the desperationrising in their voices as they persist in asking
what should be done to the woman. It would have been a demand for attention
from someone who was seeminglyignoring them. Keep in mind that it is the
superior that can ignore the inferior and not the other way around. Jesus will
answerin His own timing and not theirs.
When Jesus does answer, it is in a way that againdemonstrates His
superiority to them. In courtesyand majesty He stands up from being stooped
over and writing on the ground and addresses them, and then goes back to
writing on the ground. He gives His decisionand then returns to what He had
been doing before. Jesus’charge to them was shocking. "He who is without
sin among you, let him [be the] first to throw a stone at her."
They never expected such an answerfrom Jesus. It gave them nothing with
which to accuseJesus as being againstthe Mosaic Law and put the
responsibility right back on the shoulders with a condition that none of them
could meet. That Jesus told them to carry out the requirement of the law

should not have been surprising. Deut. 17:6,7 states, "Onthe evidence of two
witnesses orthree witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not
be put to death on the evidence of one witness. 7 "The hand of the witnesses
shall be first againsthim to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all
the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst."
Executions under the Mosaic Law were not affairs removed from the public to
some hidden place and carriedout by a government officialusing some quick
means of death. Executions were carriedout in public by the public starting
with those who witnessedthe crime, and stoning was a dreadful way to die.
Since these Scribes and Pharisees were accusing the woman and claimedto
have caught her in the act. They were both the prosecutors and witnesses, so it
was their responsibility to start the execution process.Her blood would be on
their hands. I don’t know that that in itself would have bothered them so
much. They certainly had the blood of many others on their hands and were
at that time trying to find a way to kill Jesus. Whatbothered them was the
condition Jesus placedon them. The execution was to begin by whoeverwas
without sin among the accusers casting the first stone. They could not meet
that condition and they knew it.
Jesus returned to writing in the dirt with His finger. Again, there is no
indication what He was writing. Perhaps it was a list of various sins they had
done. Perhaps it was aspectofthe Mosaic Law they had broken. Perhaps it
was doodling or figures of some sort. We do not know what Jesus wrote, but
we do know that the Scribes and Pharisees were affectedthis time.
John 8:9 And when they heard it, they [began] to go out one by one, beginning
with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in
the midst.

Some have suggestedthat the reasonthat they left one by one starting with the
oldestwas that the oldestwas the most aware of their own sins. Perhaps that
is possible, but I don’t think that is what is happening because I have found
that older people who continue in sin become more hardened in it. These men
demonstrated both before and after this event that they were very hardened
in their own sin. I am not even sure that these men are leaving because they
are convictedof their own sin, but more that they realize that Jesus has
escapedtheir trap and that if they push any farther on this it is going to go
from bad to worse for them. Jesus had already publically accusedthem of
plotting to kill Him and many of the Jerusalemiteswere aware ofthis plot
(7:19, 25). They did not personally meet the criteria and if they stayed around
any longerthey risked this accusationbeing brought up againby a man they
had just given tacit approval to as someone whose judgement was worth
seeking. The charge ofadultery is serious, but not nearly so as a charge of
plotting a murder.
I think their manner of departure has more to do with older recognizing the
defeatfirst and the decorum of the younger showing respectfor those who are
older. In fact, the term "older" here is "elder" and may even refer to those
who were part of the Sanhedrin. The younger let their superiors leave first as
a sign of respect.
A point generally overlookedin this is Jesus’manner of dealing with these
opponents in a gracious manner. While Jesus does not give any deference to
the Scribes and Pharisees, He is still generallycourteous to them. Jesus
quickly took the superior position in this incident, yet He did not use it to
strike out againstHis opponents. Jesus’statementis confrontational, but He
could have been very direct in exposing their hypocrisy by bringing specific
charges againstthem for the various aspects ofthe Mosaic law they were
breaking, chief among them the plot to kill Him. Yet, Jesus is gracious and
gives them room to retreat.

Jesus Stooping “His Actions”
Here we find Jesus being evasive to the evil cries of the rabble rousers. He just
stoops down and refuses to even look at them or her. Jesus shows us that we
should use restraint whenever possible, don’t just hastily reply.
1. His Silent Words
Silence canbe loud. We should learn to use it more often.
2. His SuggestedWritings (Jeremiah 17:13)
Jeremiah17:13, O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shallbe
ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because
they have forsakenthe LORD, the fountain of living waters.
When Jesus wrote on the ground, he drew something that would be
mysterious until he returns. In reality we have no idea what he wrote upon the
ground. We can sayit was obvious to his audience, they knew what he wrote.
The better question is what he would write upon the ground if you and I were
the accusers. Whatwould he write to getour attention? Would it be a list of
our sins? Would he identify secretsins from our lives? Those in attendance
absolutely understood what he wrote upon the ground.

B) Jesus Speaking “His Answer”
The moment he begins to speak, the crowd went totally silent. In this passage
we find that not one of the accusers respondedto his words.
1. The Plain Scripture of his Reference (Deut. 17:6-7)
Deuteronomy 17:6-7, At the mouth of two witnesses,orthree witnesses, shall
he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he
shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shallbe first upon him to
put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put
the evil awayfrom among you.
If you were going to invoke the death penalty upon someone the witnesseshad
to be there and they had to throw the first stone. It was mandatory for them to
be present and involved, you could not lightly do this, it was serious.
a. The Mouths of the Witnesses
b. The Hands of the Witnesses
2. The PersonalSins of his Reference
I am not real sure what Jesus wrote upon the ground but it convictedhis
audience.

a. Sin’s that were Discovered
The accusersbeginto feel conviction within their conscious;this is a powerful
thing to feel. It seems that Jesus may have begun to list sins that would indict
his audience.
b. Stones that were Dropped
As the powerof his words begins to grip their evil hearts, the men begin to
leave. The men begin to leave according to their ages, the older men caught on
quickly and they hurriedly rushed away. I dare say Jesus was listing the sins
of this group and the oldestman’s was the first sins to be listed, he realized
Jesus was declaring that he knew, so he retreats without a single word. By
Donald Cantrell
By Terry Trivette
This is a fascinating and somewhatmysterious scene. WhenJesus was
presentedwith this test, John says in verse 6, “But Jesus stoopeddown, and
with his finger wrote on the ground…”
What everyone who reads this story wants to know is, what did Jesus write on
the ground? Was it something from Scripture? Did He starting writing the
sins of the men standing there?
Well, we don’t know, and the Spirit didn’t see fit to tell us. I think it is
significant that Jesus wrote with His finger, however. It is at leasta reminder

of where Mosesoriginally gotthe Law. On Mt. Sinai, Almighty God, with His
own finger, etchedthe Ten Commandments on tablets of stone.
These men who were bringing up the Law had brought it up to the One who
had originally written it. When Jesus appearedto be ignoring them, they
pushed the question again. “What do you say?”
Jesus answeredthem, “He that is without sin among you, let him castthe first
stone.”
The Law demanded that the witnessesto a capitol offense had to be the first to
lead in the execution. When Jesus saidthis, He was pointing out that these
men, if for nothing else but their motives, were not completelyinnocent in this
whole affair.
Jesus wentback to His writing on the ground, and John says in verse 9, “And
they which heard it, being convictedby their own conscience, wentout one by
one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last…”
The older men knew He was right about their wrong, and the younger men
felt it too. They hushed their mouths, and walkedaway.
The goodnews for us today is that Jesus still has an answerfor the accuser.
Revelation12:10 predicts the day when the devil himself will have to shut His
mouth and leave forever because ofthe powerof Christ.
Only Jesus cando that. Only the answerof Jesus silencesthe accusers

By John Bisagno
Jesus didn't condemn her, but He also didn't condone her sin. He was furious
with the Pharisees. Jesus found Himself in one of those "render unto Caesar
and unto God" kind of impossible situations that the Pharisees likedto use to
trap Jesus and convince people that He was not the Son of God. Jesus stooped
down started to write in the sand. Immediately they gatheredaround and
beganto peer overHis shoulder. What's he saying? What's he doing? What
did he write? I think that he wrote the seventh commandment. "Thou shalt
not commit adultery." You see, Jesus nevercompromised with sin. But He
was always very tender with a sinner. Then He lookedup, spoke and leaned
back over and wrote a secondtime. What He wrote the secondtime so
convictedthem that in their humiliation they turned and started to walk out
of their embarrassment.
I think this time He wrote the tenth commandment. "Thou shall not convent
thou neighbor's house or thy neighbor's wife or anything that is though
neighbors." He did say, did He not, on the Sermon on the Mount, that he who
looks lustfully, covetouslyat another man's wife, a womannot his wife, has
already committed adultery right in his ownheart that they were as guilty as
the woman? And they beganto turn and walk away. Jesus didn't ask her to
confess hersin. He made no analysis of the reason. He didn't seemto suggesta
goodChristian sociologists orsome rehabilitation training in another kind of
profession. He just said; "Where are your accusers"?And in that moment of
grace, the light of all heaven came. And she realized she was free.
How could Jesus free people by just announcing them free? Because He saw
into her soul and before she said a word knew the brokenness she suffered in

her heart and He helped her to her feet. I always thought that perhaps He
coveredher with his own tunic said: "Darling, just don't do it anymore. Go
thy wayand sin no more.
"The golden word and the most important thing that you will ever experience
in your life is the forgiveness ofJesus Christ. What a wonderful release and
relief that all is well. The joy of knowing that your case has beensettled out of
court - dismissed by the Master-is a joy unspeakable. To know that the debt
has been paid, the case thrown out of court and that you are free at last is
simply golden!
ROB SALVATO
John 8:1-11 (Doodling in the Dirt)
Are you a doodler? Talking on the phone do you doodle? – Scribble on paper
– names shapes
A)You canlearn a lot from reading a persons doodles

B)A teachermight learn the name of the boy that a High Schoolgirl has a
crush on.
1) Or the name of the girlfriend she is mad at.
C) Same teachermight getan idea of the type of car a young high schoolboy
dreams of owning.
D) A husband might discoverwhere his wife is hoping to go to dinner or on
vacation.
But when God doodles – We learn about grace and forgiveness, compassion
and tenderness
A)At leastthat is what we see in this Story.

Quote F.B. Meyer.
“This Story reveals a wisdom so profound, a tenderness to sinners so delicate,
a hatred of sin so intense, an insight into the human heart so searching that it
is impossible to suppose that the mind of man could have conceivedof it, or
the hand of man could have invented it.”
RD V.2-11
Scene It is the day after the feastof Tabernacleshas completedand Jesus is
once againinto the temple
A)He is somewhere in the temple courtyard area and the people are gathered
around.
B) Now this was a common practice for rabbis to gather in the temple and
their students to gather to listen.
C) You recall what happened the day before on the last day of the feast -
…empty pitcher ….

1) Israel was still thirsting – Jesus stoodand cried out –
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me,
as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
A)Jesus offers to quench our spiritual thirst. He wants to satisfy empty souls -
bring peace to troubled hearts.
B)Create a river of refreshment that bubbles up from within.
1)You have heard the expressioncotton mouth where your mouth gets so dry
it feels like it’s full of cotton.
C)In a spiritual sense every human suffers from a case ofspiritual
cottonmouth.
1)our soul is dry and parched & in need of refreshment.

D) That is what Jesus offers … Conduit to refresh others
Jesus’offerso intrigued the crowd - the next morning, even after the feastwas
over - they were back in the Temple with Jesus, hungry to learn more.
A)So as the crowdgathered Jesus sits down and is teaching them that’s when
it happens
Aa)An intrusive interruption – the religious leaders come with a womanin
hand –
B) They throw her down at the very feet of Jesus – declaring – she was caught
in the very actof adultery
1)In my mind I picture her coveredonly in the bed sheetfrom the bed she was
sinning in.

C)Make no mistake about it, the text is clear, these were not trumped up
charges - this woman was guilty, As the Pharisees put it, "caughtin the very
act".
It makes us though wonder what happened the night before.
A)How did the JewishPhariseescatch her red-handed?
B) And if she was really caught in the very act of adultery – where was the
DUDE. – THE MAN…Duet22
1)Some Bible commentators suggestthatit was one of their religious friends –
C)How else did the Pharisees know exactlywhere to go to find a her?
D)It is possible they were very familiar with this woman and her tendency
toward being promiscuous

1)a womanwho had a thing for men in clericalrobes
E)Apparently, they had trapped her to trap Jesus.
The implications here are interesting…
Though guilty, this womanwas the victim of a Pharisaicalsting.
A)She had become a pawn in a biggergame - the bait to catcha biggerfish.
B)Howeverit happened, the Phariseesbrought this woman into the Temple &
threw her down at His feet.
C)Jesus had been teaching God’s truth. Interested ears were all around Him.

1)Suddenly there were angry voices - and a stern group of Pharisees marched
into the circle w/ the woman
D)They threw her down in the dust like a queasynew father throws a smelly
diaper in the garbage.
E)They’re barking accusations – their faces are scrunchedup in disgust –
1)they’re pointing fingers at the woman as if they were thrusting her through
with little swords.
F)These are a hostile bunch of so-called"holymen".
1) It’s as if blood is in the water, and the sharks are circling for the kill.
In Contrast to the Pharisees there lies the woman – embarrassed–

A)A ScarletletterA now plastered across herforehead –
I like the fact that we don’t even know her name –
B)See Godwas not interestedin embarrassing her.
C)Jesus summarizes His mission on earth in John 12:47, "I did not come to
judge the world, but to save the world."
1) In John 8 we have a example of Jesus in action.
On a segmentof the TV news digest, "60 Minutes", host Mike Wallace
interviewed a Jewishsurvivor of the Auschwitz concentrationcamp.
His name was Yehiel Dinur. He was a major witness at the Nuremberg war
crime trials at the end of WWII.

During the interview Wallace mentionedthe trial of Adolf Eichmann, the
notorious mastermind of Hitler's atrocities againstthe Jews.
He showeda clip of Eichmann’s trial in 1961. In the clip Dinur was seen
walking into the room, and coming face to face for the first time with Adolf
Eichmann. Dinur stopped cold in his tracks and startedsobbing
uncontrollably.
He then collapsedand fainted as the judge pounded the gaveland calledthe
room to order.
In his interview, Wallace askedDinur, "Were you overcome with hatred?
Fear? Horrid memories?"
Dinur responded, "No, none of these. Suddenly I realized that this Eichmann
was not a monster, as I had envisioned him.
He was an ordinary man, like me. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with fearfor
myself. I saw that I am capable of doing this. I am exactlylike him." What an
interesting response…

Perhaps you have a hard time relating to this womanlying at the feet of Jesus,
but I don't!
A)I cansee myself lying right next to her – curled up beside her in the dust.
B)But for the grace and mercy of God, I could've been in her shoes
C) I am capable - the evil thoughts that sometimes come out of nowhere and
shock my sensibilities.
1) They remind me that I am human. I too, am but dust.
D)When I think of this woman I realize that we both are sinners –
1)we both have fallen short of God's plan and perfection

D)We both have gone our own way – we both are tempted...
1) I realize, that in so many ways, both you and I, are exactly like her…
Well lets see whathappens
The Pharisees sayin verse 5, “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that
such should be stoned. But what do You say?" And John adds, “This they
said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.”
A)Under the Mosaic Law the punishment for adultery was death by stoning.
B)According to the JewishMishnah the adulterer was placedknee deep in a
box of manure.
1)Perhaps this was the origin of the expression"knee deepin trouble".

C)After being placed in the box of manure the victim was pelted with stones
1)until their face slumped into the slime.
D)After the execution a tree was planted in the box of manure to stand in the
city as a testimony to the seriousnessofadultery.
E) SO, a town with a lot of trees would be considereda "shady place"… in
more ways than one!
So the Pharisees remind Jesus that the Law of Moses orderedfor her to be
stoned- trap was set
A)See on the one hand, if He refuses to execute the proper punishment the
Jews will label Him permissive – softon sin.

B)Jesus wouldlose His stature among the people.
1)How could a man of truth and righteousness leta streetwalkerjust walk?
C)On the other hand, if He carries out the punishment Jesus will lose the ear
of the people who’ve been attractedby His mercy.
D)Everyone knew this woman had been ambushed by the Pharisees.
1)Would Jesus let bitter men, with a jealous grudge, force Him into taking a
woman's life?
E)The Pharisees think either way they’ve got Him…

But Jesus responds in a most unusual way, verse 6, “But Jesus stoopeddown
and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.”
A)It is as if Jesus just starts to doodle – while he is thinking.
B)Understand, this is the only occasionin Scripture where it’s recordedthat
Jesus wrote anything down.
1)But here He stoops and begins to doodle in the dirt.
C)Like a backyardquarterback, in the midst of the huddle, drawing a play in
the dirt –
1) Jesus bends down and begins to write with His finger.

Of course, the intriguing question is, "whatdid He write?"
A)We're not told what Jesus wrote, but there’s a clue imbedded in the original
text.
B)The Greek word usually translated“wrote” is "grapho", from which we get
our word "graphic".
C)But John adds a prefix to the word He uses here - the prefix "kata" which
means "againstorin opposition to" - "katagrapho"means "to write against".
D)WhateverJesus wrote, they were not flattering words.
1) It was a messagethat awoke the conscienceofthe Phariseesand convicted
them of their own sin.

When Jesus wrote in the dirt, He literally wrote with the "finger of God".
A)Severaltimes in the Old Testament“the finger of God” wrote specific
message.
B) Ten Commandments
C) King Belshazzar – , was having a party. He was gloating in his self-
confidence.
1) He felt invincible - unaware that his enemy was just outside the walls of the
city
D)Mene Tekel – Upharsan{ Weighed…wanting
.

And then there was this time: Jesus w/the finger of God writing in the dirt.
A)It’s also been suggestedthatJesus scribbled Jeremiah17:13 in the dirt.
B) The verse in Jeremiahreads, "Those who depart from Me shall be written
in the earth, because theyhave forsakenthe LORD." Jeremiah 17:13
C) These very guys in their rejectionof Jesus had Forsakenthe Lord
D) SO Jesus is writing something in the dirt
We are told in verse 7, “So when they continued asking Him…”
A)They start pushing Jesus for a response. They're proud and presumptuous.

B)They don't realize that there are two types of sinners in this Temple this
day…
1) There's a sinner sulking in the dirt, and there’re sinners seething with rage.
C) There’s a sinner who’s been caught in the very act,
1)and there are sinners who have hidden their sin behind clericalcollars and
priestly robes - and religious rituals and church affiliations.
D)The Phariseesdon't realize that both the unrighteous and the self-righteous
are equally guilty before the eyes of holy God.
To me the saddestsight, is to see a person who's suppose to know the love of
God with a rock in their hand.

A)If you sayyou're a Christian, how canyou not extend the same love and
forgiveness and mercy to others that God has extended to you?
B)Here the religious leaders are like a pack of rabid dogs waiting to attack
their prey.
We’re told, V.7 “(Jesus)raisedHimself up and saidto them, "He who is
without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And againHe
stoopeddown and wrote on the ground.”
C)What a marvelous and merciful response!Jesus doesn'tignore or condone
this woman’s sin –
1) but neither does He condemn her.

Have you ever had this thought God is so holy, and pure, and perfect; yet
why in the world does He put up with people like you and me?"
A)And there's only one answerto that question… it’s not logical, orrational,
or even comprehensible,
B)but the reasonGoddoesn't annihilate us - and is willing to work with us - is
that He loves us.
1) Yes, He really loves us!
C)And because He loves us, this pristine, spotless, absolutelyPERFECT God,
is willing to do whatever it takes to cleanus up and make us His children.
D)WhateverJesus wrote with His finger in the dirt that day, He showedthat
God was willing to getdown in the dirt for us.

E) Note He stoopeddown to where the woman was –
1) He did that when He left heaven came to earth.
The Pharisees hadcondemned this womanto death. A)Their wayof dealing
with what's ugly and useless was to destroy it.
B)The Jewishremedy for sin was a stone, but Jesus'remedy was a piece of
wood, a cross!
C) Perhaps you've been wondering how it all works…
1) Hey, there're no tricks to coming to Christ.

D)Salvationis not the result of rubbing a magic lamp 1)It’s not payment of
gooddeeds done. It’s not a merit badge - or the result of secretinitiations or
hidden dues.
No Salvation happens when we realize what we are that we are sinners, We
come and throw ourselves down at the feetof Jesus.
A)Understanding – He paid the price – He took our punishment – in return
He offers Life.
B)Godpromised you a priceless gift, there's nothing you can do to earn it, but
you must come to Jesus to receive that gift.
1) And we’re going to give you that opportunity this morning…
C) Jesus stands up to these Pharisees androlls the ball back into their court.
1)He doesn't saythe Law is wrong – nor does He deny the validity of the
woman’s sentence –

D)He just questions the qualifications of the men who want to carry it out.
I don’t know about you, but I love the words, "He who is without sin among
you, let him throw a stone at her first."
A)They were brilliant. In one stroke Jesus stirredup the guilty conscienceof
the Phariseesand gave hope to sinners everywhere!
B) See Jesus was the only one there without sin –
1)and Jesus will deal with this woman’s sin, but not with stones.
By the way, there is one more theory about what Jesus wrote in the dirt that I
should mention.
A)It’s possible Jesus listed the names of the Pharisees’girlfriends.

B)He opened up their little black book and listed the call girls they frequently
called.
C) Possible he wrote names and dates – and sins – adultery , thief, liar , gossip
D) He is why I think that - Verse 9, “Thenthose who heard it, being convicted
by their conscience, wentout one by one, beginning with the oldesteven to the
last.”
We’re told, “And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
A)I love this scene – she had been thrown to the ground – embarrassed
condemned –

B) Sitting there in the dirt as this whole exchange is happening – But now we
see her raised up
1) She is standing in the midst –
C) That is what Jesus seeksto do with sinners Raise them up – New life –
New Start - What a scene!
1)Formaybe the first time in her life, she’s had a man stand up for her.
D)He took her side overthe religious crowd.
Forthe first time she can remember a man has treated her like a person,
instead of an object.
A)She's felt the lust of men on many occasions, but now she senses whatshe
thinks is reallove.

B)She was on the brink of death… and now, she feels alive again.
1)She’s been born again. She has a brand new start.
10 When Jesus had raisedHimself up and saw no one but the woman, He said
to her, "Woman, Gune – what Jesus calledhis mom – term of affection and
endearment.
So He said
Woman where are those accusers ofyours? Has no one condemned you?"
Verse 11 records the woman’s simple, joyous reply, "No one, Lord."

Jesus lifted her up, and restoredher dignity, and treatedher like a real
person.
A)In a single act, Jesus returned her virtue, and gave her life value.
B) His love disarms her and unlocks the padlock of her heart. -
Verse 11… these words are the climax…
Understand, there was only one person in the temple with the right to accuse
this woman.
A)Only one sinless person was there that day. And that was Jesus… but Jesus
said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Wow!

B)Guys, Jesus gives this sinful woman and every other sinful man or woman
like her, an opportunity to start over.
C) Go and sin no more – You don’t have to live like that anymore.
This morning He wants to give you an opportunity to rebuild your life with
His help, His love, His kindness.
He gives waywardwomen and immoral men a new passionand purpose - and
helps them mold a better life.
Jesus took a stand for this woman – and for the rest of her life she will take a
stand for Jesus!

She has tasted real love and she will never go back to the lusts of this world.
This morning I want to give you an opportunity to take a stand for Jesus...
RAY PRITCHARD
“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
When they kept on questioning him, he straightenedup and said to them, ‘If
any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’
Again he stoopeddown and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard
beganto go awayone at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left,
with the womanstill standing there” (John 8:7-9).
There are times in reading the Bible when we wish we had a little bit more
information. What did Jesus write when he stoopedtwice to write on the
ground with his finger? After all the speculationis over, we simply don’t
know the answer. Evidently what he wrote isn’t crucial or we would have
been told what it was. The word for “write” is used only here in the New
Testamentand can mean something like “doodle” orit can mean to make a
list. Some have thought he wrote the TenCommandments to remind the men
of their sins. Others have suggestedhe wrote the names of the accusers by the
Commandments they had broken: “Sam—Adultery,” “Joe—Murder,”
“Jacob—Coveting,”and so on. Various Old TestamentScriptures have been
suggested, and more than one writer has suggestedthat he wrote in the dust
the names of their girlfriends, which does have the advantage of explaining
why they clearedthe area so quickly.
In the end it doesn’tmatter. Perhaps the comparisonis with the “finger” of
God writing the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and then writing them
againwhen Moses broke the first setof tablets. That would mean something

like, “I am writing in the dust because I am the true Lawgiver.” Certainlythe
Jewishleaders would not have missed such a connotation.
RAY PRITCHARD
God’s Finger In The Dirt
So the Pharisees think they’ve got Jesus trapped. While they are waiting for
Jesus to respond, he bends down and begins to write in the dirt with his finger
(v. 6). Over the centuries commentators have speculatedabout what Jesus
wrote. Mosthave suggestedthat he wrote a verse of Scripture that somehow
condemned the Pharisees. Others think he listed their sins in the dirt, thus
producing convictionof sin. One suggestionis that he wrote the names of the
women they had slept with!
The truth is, we don’t know what he wrote because Johndoesn’t tell us. That
leads me to an important conclusion:It probably isn’t important what he
wrote because if it had been important John would have told us. It is the act of
writing and not the contents that are crucial. Justhold that thought for a
moment.
Jesus wrote on the ground and while he was writing, the Pharisees kept
questioning him. “Well, what are you going to do? Should we stone her? Do
you want us to let her go? Make up your mind.”
So Jesus stoodup, facedthe men and uttered the words which have
reverberatedacross 20 centuries as the basic standard of fairness in all
judicial investigations:“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first

one to casta stone at her.” (8:8) Then he stoopeddown and once againwrote
on the ground. Once againwe do not know what he wrote.
Reminders Of Mt. Sinai
The conclusionstands that it is the actof writing and not the contents that are
important here. What does the act of writing suggest? Rememberfirst of all
who Jesus is speaking to. These are Pharisees who are steepedin the history of
the Old Testament. They know the history of Israelbackwardand forward.
Now ask yourself a question: Who else in the history of Israel wrote with his
finger? Only one person. The Lord himself wrote the Ten Commandments in
stone with his finger. That happened at Mount Sinai when God gave the Law
to Moses in the first place.
When Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt, the Pharisees
understood immediately what his writing signified: He was not simply an
interpreter of the Law. He was also a giver of the Law—like the Lord who
gave the Law in the first place. Seenin that light, the act of writing with his
finger was virtually a claim to deity. If it seems strange to us, it’s only because
we don’t think like the Pharisees. Theywould have immediately graspedthe
symbolism.
The messageis this: Jesus as the greatLaw-giver not only has the right to
judge this woman; he also has the right to judge them. The Jews remembered
Sinai and they understood exactlywhat he was saying. By writing in the dirt,
he was claiming the prerogatives that belong to God alone. He was doing what
only God would do.
Neither Do I Condemn You

John tells us that the men beganto go awayone by one, the older ones first,
followedby the younger ones. Presumably the older ones were more aware of
their own sinfulness and when faced by the claims of Jesus Christ, could no
longerstand in his presence. The youngerones felt more confident, more
cocky, more sure of themselves, but as their colleagues disappeared, so did
their self-confidence.
In the end it is only Jesus and the woman—and the watching crowd. All her
accusershave left. What will he do? Jesus stands up againand addressesthe
woman—forthe first and only time. “Woman, where are they? Has no one
condemned you?” (8:10) Her answeris simple: “No one, sir.”
What will Jesus do with her? Here is a woman who is unquestionably guilty of
adultery. She has lived a promiscuous life, seeking fleeting fulfillment in the
arms of unknown men. Now the sad truth is out in the open. What will Jesus
do? Will he himself condemn the woman? After all, if anyone was qualified to
stone this woman, it was Jesus.
But he doesn’t condemn her. To the contrary, he pronounces a word of
forgiveness—"Neitherdo I condemn you"—and then the word of renewed
moral purpose—"Go now and leave your life of sin.” (8:11)
A. W. PINK
"But Jesus stoopeddown, and with his finger wrote on the ground" (John
8:6). This was the first thing that He here did. That there was a symbolical

significance to His actiongoes without saying, and what this is we are not left
to guess. Scripture is its own interpreter. This was not the first time that the
Lord had written "with his finger." In Exodus 31:18 we read, "And he gave
unto Moses,whenhe had made an end of communing with him upon mount
Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God."
When, then, our Lord wrote on the ground (from the ground must the "tables
of stone" have been taken), it was as though He had said, You remind Me of
the law!Why, it was My finger which wrote that law!Thus did He show these
Pharisees thatHe had come here, not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. His
writing on the ground, then, was (symbolically) a ratification of God’s
righteous law. But so blind were His would-be accusersthey discernednot the
significance ofHis act.
"So when they continued asking him" (John 8:7). It is evident that our Lord’s
enemies mistook His silence for embarrassment. They no more graspedthe
force of His actionof writing on the ground, than did Belshazzarunderstand
the writing of that same Hand on the walls of his palace. Emboldenedby His
silence, and satisfiedthat they had Him cornered, they continued to press
their question upon Him. O the persistencyof evil-doers!How often they put
to shame our lack of perseveranceand importunity.
"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and saidunto them,
He that is without sin among you, let him first casta stone at her" (John 8:7).
This, too, has a far deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. God’s
Law was a holy and a righteous one, and here we find the LawgiverHimself
turning its white light upon these men who really had so little respectfor it.
Christ was here intimating that they, His would-be accusers,were no fit
subjects to demand the enforcementof the law’s sentence. None but a holy
hand should administer the perfect law. In principle, we may see here the
greatAdversary and Accuserreprimanded. Satanmay stand before the angel
of the Lord to resist"the high priest" (Zech. 3:1), but, morally, he is the last
one who should insist on the maintenance of righteousness. And how

strikingly this reprimanding of the Phariseesby Christ adumbrated what we
read of in Zechariah 3:2 ("The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan")scarcelyneeds to
be pointed out.
"And again he stoopeddown, and wrote on the ground" (John 8:8).
Profoundly significant was this, and unspeakablyblessed. The symbolic
meaning of it is plainly hinted at in the word "again":the Lord wrote on the
ground a secondtime. And of what did that speak? Once more the Old
TestamentScriptures supply the answer. The first "tables of stone" were
dashed to the ground by Moses, and broken. A secondsetwas therefore
written by God. And what became of the second"tables of stone"? Theywere
laid up in the ark (Ex. 40:20), and were coveredby the blood-sprinkled
mercy-seat!Here, then, Christ was giving more than a hint of how He would
save those who were, by the law, condemned to death. It was not that the law
would be setaside: far from it. As His first stooping down and with His finger
writing on the ground intimated, the law would be "established."But as He
stoopeddown and wrote the secondtime, He signified that the shed blood of
an innocent substitute should come betweenthe law and those it condemned!
"And they which heard it, being convictedby their own conscience,went out
one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last" (John 8:9). Thus was
"the strong man bound" (Matthew 12:29). Christ’s enemies had thought to
ensnare Him by the law of Moses;instead, they had its searching light turned
upon themselves. Grace had not defied, but had upheld the law! One sentence
from the lips of Holiness incarnate and they were all silenced, all convicted,
and all departed. At another time, a self-righteous Pharisee might boastof his
lastings, his tithes and his prayers; but when Godturns the light on a man’s
heart, his moral and spiritual depravity become apparent even to himself, and
shame shuts his lips. So it was here. Not a word had Christ uttered againstthe
law; in nowise had He condoned the woman’s sin. Unable to find any ground
for accusationagainstHim, completelybaffled in their evil designs, convicted
by their consciences,they slunk away: "beginning at the eldest," because he

had the most sin to hide and the most reputation to preserve. And in the
conduct of these men we have a clearintimation of how the wickedwill actin
the lastgreatDay. Now, they may proclaim their self-righteousness,and talk
about the injustice of eternal punishment. But then, when the light of God
flashes upon them, and their guilt and ruin are fully exposed, they shall, like
these Pharisees, be speechless.
"And they which heard it, being convictedby their own conscience,wentout."
There is a solemnwarning here for sinners who may be exercisedin mind
over their condition. Here were men who were "convictedby their own
conscience,"yetinstead of this causing them to castthemselves at the feet of
Christ, it resulted in them leaving Christ! Nothing short of the Holy Spirit’s
quickening will everbring a soul into saving contactwith the Lord Jesus.
"And they which heard it, being convictedby their own conscience,wentout
one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst" (John 8:9). This is exceedingly
striking. These scribes andPharisees had challengedChrist from the law. He
met them on their own ground, and vanquished them by the law. "When
Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her,
Woman, where are those thine accusers? hathno man condemned thee? She
said, No man, Lord. And Jesus saidunto her, Neither do I condemn thee"
(John 8:10, 11). The law required two witnessesbefore its sentence couldbe
executed(Deut. 19:15), yet, those witnessesmust assistin the carrying out of
the sentence (Deut. 17:7). But here not a single witness was left to testify
againstthis woman who had merely been indicted. Thus the law was
powerless to touch her. What, then, remained? Why, the way was now clear
for Christ to act in "grace andtruth."

RAY STEDMAN
Not one of them could have remotely anticipated how Jesus would solve this.
What he did was to stoopdown and begin to write with his finger on the
ground. How much would you give to know what he wrote? This has intrigued
scholars and students through the ages. How we wish we knew what he wrote!
Many have guessedatit. Once, reading in the prophet Jeremiah, I ran across
a verse in the 17th chapter that struck me as possibly suggesting whatJesus
wrote:
O Lord, the hope of Israel,
all who forsake thee shall be put to shame;
those who turn away from thee
shall be written in the earth,
for they have forsakenthe Lord,
the fountain of living water. (Jeremiah 17:13 RSV)
That suggeststhat Jesus wrote their names on the ground on that occasion.
Whateverhe wrote, the scribes and Pharisees apparentlymisunderstood him.
They thought he was stalling for time, and they kept pressing him, asking him
againand againto answerthem and tell them what he would do. So, standing
up, Jesus lookedthem right in the eye and uttered these famous words, "Let
him who is without sin castthe first stone." Actually the word he uses is
"sinless,""lethim who is sinless..." This is the only time Jesus everemployed
this word in the New Testament:"Let him who is sinless castthe first stone."
The result is almost humorous. They are stunned. Speechless!He has taken
the wind right out of their sails. Theywere sure he was going to let this
woman go, but instead he completelyupholds the Law of Moses. He says, in

effect, "Yes, she must be stoned. But I am going to appoint the executioners."
They are dumbfounded at his words.
It is very important to notice that Jesus does uphold the Law. Many people
take his later words to the womanto mean that adultery is but a minor
peccadillo. I read an accountof a marriage quarrel recently where the man
said to his wife, "All I did was have an affair. What's the big deal?" Todaywe
have come to regard adultery as nothing. But Jesus does notsay that. He
upholds the Law. Adultery is sin. It violates marriage. It destroys societywhen
it spreads and becomes commonplace.It wrecks homes;it injures innocent
children; it attacks everything that God holds dear!
We who are counseling here at the church have frequent reasonto see how
terribly destructive adultery is, how it destroys marriages, wrecks
relationships, and injures far and wide. What a terribly hurtful, fragmenting,
shattering sin it is! In the eyes of strict justice it is deserving of death, and
Jesus upholds that fact, much to the surprise of the scribes and Pharisees.But
that is not all Jesus does. He also sees the hearts of these men. What he says, in
effect, is, "You are no better off than she is. Your hearts are filled with
murder and hatred." Malice gleamedin their eyes as they sought to exploit
this woman's unfortunate situation in order to get at Jesus. Buthe read their
hearts, and what he saw was worse eventhan her sin.
END OF PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
SCRIBBLES IN THE DIRT. When Jewishscholars brought to Jesus a
woman caughtin adultery, what did Jesus write in the dust? Names ofthe
scholars and the dirt he had on them? Or maybe tic-tac-toe, which has
surprising parallels to the story. Painting by Vasiliy Polenov/ Wikimedia.

THAT’S THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK.
It comes from Tom Temple, who gets a free, signed copy of one of my books
for taking the time to send me the question.
Here’s how he askedit:
I have heard a lot opinions on this but what do you think Jesus was writing in
the dirt…during the scene ofthe womenabout to be stoned?
Here’s the scene.
Early morning. Jerusalem. Jesus is at the Jewishtemple. A crowdgathers
around him. He sits and starts teaching them.
A group of Jewishreligionscholars arrive, including Pharisees—a Jewishsect
famous for its over-the-top legalism. The men have a woman in tow.
They interrupt Jesus and say “This woman was caught in the act of adultery.
The law of Mosessays to stone her. What do you say?” (John 8:5 NLT).
Jesus apparently knows they are trying to trap him.
If he recommends stoning, he doesn’tseemso peace-loving and “forgive 70
times 7” anymore.

If he orders her released, he’s a hereticallaw-breaker.
Here’s the odd twist in the story.
“Jesus stoopeddown and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept
demanding an answer, so he stood up againand said, ‘All right, but let the one
who has never sinned throw the first stone!’ Then he stoopeddown again and
wrote in the dust” (John 8:6-8 NLT).
One by one the religionscholars walkedaway.
No stoning today.
What did Jesus write?
I don’t know and I’ll bet the Bible writer didn’t know either.
If Jesus had starting writing names of the scholars alongside the names of
ladies with whom they had dillied and dallied, as some theorize, the writer
probably would have said so—ifhe had any sense. Thatwould have added a
juicy hook to the story.
Or maybe Jesus was listing other sins they had committed.
Or maybe the lady was still naked, “caughthaving sex,” and Jesus was
diverting his eyes.

Let me add another theory. For fun.
Jesus was playing tic-tac-toe.
Why not? It’s a game of entrapment. Romans played it with stones.
Romans calledtheir version of the game Terni Lapilli, “Three Little Stones.”
Romans had been playing this game for 100 years by the time Jesus arrived.
Eachplayer had three stones, whichthey kept moving around a board until
they gotthree in a row.
Egyptians had a similar game.
But the short, honest answerto Tom’s question is that the Bible doesn’t give
one solid clue about what Jesus wrote.
Besides, whatJesus wrote in the dirt is a detour from the point the writer was
trying to make.
If the point of the story had been a game of rock, scissors, paper—forgiveness
beats condemnation.

Jesus:“Where is everyone? Isn’t there anyone left to accuse you?”
Woman: “No sir.”
Jesus:“I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don’t sin
anymore” (John 8:10-11 CEV).
Grace. It accepts people right where they are in life’s journey—just as they
are.
But it doesn’t leave them there. It points them to a new and better place.
https://stephenmillerbooks.com/2013/08/what-did-jesus-write-in-the-dirt/
Why did Jesus write in the dirt/ground when the womanwas caught in
adultery?
John 8:6-11, "They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have
grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stoopeddownand with His finger wrote
on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up,
and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to
throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stoopeddown and wrote on the ground. 9
When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older
ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of
the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus saidto her, “Woman, where are they?

Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do
not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
We don't know exactly why Jesus wrote on the ground during the episode of
the womancaught in adultery, but it might be that Jesus was referring to the
Old Testamentpassage found in Jeremiah.
Jeremiah17:13, "Lord, hope of Israel, those who leave you will be shamed.
People who quit following the Lord will be like a name written in the dust,
because they have left the Lord, the spring of living water."
Since the Jews in Israelwere legalistic and probably in sin themselves (and
they knew the Old TestamentScriptures), the writing in the ground may very
well have reminded them of the Jeremiah passage. So, Jesusmay have been
writing out their sins.
https://carm.org/jesus-wrote-ground-woman-adultery
What Did Jesus Write in the Dirt?
Jeff Cavins
If you’ve ever read the story about the woman caught in adultery, you know
that the Jews who wanted to stone her walkedawayafter Jesus bent down
and wrote something in the dirt. The Gospelnever tells us what he wrote, but
by putting togetherfour different scriptural clues, Jeffthinks he’s gota pretty
goodguess. Find out Jeff’s take on the story, and how his interpretation shows
God’s desire to free you from shame.

Jesus was a writer

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