Something to ponder

I find this very intresting maybe you will and maybe you will not. We often try and ponder what Christ was writing in the sand or dirt while the Pharisees were bringing forth the women caught in adultery. So often I have heard people talk and discuss and wonder man what was Jesus writing and when I get to heavne im gonna to ask what he was writing. Well if Christ wanted us to know what he was writing it would have been the bible. But I say its not important what but why was Jesus writing? It seems very odd in the midst of all that was going on he stoops down and starts writing as though he had not heard them. Now I have been meditating upon and ive come to some conclusions but I would love to hear insight from other men and women of God such as yourself.

When I heard this text taught the pastor conjectured that He was writing the names of specific sins that He knew her accusers had commited. Seems to make sense to me.

In His Love,

Doug

Perhaps He stooped down to write in the sand so that He wouldn't be tempted in to sin by looking at the naked woman in front of Him. as for what He wrote, it could have been the sins of the accusers, or it could have been praises to His Father....

maybe he wrote

Deu 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three 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.

hmmhmm wrote:
maybe he wrote

Deu 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three 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.

Perhaps I am mistaken, but wasn't the woman taken "in the very act" of adultery? I always wondered where the man was and why he wasn't brought forth. they should have both been judged. I have heard it said that the Pharisees set this woman up and that it was in fact one of them that was her partner...of course that is all purely speculation.

Again I think and I could be wrong we are missing the whole message as trying to make specualtions to what he was writing. If he wanted us to know it would be in the word of God but we only find that he was writing. That is very good point why was only the women brought to Jesus?

why was only the women brought to Jesus?

Men and women were not treated as equals back then. The man was probably let go without question.

Just my two cents.

TJ

Hi everyone and good evening.

This is a truely awesome story from the Bible and I think it is one of the most amazing passages of scripture. For me this is one of those stories among the Gospel accounts that has a [b]special ring of truth[/b] to it above and beyond the others.

First, the answer that the Lord gives is astounding to me. I have some experience with being challenged by people with questions concerning matters of faith and doctrine and practice. You hear all sorts of strange and bizzare things when talking to people about the things of God and the way the Lord dealt with this situation is in my mind just head-and-shoulders above anything in which the way I think a mere human would have responded.

I hessitate to use the word brilliant because its something we say of merely gifted humans, but truely the Lord Jesus shines shines shines in the way he answered them.

What makes this even more significant is what all was on the line here, so to speak. We may tend to think of this as a life and death situation for this woman but it was far more than that! This was an issue upon which rested the salvation of all our souls!

In Luke's Gospel we read how [i]...when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.[/i]

[i]...for a season[/i]

Well, I think that behind the scenes here, he was back, that is, the Devil. Even if that wasn't true I'd say the stakes were the same. John tells us that the Pharisees questioned the Lord Jesus here with regards to this woman, concerning the law of Moses. That's important to keep in mind because at this point in the line of time and space, that Law still stood over all of them. Now the reason I have for suggesting that the Devil was behind all of this was what John records for us next: [i]This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.[/i] And then it is that we read:

[i] But Jesus stooped down...[/i]

Can you see this brothers and sisters? Let our mind's eye carry us to that scene and see what an epic battle was taking place! I can imagine it this way: there's a huge crowd around because he had been teaching them in the Temple. But behind all this all those wicked hosts are swirling around in the air, maybe even lurking around in the crowd that is surrounding our Lord and Master, seething in hatred against the Son of God....drooling even, if such could drool, in their evil lusts, hoping that this would be the time they could make Him falter.

Ohh this was a tense moment for sure. I bet every eye was on Him and every ear open, waiting to see how he'd respond to this question. It would be enough to think of the pressure from the crowd, but then what must it have been like if all those demonic hordes were pressing in on Him too? Surely the force of it would be other-wordly, in pressure upon the mind and the soul.

Well that's it. Everything is on the line here. If He answers amiss in any way, we're done for as a race. Remember brothers and sisters how it was written that He [i]was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.[/i] This was such a point. You know, it isn't so much thought of, if we give a false answer, or stumble in our words. No, we recognise that it happens among us all. But not so with Him beloved. He could not speak even one solitary word amiss. He spoke for Heaven. But not only this, He was not merely a man to whom the word of God had come, He was the Word of God come to men, Himself. And now, those [i]experts[/i] in God's Law were seeking to trap Him. If He spoke falsely, the same Law which He came to satisfy and fulfil would have risen up to condemn.

It is with all that, with all that and the weight of the whole world resting upon His shoulders that we read

[i]But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.[/i]

My my, what a moment in time. I don't know brothers and sister, I don't know, but I would not think it was strange if the Lord felt the press of it all. I would not find it hard to imagine if, in this colossal moment, that in stooping down, He was drawing upon every ounce of supernatural strength within Him? I do not know.

But then comes the answer. And the victory!

[i] He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.[/i]

What an answer! Who could have thought of such a thing in such a moment?? Ohh this is a beautifull thing, but do you know brothers and sisters, that these gracious words encapsulated the essence of the work of the Son of God?

Long long before this, right before Moses was to recieve the Ten Commandments from God for the second time, he made a sort of peculiar request of God. He said

[i]I beseech thee, shew me thy glory[/i]

And God's reply to him according to the scripture was this

[i]I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.[/i]

So you see, Moses asked to see God's glory, and God said He would make all His [i]goodness[/i] pass before him, and proclaim the name of the Lord. Now you may recall that this is when it was that God took and hid Moses in the cleft of a rock and passed before him?

So, when Moses goes up on Mount Sinai to meet with God, carrying this time two stone tables which he had made, this is when the Lord passes before him, and He tells him the name of the Lord:

"The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

But how can that be?

How can God [i]forgive iniquity[/i] and yet [i]by no means clear the guilty[/i]? You may ask it another way:

Where do mercy and truth meet together?

Can righteousness and peace, ever kiss?

How can God be both just, and the justifier of those that are gulity?

Ohh beloved, see here how Jesus answers all these in His response to this tremendous challenge?

He says, [i]Woman, where are those thine accusers?[/i] [i]hath no man condemned thee?[/i]

Do we see it? Well here it is, you see, His answer to all of this evil plotting and work of the adversary, it was both [b]mercifull[/b] and [b]just[/b]. It was just, in that He did not deny the justice of God's law...no He said [i]He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.[/i] That is, whichever one among [b]YOU[/b] that is without sin, that is not also condemned by the Law, you may excecute the justice of God's law upon her.

No, He did not deny the righteous demands of God's law.

But then His answer was mercifull also. He said to her [i] hath no man condemned thee?... Neither do I condemn thee[/i]. Surely He could have. He could have picked up any of those stones which they left behind, and executed justice, He being without sin, Himself, without a guilty conscience to condemn Him.

Righteousness, and peace, here they have kissed.

Thankyou Lord Jesus. Thank You.

Brother, I don't know what the Lord wrote on the ground :-) But, whatever it was, He did all things well :-)

by Albert Barnes:

"This womans accusers had had a controversy with him about the authority of the Sabbath, and they perhaps supposed that he would decide this case as he did that--against them. It may be farther added that they knew that Jesus admitted publicans and sinners to eat with him; that one of their charges was that he was friendly to sinners (see Lu 15:2); and they wished, doubtless, to make it appear that he was gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, and a friend of sinners, and disposed to relax all the laws of morality, even in the case of adultery. Seldom was there a plan more artfully laid, and never was more wisdom and knowledge of human nature displayed than in the manner in which it was met."

This woman may have been a prompt to test Him which they came to do. She may not have even been caught. Think about it, the timing, the question. Where did they find her. When did they find her. This was a trap.

"Wrote on the ground: This took place in the temple. The "ground," here, means the pavement, or the dust on the pavement. By this Jesus showed them clearly that he was not solicitous to pronounce an opinion in the case. He knew what they were after in the first place, to trap Him."

"As though he heard them not. This is added by the translators. It is not in the original, and should not have been added. There is no intimation in the original, as it seems to be implied by this addition, that the object was to convey the impression that he did not hear them. What was his object is unknown, and conjecture is useless. The most probable reason seems to be that he did not wish to intermeddle in their trap, that he designed to show no solicitude to decide the case; and that he did not mean to decide it unless he was constrained to."

If you read the rest of John 8 you will see that it would not have mattered what Jesus did the final outcome was to be the stoneing of Jesus.

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Its amazing the wisdom of our Lord already knowing what they intended. How better for Him to show that their trap was not going to work by just knealing on the ground and writing in the dust and not even concerned about what they were trying to do.

Chris-- Can you skim your post? Jeez, it's over 3 pages! I know we can often times get busy writing a lot, but really, most people I don't think people will bother to read it (at least I won't.. just skimmed it).. I'm sure you could summarize it more... many here on SI got the habit of writing gigantic amounts :-P

I think it probably had something to do with the Law or whatever... God wrote the 10 Commandments with his finger, remember? And look at the context...

Jordan

I don't think will bother to read it (at least I won't.. just skimmed it)..

Jordan, this is to your disadvantage. Chris' post was exceptional.

I realy believe that Jesus wrote, if not the whole Ten Commandments, then No.# 7 You shall not commit adultery.
There are only 3 places where God wrote with His finger.
[b]1:[/b] Ten Commandments
[b]2:[/b] Daniel 5:25 MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
[b]3:[/b] John 8:6

These three times were either 1 law or 2 judgment, knowing that the law brings judgment, HE writing in the dirt, law to judge her.

She saw the law in the dirt and knew she was condemned.

He set her free while acknowlaging the Law. The Pharisees would have seen HIM writeing the law in the drit and knew that He understood the charge.
They seeing the law, were convicted of the law, writen in the dirt by HIS finger, and dropped their stones.

I was thinking that Jesus wrote it down more for the accusers, not the woman, because after He wrote it then He said, he who is without sin cast the first stone (speaking to the accusers). Jesus stooped down again and continue writing, then the word says that her accusers were convicted and left (seeing that they also are guilty).

If it was the law He was writting down it would seem like He was more writting it for her accusers helping them see that their in sin too, and not just her. Plus, the law is for the proud. I believe she knew she was guilty. She got caught with adultry. Theres no hiding from that.

i talked with an evangelist from corpus critie tx, and we were talking along the lines of the best bible school being on your knees, rather than being spoon fed a pre-prepared sermon in a seminary somewhere.

He said he pestered God for 6 months, asking him what he wrote in the ground, and he said The Lord revealed it to him. interesting huh? but you guys wouldnt want to know what it is because thats not the point of this thread :-P

I have heard many times the sermon that says He wrote their sins in the sand.

However, I know a few men who have sought dilligently for the evidence of this, and it could not be found. It is an interesting supposistion though.

I have also heard it said that He did not need to write their sins, all he had to write, was the ten commandments. This is interesting as well.

However, given the nature of Christ, I believe that He was just scribbling, kind of like people do around a campfire. And while He was doing this, He let the Holy Spirit convict them until they could no longer remain there. I don't believe that He had to write anything.

The Sanhedran that He dealt with was the most wicked order of priests that had ever been, even to the point that they had two high priests, which was illegal according to the law. These were men who could have been convicted of almost any sin mentioned.

Chris-- Can you skim your post? Jeez, it's over 3 pages! I know we can often times get busy writing a lot, but really, most people I don't think people will bother to read it (at least I won't.. just skimmed it)

Hi dear Jordan, how are you?

May I suggest with all my heart to read this his writing, believe me you will be blessed! Try to find the gems (in those long or short writings), finding the man's heart behind that, believe me, you will have profit for your soul. There are many mature in faith christians around here, from whom all we can be blessed by.

God bless you brother.

Hi dear Jordan, how are you?

May I suggest with all my heart to read this his writing, believe me you will be blessed! Try to find the gems (in those long or short writings), finding the man's heart behind that, believe me, you will have profit for your soul. There are many mature in faith christians around here, from whom all we can be blessed by.

I know it was fine, that wasn't my contention... I just have a hard time reading long posts on forums like these... (if their not the first post/original poster.. cuz then that person has more "lee-way" to post long IMO) I tend to read slowly, and thus I don't enjoy coming across super-long posts in public forums.. that are not articles, and are just replies :-P

So I've just seen that people can sum stuff up and make it shorter.. not saying Chris should've I guess, I'm just saying, as a public forum, it does REALLY help when you do not make long posts, if you can help it. Sorta hard for me to explain, and I apologize if it appeared offensive or whatever... I'm sure Chris was just overcome and wrote a lot as the Spirit dictated or whatever... I've done similar, but mainly in emails. I just think it can keep the forum going on smoother if everyone tries to not post in such grandiosity :)

Jordan

this is what the evangelist said the Lord showed him.

Jerimiah 17:13
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

he explained thier sin was worse than the womans, because they were commiting spiritual adultery rather than natural.i cabt quite remember the explanation.

i believe that what he wrote on the ground

The location of the event takes place adjacent to the treasury located in the Temple. The time of the event was the Feast of Tabernacles. This alone is significant to the Jews. Psalm 118 speaks of this.

In John 8:5

"Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?"

First we have the introduction of the Covenant of Mount Sinai. We know from Scriptures that this law could not make anything perfect because it is based on the power of the flesh. This covenant was given as a tool to point those who would hear to Christ. The effect of this covenant kills.

The scribes and Pharisees sought to condemn Jesus by this law also.

At this moment Jesus began to write in the dirt...

6
"This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear."

I believe He was at that moment writing the 10 commandments.

This moment is like what Ray Comfort preaches about the Law...the Law convicts the soul, and prepares it for repentance...

7
"So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

8
"And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9
"Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one beginning with the oldest even to the last."

This is very important to understand what transpired here. We know according to Scripture that first each one was convicted by their own conscience and secondly we know that the first to be convicted was the oldest.

The governing body of the Temple and the nation was made up of seventy men. They were called the Sanhedrin. They were responsible for judging Israel and upholding the law. When they met to discuss a matter, the order of discussion always began with the youngest member of the Sanhedrin. It was thought that this would bring the most truth to the discussion. By having the youngest members speak first, these members would not be influenced by the elders of the group.

So going back to Scripture, we find that the eldest left first being convicted. I believe Jesus specifically wrote what each member of that group before Him was guilty of. You see Jesus always did things upside down. This precept we find thoughtout Scripture do we not?

So not one was left to accuse the woman caught in adultery. Each having had the Covenant of Mount Sinai accusing themselves of their own sin. For we know that all are convicted by the Covenant of Mount Sinai.

Then Jesus turns to the woman and confirms this precept by what He says...

11
"When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her. "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"

12
"She said, "No one, Lord," And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

Do you see the affects of the covenant given on Mount Sinai...do you see that no one can condemn another because all are guilty.

Now focus on what Jesus finished saying to the woman..."go and sin no more." Is this not a command that she cannot keep? Is this not contradictory to what just happened? Now look to what Jesus then does.

12
"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Do you hear the promise given by the Messiah?

Remember this is the Feast of Tabernacles...read Psalms 116-119, what do you find?

Here Jesus stands before the crowd and states this promise..."I am the Light of this world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

What does Psalm 118 and 119 teach about where righteousness comes from?

Now the story is not over. Many will not proceed to hear what Jesus continues to teach those at the Temple. Read about the dispute between the priests and Himself.

Jesus tells the priest that if their father was God, they would love Him...Jesus. But their father is the devil. He states that if they love His Father they would do the works that Abraham did.

What does this mean? What works did Abraham do that were not done according to the Covenant given on Mount Sinai?

Why does Jesus point to Abraham and his children?

In Christ
Jeff