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What Did Jesus Write On The Ground?

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coram_deo 19-Jul-21, 09:59	What Did Jesus Write On The Ground? In this passage from the Gospel of John, Jesus twice writes on the ground, though what He writes is never stated. “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11) Here is David Guzik’s commentary on the question of what Jesus was writing on the ground (which leaves out what I think is the most interesting possibility.) “b. Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger: This was a careful and deliberate response from Jesus. Instead of making an immediate verbal response He stooped down. Then He wrote on the ground with His finger, presumably in the dirt on the ground. i. Stooped down indicates humility. Jesus didn’t react with anger or immediate outrage. He didn’t scream at the woman or those who brought the woman. Jesus paused and stooped down. ii. Stooped down is a low posture, identifying with the humiliation of the woman. Jesus did what He could to identify with, care for, and ease the embarrassment of this woman. One may say this story illustrates the great problem: how can God show love and grace to the sinner without being unjust, without breaking His own law? He does it by first identifying with the sinner in their low condition. iii. Wrote on the ground means that Jesus could write, and that He wrote in the presence of the woman and these men. What Jesus wrote has been an endless source of speculation for teachers, preachers, and commentators. · Some think that Jesus simply doodled in the dirt. The verb translated wrote could also mean, “to draw.” (Morris) · Some think Jesus simply stalled for time. · Some think that Jesus wrote the passage in the law that condemned the adulterous woman. · Some think Jesus wrote out a passage like Exodus 23:1: Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. · Some think that Jesus wrote the names of the accusers. · Some think that Jesus wrote the sins of the accusers. · Some think that Jesus followed Roman judicial practice and wrote out His sentence before He said it. iv. “The normal Greek word for to write is graphein; but here the word used is katagrapheini, which can mean to write down a record against someone.” (Barclay)” “d. Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground: Jesus seemed to do everything He could to calm the excitement and tension at the scene, probably out of concern for the woman’s dignity and safety. Again, Jesus wrote on the ground. i. He didn’t stare down the accusing men in an act of intimidation. Jesus did everything in this situation to make things less tense, not more tense. He did not try to change them through intimidation. ii. Jesus continued to care about the shame of the woman and did what He could to ease it. Shame may serve a helpful purpose, but God never intended it to be a permanent condition.” enduringword.com The most interesting possibility, imo, is that Jesus Christ was sending a subtle message that He was God, referencing how God twice used His finger to write the Ten Commandments upon stone tablets. God had to do it twice because Moses broke the first set of tablets, the account of which appears in Exodus chapter 32: “And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.” (Exodus 32:15-23) Here’s a commentary that includes the possibility that Jesus twice wrote on the ground as a reference to Him twice writing the Ten Commandments: “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 soon to 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 accused Him 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’ ‘finger of God’ language indicated that He was the same God who wrote the Law on the stone tablets and was therefore God Himself.” www.crosswalk.com
coram_deo 25-Jul-21, 06:02	Received this devotional today (7/25) from Joseph Prince Ministries. Now I remember where I first heard the explanation (that I believe) for what Jesus Christ was writing on the ground in the Gospel of John chapter 8. It was from Pastor Joseph Prince’s book, “100 Days of Right Believing,” which I read several months ago. I highly recommend that book and even more highly recommend “Destined to Reign,” which also was written by Pastor Prince and which I read after “100 Days of Right Believing.” Here is the devotional I received via e-mail today, which is from Pastor Prince’s book, “100 Days of Right Believing.” “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:13–14 - JULY 25 - GOD’S PERFECT LAW PERFECTLY FULFILLED When we consider the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8, interestingly, the Bible is silent on what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger in response to the Pharisees on the matter (John 8:6). But I believe that when He stooped down, He was writing the Law of Moses. I have been to Jerusalem many times. During one of my visits many years ago to the temple precinct where Jesus would have met this woman, the Lord opened my eyes to see that the floor of the temple precinct was made of hard cobblestone. This means Jesus was not writing on soil. He was writing with His finger on stone. Then, in a flash, I saw that Jesus was writing the law on stone. He was effectively saying to the Pharisees, “You presume to teach Me about the Law of Moses? I am He who wrote the law.” Jesus wrote twice on the ground with His finger, thus completing the typology, as we know that God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger twice. The first set of the Ten Commandments was destroyed by Moses when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. God then wrote another set on stones and gave it to Moses for it to be placed under the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant. I had never heard anyone preach this before—it was a fresh revelation straight from heaven. I love it when the Lord opens my eyes to see His grace! Do you know why it’s so exciting to know what Jesus wrote on the ground that day? It’s so significant because it shows us that the very author of God’s perfect law does not use the law to judge and condemn us today. And it’s not because God simply decided to be merciful on us. No! It’s because Jesus Himself fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf and took upon Himself every curse and stroke of punishment for our sins on His own body at the cross. We are forgiven because He was judged. We are accepted because He was condemned! Whatever your challenge today, your answer is found in receiving a fresh revelation of how much you are forgiven in Christ. This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.”

From

Message

coram_deo
19-Jul-21, 09:59

What Did Jesus Write On The Ground?

In this passage from the Gospel of John, Jesus twice writes on the ground, though what He writes is never stated.

“Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

(John 8:1-11)

Here is David Guzik’s commentary on the question of what Jesus was writing on the ground (which leaves out what I think is the most interesting possibility.)

“b. Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger: This was a careful and deliberate response from Jesus. Instead of making an immediate verbal response He stooped down. Then He wrote on the ground with His finger, presumably in the dirt on the ground.

i. Stooped down indicates humility. Jesus didn’t react with anger or immediate outrage. He didn’t scream at the woman or those who brought the woman. Jesus paused and stooped down.

ii. Stooped down is a low posture, identifying with the humiliation of the woman. Jesus did what He could to identify with, care for, and ease the embarrassment of this woman. One may say this story illustrates the great problem: how can God show love and grace to the sinner without being unjust, without breaking His own law? He does it by first identifying with the sinner in their low condition.

iii. Wrote on the ground means that Jesus could write, and that He wrote in the presence of the woman and these men. What Jesus wrote has been an endless source of speculation for teachers, preachers, and commentators.

· Some think that Jesus simply doodled in the dirt. The verb translated wrote could also mean, “to draw.” (Morris)

· Some think Jesus simply stalled for time.

· Some think that Jesus wrote the passage in the law that condemned the adulterous woman.

· Some think Jesus wrote out a passage like Exodus 23:1: Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

· Some think that Jesus wrote the names of the accusers.

· Some think that Jesus wrote the sins of the accusers.

· Some think that Jesus followed Roman judicial practice and wrote out His sentence before He said it.

iv. “The normal Greek word for to write is graphein; but here the word used is katagrapheini, which can mean to write down a record against someone.” (Barclay)”

“d. Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground: Jesus seemed to do everything He could to calm the excitement and tension at the scene, probably out of concern for the woman’s dignity and safety. Again, Jesus wrote on the ground.

i. He didn’t stare down the accusing men in an act of intimidation. Jesus did everything in this situation to make things less tense, not more tense. He did not try to change them through intimidation.

ii. Jesus continued to care about the shame of the woman and did what He could to ease it. Shame may serve a helpful purpose, but God never intended it to be a permanent condition.”

enduringword.com

The most interesting possibility, imo, is that Jesus Christ was sending a subtle message that He was God, referencing how God twice used His finger to write the Ten Commandments upon stone tablets. God had to do it twice because Moses broke the first set of tablets, the account of which appears in Exodus chapter 32:

“And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”

(Exodus 32:15-23)

Here’s a commentary that includes the possibility that Jesus twice wrote on the ground as a reference to Him twice writing the Ten Commandments:

“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 soon to 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 accused Him 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’ ‘finger of God’ language indicated that He was the same God who wrote the Law on the stone tablets and was therefore God Himself.”

www.crosswalk.com

coram_deo
25-Jul-21, 06:02

Received this devotional today (7/25) from Joseph Prince Ministries. Now I remember where I first heard the explanation (that I believe) for what Jesus Christ was writing on the ground in the Gospel of John chapter 8. It was from Pastor Joseph Prince’s book, “100 Days of Right Believing,” which I read several months ago. I highly recommend that book and even more highly recommend “Destined to Reign,” which also was written by Pastor Prince and which I read after “100 Days of Right Believing.”

Here is the devotional I received via e-mail today, which is from Pastor Prince’s book, “100 Days of Right Believing.”

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 2:13–14

- JULY 25 -
GOD’S PERFECT LAW PERFECTLY FULFILLED

When we consider the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8, interestingly, the Bible is silent on what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger in response to the Pharisees on the matter (John 8:6). But I believe that when He stooped down, He was writing the Law of Moses.

I have been to Jerusalem many times. During one of my visits many years ago to the temple precinct where Jesus would have met this woman, the Lord opened my eyes to see that the floor of the temple precinct was made of hard cobblestone. This means Jesus was not writing on soil. He was writing with His finger on stone.

Then, in a flash, I saw that Jesus was writing the law on stone. He was effectively saying to the Pharisees, “You presume to teach Me about the Law of Moses? I am He who wrote the law.” Jesus wrote twice on the ground with His finger, thus completing the typology, as we know that God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger twice.

The first set of the Ten Commandments was destroyed by Moses when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. God then wrote another set on stones and gave it to Moses for it to be placed under the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant.

I had never heard anyone preach this before—it was a fresh revelation straight from heaven. I love it when the Lord opens my eyes to see His grace!

Do you know why it’s so exciting to know what Jesus wrote on the ground that day? It’s so significant because it shows us that the very author of God’s perfect law does not use the law to judge and condemn us today. And it’s not because God simply decided to be merciful on us. No!

It’s because Jesus Himself fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf and took upon Himself every curse and stroke of punishment for our sins on His own body at the cross. We are forgiven because He was judged. We are accepted because He was condemned!

Whatever your challenge today, your answer is found in receiving a fresh revelation of how much you are forgiven in Christ.

This devotional is taken from the book 100 Days of Right Believing—Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing.”

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