Q3. Writing in the Dust

[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

[SoiKosum]

(John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation? 

 

It is not stated in the Bible about what Jesus wrote on the ground. In any case, the content is not important. Instead, His act of writing on the ground served to let His words sink into the crowd which brought the prostitute. It was also probably for other people who were present to consider the charge and His reply. 

[pickledilly]

I used to think Jesus was probably writing pertinent Laws the religious leaders were violating or personal secret things that convicted them as they read His words.  Now I’m not sure that was even necessary, as I’ve understood that His insistence that the first stones be thrown by someone without sin may have been directed to a leadership that was corrupt with the same sin.  They would have completely gotten His unstated point as He invited any sinless eye-witness to step forward.  So the action of His writing may have been more effective than the actual content of His writing.  It stilled the volatile moment and shifted the spotlight onto these corrupt men who perverted God's justice.  He silently forced a pause while they awaited His answer, and then awaited their response after they heard it (vs.8).  What a lesson to calmly seek the Spirit’s words and beware of being a hot-head!

[Delivered]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground?

I do not have a clue to what he wrote, but I do know, God’s word is all powerful and able to change a person.

 

Q4. Was the content of his writing important to the story?

The writing of God’s word is an all powerful source, and yes, I do believe it was of great importance.

 

Q5. What effect did this have on the situation?

The effect was seen in these men as the Bible tells us they were “convicted” and had to leave, in a way they saw “the writing on the wall”.

[JanMary]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground?

 

Jesus was given words of knowledge from His Father...so He knew it was a set up, and knew who in the crowd had done what....I think He knelt down and wrote the laws which the individuals had broken most recently....to pierce their conscience. When some left, he knelt down and wrote again, which was probably more specific laws broken pertaining to the men still lingering at the scene.

 

I mentioned in another question that even in his dealing with these sinful men,  He spared them the humiliation of "calling them out"  individually and naming their sins.

 

In writing in the dust on the cobblestones in the courtyard, He was demonstrating that He is the great I AM who first wrote the 10 Commandments on stone, given to Moses....but doubt that any of them made the connection, in their zeal to try to trap Him. He was also pointing to the dust with which they were familiar, as having been created from but they were blind to the fact that His powerful finger was Co-Creator "In the beginning"...but lovely for us to see.

 

Was the content of his writing important to the story?

 

Apparently not, since it wasn't included...but makes for interesting speculation. The point is, that whatever He wrote, they hung their heads in shame and defeat and departed.

 

What effect did this have on the situation?

 

It resolved it brilliantly! I love that God gets victory always even after it seems like Satan has the upper hand or has won. (like on the Cross!) That knowledge has been so helpful in my life when it looks like there is no way out and it's all over....then He opens the door of escape and of victory. How I love and praise Him!!!

[Clarence]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

 

Whatever he wrote perhaps it served to reinforce what he was about to say. It may well have been a poignant moment as the hate filled accusers, left without saying anything after Jesus spoke to them.

[blezed]

(John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?    

• We don't really know why Jesus wrote in the ground.  Any reason given would be speculation.   The contents of what he wrote was not important to the story.  If it was important, we would have been told what was written.  The effect of his writing in the ground gave the Pharisee's an opportunity to think about the situation.      

[haar]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

 

Jesus wrote on the ground to allow their charges to sink into the minds of everyone present.

 

If the content of what he wrote was significant, it would have been revealed/ documented.

 

The effect of his writing on the ground had on the situation was that it allowed enough time for everyone to consider the case and they were able to see that their conspiracy has been exposed.

 

 

 

 

[Jen]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

 

I have often thought about this.  Maybe we will find out someday from Him.  There could be many reasons.  One to bide time to  to give everyone time  to think about what is going on.  We are so quick to find fault with others (we who have so much sin ourselves), maybe a moment of sadness in Jesus as he views our hard unrepentant hearts, our hateful dark hearts.  Maybe to show the accusers he is bored with them, maybe time to give them more room to hang themselves which they did quite easily.  Since we don't know a jot of His thoughts maybe something we haven't even considered, never even entered our small, measly, biased, sin darkened thought train.

 

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

[lighthouse2014]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

What Jesus wrote or drew on the ground was probably something to make the false accusers think of what they were trying pull off by tricking Jesus.

What Jesus wrote on the ground probably had no importance to the false accusers against the women being accused of adultery.

What he drew on the ground must have given the accusers plenty of time to think of what they were doing.  

[hanks]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) 

Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? 

Was the content of His writing important to the story? 

What effect did this have on the situation?

I feel that the fact that Jesus did not immediately reply, and that He took His time by writing on the ground with His finger, was a gesture which helped to increase the tension of the moment. At the same time it would also emphasize His reply. One commentator feels that Jesus elsewhere uses the image of “the finger of God” (Luke 11:20) to refer to His exercise of Divine authority. Also, it was with “God’s finger” that the law had been written on the tablets of stone at Sinai (Exodus 32:16). However, I don’t think the content of His writing is important to the story. If it was it would have been included in Scripture. What is more important is that Jesus’ words are clear enough: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

 

[quilter]

1. Maybe names of the ones gathered around Bible don't say but it let others know that He was onto them

2.It help old and young to look at their sins. I think that is why all started leaving because none was without sin.

[royk]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

 

Jesus, the most wise, the most loving and just, wanted to give people time to reflect on the situation. A human life was at stake. His respect for the law was challenged. He took time to show that He was serious about this precious life at risk, and that He also would not give a quick answer which could have been easy to do.

 

It was his at of writing, not the content. Was his finger retracing the 10 commandments as God had done to Moses? We don't know, and can only imagine. It got the full attention of the people who waited for His reply. It cause everyone there to take time and reflect on what he said after he stopped writing. It cause them to realize they were, as individuals, in no position to judge this woman. They couldn't justify taking her life it this false "set up" designed to trap Jesus and discredit him. Her life was no better or worse than those who asked for a judgement from Jesus.

[RebeccaMallinson]

I have no idea why or what Jesus wrote on the ground, but like Dr Ralph I don't think it can have been important.  Maybe it was to allow time for reflection or to quietly focus the scene on him rather than the noisy accusers.  If so, his tactic worked.

[PeteD]

Since we are not told what Jesus was writing in the sand, if anything, we can only speculate. I think he most likely was purposefully giving the accusers some time to think about what they were doing and giving them time to examine their conscience.

[grace2free]

Q3. (John 8:3-8)

Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground?

We don't know. Only the Lord knows.

 

Was the content of his writing important to the story?

If it had been important to the story, surely we would have been told.

 

What effect did this have on the situation?

Usually accusers are excited and they might thought they can catch Jesus in their trap. Jesus let the gravity of the situation sink in.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

(John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

It is uncertain whether Jesus was merely ignoring the accusers by writing on the ground, listing their sins, or writing out the Ten Commandments.

 

The fine balance effected the situation Jesus achieved with his simple reply accomplished several things: (1) It upheld the Law of Moses, (2) it required the accusers to take action to carry out the law, (3) it pointed to their culpability as prejudiced, evil witnesses in this case, and (4) it may have prevented a "lynching" in this woman's case. This is a good example of a "word of wisdom" (1 Corinthians 12:8).

[JoanG]

I believe that Jesus wrote on the ground just as God wrote on the stones that were given to Moses. I want to believe that Jesus might have used the Mosaic Law to prove his point. I feel that these words diffused the situation and caused the people not to challenge him. He was able to make his point without having to say a word. He caused the crowd to examine their own heart and soul at that moment.

[Joe_Applegarth]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?
 

There’s no way to know for sure why He wrote on the ground but there’s a lot of symbolism at work here.  One reason that He did what He did could be that, under Jewish law, the priest was required to stoop down and write in the dust of the temple floor the law that had been broken and the names of the accused.  In point of fact, he could write the law and the names anywhere as long as it wasn’t permanent.  Since they were almost always in the temple, the dust on the floor was typically where they did their writing.  I believe that by doing what He did, Jesus was showing the accusers that even though they weren’t abiding by Mosiac law, He would.

 

Jeremiah 17:13 also provides a possible glimpse into why our Lord did what he did as well.  “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.”  The Hebrew translation is as follows: "Oh YHVH, the Immerser of Israel, all those who leave your way shall be put to shame, those who turn aside from my ways will have their names written in the dust and blotted out, for they have departed from YHVH, the fountain of Mayim Hayim (the waters of life).."  The passage in Jeremiah is an OT prophecy of what Jesus would do when He came - and in John 8, this is Jesus fulfilling that prophecy.

 

These scribes and Pharisees were proud men filled with hypocrisy and prejudice who were trying to please, what they believed to be, a very demanding god. In truth, I think they knew in their hearts that the charges were contrived and I don’t believe that THEY really wanted to cast the stone.  They wanted Jesus to condemn her, in order to shame and discredit him!  These men were the elite, the teachers and interpreters of the law and they had just been thoroughly humiliated by this humble preacher from Galilee.  They refused to believe that this man was the promised Messiah and I believe that in their hearts they knew they were wrong and their consciences simply got the best of them.  Instead of admitting their trespass and accepting Jesus for who He was and asking His forgiveness, they simply dropped their stones and left in shame.

 

[Old Jerry]

Jesus probably wrote on the ground in order to kill time and to get the accusers to think about what they were doing. I don’t think that the writing was important to the story otherwise it would have been included in the story. The effect was that it slowed down the process and let everybody think about what they were doing.

[Godswriter]

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation?

I believe He wrote on the ground in order to make them wait for His response to questions they were asking Him. He already knew it was a trap or a setup. He intentionally was making them wait by writing on the ground. I don't believe the content was important. The effect was to slow down what was going down and caused the accusers to think over their actions when they were told that he who was without sin had to throw the 1st stone. 

[Paula Price]

Thank you Joe Apple-Garth for your insight into this mystery!!  I often wondered as many do on what Jesus was writing on the ground during this scripture.  We are not to  wonder or cast our own opinions on things spiritual.  We are to use the bible to find answers to our questions on all things concerning our faith. I do not always have the actual scripture reference to my comments but I have read them and make my comments according to what I have read In the bible.  We do know that Jesus always quoted the old Testament, therefor Him writing on the floor would fulfill the prophecy of Jeremiah 17:13. Jesus did everything according to what the Father instructed him to do.  He told the religious leaders often and in every circumstance where He was questioned that he came to fulfil the prophecy of the Old Testament because they spoke of Him.  Yes , of course the contents of what he wrote was important, even if we do not know what it was .  The effect it had is evident. The accusers dropped their stones and left.  Everything Jesus did is important and with reason.  It was the will of His father that He did all things.  Jeremiah 17:13 says....." they who depart from me shall be written in the dust""........ Jesus was writing the names of those unbelievers, those who were also sinners, judging this woman...... He was fulfilling the Law of Moses,  and showing mercy and grace of forgiveness....the old way leading into the new way.

[Jonathan Edwards]

What Christ wrote on the ground could have been a prayer, names of those who He knew that were hypocrites that were accusing this woman.   Christ didn't want to engage in the foul moral atmosphere around him. He stooped to the ground in silent contempt and of inward and holy disgust of the hypocrisy round about him.

The accusers shrank in his presence from asserting their sinlessness.  Whatever Christ wrote on the ground must have pricked their hearts.   Christ maintained his composure during this time.   It was a sure time of grace !   Their consciences were convicted.   The woman's seducer was absent;  the crowd failed in this respect, they didn't haul in the immoral man.

I am reminded of the seven thunders that uttered their voices (Revelation 10:3-4).   Apostle John was commanded to seal up the those things that the seven thunders uttered.   A mystery for it is not revealed (Deuteronomy 29:29).

[Irmela]

Q3. (John 8:3-8)

Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground?  The answer of Joe Applegarth is amazing. That sounds very feasible if that is what actually happened.  I can only say WOW!!

Was the content of his writing important to the story?  I do think the content was very important to the accusers, else they would not all have left the scene.  

What effect did this have on the situation?  The fact that Jesus did not immediately give a verbal response to their question on what His sentence on the woman was, but instead bent down and wrote in the dust showed that Jesus cared deeply (he had mercy) and then only on their persisting with the question did He stand up and say to them, "He who is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone". It made them think about what they were actually doing. It brought them back to the present and stopped the hype of the situation.  (Proverbially it popped the balloon.) It brought everything to a standstill.   To put plainly what was achieved:  Jesus upheld the Law of Moses;  He pointed out to them (without saying it) that they were evil witnesses this time;  He prevented them from killing the woman;  He showed mercy.