The Gospel of John is unique, in that there are stories about Jesus that cannot be found in other Gospels, such as the story of Jesus’ turning water into wine in a wedding (John 2), the meetings of Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3), and Jesus and the Samaritan woman in Sychar (John 4).  Another one that can only be found in the Gospel of John is the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8).

John tells us that the incident takes place at the Temple while Jesus is teaching.  The scribes and the Pharisees cannot pick a better time and place to put Jesus on the spot.  They claim that she was caught in the act but what is strange is that they cannot even produce the man who was supposed to be in the same act.  They then ask Jesus what He will do to her, citing the Mosaic Law that requires such an act to be punished by stoning.  Instead of answering them, Jesus stoops down and writes on the ground with His finger, quietly.

We do not know what He wrote.  One Bible commentator believes that He listed all the sins that these accusers had committed.  I think differently.  I believe what He wrote was exactly what He later said to them, ”He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  I believe if what He wrote were different from what He later said, He would have said it because whatever it was, it must be important for them to hear.  I believe that initially He did not wish to say it out loudly; hence, He just wrote it on the ground.  But since they still stood there and refused to budge, He’d to say it to them.

To me this explanation is consistent with the way God deals with us when we sin.  There are times He calls us out loudly but in general He just whispers or writes on the ground for us to read it. He does not like to make noises when He warns us or calls us to repent. So, read His writing and walk away from sin; do not harden our hearts.

Pastor Paul