Two Powerful Thoughts on John 8

On Sunday, we went over to visit Summit Church in Orlando again. The topic was John 8:1-11 and I was specifically thankful for two perspectives that I gained on this passage, specifically around Jesus "writing in the sand" when the scribes and leaders bring the woman to him who has been caught in adultery.

"Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  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. 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.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 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?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” "

One: In New King James, there's a statement that doesn't appear in any of the other translations. Verse 6 says, "Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear." The teacher at Summit reminded us that these scribes and Pharisees were basically barging in on Jesus' teaching- with this added section it seems that Jesus has good boundaries as a teacher. He's not going to let anyone interrupt His teaching- especially not those who are simply trying to trip him up.

Two: By responding in this way- bending over and writing on the ground- Jesus diffuses all attention from the woman in question and places it on Himself. That may seem trite, but when we consider that this woman was probably standing there naked- or barely covered since she had literally been "caught in the act"- we're dealing with a lot of shame and exposure. When the men came in pointing fingers at the woman, trying to get Jesus' take on the matter, He calmly takes the focus onto himself and spares her from the limelight.

I think this is a good metaphor for the entire human condition. There's an accuser who wants to shame us and use us to trip up others, and then there's Jesus who refuses to play into the accusations, and calmly takes the focus onto himself and diffuses the enemy's tricks. The sin is never sidestepped or excused- it's called out and exposed for what it is- but the end result is redemption rather than shame and condemnation.