And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
Ever since the first time I heard the story of Jesus writing on the ground, I’d wondered, “WHAT DID HE WRITE?” Before pondering this further, it is only right to tell the story first, as it is found in John Chapter 8, starting at verse 1. Here is a portion of the story, with highlights and CAPITALS for emphasis being my own:
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.
When I became born again, I still wondered from time to time what Y’shua had written. I had heard preachers say such things as:
“he was just scribbling, not writing anything in particular”
“we don’t know what he wrote – I don’t think that is the focal point of the story”
“he wrote the names of all the men there and listed their sins beside their names”
I found none of these answers satisfactory. In fact, I was somewhat amazed that no one seemed to have received particular revelation, especially since they were supposed to know such things. I concluded that whatever it was Y’shua wrote, I would just have to wonder about it. So I dropped the matter in my mind, resolving that if God had wanted us to know what Y’shua wrote on the ground, he would have told us.
Not long after, I heard on Christian television the most satisfactory answer I had ever yet heard. Former rocker, Jeff Fenholt, who had starred on Broadway in “Jesus Christ Superstar” and who was now a born again believer, told what he thought Y’shua wrote:
“Where’s the MAN?"
I nearly leapt out of my chair, praising God for this wonderful insight given by Jeff Fenholt! - the only answer I had ever heard that made sense! HALLELUJAH!
In recent years, I’d found myself wanting to know EXACTLY what Y’shua wrote on the ground. And I have found that my best answers come from God himself. So I asked God to tell me, if he would, what exactly Y’shua wrote – and I thanked him by faith, according to James 1:5, 6, for the answer that would come directly from his throne, via the Holy Spirit.
Not long after I was again pondering this matter in my mind when God reminded me of a few things:
FIRST, Y’shua FULFILLED the law.
SECOND, Y’shua IS the law.
THIRD, The LAW is the WORD OF GOD. And
FOURTH, Y’SHUA IS THE WORD OF GOD!
So it became clear what he wrote on the ground: THE LAW OF MOSES! THE LAW!
LEVITICUS 20:10
And THE MAN that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer AND the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
VERSE 11
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: BOTH of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon THEM.
VERSE 12
And if a man lie with his daughter in law, BOTH of them shall surely be put to death: THEY have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon THEM.
Notice the scribes and Pharisees CAUGHT the woman IN THE VERY ACT. God’s law dictates against uncovering the nakedness of ANYONE but your own spouse. So these men had looked upon the nakedness of the woman, and perhaps, of course, the man as well!
Secondly, they indicted themselves by saying to Y’shua, (who IS the law), “MOSES IN THE LAW COMMANDED US.” They were quick to hold God’s Law against someone else, but thought themselves immune to the law! They proved themselves guilty of not obeying the very law they were bringing before the Lord to use against the woman, whom they despised! After all, if she stayed alive, she might TELL on the MAN! Of course they wanted her dead!
Thirdly, in the same way God gave the law to Moses upon two stone tablets, having written the law with his own finger (the finger of God) so Y’shua used his own finger (the finger of God) to write the law on the ground!! Same God, - same finger, - same law! HALLELUJAH!
Fourthly, Y’shua wrote on the ground, lifted himself up to speak to the accusers, and AGAIN he stooped down and wrote on the ground some MORE. Y’shua could have written only the first scripture and stopped there. But then the accusers could have made excuses for the man involved, saying that he hadn’t taken another man’s wife. So Y’shua covered ALL the bases, by continuing to write the law for each scenario of adultery, so that there would be no opportunity for the accusers to justify themselves nor the MAN according to the LAW. It is quite possible that Y’shua chose also to write the law against uncovering the nakedness of another. This would be an airtight case against the accusers, and thus, BY LAW, they should ALL have been stoned!
People must be careful to embrace the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD – not picking and choosing small, non-contextual portions with which to condemn others, while ignoring the rest so as to present themselves blameless. Much like the scribes and Pharisees did in the story above, I have witnessed such abuse and misuse of God’s Law on the part of some to point their Pharasaical fingers at others for sins both real and imagined, while denying any wrongdoing on their own part. This has been done “In the Name of Jesus” –bringing shame upon the name of our LORD, and misrepresenting what God's Word is all about. We need to stay in a state of meekness and humility before the LORD at all times, lest we find THE FINGER OF GOD writing on the ground about us! Or worse yet, POINTING AT US, saying, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
