Jesus Stooped Down And Wrote In The Dust . . .

[Oneofhope]

Does anyone have any interesting ideas as to what Jesus may have written?

John 8:6 NLT - "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."

All ideas are welcome, bickering and fighting is not.

Thanks!

 

[RandyPNW]

Some have claimed the earliest manuscripts may not have included this passage, or at least part of it. But let's assume it was there. I would suggest that Jesus was setting up a record of how people wished to judge the woman.

 

[Oneofhope]

Some have claimed the earliest manuscripts may not have included this passage, or at least part of it. But let's assume it was there. I would suggest that Jesus was setting up a record of how people wished to judge the woman.

Right!

Can you imagine seeing your name written in the sand with a couple gnarly things written about you? lol I'd walk away too.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Some have claimed the earliest manuscripts may not have included this passage, or at least part of it. But let's assume it was there. I would suggest that Jesus was setting up a record of how people wished to judge the woman.

That's fairy popular theory. It certainly carries a lot more significance than the idea it was just random doodling.

 

[RandyPNW]

That's fairy popular theory. It certainly carries a lot more significance than the idea it was just random doodling.

I generally make my deductions based on more explicit content, such as if the Scriptures themselves tell us what Jesus wrote. But since I was asked, I'm left guessing.

I don't think Jesus would doodle, since he had limited time in his life. He wouldn't at any rate doodle at such an important moment in the woman's life. They were looking for something wrong in him, and doodling might be viewed as "wrong" at that moment?

Since people quickly left after Jesus' challenge, I suspect what Jesus wrote was threatening to them all. If it was a secret, perhaps it could expose what these men themselves were all about?

 

[Oneofhope]

I generally make my deductions based on more explicit content, such as if the Scriptures themselves tell us what Jesus wrote. But since I was asked, I'm left guessing.

I don't think Jesus would doodle, since he had limited time in his life. He wouldn't at any rate doodle at such an important moment in the woman's life. They were looking for something wrong in him, and doodling might be viewed as "wrong" at that moment?

Since people quickly left after Jesus' challenge, I suspect what Jesus wrote was threatening to them all. If it was a secret, perhaps it could expose what these men themselves were all about?

Wow, I love this. Especially . . .

"They were looking for something wrong in him, and doodling might be viewed as "wrong" at that moment?"

To me, that seems extremely insightful. You're right . . . to ignore those leaders may have even been considered a sinful thing to do according to the Father. Even if not, they would have certainly taken an offense.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Does anyone have any interesting ideas as to what Jesus may have written?

John 8:6 NLT - "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."

All ideas are welcome, bickering and fighting is not.

Thanks!

Father, thy will be done.
M.H.O.
Blessings

 

[Bob Crowley]

The writer of the Gospel of John didn't say what Christ was writing in the dust as he didn't know. While I subscribe to the theory He was "writing" the sins of the accusers, the only person who could "read" what he was writing at any one time was the single person whose sins Christ was referring to. That's why they left one by one.

To any other onlooker it would have been mere "doodling" as described.

It was sleight of hand like the walk to Emmaus when the two disciples were kept from recognising who they were talking to until Christ had finished His message, or the time the crowd had been going to throw Him over a cliff and He just slipped out of their grasp.

Christ wasn't going to His death at the hands of an unruly mob. He wanted both the religious authorities and the state involved.

 

[Oneofhope]

Father, thy will be done.
M.H.O.
Blessings

That is a great, great possibility! Love it.

 

[Oneofhope]

The writer of the Gospel of John didn't say what Christ was writing in the dust as he didn't know. While I subscribe to the theory He was "writing" the sins of the accusers, the only person who could "read" what he was writing at any one time was the single person whose sins Christ was referring to. That's why they left one by one.

To any other onlooker it would have been mere "doodling" as described.

It was sleight of hand like the walk to Emmaus when the two disciples were kept from recognising who they were talking to until Christ had finished His message, or the time the crowd had been going to throw Him over a cliff and He just slipped out of their grasp.

Christ wasn't going to His death at the hands of an unruly mob. He wanted both the religious authorities and the state involved.

I love this! And thank you for sending me on a journey to Emmaus. I went back and read the entire story. I love how God shows Himself to be Sovereign and in control over what humans are allowed to see, hear, and understand.

Great post, and thank you for your offering.

 

[Reluctant Theologian]

Does anyone have any interesting ideas as to what Jesus may have written?

John 8:6 NLT - "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."

All ideas are welcome, bickering and fighting is not.

Thanks!

The best and quite satisfying explanation is related to the Court procedure of the day and the passage in Jeremiah 17:13 ; an excellent overview of that explanation can be found at:

What Did Jesus REALLY Write in the Sand?

Enjoy reading ! (disclaimer: I'm not the author ... )

 

[BPPLEE]

Does anyone have any interesting ideas as to what Jesus may have written?

John 8:6 NLT - "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger."

All ideas are welcome, bickering and fighting is not.

Thanks!

He could have wrote “Where is the man who was with this woman?”

 

[Oneofhope]

The best and quite satisfying explanation is related to the Court procedure of the day and the passage in Jeremiah 17:13 ; an excellent overview of that explanation can be found at:

What Did Jesus REALLY Write in the Sand?

Enjoy reading ! (disclaimer: I'm not the author ... )

Thank you!

 

[Oneofhope]

He could have wrote “Where is the man who was with this woman?”

LOL . . . maybe they were all her clients. I shouldn't laugh.

 

[Oneofhope]

I'm still laughing. haha

 

[ralliann]

The best and quite satisfying explanation is related to the Court procedure of the day and the passage in Jeremiah 17:13 ; an excellent overview of that explanation can be found at:

What Did Jesus REALLY Write in the Sand?

Enjoy reading ! (disclaimer: I'm not the author ... )

Interesting post. Thank you. Could you please cite where we can find this oral law?

 

[Jimmy It]

"She's beautiful to me, and I love her."

 

[Reluctant Theologian]

Interesting post. Thank you. Could you please cite where we can find this oral law?

Good question, but a very completed answer; for starters read the Wiki article:

Oral Torah - Wikipedia

Traditionally of course 'oral' means verbal/non-written, but over time oral traditions have been codified; in the article you can find the names/sources for these. In Rabbinical Judaism the Oral Law is considered to be of divine origin; but I think Yeshua disagreed with that; still, knowing traditions/customs of the time provides a context for understanding - that is still valuable.

 

[ralliann]

The best and quite satisfying explanation is related to the Court procedure of the day and the passage in Jeremiah 17:13 ; an excellent overview of that explanation can be found at:

What Did Jesus REALLY Write in the Sand?

Enjoy reading ! (disclaimer: I'm not the author ... )

The article appears to me to being confusin or mixing Two different procedures to establish conviction.
1.) One of a jealous husband no stoning, and the other 2.) with witnesses.

So, far the only thing I can find is the "Sotah", of a jealous husband without witnesses. The ritual is: Her husband brings her to the priest, he takes her into the temple before the Lord. The ritual involves the dust of the temple floor, mixed with water called "bitter water" that causes the curse if guilty. The water also blots out the writing. The priest first uncovers here head, and charges here with oath . He then writes the curse of the oath in a book, or is translated "evidence" / bill etc. is sometimes used instead. The priest then tells her what will happen if she is guilty, she responds amen. The husband is innocent in this ritual.
The rabbinic Idea his conscience concerning her is abated by the ritual.
I also found the Rabbi's did modify what was considered sufficient evidence to bring a woman. If he had warned her concerning a suspected man. it was sufficient for Adultery to be charged. Note a "suspected man". What strictures were placed upon her concerning him by here husband? Talking? Laughing? eating with? I do not know. He is merely a "suspect", with regard to his wife.
So, yes, the Rabbis did modify things. There was no need to bring the man in this case, as it was motivated by the husbands jealousy. And the Priest bringing her before the Lord to witness for conviction of guilt. Her belly swell and thigh to rot.
It is interesting that the Greek translates bitter water as water of conviction.
with witnesses to be stoned.....
With witnesses. (2)
As we can see Jesus warned those who would be witnesses. There were not any lawful witnesses. They were unwilling to cast the first stone, as the witnesses doing so first was to kill the person. The rest just piled on symbolically. It was a trap.
This was by design since if the witnesses lied, they themselves were guilty of the same punishment they inflicted.

 

[BPPLEE]

The article appears to me to being confusin or mixing Two different procedures to establish conviction.
1.) One of a jealous husband no stoning, and the other 2.) with witnesses.

So, far the only thing I can find is the "Sotah", of a jealous husband without witnesses. The ritual is: Her husband brings her to the priest, he takes her into the temple before the Lord. The ritual involves the dust of the temple floor, mixed with water called "bitter water" that causes the curse if guilty. The water also blots out the writing. The priest first uncovers here head, and charges here with oath . He then writes the curse of the oath in a book, or is translated "evidence" / bill etc. is sometimes used instead. The priest then tells her what will happen if she is guilty, she responds amen. The husband is innocent in this ritual.
The rabbinic Idea his conscience concerning her is abated by the ritual.
I also found the Rabbi's did modify what was considered sufficient evidence to bring a woman. If he had warned her concerning a suspected man. it was sufficient for Adultery to be charged. Note a "suspected man". What strictures were placed upon her concerning him by here husband? Talking? Laughing? eating with? I do not know. He is merely a "suspect", with regard to his wife.
So, yes, the Rabbis did modify things. There was no need to bring the man in this case, as it was motivated by the husbands jealousy. And the Priest bringing her before the Lord to witness for conviction of guilt. Her belly swell and thigh to rot.
It is interesting that the Greek translates bitter water as water of conviction.
with witnesses to be stoned.....
With witnesses. (2)
As we can see Jesus warned those who would be witnesses. There were not any lawful witnesses. They were unwilling to cast the first stone, as the witnesses doing so first was to kill the person. The rest just piled on symbolically. It was a trap.
This was by design since if the witnesses lied, they themselves were guilty of the same punishment they inflicted.

Bible Gateway passage: Numbers 5:11-31 - New International Version

The Test for an Unfaithful Wife - Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no...

www.biblegateway.com

The NIV is the one of the few that mention a miscarriage. Others say her thigh will rot or her uterus will drop.