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NASB | John 8:6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 8:6 They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. |
Subject: What did Jesus write on the ground |
Bible Note: We should let the scriptures interprate scripture. I too have heard from some that he wrote thier sins before thier eyes in the dust. But this cannot be true. It is the devil who is the accuser of the bretheren.Not God(see Job)Therefore he accused NO ONE. Moreover He himself said I came not to condemn the world that the world through me might be saved. How can he then have condemned them and still kept true to his calling? You are right to consider the begining of the thing. But first consider the place. In the temple teaching. We could even go back further to the verse before the chapter.They all went back to thier homes.First verse next chapter has Him spending the time alone with God in the mountain. Sometimes we have to sacrafice our sleep to face the challenge of the coming day. Has any one seen the film 'The getaway' with steve Mcqueen. near the end of the film Slim pickens the driver of the van is faced with a dilema. and he crouches down and writes with a stick in the dust before he comes to a decision. he gave himself time to think. It is a natural thing that man does often in times of crisis. I do not beleieve though that the Lord doodled while he thought. First he wrote "with his finger" I can think of three other ocasions whern the finger of God is mentioned. Writing the ten commandments on the tablest of STONE. The finger of mans hand on the PLASTER at Belthezzars feast. The cry of the egyptians when they saw the demonstation of GODS POWER as recognising GODS finger in it. and jesus who said "If I by the finger of God do cast out devils know this the kingdom of God is come night unto thee" In all but one we are talkign about judgement. the One other are the tem commandemnts.The LAW. he wrote in the DUST. I do not presume to think what was on His mind.yet does not the Spirit of God know the mind of God? It says he wrote in the DUST. "God knows our frame we are but dust." "If God should mark iniquity who could stand?" Moreover no matter how deep the dust you probe dust is all you will find. I do not think that is far off the mark. But there is more to this. Why did He not answer? There are a number of times when he did not asnwer questions put to him. King Saul and hEROD FOR TWO. Its a terrible thing when God is no longer is striving with a man."For I will not always says the Lord" But there was also the seraphonecian women.The gentile .But that was to draw her out into and upon a more certain ground upon which to recieve that which he desired to give her. Consider then the place he was teaching in the temple. Did they wait for a proper time and ask respectfully for a moment? I dont think so.But charged right in and set her down in the midst as a spectacle. It is worth comparing Josephs thoughts concernING Mary. and these mens thoughts with this woman. I beleive that He gave them BOTH time. To consider WHY they were there and WHAT had brought them there. Even as a distinct possability is that he also gave Himself time to consider why he was there and from wence he came. Consider the woman. Caught in the act,Doomed! Yet not her lover! she must have been outraged with rightous indignation for a moment.But as she was dragged through the streets clothed for 'decencies' sake but probably not enough not to draw a crowd she would have begun to look for mercy and found none.By the time she was "put in the midst" she was as good as dead and looking at no one.But when she heard no answer even at the insistance of her accusers hope must have been born in her heart.and she began to THINK!To consider the hows and the wherefors.Here you could compare the theif on the cross who also was given time to think"! HOW HE HAD GOT there and where he had come from.He too came to the right conclusion and called Him Lord.So too did the woman.But seeing that the accusers still sought to be justyfied by the law he rose up and answered them according to the law .NOTE he accused NO ONE.For the law states that "the accusers must cast the first stone."But romans states that the law is to coinvict of sin not to make rightous.They then who sought to be justyfied by the law were answered by the law and thus convicted of sin in thier own hearts and went away. Thus jesus said "I am the light of the world" The woman got light the accusers went away into darkness. Grace and the LAW manifested to perfection. gerald |