The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses brought in a woman who had been caught in bed with a man who wasn't her husband. They made her stand in the middle of the crowd. Then they said, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who isn't her husband.
The Law of Moses teaches that a woman like this should be stoned to death! What do you say?”
They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger.
They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!” Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground.
The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone.
Jesus stood up and asked her, “Where is everyone? Isn't there anyone left to accuse you?”
“No sir,” the woman answered.
Then Jesus told her, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore.”
John 8:3-11
Unless I missed something this is the only time the Bible tells about Jesus writing anything. The reaction of those who wanted to stone the woman for her adultery was quick. Apparently, after they saw what Jesus was writing on the ground they began to leave. The oldest left first.
Many years ago I heard someone speculate that Jesus was writing the names of women that these men had been with in an illicit relationship just like the woman they were accusing.
If that is indeed what Jesus wrote then it does make sense of the men leaving one at a time as they saw their own sin penned in the dirt by the finger of Jesus!
When you get into the "I'll point out your sins and persecute you for them" mode remember this story. And when your own sins have been exposed and you are standing there with Jesus alone after everyone else has gone away don't forget what Jesus said to the woman who was caught in the act of adultery.
Whatever it was that Jesus wrote in the dirt, it defused the situation and quieted the accusers who wanted to stone the woman.
The written Word of God will quiet the storm and stop the hand of the angry mob. Insert the Word of God into the next turmoil you encounter and trust God to restore His peace to your heart!
But don't forget the final words to the woman caught in adultery. Jesus said, "Don't sin anymore!" Amen
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