Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
John 8:6b
John 8 opens with the Pharisees staging what they believe is a clever trap. They really think they’ve got Jesus this time. They haul in a woman accused of adultery and thrust her before Jesus and the group in the temple court. Quoting the Levitical law that demands stoning for adultery, they sneeringly bark out to Jesus, “…Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (The text doesn’t say they bark out the words with a sneer, but that’s how I picture it playing out.)
If He doesn’t agree to stone her, He is failing to keep the Levitical law. But if He does say to stone her, He gets in trouble with the Romans because they are the governing authorities and only they can issue death sentences. It would also undermine His message of love and forgiveness. Jesus has been hanging out with sinners and if He goes on record by condemning one, His message will be discredited.
The whole episode seems questionable. First of all, both the law and logic say it takes TWO to commit adultery. Where’s the guy? Then there’s the mean-spirited public way they handle this. It’s all done for the purpose of trying to trap Jesus.
This is Jesus! Do they really think they are able to outwit HIM?
Have you ever been in what seems to be an impossible situation? Stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place? Have you ever been placed on the hot seat – someone ever set you up for embarrassment? Have you ever been in a situation where you feel trapped – where you are in trouble no matter which way you choose?
Let’s see how Jesus responds.
The Pharisees are staging a spectacle. I picture the scene with a lot of emotion, a lot of loud voices, words of condemnation. Outrage. Meanness. Yelling. And a crowd looking on watching it unfold like a made-for-TV drama.
But Jesus refuses to jump in the ring with them. He doesn’t play their game.
We see a huge contrast between their behavior and his. Calmness. Patience. Peace. All seem to describe the attitude and countenance of our Lord. He seems un-phased by their demands. He’s just calmly writing in the dirt with his finger. (Lots of conjecture on the part of theologians through the years about what He was writing, but since the text doesn’t tell us, we can’t know for sure.)
Perhaps He was giving time…allowing for emotions to settle and tempers to recede.
They tried to illicit a response from Him but He didn’t cooperate.
Have you ever been in a situation where you responded badly? Can you remember a time you allowed the behavior of someone else to bring out the worst in you? All of us can probably think of a situation that we regret. A situation where we would like a do-over. (Maybe even one from this very week!)
Whether it was a whiny two-year-old throwing a tantrum, a mouthy teenager demonstrating disrespect, a critical mother or mother in law, or maybe a rude waitress or a customer service person that was not only not helpful but right-down mean.
If our responses are dependent upon the behaviors of those we are responding to…then that means we are more controlled by a two-year old or a teenager or a waitress than by the Spirit of God living in us.
The behavior of others should not affect the way we respond.
I’ve gotten it wrong enough times that I know from where I speak. It’s a lesson I’ve learned and re-learned and then I find myself in remedial class again and again. Who controls the child of God?
In movies, they keep doing “re-takes” until they get it right. And in life, God often offers new opportunities for us to live out the truth we are learning. The Christian life is not about always getting it right, but owning up to it when we get it wrong. Sometimes our assignment is to go back and make it right. Own it. Apologize for it. Receive forgiveness and move on.
Jesus modeled incredible self-control, patience, and godliness in a time He was being set up. Next time someone sets us up (or pushes our buttons), maybe taking some time (or writing in the dirt) before responding would be a good plan.
Here’s the link to the complete teaching lecture covering this passage:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/the-gospel-of-john-chapter-8lesson-8/
Photo attribution: https://boldlyproclaimingchrist.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/writingindirt.jpg
