Writing On The Ground

What was Jesus writing on the ground in John 8:6 and again in John 8:8? Of course we know this was a test. Roman law did not permit execution for adultery. 

When they brought the adulteress they did it wrong. Both the man and the woman had to appear and there needed to be two witnesses of which there is no mention. This was a violation of the Oral Law. At the Nicanor gate of the Temple the priest would write on the ground the law that was broken and the names of the accused. This could actually be written anywhere that was not permanent and the ground was a good spot. This is what Jesus did and showed that they were not keeping the law, so he did it. 

This goes deeper when we look at some Jewish history. Every year at Yom Kippur the high priest would immerse in a mikvah (ritual bath) 11 times for a cleansing in between each ceremonial portion of the day's sacrifices. 

At the end of the day there would be a celebration with rejoicing over God having received the sacrifice and their sins pushed forward for another year. At the conclusion of the celebration the high priest would say, "Oh LORD, the Mikveh of Israel...' just as the mikveh (purifying bath) cleansed me on this day, may the Holy One (Messiah), blessed be his name, cleanse all Israel when He comes." Jeremiah 17:13.

Starting at age 12 every Jewish male heard this. A man 60 years old would have heard it 49 times. Remember all males had to by law be in Jerusalem for Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and most came for Yom Kippur anyway because it was only five days before. 

Jeremiah 17:13 says, "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters."

This verse probably came to their mind, most likely starting with the elders, and they filed out leaving only Jesus and the accused woman. 

This verse can be amplified even more to say, "Oh YHVH, the Immerser (BAPTIZER ) of Israel, all those who leave your way shall be put to shame (publicly embarrassed), those who turn aside from my ways will have their names written in the dust and blotted out, for they have departed from YHVH, the fountain of Mayim Hayim (the waters of life)..". 

Jesus gives people a chance to choose the right path as he gave these accusers. They could have just taken the embarrassment and repented but they chose to leave. They rejected Messiah and did not repent. Jesus was fulfilling messianic prophecy. It is interesting to note that the day before on Shemini Atzeret (8th Day Assembly) Jesus proclaimed in John 7:37-39 that he was the fountain of living waters. Then he comes right back with, "I am the light of the world"... this was the very morning that the four great lamps of the court in the Temple (which were called "The light of the world" were being extinguished after being kept lit for the entire week of the Feast of Tabernacles). 

So what do we learn from this? Are we the accusers who think we have it all together because we pray more, give more alms, were smarter and work hard to gain Heaven? Or are we the accused and we have given up because we been caught in a continuous cycle of sin? Scared that God doesn't care or will forgive. 

Jesus offered forgiveness... the accusers walked away, but the woman was redeemed. 

Jesus offered restoration... the accusers walked away, but the woman found new life. 

Jesus offered hope... the accusers walked away, but the woman found all she needed. Hope springs eternal. 

“Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”