What did Jesus write with His finger?

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Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,103
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#21
I am very concerned about Pilgrimshope's "law-contradicting Jesus." Does such a Jesus fulfill the old covenant and qualify as
a spot-less lamb to be sacrificed for the blood of the new covenant? Why would the Jews or anyone else follow such a Jesus?
The Pharisees believed Jesus broke the Sabbath and also committed blasphemy...

Yet He was without sin, and kept the law.

I wonder how many times He said, "You have heard it was said... but I say unto you..."
 

stilllearning

Well-known member
Oct 4, 2021
597
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#22
I had heard a former Rabbi teaching on this. Which he had taught that according to the law anyone sitting in judgement for it to be fair and objective, to be impartial. You could not be a relation to either party nor could ya have been either a plaintiff nor defendant in a like minded judgement.

They of course had a system of disqualification and recusal. So we have no clue to what exactly Christ had written. However, he said that what we see here is Christ writing out how each person would be disqualified to sit in judgement. To which then we see the recusal. So we don't know the make up of the accusers but if it had the husband and his father, cousins, or etcetera. They would have been disqualified. Or if folks in the group had previous been involved in a like minded case either as plaintiff or defendant they would also be disqualified to sit in judgement and must by law recuse themselves.

So he said what we see here is a picture of how he disqualified them and knowing everything wrote down each individual reason why they could not sit in judgement and then we see the recusal. Which left Christ alone to be the righteous judge so he said what we see here is how Christ has right standing under the law to sit in judgement.

So Christ has established himself in both heaven and earth to sit in judgement. As we know that the Father has laid all judgement at his feet as he alone is in right standing to make judgement for any and every sin. We know the wages of sin is death. As we know under labor laws you must be paid for every bit of labor. Be it 5 minutes or 40 hours law requires you have earned the wage so you must be paid. We of course know that we who have accepted the pardon and have had our earned wage paid for by his blood, his right standing alone will save us. Those who have not humbled themselves to take the pardon will face the full authority and power to receive their wage for every bit of labor be it for 5 minutes to 40 hours.

I believe what Christ therefore wrote was their likeminded sin. In other words he did not write shoplifter and that man feel convicted and walk away. I believe that he wrote their own likeminded sexual sins that he as God knew and showed them that they were not qualified to judge this woman.

As Romans 2:1 says, Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

He wrote and showed them how they had done likewise and they being convicted knowing they had done so dropped their stones and walked away.
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,137
980
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#23
I do not think Christ appealed to the conscience of the Pharisees when he suggested who should throw the first stone.

These evil men knew the law, they were well aware that they were breaking the law when they presented the "Adulteress" for stoning. They also knew that if their false accusations led to her death, thy will have committed an intentional sin before God from which there was absolutely no redemption. They would be casting themselves outside of God for all eternity, no sacrifice for a deliberate sin was available until the cross.

Yeshua turned the tables, they fled out of fear. They set a trap and it was turned against them. They ran like dogs.
 

stilllearning

Well-known member
Oct 4, 2021
597
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#24
I do not think Christ appealed to the conscience of the Pharisees when he suggested who should throw the first stone.

These evil men knew the law, they were well aware that they were breaking the law when they presented the "Adulteress" for stoning. They also knew that if their false accusations led to her death, thy will have committed an intentional sin before God from which there was absolutely no redemption. They would be casting themselves outside of God for all eternity, no sacrifice for a deliberate sin was available until the cross.

Yeshua turned the tables, they fled out of fear. They set a trap and it was turned against them. They ran like dogs.
Thing is the bible says that is exactly what he did.

John 8:9 says, And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
1,799
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#25
Thanks sis I've heard the same thing about just exactly where this was done.. awesome. .. some posts are long here and for me hard to follow and lol has huge fonts makes it not easy to read.. oh well. Since it doesn't say what He wrote.. then everything is just speculation. Not sure why it has to be something out of the Torah/OT. What I see here is different then others see. Maybe He was just drawing in the sand nothing more. We forget :) it would have been upside down and not sure anyone could read upside down do that there.
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
2,373
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#26
Thing is the bible says that is exactly what he did.

John 8:9 says, And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
From what I understand, there is some debate as to whether "being convicted by their own conscience" belongs in the scripture. I used to have a problem with it myself.

I think Jesus did appeal to their conscience, but not to their feelings about their conscience; in other words, he wasn't trying to make them feel bad for the woman or repent of their own sin. I think he was pointing out that anyone that stepped forward as a witness would be questioned (as the law requires) and that his questions would inevitably reveal their own sin (including any lies they might tell him to cover their own sin) and that they too would be stoned to death, along with her. So, their conscience convicting them of their sin was a self-preservation thing- it wasn't that they all of a sudden felt bad for this woman. Even though it says she was caught in adultery, I doubt the Pharisees were even going to stone her- I think they were just putting on a show attempting to trap Jesus.
 

Amanuensis

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2021
1,457
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#27
Not very likely. On the other hand there is a strong possibility that Christ wrote what was written in Leviticus 20:10 regarding adultery:
וְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנְאַף֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִנְאַ֖ף אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ מֹֽות־יוּמַ֥ת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת
And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Both sinning parties -- the man and the woman -- should have been brought before Christ. Not just the woman. So the Lord was waiting for the man to be presented. And when that did not happen, then the law could not be applied. So Christ simply forgave the woman. Is it possible that had both of them been presented that the law would have been applied? Yes. Because Christ was fully upholding the Law of Moses throughout His life.
Good verse
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,103
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#28
I think Jesus did appeal to their conscience, but not to their feelings about their conscience; in other words, he wasn't trying to make them feel bad for the woman or repent of their own sin. I think he was pointing out that anyone that stepped forward as a witness would be questioned (as the law requires) and that his questions would inevitably reveal their own sin (including any lies they might tell him to cover their own sin) and that they too would be stoned to death, along with her. So, their conscience convicting them of their sin was a self-preservation thing- it wasn't that they all of a sudden felt bad for this woman. Even though it says she was caught in adultery, I doubt the Pharisees were even going to stone her- I think they were just putting on a show attempting to trap Jesus.
We are told they were attempting to test Jesus, in order to have a basis for accusing Him, and knowing
the law, they would have also known the adulterous man should have been brought forward also.


John 8:3-6 The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.
They made her stand before them and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act
of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”

They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.
But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#29
I dont know what He wrote but its an interesting thought experiment.
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
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#30
We are told they were attempting to test Jesus, in order to have a basis for accusing Him, and knowing
the law, they would have also known the adulterous man should have been brought forward also.


John 8:3-6 The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.
They made her stand before them and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act
of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”


They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.
But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
The non-canonical Book of Susanna, while noncanon was still part of Hebrew tradition during the second temple period- and in that Book, during the captivity some elders try to blackmail a married Jewish woman for sex- they do bring her into the assembly and try her without the man (who they said escaped)- Daniel, filled with the holy spirit, questions the elders; their stories do not match, and the elders are put to death.

The Pharisees ought to have known that the man should have been brought forward; I can't say whether or not they would have done things right, or if they were doing things their own way at the time... it seems the Pharisees did pick-and-choose, and misinterpret things a lot... and if the Book of Susanna is any indication, women were sometimes tried without the man anyway... I think the book was written by Hellenist-sadducee-types= "law as written" vs. the 'oral torah' of the Pharisees.

I'm not sure if that problem was officially fixed or if it was still going on during the 2nd temple period. Exactly how the Pharisees are trying to trip Jesus up, and precisely what the Pharisees were convicted about, I have not determined- I just accept that that's what happened, because I believe the scriptures.
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
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#31
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:38-39‬ ‭KJV‬‬

equal revenge is no longer the law turning the other cheek and overlooking an offense and not taking equal revenge is
I think it's important to understand the difference between a smite on the cheek....


and plucking somone's eye out...




If Will Smith slaps me in the face, I can just get over it like Chris Rock did. Chris handled that moment in a very Christlike manner...except for maybe the profanity, but for the most part, he took it like a man.

If Uma Thurman comes and plucks my eye out... I can forgive her too, but- she's paying for that eye. Maybe not with her own eye, but she if she doesn't settle with me in a timely fashion, we're going to court. If she is a Christian, we are going to the Church elders- who will also tell her to pay for my eye- which she will willingly do if she is a Christian.

The point of Jesus' teaching is that this Law was never about "how we treat people", or "how we treat sinners", This law was about what the government does to a seriously physically violent criminal. It doesn't give you the right to slap someone, just because they slap you; vengeance belongs to the Lord.
Lev19
18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,227
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#32
"Those that heard it" walked away. The Pharisees, which didn't have ears to hear, remained to continue their "mission" to discredit The Truth, and The Life.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
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#33
While all those are great answers, He was probably just practicing some tic-tac-toe strategies to try out on the disciples later.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
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#34
While all those are great answers, He was probably just practicing some tic-tac-toe strategies to try out on the disciples later.
I considered that possibility and also the possibility He was just doodling...
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#35
King James Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. Proverbs 19:5

Catching her in the very act? Im sure it wasnt public display and wheres the man?
Also did it go for just men that the jews couldnt put anyone to death under the roman occupation. (Was that the snare they were really setting.)
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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#36
.



We should probably keep that together with what follows because it doesn't
condemn all judging, rather, it teaches that folks risk being judged by the
same standards that they impose upon others; i.e. what goes around comes
around.


Matt 7:2 . . For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.


For example: of late, the Biden administration tried to roast former US
President Donald Trump for improper possession of classified documents but
now they are under scrutiny for the same thing.
_
I read about that.

Truly remarkable, they point their fingers at the opposition, but do exactly the same crime themselves.

In our country, politicians are charged with more offences and convicted.

The rate is much higher than in the general population.

I cannot understand why anyone bothers to vote for politicians, there is not a shred of integrity in Congress.
 

birdie

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2014
535
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#37
Jesus wrote in the ground with His finger… what did He write and why did He write what He wrote? :unsure:

A woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees which were Jewish religious self-righteous religious leaders, eager to condemn sinners and condemn Jesus the True Messiah as false… much like today…

In the Old Testament, God wrote with His Finger… What did God write…

And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.9.10,Deut.9.11&version=KJV

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passag....8.8,John.8.9,John.8.10,John.8.11&version=KJV

I believe our Lord and Savior and King Jesus Christ wrote the Ten Commandments in the ground that day showing Himself as God because He wrote with the Finger of God the Ten Commandments and..,.

NO MAN COULD STAND RIGHTEOUS BEFORE JESUS; NO ONE COULD CAST THE FIRST STONE….

Perhaps we should ALL FOCUS MORE ON FORGIVENESS than judgment and condemning one another….:unsure::love:(y)
Thanks Laftur. I like the way you compare scripture usages of the word 'finger'. Jesus is referred to as God's 'hand' in the Bible since he sits at the right hand of God.
Jesus wrote in the ground with His finger… what did He write and why did He write what He wrote? :unsure:

A woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees which were Jewish religious self-righteous religious leaders, eager to condemn sinners and condemn Jesus the True Messiah as false… much like today…

In the Old Testament, God wrote with His Finger… What did God write…

And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deut.9.10,Deut.9.11&version=KJV

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passag....8.8,John.8.9,John.8.10,John.8.11&version=KJV

I believe our Lord and Savior and King Jesus Christ wrote the Ten Commandments in the ground that day showing Himself as God because He wrote with the Finger of God the Ten Commandments and..,.

NO MAN COULD STAND RIGHTEOUS BEFORE JESUS; NO ONE COULD CAST THE FIRST STONE….

Perhaps we should ALL FOCUS MORE ON FORGIVENESS than judgment and condemning one another….:unsure::love:(y)
Thanks Lafftur, for your post. The ground in the Bible is a picture of the hearts of men. We learn in the parable of the sower about how those who hear the word and receive it bring forth fruit - this is good ground. I think by forgiving the woman caught in adultery, Jesus showed that he (who is the finger perhaps, and even the right hand of God) was writing mercy and love and forgiveness in peoples' hearts. The first writing could have been the law, but the second writing was probably the new covenant of the blood of Christ shed for us.
 

Underwhosewings

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2023
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Australia
#38
John 8:9 KJV
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Because they left according to their age, “beginning at the eldest”
Maybe Jesus was writing each ones sin/s, from the eldest,
Because he said, …He that is without sin among you,…John 8:7 KJV
 

Underwhosewings

Well-known member
Jan 19, 2023
1,318
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Australia
#39
I read about that.

Truly remarkable, they point their fingers at the opposition, but do exactly the same crime themselves.

In our country, politicians are charged with more offences and convicted.

The rate is much higher than in the general population.

I cannot understand why anyone bothers to vote for politicians, there is not a shred of integrity in Congress.
“Food for thought”

Psalm 75:7 KJV
But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Psalm 47:8 KJV
God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

Romans 13:1-2 KJV
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#40
because back in those days they didn't have pens.