There's the Man, John 8:1-11

We’re simply walking together, with Him, through His Word, Book by Book, Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse. Currently we’re in Genesis on Sundays; John on Wednesdays.

This past week He walked us through another intersection of Eternity, and time. That place the world calls, coincidence. But we call, Providence.

Sunday, (Father’s Day) we couldn’t help but wonder, “Where’s the man?” as we eavesdropped on Eve, being charmed by a snake (Genesis 3:1-6).

Now, there’s another woman in trouble, and we’re wondering, once again: “Where’s the man?” (John 8:1-11).

While preparing this, Roxy was listening to a news report in the other room, and I overheard, “85% of people in prison are from fatherless homes.” We pray and wonder, “Where’s the man?”

Although separated by four-thousand years, or so, the woman we meet today in John chapter eight, and Eve, aren’t really that far apart.  

 

And everyone went to his own house.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. John 7:53-8:1.

Let’s tear down the tent (sukkah) and head to the house; the weeklong camping trip, the Feast of Tabernacles, is over. It’ll be so good to sleep in our own bed.

But look to the east, there’s the Man, (the One who owns the universe, yet has no house on this earth to call His own) making His way, to the Mount of Olives.

The Mount of Olives, borders the east side of Jerusalem. The Garden of Gethsemane is there; and on the other side is Bethany, the home of His friends, Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

The Mount of Olives is an important place. Jesus taught, prayed and stayed, often on the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 24; Luke 22). He ascended from there and will return to there. (Luke 24; Acts 1:9; Zechariah 14:4).

² Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

Early in the morning Jesus returned. So did the hungry.

My God, early, earnestly, will I seek You. Ps. 63:1.

He sat, to teach. That’s how it was done in that day. He sat, they stood.  

 ³ Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. John 8:3-4.

The scribes and Pharisees, those supposed to be seekers of Light, were not among those who came in the early morning light, to hear the Light of the world.

Instead of standing in the Light, catching rays from the Son, they were searching for sin in the dark.  

 ⁵ Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 

Leviticus 20:10, states that adulterers (BOTH) shall surely be put to death.

Both.

Once again, we ask: Where’s the man?

But they weren’t seeking justice.

⁶ This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him...

This was a trap—or so they thought.

If He says follow the law, stone her. They’d report it to the Romans, because they needed permission before executing anyone. Furthermore, it’d discredit His reputation as a Man of mercy, a Friend to sinners.

If He tells them not to stone her, they’ll say He teaches against the law of Moses.

So, what would you do?

What does He do?

…But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. John 8:6b

…as though He did not hear. 😊

Don’t you love it? See, right there. Jesus gives permission to turn off the phone. You don’t need to immediately answer every question, doorbell, phone call, text message, email.  

Doodle, or doddle, or draw in the dirt, if need be, but don’t ever get ahead of God. Wait for His Divine timing before acting, His Words before speaking.

Take your time, you’ll get there faster. dougism 101.

Allow God to lead, lest you step into a snare.  

Now, for what everyone wants to know.

Why’d He do that? What did He write?

Was He buying time so He could pray, and figure out what to do?

No not Him. I might do that. But not Him.  

Was He writing the Ten Commandments? Some say so. Afterall, the only other time in Scripture where God wrote with His finger was when He inscribed the Ten Commandments in stone. Ex. 31:18.

Let’s read on, see if there’s any more clues.

⁷ So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last…

There’s an interesting prophecy some say applies here:

Jeremiah 17:13, O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because, they have forsaken the LORD, The fountain of living waters.”

Remember, the day before, the last, great, day of the feast, at the climactic moment, Jesus cried out, in John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

With that in mind, do you think Jesus was writing the names of those holding stones? Perhaps, next to their name, another name, place, or sin; that would convict them by their conscience, causing them to drop the stones and depart from Him, one by one, from the eldest to the last.

We’re not sure, but that might explain what He wrote, and what triggered their conviction.

But there’s more. Something deeper. Something that shows the heart of Jesus.

He could’ve chosen to do anything. He could’ve just looked each man in the eye, one by one and spoke their name, their sin.

But instead, He stooped down and wrote in the dirt—twice.

Consider the scene.

She’s drug from the very act in private, to the center of attention in public.

Just the woman.

But it takes two to tango

Where’s the man?

She’s embarrassed, ashamed, exposed, in more ways than one.

The gawking eyes, the piercing stares, the sharp words, cut like Roman swords.  

The Man, stoops.

All eyes turn, from her, toward Him.

He writes in the dirt with His finger.

They draw near to see what He writes.

For the first time, in a long time, the woman is able to take a breath.

She too, stares at the Man.

Her eyes glisten.

Her knees buckle.

Somehow, she knows.

There’s the Man.

It’s not as important to know what He wrote, as why He did.

For her.

For you. 

And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰ When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

 

Alone with Jesus. Is where Life begins.

Close your eyes. It’s just you and Him. Listen. Hear His Voice, His Words about you:

Loved.

Cherished.

Valuable.

Useful.

Clean.

Forgiven.

Hopeful.

Victorious.

Free.

Where are thine accusers?

In His presence, the accuser drops the rocks, and walks away.

Those haunting words (unloved, unworthy, unwanted), vanish. The echoing accusations (failure, dirty, unforgiven), dissolve.

Jesus asks here and now: If I don’t condemn you, who can?

We must answer as the woman: No one, Lord.

Romans 8:1; There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.