John 8:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

NIV: They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

NASB: Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

CSB: They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger.

NLT: They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

During Jesus' public ministry, He was often challenged by critics such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their questions were rarely sincere. Most were overt attempts to trick Jesus and discredit Him (Matthew 16:1; 19:3; 22:35; Luke 10:25; 11:53–54). These attempts never succeeded. In fact, they often wound up embarrassing the critics! Here, the Pharisees attempt to use a more dramatic approach: a real-life moral dilemma. The woman they have brought is unquestionably guilty (John 8:4); neither is there a question about the law which prescribes death for adulterers (Deuteronomy 22:22; Leviticus 20:10). Their hope is that Jesus will either stone her, ruining His merciful reputation (Matthew 11:19; Luke 6:36) and breaking Roman law (John 18:31), or He will refuse and prove that He does not honor the law of Moses.

Jesus does not take the bait. He says nothing at first. Instead, He begins to write on the ground. This puzzling detail is one of the New Testament's richest sources of speculation. The Bible gives not even a clue as to what Christ is writing. Perhaps He is writing the exact Old Testament quotations these men cite to Him. Maybe He is writing the names of the critics, alongside their own sins, in preparation for His surprising response (John 2:24–25). Jesus may even have been writing a question such as "where is the man who was also caught in the act?" Given how quickly Jesus' critics will abandon their attack, and the prominence it is given in the story, His writing probably factored heavily into their reaction.

While we don't know what Jesus wrote, we do see how He turns the hypocrisy of these Pharisees against them. They were not wrong to seek justice under the Law. However, they are clearly not following it fully; they have only brought half of the guilty ones. Also, God's law prioritized mercy over blind punishment (Proverbs 21:10; Zechariah 7:8–9; Matthew 23:23).

John 7:53—8:11 is one of the most famous stories of the New Testament. Jesus' response to a trap sprung by the Pharisees is masterful. Though He alone has the moral authority to execute the woman for her sin, Jesus instead chooses forgiveness. This highlights a major concept of Christian ethics: just because one has the power to do something does not mean it's the best option. However, scholars do not believe this event was originally found in this exact place in Scripture. The flow of the gospel of John seems interrupted by the story. Also, in ancient manuscripts, these verses are found in various places. This leads to the suggestion that it is a true story, but not part of John's original narrative of the Festival of Booths in chapters 7 and 8. Not all scholars agree.

This begins with the story of the adulterous woman, a well-known but controversial passage. Most scholars believe this story is authentic, but not originally found in this exact spot in Scripture. The rest of chapter 8 continues Jesus' preaching during the Feast of Booths, where He once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. Here, Christ will make His second ''I am" statement, using the analogy of light, which is a common theme in Hebrew theology. This conversation will become more and more heated. Jesus' opponents become so enraged that they attempt to kill Him right then and there.

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. There He once again conflicts with local religious authorities. Previously, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water (John 7:37–38). That built on the festival's ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will do something similar with the imagery of lights also related to festival traditions. This demonstrates Jesus' willingness to be direct, even aggressive, with His critics. The next few chapters will complete Jesus' public ministry, as He prepares for His impending death.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.