Handwriting on the Pavement

John 8:6  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. 7  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. 8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9  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. 10  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? 11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

We have here an amazing and cherished story from which a number of lessons can be garnered.

1. Jesus Stopped - the Rabbi had been seated, probably on the steps of the temple where crowds gathered to hear Him teach. Now, He is confronted with this situation, a woman caught in the very act of adultery brought to Him to be accused by His detractors. Question: Why didn't they bring the guilty man? Because the Pharisees were bullies! No doubt the man would have stood up to them and fought. But this poor little gal was someone they could push around and intimidate. Apparently they all knew exactly what she was, so they had the goods on her and there would be no opposition to them finally taking her off the streets. So, they went all righteous on her, kind of like we do when we watch the news and see what latest arrests of low-lifes have been made. We shake our heads in pity and condemnation of these stupid and sinful individuals. But Jesus had the remedy for self-righteousness, and therefore...

2. Jesus Stooped. Imagine this, the Creator of the universe goes down to the ground before the hoard of people, before the harlot and before the hypocrites. What is this? The disciples must have been somewhat taken aback by this move. Christ was always acting and reacting in ways they had not expected. By the way, I am always amazed to think that the God of glory would lay aside His glorious robes to inhabit a restricted body of flesh so that I could relate to the unfathomable. He came down to my level and was tempted in every point, like I am, and yet, He sinned not. But then...

3. Jesus Scrawled. Right there on the ground God wrote. God had been known to write on tables of stone in the wilderness of Sinai and on a Babylonian palace wall. Now that same hand and those same fingers are writing again. All had better pay attention. I am convinced that this first writing was a reiteration of the 10 Commandments from Sinai, which we all have broken. The woman's sin was listed, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." But so were the sins of the Pharisees, "Thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not bear false witness." Which they were conniving against the Lord at that moment. Oh, and your sins and mine were also listed; Honour your parents, keep the Sabbath holy, don't covet, don't take the Lord's name in vain, etc. In other words, there is none righteous, no, not one. And then...

4. Jesus Stood. Slowly He rose to His feet, allowing time for the condemnation of the commandments to sink in to every soul. He spoke, convicting the Pharisees, and every Pharisee that would ever live after that day, including those of us who look down our pharisaical noses at the low-lifes which surround us, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Next...

5. Jesus Scrawled again. Perhaps He plagiarized Himself from His Babylonian missive, "Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin." “You all have been weighed in the balances and have come up short. Your position is taken from you." Indeed, within the week, no more sacrifices will be made in Judaism for the next two millennia. The system of priests is about to be abolished by Christ's death on the cross. In disgust, not only with Jesus' rebuke, but with their own short comings, they left, one by one, from the eldest hard-bitten Pharisee to the youngest zealot of their number. Their stones fell harmlessly to the ground and they stomped off. But then...

6. Jesus Spoke, "Where are your accusers? Is there anyone else here to accuse you? I am not going to condemn you either, go and live a righteous life." The others left off condemning this lady of the night because they were shown for what they really were, fellow offenders. But Jesus withheld condemnation because His was the power and prerogative to forgive all manner of sins. He exercised this prerogative and she exorcised her past.

Oh glory! Don't you see yourself somewhere in that ancient scene even now? Do you relate to the woman in need of forgiveness and reform? Or do you relate to the religious crowd, constantly scoffing and accusing others who are unlike you? But, viewing the handwriting on the ground, you come to the realization that you are no better than they are.  It is just that you haven't been exposed. Go and read the Decalogue (10 Commandments) and you will realize that you already have been found out, your sins are uncovered.

Those too proud to admit their guilt will be ignored by heaven and reserved for a future reckoning. But God forgives and uses the repentant.