Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. John 8:6-8, The Message
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again, he bent down and wrote on the ground. John 8:6-8, NRSVue
We don’t know what Jesus wrote in the dirt, just that he wrote in the dirt. Some speculate that he wrote the names of the men accusing the woman of adultery, along with their sins. Others claim he wrote the Ten Commandments, giving the accusers a look at what the Law requires – and whether they are in compliance [Augustine interpreted it as Jesus forcing the accusers to look at their own sinful natures and deem whether they are worthy of judging another.]. John Calvin offered this thought: Jesus was showing his lack of interest in their accusations and questions, showing his disdain for them by scribbling in the dirt rather than engage with them.
It’s fun to imagine what Jesus might have written in the dirt, if it doesn’t distract from what that act of writing accomplished. It stopped the momentum, delaying the throwing of the first stone that would give permission for throwing all the rest.
When Jesus straightens up and speaks, his words shift the focus from the woman to the state of the accusers’ souls: Go ahead, throw the stone – if you are without sin yourself. Take a good look at yourself before you harm another. Are your motives pure? Are you without blame? Let’s see if you come forward, see if you can stand up to the scrutiny of others.
Then Jesus bends down to write in the dirt again – giving the accusers the chance to think before acting, to question their right to judge and punish the sins of another. And to think through the consequences of claiming moral perfection and throwing a stone.
It’s something I’m going to picture – Jesus writing in the dirt – when I’m sitting in judgement of another. I’ll imagine Jesus stopping the momentum, shifting the focus to my own inner life and motives, and giving me a chance to go in a different direction.
I think I’ll picture these words for now, not that it really matters all that much: are you sure you want to throw that stone?
I had forgotten that, in the story, Jesus writes twice in the dirt. I think I favor Calvin’s suggestion (and I rarely favor him!)–that Jesus was just doodling! Just scribbling. Just ignoring. Just–as you say–slowing down the reaction time long enough for people to consider and reconsider their actions.
Having gone to a Reformed seminary, agreeing with Calvin isn’t quite as hard to admit – although I have plenty of disagreements with him. I suppose he’d have plenty with me as well. I’d forgotten the twice writing as well, until taking this look. Thanks, David!