10/02/2021
This story, the story of the woman caught in the very act of adultery, contains the only record of Jesus writing anything. There has been much written about Him, but none of His writings have been preserved. The characters that Jesus wrote on the pavement dust of the Temple were soon obliterated by the Temple traffic, and according to tradition, what Jesus wrote on the dusty pavement were the sins of the woman’s accusers—D.A. 461. The practice of writing in the sand is referred to in the Mishnah (Shabbath 12. 5, Soncino ed. Of the Talmud, p. 503). Jesus gives persistent inquirers an answer they are not expecting, and which all of them were unprepared for. None can claim sinlessness, and perhaps some may be more guilty than the woman—D.A. 461, therefore, none of them accept the challenge of Jesus. Jesus is not stating a general principle, one that would make absolute sinlessness the necessary condition of fitness for taking part in the punishment of guilt. This would nullify the law, as there is no one fitted to carry out the ex*****on could be found. He is speaking here, of a case where humanity sets themselves up as judges of others, whom they ought not to condemn unless they, themselves are guiltless. It is clear that Jesus absolutely abhorred adultery—Matthew 5:27-32—but He also abhorred self-righteous judging—Matthew 7:1-3.
