What was Jesus writing on the ground when they brought the woman caught in adultery?

[L_Marshall]

My bishop preached on this passage a while ago, and I remember he commented on this exact part (Jesus writing on the ground), and gave two complimentary ideas. First, he said that it was long standing tradition that Christ wrote the sins of all of the accusers on the ground. Secondly, he said that several scholars reported that scribbling in the dust was an expression of boredom or preoccupation, much like we fiddle with our phones or watches today. I suppose it can be combined to say that Christ knew what the men were getting at, and that they were going to be putting on a show, and he ended up writing why the accusers should be punished on the ground instead.

 

[AmbroseSJ]

The story of the woman taken in adultery (aka periscope adulterae) wasn’t added to the Gospel of John, 7,8, until the 4th century. It does not appear in either the fourth century Codex Sinaticus or the Codex Vaticanus.

But is was a good story of Jesus so someone added it… Note that it not in any of the other gospels.

That’s an unproven theory. There are no older copies available so no way to prove your point. The two codices you mention were not official or necessarily complete even in their own time. You shouldn’t throw stuff like this out there causing consternation to good devout Catholics. Especially since you don’t even know how to spell pericope.

Obviously St. Jerome had some originals in hand when he translated those verses into the Latin. Possibly from an older text now lost forever.

 

[josh987654321]

Some say - and I think as well - that Jesus was writing down the sins of her accusers in the dust.

I agree.

I imagine that would have been the case, thus why the writters didn’t know what he was writting, only the one it was directed to probably would have understood what he had written, because it would have been their sins, a little something to say “I know your sins and now you know that I know.” But it’s just a theory that doesn’t really have any evidence backing it that I know of.

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[runningdude]

OK, what about a combination of the two ideas?

He wrote the commandment and then the name of the one who someone of the ones present sinned against. , and continue one by one, like you said ‘convicting each in his heart’. No body else will know the meaning.

But I really think Jesus was writing something intelligent not just doodling. He did not need that kind of behavior.

In the love of our Church,
Gloria

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Given how strongly the church forbids breaking the seal of the confessional, I doubt Jesus would have made so grand of a precedent to the contrary in revealing unrepentant sins an incident bound for scripture. Also, given the many false crimes he was accused of on Holy Thursday, being a “gossip” was not one of them, nor were accusations of libel from people in the crowd denying the sins he would have revealed.

 

[Reepicheep]

Some say - and I think as well - that Jesus was writing down the sins of her accusers in the dust.

This is what I think happened.

 

[Convert_Biker]

I’ve heard and read several different suggestions about what our Lord was writing in the dirt that day and I realize that we can only speculate. Like many here, the logic that He was writing either the sins of the accusers or at least the names of the men she had been with seems plausible. I’ve also heard that Jesus was writing the word “Forgive” or some variant. But I’d like to agree with those here who suggest that He was writing the Commandments (for the third time). Remember Exodus 31:18 followed by Exodus 34:28. It seems most fitting that our Lord would be writing them again.

 

[Reepicheep]

Given how strongly the church forbids breaking the seal of the confessional, I doubt Jesus would have made so grand of a precedent to the contrary in revealing unrepentant sins an incident bound for scripture. Also, given the many false crimes he was accused of on Holy Thursday, being a “gossip” was not one of them, nor were accusations of libel from people in the crowd denying the sins he would have revealed.

It is not recorded what He wrote, nor is there (to my mind) any reason to assume anyone other than the guilty read their own sins.
Confronting a man with his own sinfulness in order to prevent him from committing yet another sin, is not “gossip”.

 

[Bowljr300]

According to Dr. Scott Hahn, the answer can be found in Jeremiah 17:13. Jesus was teaching during the Feast of Booths when the Jews brought water to the temple. Jesus was teaching his disciples about his being the Living Waters.

The Jews who attempted to condemn the woman caught in adultery were rejecting the Living Waters that Jesus claimed to be.

 

[Boniventure]

Saint John was the beloved Apostle, the one closest to Jesus, and many things that he says in his gospel are not reported in the others gospels, not only this one, and also in matters of direct speech from Jesus. In fact Saint John’s Gospel is not included in the Synoptic Gospels.

In the love of Christ,
Gloria

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But John’s gospel didn’t contain the story of the woman taken in adultery until it was added in the 4th century. Are you claiming that John was still alive to write it?

Incidentally, if you read the Gospel of John closely, the only one that mentions “a beloved disciple,” you’’ ll find it was probably Lazaras, not John. Hint: Read the story of what Jesus said from the cross in turning his mother’s care over to the “beloved disciple.” Does it identify that person as John? If the beloved disciple took Mary into his home “within the hour,” was he living in Bethany as was Lazaarus (about a half hour walk from Jerusalem), or 3 days away in Galilee as was the Apostle John?

 

[glendab]

I heard Scott Hahn speculate on a radio show once that He began writing out their sins. I’ve not come across that much scholarship about the subject though. Whatever He wrote it went the way of most dust writings though. If you find out what He wrote, let me know.

Glenda

 

[glendab]

That will have assumed two main problems:

**First ** That he knew all the private lives of the Scribes and Pharisses that broght the woman

Second it will have been a lot of writting

Gloria

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Hello? He’s God and KNOWS everyone’s sins. There is a problem with God knowing people’s sins? What am I missing?

Glenda

 

[glendab]

The story of the woman taken in adultery (aka periscope adulterae) wasn’t added to the Gospel of John, 7,8, until the 4th century. It does not appear in either the fourth century Codex Sinaticus or the Codex Vaticanus.

But is was a good story of Jesus so someone added it… Note that it not in any of the other gospels.

Not So!

Glenda

 

[Nita]

According to Dr. Scott Hahn, the answer can be found in Jeremiah 17:13. Jesus was teaching during the Feast of Booths when the Jews brought water to the temple. Jesus was teaching his disciples about his being the Living Waters.

The Jews who attempted to condemn the woman caught in adultery were rejecting the Living Waters that Jesus claimed to be.

I also think it’s connected with Jeremiah 17:13. Jer. 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake Thee shall be put to shame; those who turn away from Thee shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.
I think Our Lord may have written in the ground the names of those in the group who would reject Him.

 

[steve53]

I doubt Jesus could write.

Also in John, Jesus is criticized for preaching with authority even though he “did not know letters.”

Think about it logically. Why would be writing in the sand? What’s the point? He writes something pithy, and then says to a student “Come around on this side and look at what I wrote in the sand.”

Excuse me?

Then a gust if wind comes up and blows it all away. Or someone walks through it and ruins everything.

Doesn’t make sense.

 

[Nita]

I doubt Jesus could write.

You don’t have to doubt any longer; Jesus could read as well as write.

Luke 4:16:20 …And He stood up to read; and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, … And He closed the book, …

 

[Nita]

Also in John, Jesus is criticized for preaching with authority even though he “did not know letters.”

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What verse are you referring to. If He could read, He obviously knew “letters”.

Edit:
I think I may have tracked it down. Are you referring to
John 7:15 The Jews were amazed and said, “How does he know scripture without having studied?”

and it’s accompanying footnote in the NAB
6 [15] Without having studied: literally, “How does he know letters without having learned?” Children were taught to read and write by means of the scriptures. But here more than Jesus’ literacy is being discussed; the people are wondering how he can teach like a rabbi. Rabbis were trained by other rabbis and traditionally quoted their teachers.The literal, given in the footnote, does not say He “did not know His letters” – in fact, it says just the opposite; it wonders “How **does He know **letters…”

 

[Gloria_de_G]

Given how strongly the church forbids breaking the seal of the confessional, I doubt Jesus would have made so grand of a precedent to the contrary in revealing unrepentant sins an incident bound for scripture. Also, given the many false crimes he was accused of on Holy Thursday, being a “gossip” was not one of them, nor were accusations of libel from people in the crowd denying the sins he would have revealed.

Good point, so I remain with my initial idea about the commandments!

And as Jesus wrote them, this cause every one to remember their own sin and one by one left according to their sin… they will have bent to see what Jesus was writing and were very surprise to see the commandment that particularly that person has broken. And one by one they left because they could not bent all at once to see what he was writing, and more if they were some standing who will not go until the last commandments were written.

Gloria

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[Gloria_de_G]

According to Dr. Scott Hahn, the answer can be found in Jeremiah 17:13. Jesus was teaching during the Feast of Booths when the Jews brought water to the temple. Jesus was teaching his disciples about his being the Living Waters.

The Jews who attempted to condemn the woman caught in adultery were rejecting the Living Waters that Jesus claimed to be.

And what What he was writing on the ground???

Gloria

.

 

[Gloria_de_G]

I heard Scott Hahn speculate on a radio show once that He began writing out their sins. I’ve not come across that much scholarship about the subject though. Whatever He wrote it went the way of most dust writings though. If you find out what He wrote, let me know.

Glenda

The Ten Commandments on the ground!!!

Gloria

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[Gloria_de_G]

Hello? He’s God and KNOWS everyone’s sins. There is a problem with God knowing people’s sins? What am I missing?

Glenda

You are right!! But as someone said, he will not disclose publicly the sins of every one.

Gloria

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