Part Two: Challenge Accepted

“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
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.”
John 8:5-6

The Pharisees brought this woman into the temple claiming they had caught her “in the very act” of adultery.

They were probing Jesus and hoping to nail Him with the law.
Instead, they ran into a wall of grace, erected by the Lord Himself.

Jesus wasn’t overwhelmed by their tactics, He already knew it was coming.
He also knew exactly WHO was going to try the law argument against Him.

“Moses said we should kill her for committing adultery…What say you, Jesus?”

What they were saying:
“If Jesus refuses to stone this woman in accordance with the law, then he’s a heretic and not at all who He claims to be.”

Real compassionate, eh?

They were so enamored with Moses and the law that they forgot God who GAVE Moses the law…and they couldn’t see God in the flesh, the LAW HIMSELF, the fulfillment of prophecy, standing in front of their faces.

And Jesus, ignoring their question completely, stooped to the ground and started writing something in the dirt.
Do you think that got their attention? Absolutely.
I can almost hear the murmurs as people leaned in to see what He was writing.

Jesus threw a curveball at them.
They were used to arguing and debating the finer points of the law with other rabbi’s, not having one ignore them and start writing in the dirt.
Jesus WAS the curveball, thrown by God at those religious zealots who had no concept of GRACE and MERCY.

I have to remember mercy and grace today…just as God has shown me grace, may the Lord help me pay it forward to others.

What did Jesus write in the dirt?
Stay tuned…it gets good!