Jesus Writing

"Jesus writing on the ground, in front of the Jewish leaders who have a woman caught in adultery."

One of the first Bible studies I went to concerned John 8 1:11. The footnote in my Bible said 'this section not in earliest manuscripts'.

My first thought was somebody added this. Then I thought or someone left it out because it seemed so 'out of character' for Jesus not to use words.

But to be safe, we do include it and footnote the section.

The teacher of that Bible study suggested that Jesus may have written some names that may have embarrassed the onlookers. 'Out of character?'.

A few years ago I was revisiting this passage for another Bible study. I went to Wal-Mart for some things and turned an aisle and there before me was a painting of the same incident.

I know pictures of Jesus are not recommended, but I could not pass up buying the visual, especially for the faces of the onlookers. The real story?

After I came home I looked at John 8 again and this verse jumped out at me: 'But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.'

Then a recollection of 'The Ten Commandments' movie and the scene where God's finger was composing the Commandments on stone tablets, made by Charlton Heston, came to mind.

I also thought about

Daniel 5:

 5.  In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

 6.  Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

I suppose the onlookers knees smote a bit, but if Jesus was demonstrating His Fathers 'handiwork' by showing us that though the woman in question broke one commandment, we also have 9 others which we must consider. And realistically we have broken all ten in one way another (even if by omission and not just by commission).

Of course eventually all the onlookers got the point and walked away with some 'troubled thoughts' leaving Jesus with the woman and words of comfort and warning for all of us.

I think we should keep the passage and the footnote, of course. And maybe turn Jesus around in the picture.

But then again, we will all have to face Jesus, one way or another.

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What did Jesus know and when did he know it?

Have you ever wondered about that question? I know he was always God, but was Jesus a really smart baby? I suspect that being also fully human he was subjected to the learning process all humans have to go through. Of course being God he did not make any mistakes in the process. Impressive, humanly speaking of course.

Even at the Cana event (John 2:1-12), he objected to the implication of his mother’s statement "They have no more wine." as though Jesus was supposed to do something, even though Jesus (even humanly) must have known of all the morning consequences.

But out of obedience to his mother did Jesus realize at that moment that this was the time to ‘reveal his glory (a creation example, by the way - turning water into wine)’ and to impress on his disciples that ‘this is our future’.

And of course we all know the future for Jesus and the disciples from this point, but let us flash back a bit.

After Jesus’ birth we see the family getting a vacation in Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath. And of course we have the Magi’s gifts covering the cost of this trip, and we have to believe the family was not extravagant and were considering Jesus’ future, even some type of education. Jesus was in school?

At 12 years old we see Jesus in ‘the temple courts’ impressing everyone with his understanding (Luke 2:41-52). Did Jesus spend the next 18 years as a carpenter? Or was he encouraged to go to Rabbi School? Many addresses to Jesus later on where prefaced by ‘Teacher’ or ‘Rabbi’.

Maybe we have to ask, where did Jesus get 'special revelation' from? Obviously the 'general revelation' was all around him, but to see the OT Scriptures (or learn from them) Jesus had to be part of the Rabbinical system to have access to them. In today's world we all have access, but only Jesus could interpret them perfectly to see his purpose and his future.

After Jesus’ Baptism there seems to be an indication of an immediate rush to gather the 12 and take on the Jewish leadership. But according to a good Bible Chronology there is a 3 year gap after the Wilderness Temptation (Luke 4:1-15).

Where was Jesus? Did he camp out in Zion National Park or the Nazareth Bridge to make a point, or did he continue his education or even fulfill his required internship?

Luke 4:14. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

Even on the cross, just before his death, the ultimate serious moment, there is a point where he seems not to really know it all.

John 19:28. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

On the third day, after his Father raised him from the dead, then Jesus knew it all.

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What did Jesus do and when did he do it?

John 20:26. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29.  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John 21:25.  And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Jesus was born (as a human) in the 4000th year of the universe (or late 5 BC) and died (and was resurrected of course) in the 4036th year of the universe (or 33 AD). A total of 36 years living the life of a man. 36 is a historical count; some say 33; that is why we have 4 or 5 BC (hey, everything is off by 3 years and change). Either way not a long time relatively speaking.

The four gospels record about 226 total ‘significant’ events and/or topics in Jesus life and all but about ten were packed into the last three years of Jesus life. 52 weeks x 3 equals 156 total weeks. I guess some weeks were busier than others.

But then the last week of what some call the Passion Week starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter Sunday, I count about 50. That takes some of the busyness of the prior weeks.

But, what a week that last one must have been. Poor Thomas and the other disciples must have been totally overwhelmed. Instead of Jesus making Jerusalem the capital of the world with them in charge, the disciples see their ‘Messiah’ die at the hands of men, and then to be raised on the 3rd day, and then appear to them, and then 40 days later receive a ‘Great Commission of: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…‘, and finally see Him ascend to heaven’ (into 144,000+ cloud of witnesses - MT 27, Acts 1, Rev 7), with a promise to return someday (the same way - Rev 1)…

“My Lord and my God” somehow sounds ‘very, very’ appropriate.

What about the statement: the world itself could not contain the books that would be written?

Of course many books have been written about the life of Christ, and many more will be written. We still have lots of room for more books though.

The New Testament has 27 ‘significant’ books and the Old Testament has 39 ‘significant’ books that together record an outline of information since the 1st Day of Creation. Still room for more books.

John 1: 1.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:1-3 is about Jesus. He was ‘In the Beginning’, always was, and always will be. So we might say he was involved in all the events that ever happened, including the book of each person’s life.

Eventually, we will begin to run out of room for more books, and just about everything else? Jesus did say that his return would mark the beginning of a new and eternal heavens and earth (stars fall and the heavens shake – Mt 24).

And there is that big “Book of Life” which contains the names of those who desire to populate the new heavens and earth. And new books will continue to be written for ever and ever and ever. The Wonder of the Christmas present that just keeps on giving…

Thomas was blessed to see it and believed. But unlike Thomas, by faith, we see it when we believe what is written in His Word. And then we are blessed.

Revelation 22: 1. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.