The Finger of God
Notes
Transcript
When I think of the finger of God I think of this picture
Michael Angelo’s Creation of of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican
This is what came to my mind with John 8:1-11
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This is the word of God…
What does the finger of God have to do with the woman caught in adultery?
That is the subject of the lesson today.
The Text
The Text
“bent down” — literally he stooped down
His action of bending down actually comes before they start talking to Him
This is the only time in all of scripture that calls out Jesus writing anything
In the text I find it interesting that the woman was caught in the very act.
How did they know this was taking place or when it would?
Why only the woman and not the man, was he one of them? — Leviticus 20:10
10 “ ‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.
Also found in Deuteronomy 22:22
22 If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
According to the law both should have been brought to Jesus — It’s A Trap!
If Jesus denied responsibility under the Ol Law his credibility would instantly be undermined and dismissed.
If he upheld the Old Law he would not only be supporting a position that was largely unpopular but one that likely was not carried out in public life.
Also how could He square it with his call for compassion for the broken?
Their motive was a trap — John 8:6
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
Before they say anything Jesus stoops down and writes with his finger in the dust of the ground.
What did Jesus write?
What did Jesus write?
First and most importantly no one knows!
A long standing tradition Jesus wrote — Jeremiah 17:13
13 Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.
Another is Jesus followed Roman magistrates in first writing the sentence
Another is:
First time stooping He wrote — Exodus 23:1b
1 “Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
2. Second time he stooped he wrote — Exodus 23:7
7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.
Some say Jesus was embarrassed to b confronted by a promiscuous woman, another he he refusing to debate the matter.
Max Lucado — He wrote Grace
Another possibility from the text
Another possibility from the text
Verse 6 again
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
I think the finger is important
Second is the significance of the Mosaical Law in the text
Let’s consider two times that the finger of God appears in Scripture
5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
What did he write — Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin
Daniel Interpreted — Daniel 5:25-28
25 “This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin
26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
What is Jesus wrote Tekel? — Develop
The other time the finger of God is specifically mentioned is more powerful to me that this instance
18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
When I consider this with John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Develop this point!
They were trying to trap the very one who wrote the law they were quoting!
So what it Jesus was writing the laws they broke requiring their death!
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor in a court of Law
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife or things
Then he stands up and says, “Let you who is without sin be the first to throw at her!”
Then John 8:8
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
One by one they drop their stones, Oldest to youngest
The Holy Spirit convicting these men who were just as deserving of death
Was there anyone there who was sinless?
They only one who could have thrown a stone at her didn’t!
Instead Jesus did what he came to do…
11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Conclusion
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus is so important — He forgave her, he forgives us!
We like the woman are worthy of death but he it telling us what her told her
New International Version (2011) Chapter 8
“Go now and leave your life of sin.”
We need to share this message today!
Remember we are on mission 24/7
Let us pray!
Mission Statement — To share the love of Jesus with our world and to make disciples who make disciples!
In our lives may this statement mean more than just words!
