What was Jesus writing?

 

Jesus, teaching the swarm of people who had gathered in the temple to hear Him, was interrupted by Pharisees and religious scholars. They had caught a woman in the act of adultery.

And bringing her to the temple was yet another one of their ploys to catch Jesus saying something wrong (Matthew 22:15 ERV); to entangle Him with His own words.

They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” – John 8:3-5 (MSG)

Jesus, well aware of their usual shenanigans, calmly “stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger” (v 6 TLB).

Hoping to bring shame and disgrace to this woman and even more so to Jesus, these men, full of religious pride, were on the verge of being thoroughly confounded. Jesus was about to rewrite the narrative.

They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. (v 7-8 MSG)

These religious leaders and scholars asked Jesus a question, Jesus’ response the first time was to stoop down and write in the dust. Then they kept on asking, this time He gave them a challenge, after which He again returned to writing in the dirt.

What was Jesus writing?

This had been a burning question for me, and over the years I have heard many answers that were preceded by, “Perhaps” and “Maybe” and “I think” and at one time, “Nothing. Jesus was simply doodling in the dirt”

Not one of these answers satisfied my curiosity. What do you think Jesus was writing?

It is said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

So, look at what I came across one fine day while poring over the Old Testament book of Jeremiah.

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. (Jeremiah 17:13 NIV)

Eureka! Finally, an answer that made sense.

These Pharisees and teachers of the Law, by their insidious actions intending to bring shame and disgrace to Jesus had forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water, they had turned away from Him, therefore Jesus was writing them in the dust.

Beloved, there is so much more to this incident that you can sink your teeth into but for today, chew on this morsel. Amen?

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “What was Jesus writing?” ©2026, January 7, 2026