In a powerful moment from the Gospel of John, the religious leaders bring a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, demanding justice according to the law of Moses. The Law, which called for her to be stoned to death, is invoked to trap Jesus in a seemingly impossible situation. If He shows mercy, He would be breaking the Law; if He condemns her, He would contradict His message of love and forgiveness. What follows is one of the most profound demonstrations of grace in the Scriptures.
The real question behind this story isn’t even what Jesus wrote in the sand during this pivotal moment, but rather why He was writing what He did.
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In a TikTok video, Kelly K uncovered his theory as to what Jesus was writing in the sand, which he believes shows us the exact reason why He would have done this in the first place.
K’s interpretation is that Jesus was reminding everyone that the Law, which they held so dearly, was given by Him. As He wrote, He was pointing to His divine authority—He was the Lawgiver, standing before them in the flesh.
“He was trying to show the Pharisees and everybody else there and us today that the Law of Moses that they were so concerned with fulfilling even to the point of this lady’s death, it came from Him,” K says. “He was trying to tell them, ‘I Am Yahweh. I Am God in the flesh. I wrote the Law that you have turned into a God.’”
The Law was never meant to be the way to God; rather, it was meant to show humanity’s inability to meet God’s perfect standard. Jesus, who was without sin, could have justifiably condemned the woman. But instead, He shows mercy. “Neither do I condemn you,” He tells her. This declaration is at the heart of the Gospel: Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17).
Today, many Christians still fall into the trap of legalism, holding others to impossible standards while forgetting the purpose of the law. Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He came to show us that no matter how many rules we follow, we all fall short. But the good news is that Jesus is the only one who can help us through our failures.
Jesus’ final words to the woman, “Go and sin no more,” are not a command to perfection but a call to transformation. While we strive to live righteously, we are reminded that when we fall, Jesus’ mercy is available to us, and He doesn’t condemn us. Instead, He offers forgiveness and a new way forward.
“Jesus didn’t come to condemn you for your mistakes,” K reminds viewers. “He loves you. He truly cares about you. He doesn’t want you living in guilt or shame for your mistakes because He’s already paid for them.”
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
