(2) Some think, as Lightfoot and Burgon, that onr Lord meant to refer to the law of Moses for the trial of jealousy, in which an accused woman was obliged to drink water into which dust from the floor of the tabernacle or temple had been put by the priest. (Num. v. 17.) The action would then imply, " Has the law for trying such an one as this been tried? Look at the dust on which I am writing. Has the woman been placed before the priest, and drank of the dust and water? "
(3) Some think, as Augustine, Melancthon, Brentius, Toletus, and a Lapide, that our Lord's action was a silent reference to the text, Jer. xvii. 13: "They that depart from me shall be written in the earth."
(4) One rationalist writer suggests that our Lord " stooped down" from feelings of modesty, as if ashamed of the sight before Him, and of the story told to Him. The idea is prepos- terous, and entirely out of harmony with our Lord's public demeanour.
(5) Some think, as Euthymius, Calvin, Rollock, Chemnitius, Diodati, Flavius, Piscator, Grotius, Poole, and Hutcheson, that our Lord did not mean anything at all by this writing on the ground, and that He only signified that He would give no answer, and would neither listen to nor interfere in such matters as the one brought before Him.
Calvin remarks : " Christ intended, by doing nothing, to show how unworthy they were of being heard; just as if any one, while another was speaking to him, were to draw lines on the wall, or to turn his back, or to show by any other sign, that he was not attending to what was said."
I must leave the reader to choose which solution he prefers. To my eyes, I confess, there are difficulties in each view. If I must select one, I prefer the last of the five, as the simplest.
Quesnel remarks : " We never read that Jesus Christ wrote but once in His life. Let men learn from hence never to write but when it is necessary or useful, and to do it with humility and modesty, on a principle of charity, and not of malice."
7.— \_So when they continued... lifted... said unto them.] The Scribes and Pharisees seem to have been determined to have an answer, and to have made it necessary for our Lord to speak at last. But His first silence and significant refusal to attend were a plain proof to all around that He did not wish to interfere with the office of the magistrate, and had not come to be a judge of offen- ces against the law. If they got an opinion from Him about this case, they could not say that He gave it willingly, but that it was extorted from Him by much importunity.
[He that is without sin. ..first cast a stone at her.'] This solemn and weighty sentence is a striking example of our Lord's perfect wisdom. He referred His questioners to Scripture. Deut. xvii.