The Meaning of John 8:6 Explained

John 8:6

KJV: This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

YLT: and this they said, trying him, that they might have to accuse him. And Jesus, having stooped down, with the finger he was writing on the ground,

Darby: But this they said proving him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus, having stooped down, wrote with his finger on the ground.

ASV: And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<1161> This  they said,  tempting  him,  that  they might have  to accuse  him.  But  Jesus  stooped  down,  and with [his] finger  wrote  on  the ground,  [as though he heard  them not  ]. 

What does John 8:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

There have been several suggestions about what Jesus may have written in the dust, all of which are guesses. Perhaps He wrote the words of Jeremiah 17:13 b: "Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord." Perhaps He wrote Exodus 23:1 b: "Do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness." [1] Perhaps he wrote the sins of the woman"s accusers. Jesus may have written the same words that He proceeded to speak giving a visual as well as an audible decision. Incidentally, this is the only record of Jesus writing that we have in the Bible.
If the account of this incident is complete, the writer must have felt that what Jesus wrote was secondary to His act of writing since he did not identify what He wrote. Perhaps Jesus was reminding the scribes and Pharisees that God had originally written the Ten Commandments with His finger ( Exodus 31:18). Jesus" act reminds the reader of this and so suggests that Jesus is God. As God gave the Old Covenant by writing with His finger, so God (Jesus) was giving the New Covenant by writing with His finger. Perhaps Jesus also wrote on the ground to delay answering His critics. This would have had the double effect of heightening their anticipation of His reply and giving them time to repent. The mention of this act here anticipates His doing the same thing again later ( John 8:8).

Context Summary

John 8:1-11 - The Accusers Self-Condemned
This passage has been the subject of much controversy, but there is no possibility of accounting for it except on the supposition that this incident really took place. It reveals in our Lord's character such tenderness, wisdom, hatred of sin, and insight into the heart of man, that it is impossible to suppose that any evangelist could have invented the story.
The sinner's way of treating sin is to regard it as "a case" for curious speculation, and an opportunity for contrasting with it the immaculate virtue of the accusers. They take prurient pleasure in enumerating the terrible details, but give no sign of pity or shame for the sinner. The Law's way of treating sin is to stone. The executioner shows no mercy. The offender falls beneath the Law's curse and penalty. The Savior's way of treating sin is to forgive. In that bowed head and hidden face, John 8:10, we learn how much sin costs Him. But it is easy to hear His words of forgiveness, and to go forth from His presence with the assurance that "there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus;" but we shall never know how much sin has cost Him, whom it crucifies afresh. That silent, averted gaze has made men bow their heads and beat upon their breasts. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 8

1  Jesus delivers the woman taken in adultery
12  He declares himself the light of the world, and justifies his doctrine;
31  promises freedom to those who believe;
33  answers the Jews who boasted of Abraham;
48  answers their reviling, by showing his authority and dignity;
59  and slips away from those who would stone him

Greek Commentary for John 8:6

Tempting him [πειραζοντες αυτον]
Evil sense of this present active participle of πειραζω — peirazō as so often (Mark 8:11; Mark 10:2, etc.). That they might have whereof to accuse him Purpose clause with ινα — hina and present active subjunctive of εχω — echō This laying of traps for Jesus was a common practice of his enemies (Luke 11:16, etc.). Note present active infinitive of κατηγορεω — katēgoreō (see Matthew 12:10 for the verb) to go on accusing (with genitive αυτου — autou). It was now a habit with these rabbis. Stooped down First aorist active participle of κυπτω — kuptō old verb to bow the head, to bend forward, in N.T. only here and John 8:8; Mark 1:7. The use of κατω — katō (down) gives a vivid touch to the picture. With his finger Instrumental case of δακτυλος — daktulos for which see Matthew 23:4. Wrote on the ground Imperfect active of καταγραπω — katagraphō old compound, here only in N.T., to draw, to delineate, to write down, apparently inchoative, began to write on the sand as every one has done sometimes. The only mention of writing by Jesus and the use of καταγραπω — katagraphō leaves it uncertain whether he was writing words or drawing pictures or making signs. If we only knew what he wrote! Certainly Jesus knew how to write. And yet more books have been written about this one who wrote nothing that is preserved than any other person or subject in human history. There is a tradition that Jesus wrote down the names and sins of these accusers. That is not likely. They were written on their hearts. Jesus alone on this occasion showed embarrassment over this woman‘s sin. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 8:6

John 5:45 I will accuse [κατηγορήσω]
From κατά , against, and ἀγορεύω , to speak in the assembly ( ἀγορά ). Hence, properly, to bring an accusation in court. John uses no other verb for accuse, and this only here, John 8:6, and Revelation 12:10. Once in the New Testament διαβάλλω occurs (Luke 16:1, on which see note), signifying malicious accusation, and secret, as distinguished from public, accusation ( κατηγορία ). Αἰτιάομαι occurs once in the compound προῃτιασάμεθα , we before laid to the charge (Romans 3:9). This has reference especially to the ground of accusation ( αἰτία ). Ἑγκαλέω occurs only in Acts, with the exception of Romans 8:33. It means to accuse publicly, but not necessarily before a tribunal. See Acts 23:28, Acts 23:29; Acts 26:2, Acts 26:7. [source]
John 8:7 When they continued asking [ως επεμενον ερωτωντες]
Imperfect active indicative of επιμενω — epimenō (waiting in addition or still, επι — epi old verb) with supplementary active participle of ερωταω — erōtaō to question. See same construction in Acts 12:16 The verb επιμενω — epimenō does not occur in John. They saw that Jesus seemed embarrassed, but did not know that it was as much because of “the brazen hardness of the prosecutors” as because of the shame of the deed. He lifted himself up First aorist active indicative of ανακυπτω — anakuptō the opposite of κατακυπτω — katakuptō to bend down (John 8:8) or of κατω κυπτω — katō kuptō (John 8:6). He that is without sin Verbal adjective Objective genitive. First cast The nominative πρωτος — prōtos means first before others, be the first to cast, not cast before he does something else. See John 20:4. The verb is second aorist imperative of βαλλω — ballō old verb to fling or cast. Jesus thus picks out the executioner in the case. [source]
John 8:8 Again he stooped down [παλιν κατακυπσας]
First aorist active participle of κατακυπτω — katakuptō old and rare verb (in Epictetus II, 16. 22) instead of κατω κυπσας — katō kupsas in John 8:6. With his finger Not genuine, only in D and Western class. Wrote on the ground Imperfect active of the simplex γραπω — graphō not καταγραπω — katagraphō The second picture of Jesus writing on the ground. [source]
John 8:23 Ye are from beneath [υμεις εκ των κατω]
This language, peculiar to John, could take up the idea in Josephus that these rabbis came from Gehenna whence they will go as children of the devil (John 8:44), but the use of εκ του κοσμου τουτου — ek tou kosmou toutou (“of this world” in origin) as parallel to what we have here seems to prove that the contrast between κατω — katō and ανω — anō here is between the earthly (sensual) and the heavenly as in James 3:15-17. See also Colossians 3:1. This is the only use of κατω — katō in John (except John 8:6). These proud rabbis had their origin in this world of darkness (John 1:9) with all its limitations. I am from above The contrast is complete in origin and character, already stated in John 3:31, and calculated to intensify their anger. [source]
2 Peter 1:15 Ye may be able [ἔχειν ὑμᾶς]
Lit., that you may have it. A similar use of have, in the sense of to be able, occurs Mark 14:8. The same meaning is also foreshadowed in Matthew 18:25, had not to pay; and John 8:6, have to accuse. [source]

What do the individual words in John 8:6 mean?

This now they were saying testing Him so that they might have [grounds] to accuse Him - But Jesus down having stooped with [His] finger began writing on the ground
Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγον πειράζοντες αὐτόν ἵνα ἔχωσιν κατηγορεῖν αὐτοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦς κάτω κύψας τῷ δακτύλῳ κατέγραφεν εἰς τὴν γῆν

Τοῦτο  This 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἔλεγον  they  were  saying 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
πειράζοντες  testing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πειράζω  
Sense: to try whether a thing can be done.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ἔχωσιν  they  might  have  [grounds] 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
κατηγορεῖν  to  accuse 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: κατηγορέω  
Sense: to accuse.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
κάτω  down 
Parse: Adverb
Root: κάτω 
Sense: down, downwards.
κύψας  having  stooped 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύπτω  
Sense: to stoop down, bend forward, to bow the head.
δακτύλῳ  [His]  finger 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: δάκτυλος  
Sense: a finger.
κατέγραφεν  began  writing 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
γῆν  ground 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.