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A Stone in Your Hand

Jesus sits, stoops, stands, stoops, and stands, and somehow defuses a mob from stoning a woman.

Published by Steve Hall in Encounters with Jesus Share

We’re told in John 8 that Jesus has gone “to the temple again” at dawn (v.2). By using the word “again,” John tells us this has become a regular event. A sizeable crowd expects this routine and now surrounds him, listening to him teach them.

We’re also told that Jesus sits down to teach (v.2).

At dawn [Jesus] went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

— John 8:2 CSB (emphasis mine)

In amongst the other information that verse 2 provides us with, Jesus' posture seems an irrelevant fact to most of us. But in a story that's all over within 11 verses and lacks narrative detail overall, the information we're given is important to our understanding.

And John wants us to know, Jesus is sitting.


"Anyone who has seen me," Jesus said, "has seen the Father."

— John 14:9 NIV

Join me in migrating from a violent view of God to a nonviolent one.

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