What Did Jesus Write in the Ground? The Controversy and Mystery in John 8

There is more to the Abrahamic covenant than just this family and just that land. As will become clear from the rest of Genesis and from the New Testament, Abram knew that the earthly land of Canaan was just a picture of heaven itself (Heb 11:10). Likewise, he came to understand that the key to becoming a vast nation was a single son. From the one, special boy of Abram, the blessings would flow to the nations, who is Jesus Christ (Gal 3:7–9). By faith in Christ, we become the heirs of these ancient promises.

Following sound doctrine requires our eyes to remain fixed on Jesus. It also requires that our faith rests in him. Faith opens the door to God’s plan and allows us to accomplish his will for our lives. It does so chiefly because it fosters a heart that yields to the counsel and leading of God. In this way, we remain on the road of truth.

The Prophets are not just abstract apocalyptic literature, included in the canon of Scripture because of their audience or subject matter. No, they—like the rest of Scripture—are the divinely inspired word of God. They are included in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan and written within the covenant context of God and his people for a theological purpose, reflecting a specific historical and geographical context.

When Peter stood up at Pentecost, his audience was entirely Jewish. What did they hear when he declared that “the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39)? What they heard would have immediately governed their covenant practice […]