Jesus’s Gestures of Writing in John 7:53–8:11: A Means Without End

Abstract Jesus’s gesture of writing in John 7:53–8:11 has been interpreted as an invitation to decipher its meaning literally or symbolically. Some symbolic interpretations emphasize that Jesus surpasses the Mosaic law by writing on the ground. This article offers a performative interpretation of the Pericope Adulterae that challenges these symbolic readings. Drawing on Giorgio Agamben’s theory of gesture, it argues that the act of writing carries its own meaning. This understanding of gesture counters anti-Jewish tendencies in interpreting the Pericope Adulterae . Rather than becoming the author of a new law, Jesus is challenged as a teacher of the law. By interrupting the direct link between guilt and punishment, his gesture of writing reveals grace as the essence of the law.