The Writing's on the Ground

In the April Rake [“Cuddly Kierkegaardians”], Dan Sinykin mused that “Søren Kierkegaard … wrote more than thirty books during his life (1813-1855) on topics ranging from faith to seduction. That’s a lot of ink for a man whose favorite thinkers, Socrates and Jesus, never penned a word.”

I’d agree that Socrates and Jesus never saw a Bic or a Biro, but assuming that “penned” here is just meant as a variant on “wrote,” this is seemingly not true of Jesus (though perhaps so of Socrates). See John, chapter 8, verses 6-8:

6 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.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.