CHAPTER XXVII.
JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE FOR THE WORLD.
And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus answered them and said,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath G.o.d the Father sealed.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of G.o.d? Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of G.o.d, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then said Jesus unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of G.o.d is he that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them,
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father"s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them,
Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of G.o.d. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of G.o.d, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying, How can this man give us _his_ flesh to eat? Then said Jesus unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard _this_, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them,
Doth this offend you? _What_ and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, _they_ are spirit, and _they_ are life. But there are some of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said,
Therefore I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
From that _time_ many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve,
Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d. Jesus answered them,
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil.
He spake of Judas Iscariot, _the son_ of Simon; for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
PHARISEES MURMUR--WASHINGS AND OTHER TRADITIONS.
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash _their_ hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And _when they come_ from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, _as_ the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them,
Why do ye also transgress the commandment of G.o.d by your tradition? Full well ye reject the commandment of G.o.d, that ye may keep your own tradition. For G.o.d commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to _his_ father or _his_ mother, _It is_ Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, _he shall be free_. Thus have ye made the commandment of G.o.d of none effect by your tradition. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of G.o.d of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
_Ye_ hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with _their_ lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching _for_ doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of G.o.d, ye hold the tradition of men, _as_ the washing of pots and cups: and many other such things ye do.
And when he had called all the people _unto him_, he said unto them,
Hearken unto me every one _of you_, and understand: there is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was entered into the house from the people, then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said,
Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
And Jesus said,
Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, _it_ cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, false witness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
CHAPTER XXIX.
SYROPHENICIAN WOMAN--BLIND MEN--FEEDS FOUR THOUSAND.
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord _thou_ Son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and said,
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And (he) entered into an house, and would have no man know _it_: but he could not be hid. For a _certain_ woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation: and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her,
Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet to take the children"s bread, and to cast _it_ unto the dogs.
And she answered and said unto him, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs under the table, eat of the children"s crumbs which fall from their masters"
table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her,