The Bible Story Part 243

They said therefore unto him, "What must we do, that we may 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 then doest thou {162} for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'"

Jesus therefore said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of G.o.d is he who cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world."

They said therefore unto him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not. All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that of all those whom he hath given me I should lose none, but should raise them up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven."

And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, 'I am come down out of heaven'?"

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE LORD JESUS By Heinrich Hofmann (1824- [End ill.u.s.tration]

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Jesus answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father who sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of G.o.d.' Everyone that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is from G.o.d, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea, and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world."

Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?"

But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, "Doth this cause you to stumble? What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you who believe not."

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was who should betray him.

And he said, "For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father."

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Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, "Would ye also go away?"

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of G.o.d."

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II

THE ENEMIES OF JESUS

_How the Leaders of the People Had Already Begun to Turn Against the Lord Jesus and to Dispute His Teaching_.

_Conflict About the Sabbath_.

There was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a mult.i.tude of those who were sick, blind, lame, withered. And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been ill a long time, he saith unto him, "Wouldest thou be made whole?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."

Jesus saith unto him, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews said unto him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed."

But he answered them, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, 'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"

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They asked him, "Who is the man that said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed, and walk'?"

But he that was healed knew not who it was: for Jesus had gone away, a mult.i.tude being in the place.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee."

The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole. And for this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father worketh even until now, and I work."

For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called G.o.d his own Father, making himself equal with G.o.d.

At another time he was going on the Sabbath day through the cornfields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, "Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful?"

And he said unto them, "Did ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry, he, and those who were with him? How he entered into the house of G.o.d when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the s...o...b..ead, which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?"

And he said unto them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: so that the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath."

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And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who had his hand withered. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man who had his hand withered, "Stand forth."

And he saith unto them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill?"

But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at their hard-heartedness, he said to the man, "Stretch forth thy hand." And he stretched it forth: and his hand was restored.

And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.

_Conflict About the Treatment of Sinful People_.

And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he entered into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.

And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster cruse of ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, began to wet his feet with her tears, and wipe them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is who toucheth him, that she is a sinner."

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And Jesus answering said unto him, "Simon, I have something to say unto thee."

And he saith, "Master, say on."