The Skeptics Annotated Bible (751 page)

15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

(15.21) “Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre.” Jesus visits Tyre which according to Ezekiel (26.14, 21; 27.36, 28.19) was not supposed to exist anymore.

(15.22-26) Jesus refuses to heal the Canaanite woman's possessed daughter, saying “it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs.”
352 Should the gospel be preached to everyone?

22 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.

(15.22)
“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.”

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

(15.23)
“But he answered her not a word.”

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(15.24)
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

(15.25)
“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.”

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

(15.26)
“He answered … It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.”

(15.27-28) After the Canaanite woman grovels a bit more at Jesus' feet and admits to being “a dog,” Jesus cast out her daughter's devil.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

(15.27)
“She said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

(15.28)
“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

(15.29-30) Jesus went up on a mountain and healed “a great multitude” of lame, blind, dumb, and maimed people.

29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

(15.29)
“Jesus … went up into a mountain, and sat down there.”

30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:

(15.30)
“And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them.”

31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

(15.32-38) A “great multitude” had been following Jesus for three days, and were getting hungry. So Jesus told his disciples to feed them. His disciples wondered where they would get the food. But they should have known by now, since Jesus just did the same trick in 14.14-21. These stories are probably the result of two oral versions of the same fictitious story.

32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

(15.32)
“Jesus … said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.”

33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

(15.33)
“His disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?”

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

(15.34)
“Jesus saith … How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.”

35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

(15.36)
“He took the seven loaves and the fishes … gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

(15.37)
“And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.”

38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

(15.38)
“They that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.”

39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

16
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

(16.3-4a) “O ye hypocrites … A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.” The ever-so-kind Jesus calls an entire generation wicked, adulterous, hypocrites. Why? For asking for some evidence that Jesus is who he claims to be.