The Skeptics Annotated Bible (847 page)

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 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.

40 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.

(6.40) “Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.” And if you’ve never seen him and/or don’t believe on him? What then?

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42 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?

(6.42) “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph?” The people of Nazareth, who knew Jesus well, did not believe in him.

43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44 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.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46
Not that any man hath seen the Father
, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

(6.46) “Not that any man hath seen the Father.”
49 Can God be seen?

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

(6.47)
“He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
To hell with the rest of us.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

(6.50) “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.”

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

(6.53-66) Jesus says we must eat his flesh and drink his blood if we want to have eternal life. This idea was just too gross for “many of his disciples” and “walked no more with him.” (They are called Protestants nowadays.)

53 Then Jesus said 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.

(6.53)
“Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”

54
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life
; and I will raise him up at the last day.

(6.54)
“Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life
.”

55 For
my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

(6.55) “My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”

56
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

(6.56)
“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so
he that eateth me
, even he
shall live by me.

(6.57)
“He that eateth me … shall live by me.”

58 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 for ever.

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60
Many
therefore
of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

(6.60) “Many … of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

(6.64-66) Jesus knew who could stomach the idea of eating his flesh and drinking his blood (the Catholics, who are going to heaven) and who couldn’t (the Protestants, who are going to hell). It’s all a part of God’s plan.