The Gospel Part 21

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of me; and I know that his witness of me is true. You sent for John and he gave testimony to the truth. Though I do not require testimony from man, I say this so you may be saved. He was a burning and a shining light and you were willing, for a time, to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John. The works that the Father has given me to complete are a testimony on my behalf. Furthermore, the Father Himself has borne witness of me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His shape and you do not have His word abiding in you because you do not believe the one He sent.

You search the scriptures and think that in them you have eternal life.

They testify of me. Yet you will not come to me for that life! I do not require praise from men but I know that you do not have the love of G.o.d in you. I came in my Father's name and you do not receive me. But if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

How can you believe when you only value honors from eachother and do not seek the honor that can come only from G.o.d? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. The one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you trust. If you really believed Moses you would believe me because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how can you believe my words?

6. After these things Jesus went across the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. A large crowd followed Him because they saw the miracles He did on those who were diseased. Then Jesus took His disciples up into a mountain. It was near the time of Pa.s.sover.

When Jesus saw the large crowd, He said to Philip, How can we buy food for them to eat? He said this to test Philip because Jesus Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, All of the bread we could get would not be enough for everyone in this crowd to take even a little.

One of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many?

Jesus said, Have the men sit down on the gra.s.s. So the men, about five thousand, sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves. When He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to those who were seated. Then Jesus did the same thing with the fish. When all were filled, He said to His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing is wasted. The disciples filled twelve baskets with the leftover fragments of the five barley loaves.

Those who saw the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is truly that prophet that is supposed to come into the world. When Jesus sensed they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him a king, He went into the mountains.

It was now evening. the disciples went down to the sea and got in a boat to go to Capernaum. It grew dark and a great wind began to stir up the sea. When they had rowed a few miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat. They were afraid. But He said to them, It is I. Be not afraid. As they welcomed Him into the boat, they were immediately at the land where they were heading.

The next day, the people who stood on the opposite sh.o.r.e saw that there was no other boat there, except the one His disciples entered. They knew that the disciples left alone and Jesus did not go with them.

Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks. When all these people saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they took boats to Capernaum to look for Him.

When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, Rabbi, when did you come here? Jesus answered, You seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for food that perishes but for the food that endures for life everlasting. This is what the Son of man will give you for on Him the Father has set His seal.

Then they asked Him, What is that work? Jesus said, This is the work of G.o.d, that you believe in the one He sent. They asked, What sign can you give us that we may see and believe you? What can you do? Our fathers ate manna in the desert; as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Jesus said, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave that bread from heaven. My Father gave you the true bread from heaven; for the bread of G.o.d is He who came down from heaven to give life to the world. Then they said, Lord, give us this bread forever. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never hunger. He who believes in me will never thirst. But I also told you that, although you have seen me, you do not believe me.

All that the Father gives me will come to me and I will not cast out anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. And it is the will of the one who sent me that I lose nothing of what He gave me, but should raise it up on the last day. It is the will of the Father who sent me, that every one who sees the Son and believes in Him will have everlasting life. And I will raise him on the last day.

The Jews murmured about Him because He said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. They said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can He say, I came down from heaven? Jesus said to them, Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by G.o.d. Everyone who has heard and has learned about the Father, comes to me.

He who believes in me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.

Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and still died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven that a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. And the bread that I give is my flesh which I give for the life of the world.

The Jews argued among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Then Jesus said to them, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. The living Father has sent me and I live by the Father. Therefore, he who feeds on me will also live by me. This is that bread that came down from heaven and not the manna your fathers ate. He who partakes of this bread will live forever. Jesus taught this in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When they heard this, many of His disciples said, These are hard words.

Who can hear it? Jesus knew that His disciples murmured at it and said, Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? It is the spirit that is life. The flesh means nothing. The words I speak are about spirit and about life. But there are some of you who do not believe. Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him. He said, That is why I told you that no man can come to me unless it is granted by my Father. From that time many of His followers went back and walked with Him no more.

Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away? Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.

We believe and are sure that you are Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d.

Jesus said, Have I not chosen you twelve and yet, one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him.

7. After these things Jesus walked in Galilee. He would not go into Judea because the Jews sought to kill Him. However, the Jewish feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brothers said to Him, Leave here and go into Judaea so your disciples may also see the works you do. No one can work in secret if he desires to be known publicly. If you really do these things, show yourself to the world. His own brothers did not believe in Him.

Jesus said, My time is not yet come, but the time is always right for you. The world cannot hate you but it hates me because I testify that the ways of the world are evil. You go to the feast. I am not going because my time has not yet fully come. Jesus stayed in Galilee until His brothers were gone, then He went alone to the feast.

The Jews sought after Him at the feast and said, Where is He? There was much murmuring among the people about Him. Some said, He is a good man.

Others said, No; He deceives the people. However, no one spoke openly about Him for fear of the Jews.

About halfway through the feast, Jesus went into the temple and taught.

The Jews were amazed and said, How does He know all this since He has no training? Jesus answered, My teachings are not mine but the teachings of the one who sent me. If any man does His will he will know whether the doctrine is from G.o.d or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own seeks his own glory. He who seeks the glory of the one who sent Him is truthful and has nothing false in Him.

Did Moses not give you the law; yet none of you keep the law? Why are you about to kill me? The people said, You have a devil. Who is about to kill you? Jesus answered, I have done one work and you all marvel.

Moses gave you circ.u.mcision, which was handed down to him, and you circ.u.mcise a man on the sabbath day. If a man receives circ.u.mcision on the sabbath day so the law of Moses is not broken, are you offended because I have healed a man on the sabbath day? Do not judge by appearances, but judge by what is just.

Some of them said, Is He not the one they seek to kill? Yet He speaks openly and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers really know that this is the Christ? How is it that we know where this man is from; but, when the Messiah comes, no one is supposed to know where He is from? As Jesus was teaching in the temple He cried out, You know me and you also know where I am from. I did not come on my own, but I came from the Father, whom you do not know. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent me.

Then they sought to take Him, but no man laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come. Many of the people believed in Him and said, Could Christ do more than the things this man has done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things about Him and they, along with the chief priests, sent officers to arrest Him.

Jesus said to them, I will be with you a little while longer and then I will go to Him who sent me. You will look for me and will not find me.

And where I am going, you cannot come. The Jews said to eachother, Where will He go that we will not find Him? Will He go to those dispersed among the Gentiles and teach them? What kind of saying is it that He said, You will look for me and will not find me? And, where I am going, you cannot come?

On the closing day of the feast, Jesus stood up and said, If any man thirsts, let Him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, it is written in the scripture: out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. Jesus said this to signify the Spirit which those who believe in Him would receive. The Holy Spirit was not yet revealed because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Many of the people, when they heard this, said, Truly, this is the prophet. Others said, This is the Messiah. This is the Christ. But some asked, Can He come from Galilee? Has the scripture not said that He will come from the seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? Now there was a division among the people about Him.

Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

When the officers went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, they asked, Why have you not brought Him? The officers answered, No one ever spoke like this man. The Pharisees said, Are you deceived also? Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed Him? These people who do not know the law are cursed! Nicodemus, the one among them who went to see Jesus at night, said to them, Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does? They answered him, Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.

Then each went to his own house.

8. That night Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He went back to the temple and all the people came to Him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman they accused of adultery. They put her in their midst and said to Jesus, Master, this woman was taken in the very act of adultery. Moses, in the law, commanded us to stone such a person. What do you say? They said this to trap Him so they would have grounds to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and, with His finger, wrote on the ground as if He did not hear them. When they repeated the question to Him, He stood up and said to them, He who is without sin, let him cast a stone at her.

Then He stooped down again and wrote on the ground.

Those who heard this were stricken by their own consciences. One by one, they went out, beginning with the eldest and down to the youngest.

Jesus was now left alone with the woman still standing in the midst.

When He stood up again and saw no one except the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord. Then Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

Then Jesus spoke again to the people. He said, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The Pharisees said to Him, You bear record of yourself.

Your record is not true. Jesus answered, Though I bear record of myself, my record is true because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you cannot tell from where I came, or to where I go. You judge according to the flesh. But I judge no man. And yet, if I judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me are one.

It is written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who bears witness of myself. The Father who sent me also bears witness of me. Then they said to Him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me nor my Father. If you had known me you would have known my Father also. Jesus said this in the treasury as He taught in the temple. No man laid hands on Him becuase His hour had not yet come.

Jesus said to them, I will go my way. You will seek me and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come. Then the Jews said, Will He kill Himself because He said, Where I go, you cannot come? Jesus said to them, You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you will die in your sins because if you do not believe who I am, you will destroy yourselves in the darkness of your sins.

Then they said to Him, Who are you? Jesus said, I am the same that I said to you from the beginning. There are many things that I, myself, could say and accuse you of, but He who sent me is true. I speak to the world the things that I have heard from Him. The people did not understand that He spoke to them about G.o.d.

Then Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of man, you will know who I am. I do nothing of myself. I speak only what my Father has taught me. He who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone because I always do what pleases Him. As Jesus spoke these words many believed Him. Jesus said to the Jews who believed Him, If you remain in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.

They answered Him, We are Abraham's seed and were never bound to any man. How is it you say, We will be made free? Jesus answered, Verily, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. The servant does not abide in the house forever, but the Son does abide forever. If the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed.

I know you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. I speak about what I have seen with my Father; and you do what you have seen from your father. They said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus answered, If you were Abraham's children you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I have heard from G.o.d. You do the wicked deeds of your ancestors.

Then they said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, G.o.d. Jesus said, If G.o.d were your Father you would love me because I proceeded forth and came from G.o.d. I did not come on my own, but from the one who sent me. Why do you not understand me? Is it because you cannot hear my words?

You are of your father the devil and you will do the wicked deeds of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning. He never dealt in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own because he is a liar, and the father of all lies.

Yet, I tell you the truth and you do not believe me. Who of you can convict me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

He who is of G.o.d hears G.o.d's words. You do not hear them because you are not of G.o.d.

The Jews said, Are we wrong in saying you are a Samaritan and have a devil? Jesus answered, I do not have a devil. I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. I tell you, if anyone keeps my word he will never see death.