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History
In 1794, President Thomas Jefferson set out to uncover the essence of true religion from the Gospels by extracting Jesus' message of absolute love and service from the annunciation, virgin birth, and even the resurrection. Completed in 1819, this little book is the result of Jefferson's efforts.
The Jefferson Bible was an attempt to harmonize the gospels. All references to the Deity of Christ are deleted. The virgin birth of Christ, His genealogy, miracles and claims of Divine Sonship are gone. One of the few things left are the parables.
According to Jefferson, when Jesus left the man who had been blind since birth (John 9) the man was still blind, Malchus was left with his ear cut off and Lazarus was left rotting in the tomb.
In The Jefferson Bible, you will find no reference to Christ fulfilling prophesy, or the Spirit of the Lord being upon Him. Nor will you find the victory of Christ over the temptations which Satan placed in His way.
Jefferson's Bible abruptly ends with these words: "Now, in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus. And rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed."
"[Jefferson's Bible] Gives us a preaching Jesus of distinctly human dimensions, without miracles or resurrection [A] fascinating document, telling us a great deal about a great eighteenth century mind and its world."
-Charles S. Adams, Religious Studies Review
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