This is the 8th and final blogin my series which began with One Christian Looks at Islam Looking at Christianity; next was the two part Christianity and Islam: Of Prophecy and the Prophet; then the two part Christianity and Islam: Conflict over True Christianity; followed by the two part Christianity and Islam: Jesus – Prophet, Messiah and Lord. This blog follows Christianity and Islam: Jesus – Prophet, Messiah and Lord (2).
Christians and Muslims agree that Jesus is a messenger of God and that He is properly called the Messiah. They agree that Jesus’ birth was miraculous, and that Jesus was a miracle worker. The Qur’an like the Gospel of John even refers to Jesus as the Word of God. Where Christianity and Islam part company in their understanding of Jesus is that for Christians all the evidence of the birth and life of Jesus (which the Qur’an also accepts) proves Him to be Son of God. The Christians say the evidence of the miracles of Christ mean Jesus is Lord, God incarnate, and one of the Holy Trinity. Islam denies these points not believing that the evidence of Christ’s miraculous life justifies such an interpretation of Jesus. Additionally, for Christians there is the fact of the death and resurrection of Christ which is the ultimate proof of the Christian understanding of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished. The Qur’an does not accept the story of Christ’s crucifixion and thus denies to the death and resurrection of Christ any sacrificial importance let alone saving or redeeming power. For Christians Christ ultimately triumphs even over death, the final enemy of God, which is the lesson Christians derive from the story of the resurrection. In Islam Christ is merely a prophet who brings the same message as all prophets – submit to God. Islam sees Christ as ultimately having no victory in his life except perhaps a moral victory. They see true victory coming only with Muhammad who leads an army to victory and thus see God’s victory as a victory in this world. In the world to come there will be no help from God as all that awaits each human is judgment. On the other hand for Christians the victory of Christ extends beyond the grave into eternal life as Christ is victorious over sin and death.
For Muslims it is essential that Jesus himself points the way to Muhammad as it is Muhammad not Jesus who is the final prophet. The Quran “quotes” Jesus predicting the coming of a messenger whose name is “Ahmad.” The quote is not found anywhere in the canonical Gospels. Islam uses Jesus predictions of the coming of the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth in John 14-16 as Jesus predicting the coming of Muhammad rather than the coming of God’s Holy Spirit on Pentecost. I am not aware if there is any non-canonical Gospel text which has Christ predicting a future prophet to follow Him, but indeed some of the stories of Jesus in the Qur’an which are not found in the canonical Gospels can be found in 3rd-4th Century apocryphal texts – texts the early Christians regarded as spurious or heretical. (It would be interesting to know if Islam considers these texts as legitimate scriptures since they have in them stories that the later dated Qur’an contains). For example the Qur’an has Jesus miraculously turning clay birds which he had formed into live ones, a story reported also in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas or the Arabic Gospel of the Infancy of the Savior.
For Muslims, the Christian reverence for Jesus as Lord and one of the Holy Trinity is both wrong and forbidden by the 
Qur’an. Islam blames to a large extent the Apostle Paul for distorting the true story of Jesus and the Gospel. The Muslim missionary materials claim St. Paul was only interested in his own vision of the mystic Christ, but not interested in the historic person of Christ. Yet, St. Paul places a clear emphasis on the Cross and on the last supper, events he reports and claims to have the received and is passing along as tradition. The Islamic criticism of Paul lacking an interest in history is because Islam itself does not accept the historicity of the events of Holy Week – the last supper, the crucifixion and the resurrection. Christianity is based in historical events which St. Paul makes the heart of his Gospel. St. Paul does not preach a different history, but proclaims the very history found in the Gospels. He also comments on the implication of the historical events of the death and resurrection of Christ for all those who believe in God and who believe that keeping Torah is the only way to earn God’s favor.
Islam claims its own view of Christ is historical, formed while he still lived on earth (not after his departure from the world), is the view Jesus had of Himself, teaches monotheism, is in line with what Muhammad taught. Muslims claim the Christian view on the other hand progressively evolved after Jesus departure from the world, is mythical and an interpretation, contradicts Jesus’ own teachings, is influenced by Greco-Roman polytheistic mythology and philosophy, was not taught by ANY of God’s prophets, was developed by St. Paul a self-appointed disciple. Islam claims all prophets were Muslims, and so was Jesus. It claims Christianity is an aberration created by Paul which rejects monotheism. One booklet asked, “Is it not strange that Paul portrays the law of the mystic Christ as differing from God’s law?!”
The answer, I think is no. Christians understand the Law of God as serving a purpose in preparing God’s people until the Messiah came. The Law in Christian thinking is not the teleological goal of God’s plan. Rather the Law was to help God’s people until the Christ came. The Messiah is the goal of history and in Him the very purpose of the Law is fulfilled. For Islam the goal in life is to obey and submit to God’s Law. In this sense Islam is another form of literalistic and legalistic thinking that sees God mostly as a law giver whose task in life is to police His creatures, punishing or rewarding them for their behavior at the end of their lives. Christianity however understands God’s deep abiding love for His creation and His desire to share His divine life with His creatures. Thus the goal is not mere obedience but to freely choose love – for God and for one another.
The Muslim materials accuse Paul of deception and of saying the law was binding on Jesus but not on Paul. They claim such passages as Matthew 5:18-19 refute Paul. But Jesus Himself is accused of violating the law by the Jews who rejected Him. Jesus declared himself the Lord of the Sabbath and more important than the temple or the Torah because He fulfilled the purpose of both.
St. Paul considers what Jesus said and did and then looks at what the purpose of the law was – it belongs to this world, not to the kingdom of God. The law was given because of sin but was not given originally by God in paradise. The Muslim missionary material accuses St. Paul of pushing Jesus aside, yet Paul declared Jesus as Lord and Christ, which Islam will not do. Islam really accuses Paul of both pushing Jesus aside and of untruthfully exalting Him.
St. Paul is not the founder of Christianity but is an Apostle of Christ. His teachings are particularly troublesome to Islam because Muhammad did not understand or accept his teachings. Paul is one of the Apostles and prophets upon whom God built His Church, Jesus Christ being the cornerstone. Christianity does not have to deny or change any of the Scriptures of the Jews to come to their faith in Jesus as Messiah. Christians accept St. Paul as being fully in line with the witness of the entire scriptures of Christians and Jews, of accepting and teaching all of the revelation of God which is found in the Bible of Jews and Christians.
Fraternized 
Peace be with you.
well, it’s me again. notice that from the Bible, it said that Jesus died. i know it, because i graduated from a Catholic High School where i learned about the bible. i’ve read it back and forth all through out. now, i reverted to Islam and read the Qur’an wholly. now, my question for you here is, why did you say Death is the enemy of God? so does this say there exists an entity other than God that can fight God? Who made this Death? Is death a god? if Jesus (peace be upon him) died, would you still say he is Son of God knowing that God is gives Life?
though it may be so good to hear that Jesus “supposedly” died for mankind, it will not be fit for God to require blood-sacrifice to forgive sins. God is the Most Merciful. if a sinner will repent wholeheartedly and strives away from the sins, then God will forgive him.
if you only knew the origins of Satan, of hell, the forgiveness of Adam and Eve, Jesus’ rising to the heavens, the truth behind the Transfiguration, story of Muhammad’s prophethood, and other such things, you can then confirm the fallacy of the bible. There was a true Injeel (bible) before it was burned and then some wrote their “version of the bible”.
if you’d be free enough from your services, would you mind answering some more of my questions:
where did Satan come from?
who made Hell?
what will happen to Satan after being defeated by the army of God? (revelation)
who gives death? and who gives life?
is Satan a fallen angel? if so, then did God commit a mistake when he made angels without free will?
Christians believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) has died on the cross to atone their sins, then Christians can then sin and say to himself that he’ll be forgiven because Jesus died?
i dont want to debate, i just want to clear your mind about the stand of muslims on the topics of your blog. that’s all for now and hope to get a response from you. i repeat, i don’t want to debate, i just want to clear things up because you are mainly basing your blogs from just reading materials, not from real talks.
Allah and His prophets know best.
Peace be with you my dear brothers.
As-salamu ‘alaikum
Tim,
Peace also be with you.
You asked several questions, and I offer you my answers:
T: why did you say Death is the enemy of God? so does this say there exists an entity other than God that can fight God? Who made this Death? Is death a god? if Jesus (peace be upon him) died, would you still say he is Son of God knowing that God is gives Life?
Me: Because God is the giver of life, that which destroys or takes away life is evil and opposed to God. Death is the end of life, the end of that which God intended to be good and the way of knowing Him and entering into communion with Him. No death is not a god, but it is a state of being which is opposed to what God originally created and intended. Christ is the giver of life. He took on a human body and died, but then defeated death by rising from the dead. Christ went to the place of the dead and trampled down the power of death. Death does not have the final say in anyone’s life and Christ proved Himself victor over death. Jesus thus accomplished the will of God to make even death submit to God’s will. Jesus freed all of those who were held by death and gave life even to the dead.
T: though it may be so good to hear that Jesus “supposedly” died for mankind, it will not be fit for God to require blood-sacrifice to forgive sins. God is the Most Merciful. if a sinner will repent wholeheartedly and strives away from the sins, then God will forgive him.
Me: Yes, the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is the story of God’s victory over death and of God giving life even to those who had already died. Thus the living and the dead (even those who die innocently) all are given life in Christ, all defeat death and are made victorious in Christ.
Even a sinner who repents still dies. But Christ who is resurrected destroys death and gives life to all. Repentance will not save you from death, but Christ gives you victory over death.
Me: My question for you – why do people die? What does the Qur’an say about why people die?
T: where did Satan come from? who made Hell? what will happen to Satan after being defeated by the army of God? (revelation) who gives death? and who gives life? is Satan a fallen angel? if so, then did God commit a mistake when he made angels without free will?
Me: God is the maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. He is the Creator. Satan is not God’s equal and opposite, as no such power or being exists. Angels have free will. Satan is but an angel who rebelled against God. He has no universal power and as the Resurrection of Christ shows, God has the final word over everything even over death. Death is not some universal rule like karma that has a right to claim everyone. Death is the end of God given life. But it is defeated by God in Christ.
T: Christians believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) has died on the cross to atone their sins, then Christians can then sin and say to himself that he’ll be forgiven because Jesus died?
Me: No more than a Muslim can say it is OK to sin since Allah is merciful.
The death of Christ is not just for the forgiveness of sins. The Old Testament had animal sacrifice to atone for sin. On the other hand, no amount of repentance could correct what is wrong with humanity – we are mortal beings as a result of our being sinners. Repentance cannot stop us from dying. The death of Christ is about healing what had happened to humanity through sin and death. When Christ rose from the dead he defeated the curse of death and offered to us all a life with Him where death is defeated.
Thank you very much for the kind reply.
as for death, it is true, Allah gives life and He alone can take it away as He wills. that’s why it was written in the bible Fear none but the one who can give life and take it, and throw the soul to hell. death is but a decree by God that He made us from dust and to dust we will return. rightfully, on the verge of judegement day, all of us will be raised from the dead and so it means we all need to die (for us, Jesus(AS) will come back to earth and kill the antichrist, then Jesus will die too after 19 years of married life). death is a state where our souls will be placed onto a rest until the judegement day, time of which only Allah knows, not even His prophets know.
as for hell, God is the Creator of all things, and thus He made hell as a punishment to those who strayed away from His Path. this will be filled to the brim with human and jinns including Satan. the size of hell has also been discussed in Islamic books like Qur’an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Hell is guarded by angels.
Satan is not from the angels. it is clearly stated in the bible that angels are created as God’s servants. in the Qur’an, there are 4 living creations: Men, Angels, Jinn (spirits), and Animals.
humans should not be included in the animals because we are created to harness the animals. humans were made from dust/clay. humans are made to worship Allah, to be the vicegerent on earth, and others.
Angels are made to serve and worship Allah without any doubt. There are angels who write our accounts of good and bad deeds. there are those who get souls upon death. and many others. they are clearly written in the Qur’an. im not sure where the catholics got the names of the archangels (querubin, and others). although we acknowledge Michael, Gabriel, and others. angels are made from pure light.
Jinn are spirits other than angels. they are made from smokeless fire. they are made also to worship Allah. it is from these creatures that Satan and all his sons were made from. so the angels are cleared from being faulty.
Animals came from the water. they are meant to feed us and support us in every way possible.
also, as for Jesus’ (AS) death, you said he is Son of God. what kind of god dies? it is so natural that one will ask why can’t he save himself if he can give life. can’t God rescue “his son” from death itself knowing that God gives life? normally, a good father would not let his son be hurt.
anyway, just wanted to shed some of the light i got when i came out of christianism. truth is, Islam has shed light on me when i had a lot of question for the bible. which humans tend to answer with their logic. but when these same humans are asked a difficult question, they say that it is beyond humanly logic or behind human understanding.
so kind of you to answer. have a longing for wisdom and guidance as the proverbs told you. and you will be guided. read the bible, read the qur’an, then analyse. :D
salam
Tim,
Thank you for your gracious reply. I want to ask you some questions based on what you wrote.
1) So in Islam, God created death and created humans mortal. He intended for us to die so that He could raise us from the dead? Is there any explanation why go through all of this? Why didn’t God just create us to live? How is making creatures that must suffer and die seen as merciful?
2) Did God create Satan to be evil?
3) Why didn’t God make humans perfect – not capable of sin and make a perfect world where evil doesn’t exist? Why would God create evil spirits? If God made perfect angels who cannot sin, why not perfect humans? Do angels die or are they eternal beings?
4) What difference does it make that Satan is a Jinn and not an angel?
5) The 4 living creations and where they come from seems based exactly in the ancient pagan idea of what they believed were the 4 basic elements of the universe – fire, water, wind, and earth. So does the Qur’an accept a pagan pre-scientific worldview? How can one reconcile this with modern science?
6) You asked “what kind of God dies?” This is certainly the most profound aspect of love – that it is sacrificial and self emptying and co-suffering. That is the profundity of the revelation about God in the New Tesament. God takes on suffering and death because of His love for creation. God’s love is such that He imposes on us nothing that He is not willing to suffer Himself. He has no desire for any to die – not even sinners and no desire that any be punished. He wants us all to live and to share His love and life. He pours Himself out in order to make it possible for us to share His love and life. He withholds nothing from us. He is willing to share everything about our lives in order to bring us to faith in Him. This is the most profound form of divine mercy and love possible.
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I appreciate your well thought out post, however there are some questions I have for you. You seem to not really understand the position of true Islam but I will share with you what God gave to me.
God forbids and hates human sacrifice, he prevented Abraham from taking the life of Isaac giving a substitute instead.
Jeremiah 32
35 And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin
God said that human sacrifice never even came to his mind
Also, There is no need to shed blood for the atonement of sins
in-fact all the sins of the people must be placed on the head of a living sacrifice referred to as the SCAPEGOAT and it must be presented ALIVE before GOD. Did you know that?
Leviticus 16:9-11 (New King James Version)
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.
Leviticus 16 (New King James Version)
21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. 22 The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.
Now we all know that baptism is for the remission of sins now here is the mystery of the Baptism of Christ
Luke 7
28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist;but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Matthew 3 (New King James Version)
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
The baptism of John is for the remission of sin, there is no way getting around that but we know that Jesus did not sin so why be baptised? The answer is this:
Jesus confessed the sins of the Children of Israel because he was anointed to do so and following that he was led out into the wilderness just as The Scapegoat is. Because of this Jesus was tempted of the devil as if he could be made to sin then his baptism would have been void but the most important part is that the scapegoat must be presented ALIVE before the LORD GOD if the scapegoat dies there is no living Sacrifice to bear the iniquities. Because if Jesus died he could not die again for any further sins.
Plus keep in mind that Jesus was not sacrificed by God it is really a horrible thing to say or think God even says:
Genesis 9:5-7 (New King James Version)
5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
6 “ Whoever sheds man’s blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;
For in the image of God
He made man.
Now in regards to your analogy you have a misunderstanding in it. There was a murder plot against JESUS one in which he sweated, wept and prayed to be spared from. He begged God to save him but said let it be your will. Now why would Jesus beg to be saved from “saving the world” as you say?
Isn’t it true what the scriptures say
Luke 4:10-12 (New King James Version)
10 For it is written:
‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’
11 and,
‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Psalm 91:11-13 (New King James Version)
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
The magnitude of the story is much grander when you consider what God has really done and that is protect His anointed.
If you say that the shedding of blood is required then you must also take that blood and spead it on the alter, is the cross the alter too?
No, The Scapegoat is not killed and Jesus Christ was not killed nor crucified but was raised up Alive in the same flesh and blood he was born in.
Now also to prove to you what I have said about the work of Jesus
John 17:3-5 (New King James Version)
3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
How could he have been finished the work he was given before the cross, before the shedding of blood? But there it is plain for you to see “I have finished”
Jeremiah 26:14-16 (New King James Version)
14 As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
16 So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”
Jonah 1:13-15 (New King James Version)
14 Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.”
And to those men it appeared as though Jonas had perished but it pleased the Lord that Jonas be SAVED and for 3 days and 3 nights Jonah was in the belly of the great fish and did sweat, weep and pray
Jonah 2
1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. 2 And he said:
“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
3 For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.
7 “ When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 “ Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”
he says I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving and Jonah was spit out of the belly of the fish ALIVE, so for 3 days AND 3 nights JONAH was ALIVE.
Jesus said that would be the only sign to that wicked and evil generation, he could have walked on water or healed some more people but Jesus says this is the ONLY sign and as you know if he was raised ON the third day then the sign of Jonah is not about the time otherwise he would have to be raised on the fourth day. Jesus makes it clear in the sign of Jonah he says 3 days and 3 nights so if he is raised before 3 days and 3 nights he is not talking about “time” concerning him but of Jonah so how else could he be as Jonah was?
for he says:
Matthew 12:39-41 (New King James Version)
39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
So Jesus wasn’t in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights, he wasn’t in the belly of a great fish so what could he mean as Jonah was Jonah was ALIVE
Matthew 12:40-42 (New King James Version)
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
Now understand this wisdom and knowledge what is such wisdom that is greater than Solomon?
1 Kings 3:24-26 (King James Version)
24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
So this is Islam and Christianity
1 Kings 3 (King James Version)
22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
Islam would rather turn Jesus completely over than to slay him because we love Jesus and we Love God and know the SAVING power of GOD His arms are not too short to save nor does he need sacrifice
Hosea 6:5-7 (King James Version)
5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings
Matthew 12:6-8 (King James Version)
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Jesus clearly shows here that they wanted to condemn him it was a murder plot and not a sacrifice by God but God is the best of those who plot and He outplotted them and SAVED Jesus and all those who believe in him.
Interesting comments. I just want to say that I used to be an atheists, I didn’t believe in none of this stuff 12 years ago. However, I came to believe after I had a visit from two guys saying to me that they could prove to me there was a God. I allowed these guys to pray for me so that God could reveal himself to me. But while they were with me nothing happened. Later that night while I was sleeping I was wakened by a power that I can’t really describe, but it took over me and I was as helpless as a baby. It felt like I was in the eye of a tornado, I was scared and powerless but this force felt good. I was scared because I had no control over it, neither could I see, my eyes were sealed shut. This night altered my whole life and the next ten years all I wanted was answers. I studied many religions but the answers weren’t there. I have Muslims in my family but the answers weren’t there. I have Christians in my family but they were misrepresenting the Scriptures. I knew there was a God, but I didn’t know exactly what to believe. But then 2 years ago I was called and my eyes were opened. The answers were in the Bible, I had to read it for myself, and through it I seen my own experience with God, even the night that made me first believe. I see a lot of comments here but just think about this.
Paul claimed to see Jesus and immediately became an apostle of Christ going against everything he believed in his whole life. He had a high position as a Pharisee but chose to undergo imprisonment and punishment for proclaiming the Christ. Why would he do that?
If the Quran agrees with the testimony of Jesus then how can Muslims say he wasn’t the Son of God. Doesn’t even the Torah testify to this in prophesy? And what about all the witnesses and other historic writings that testifies about the life of Jesus. He himself said he was the Christ, and through him there is mercy and grace, his apostles said the same, so how can Muslims not credit that to him? A Prophet can not lie according to the Quran.
Jesus preached peace not war, he preached about giving and sharing with others and having mercy on one another. Jesus preached that God is in control and his wrath comes on those who oppose him. Jesus was killed for proclaiming to be the Christ. He had many followers rich and poor. He could have been king of this world, he could of had many women, he was popular. He could have had mansions and chariots, but he was God in the flesh since Gods spirit fully dwelled in him, so what could earthly things mean to a Son of Man like this? Think about these things. Jesus came to save us from ourselves, after him our leaders understood that earthly things were of no value so they turned them down to follow Christ. They died for preaching such a Gospel. God is in control, a lot of religions use their teachings to acquire earthly power and possessions. Christians didn’t die on suicide missions they died preaching peace and Gods wrath will come on those who oppose this Gospel. God is in control. What can money do, or a president or dictator. God is in control.
These comments here are pretty, but really search and seek God and learn his will. I learn from a lot of people but what i seen with my own eyes can’t be refuted, I was there. But even if u never seen a miracle, been in the presence of God or heard his voice, pray for God to reveal the truth to you and watch for him. I never claimed to be anything until it was revealed to me. We all know a lie when we see one, deep in our own hearts we know what’s true, even if we don’t want to believe it. Paul had this same experience, he lived a near perfect life but he didn’t know God, he missed him because he was too focused on his own achievements. But he had to give all of that up to preach about the One who was perfect and is perfect. This is the same path I follow. I’m far from perfect but I am being made more and more perfect each day. God not only calls us but he also clenses us, and living a holy life becomes easier each day, until the last day when God makes us completely holy and perfect. I can’t wait!
Lol if you guys didn’t know, the Bible has numerous different versions and one was found recently dating hundreds of years ago and it didn’t even refer to Jesus as the son of God.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, SO SHALL the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matt 12:39-40
The scribes sure love to invent lies. They should have wrote 2nights and 2days instead. Why such nonsense can be found in New Testament? Well the answer is scribes put made up stories at their own will in Greek text as Aramaic Logia have been eradicate entirely. Thus no men could perform a check on changed words of God.
~~~
Is Greek texts pure word of God. Where is Logia of Jesus in Aramaic. Where is Matthew’s Aramaic gospel?
P46 (175CE) is Greek manuscript with the largest percentage of difference on record. This just proved that Church have been changing words since early 2nd century at will.
Here is the words of the early church father, Origen (3rd century CE):
“The differences among the manuscripts have become great, either through the negligence of some copyists or through the perverse audacity of others; they either neglect to check over what they have transcribed, or, in the process of checking, they make additions or deletions as they please.” Origen, early church father in “Commentary on Matthew.”
Regarding the oldest surviving fragment, Colin Roberts compared P52 writings using ONLY 5 samples from the early 2nd century CE back in 1935 and concluded based on those 5 samples; P52 was from the early 2nd century.
(Brent Nongbri’s 2005. The Use and Abuse of P52: Papyrological Pitfalls in the Dating of the Fourth Gospel)
What I have done is to show that any serious consideration of the window of possible dates for P52 must include dates in the later second and early third centuries. – Brent
Compare with 4th century codexes. You will be surprise how Holy Spirit inside the scribes fail to prevent them from changing words of God ever since the beginning.
What was the ONLY sign Jesus gave to prove he was the Messiah, the Savior of man? Was he dead for three days AND three nights (72 hours) or was he dead for PART of 3 twenty-four hour periods? During Jesus’ ministry, the Jews demanded a sign to prove He was the Savior. If the sign were not perfectly fulfilled, however, it would prove that He was NOT the Messiah. What he offered as proof positive that he was the Son of God was the sign of Jonah.
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale (‘great fish’) three days and three nights (72 straight hours), in like manner the Son of man shall be in the heart of the earth (buried in a grave) . . . (Matthew 12:40, HBFV)
Did Christ mean what He said? Did He really expect his burial in the earth to last 72 hours? Note that Jesus did not say, “After two nights and one day I will rise again.” He meant that for three COMPLETE days he would be dead and buried, a full seventy-two hours! Upon Jesus’ crucifixion, the Jewish leaders who hated him remembered this sign (see Matthew 27).
Many teachers of the Bible state that Jesus’ crucifixion took place on Good Friday. They also state he was resurrected early on a Sunday morning. Unfortunately, both of these teachings are not true! In fact, if the crucifixion took place on Good Friday and the resurrection on Sunday morning, then Christ (based on the prophecy HE gave) is NOT the Messiah!
Jesus clearly stated how long he would be dead. He declared He would rise again “after three days” (Matthew 27:63, Mark 8:31, etc.). How do Bible teachers, however, reconcile a Good Friday to Easter morning time period (less than 40 hours) with Jesus’ declaration he would be dead for 72 HOURS?
Some say that Jews count parts of a day as a complete twenty-four hour period. Passages cited include Genesis 42:17-18, 1Samuel 30:12 and Esther 4:15-16. Unfortunately, these passages do NOT show that three distinct twenty-four hour periods are the same as a 2 nights and 1 complete span of time between Good Friday to Easter morning! The periods mentioned in the above verses are to be taken LITERALLY.
The Bible nowhere states that Jesus’ crucifixion was on a Friday! Because the Jewish weekly Sabbath came on Saturday, scholars ASSUME Jesus died on Friday – thus promoting a Good Friday hoax! The Bible clearly states the Jews kept OTHER Holy times besides the weekly Sabbath. The Jews also kept the annual Feast Days God had given Israel (Exodus 23:14-17, Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29, etc.).
Scripture teaches there were TWO Sabbaths between the time when Jesus entered the tomb and the moment his resurrection took place! This is the KEY to understanding the correct sequence of events of what happened to Jesus our Savior!
“According to Jewish law, to be declared legally dead, a person had to be dead for three FULL days or more. Therefore, if Jesus had risen from the dead before 3 PM on the afternoon of Nisan 17, a weekly Sabbath (Saturday), He would not have been considered legally dead. As a result, His return to life would not have been considered a true resurrection from the dead.
“If He had been crucified on a Friday and restored to life on Sunday morning at sunrise (what Christianity calls Easter morning), His death WOULD NOT have been “valid” since only two nights and one day would have passed between Friday sunset and Sunday morning. In order for His death to be publicly recognized and acknowledged, it was necessary for Jesus to remain in the grave for three nights and three days before He was raised from the dead.” (HBFV, Appendix J)
After Tuesday sunset in 30 A.D. (when the Biblical day ended) Jesus partook of his last meal with his twelve disciples (Luke 22:14-15, etc.). Jesus’ crucifixion occurs between noon and 3pm Wednesday. He dies at 3pm. According to the Bible work was allowed in order to prepare for the NEXT day, a high Holy Sabbath where no work was permitted called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This Holy time began at Wednesday sunset. Jesus was very quickly taken from the cross after his death as there were only a few short hours before God’s annual Feast day began.
“Now evening was coming, and since it was a preparation (that is, the day before a Sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, an esteemed member of the council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, came; and he went in to Pilate with boldness and requested the body of Jesus. ” (Mark 15:42-43, HBFV)
The Bible states that after the annual Sabbath known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread had ended (on sunset Thursday), three women went to buy spices for Jesus’ body (Mark 16:1). After buying spices, the women spent the rest of Friday preparing them. When the weekly Sabbath started at sunset Friday, the women rested (Luke 23:56). After resting two of the women, Mary Magdalene and another Mary, go to observe Jesus’ tomb late on the weekly Sabbath.
“Now late on the Sabbath, as the first day of the weeks was drawing near, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to observe the sepulcher.” (Matthew 28:1, HBFV)
Some Scriptures speak of Jesus’ resurrection “after three days” (Mark 8:31; Matthew 27:63). Other verses say “in three days” (Matthew 26:61, 27:40; Mark 14:58, 15:29; John 2:19-20). Still others speak of “the third day” (Mark 9:31, 10:34; Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 27:64; Luke 9:22, 18:33, 24:7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40; 1Corinthians 15:4). Do these phrases contradict each other?
“When we understand Jesus statements, we find that instead of being contradictory, they reveal the exact time that he was raised from the dead. Jesus made it clear that he would be raised AFTER He had been dead for three days. The other statements, “in three days” and “on the third day,” do not include the total time that he was dead but only the time that he was buried in the tomb.” (The Day Jesus the Christ Died by F. Coulter, Chapter 6)
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead took place at sunset Saturday, April 8, 30 A.D., which is seventy-two hours after he died and was place in the heart of the earth (i.e. tomb). This fulfilled the sign of Jonah the prophet he gave in Matthew 12:38-40 and PROVED He was the TRUE Messiah to the Jews! The Bible simply does not teach Jesus was either crucified on a Friday or resurrected on a Sunday morning. Our Savior was dead and buried in the earth a full three days and three nights, proving for all ages that he was and is the Messiah.