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‘Jesus’ of the Bible’ vs ‘Isa’ of the Qur’an

‘Jesus’ of the Bible’ vs ‘Isa’ of the Qur’an. MBTS JUNE 2011. Introduction. Muslims honour Jesus , and consider him a great prophet . He is mentioned in 15 suras and 93 verses . Some Muslim scholars follow the ideas of the ‘ Jesus Seminar ’…Historical Jesus ≠ ‘Jesus of Faith’

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‘Jesus’ of the Bible’ vs ‘Isa’ of the Qur’an

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  1. ‘Jesus’ of the Bible’vs ‘Isa’ of the Qur’an MBTS JUNE 2011

  2. Introduction • Muslims honour Jesus, and consider him a great prophet. • He is mentioned in 15 surasand 93 verses. • Some Muslim scholars follow the ideas of the ‘Jesus Seminar’…Historical Jesus ≠ ‘Jesus of Faith’ • They don’t understand the pre-suppositional base used by the group: no miracles, ‘Hillel’ precedent, etc… • Others take on Hyam Maccaby’s criticism, that the gospel of Jesus is a creation of Paul. • Muhammad ‘Ata ur Rahim, believes Jesus was a member of the Essene brotherhood. • Thus, we need to do a comparison of the Jesus of the Bible vs. the ‘Isa’ of the Qur’an.

  3. [I] Names for Jesus: • More honourable Titles (eleven) to Jesus than to any other person: • Statement of truth(Sura 17:24) vs. ‘Way the truth and the life’ (John 14:6) • Word(Sura 10:19) vs. the ‘Word’ (John 1:1) • Apostle(Sura 19:31) vs. Apostle(Hebrews 3:1) • Servant(Sura 4:172; 19:31) vs. Servant (Isaiah 42, 49, 50 & 53) • (Sign, Witness, Example, Messiah, Son of Mary, Messenger, and Spirit of God)

  4. ‘Isa’ -Appears 25 timesin the Qur’an. -The origin of the word is not clear: • Is it Esau: from Arabian Jews who believed Esau’s soul transferred onto Jesus? • Or from the ‘Isaniya’, followers of Isa, from a group in Syria in 571 AD? • Did it come from the Syriac ‘Iesous’?* • Today Christian Arabs use ‘Yesuah’ which is more grammatically correct. -BUT the Qur’anic name is not simply ‘Isa’, by itself:

  5. ‘Isa ibn Maryam’ ‘Isa’, son of Mary’, occurs 23 times. • Possibly chosen in contradistinction to son of God, to show he was human. • Found only once in the Bible. • Used by Syriac sources, influencing 70% of all Qur’anic religious terms. • Problem: (S.19:28-29; 66:12; 20:25-30) How was Mary, Jesus’ mother, Aaron’s sister and Imran’s daughter (Numbers 26), as she lived 1,570 years later? • Luke 3 tells us ‘Heli’ was Mary’s father…

  6. ‘Isa al masihu’ ‘Isa’, the messiah (11 times). • JESUS: Insous = Joshua - ‘The Lord our Salvation’ • Yesua or Yeshua (Arabic / Heb.) • MESSIAH: (known in Arabic as al Masihu) found 11 times in the Qur’an • All in the later Medinan suras, but never defined. • The meaning has been declared to be unclear by some Muslim scholars. • But is used in Morocco for the king (referred to as the ‘anointed one’). • We know the Messiah is ‘the anointed one’…anointed to save! • Thus a puzzle for Muslims, while a great bridge for us.

  7. [II] Birth of ‘Isa’ vs. birth of Jesus:(3:33-47, 59; 19:16-23, 29-33) • Sura 3:33 ff, and Sura 19 (Maryam), give the details of his birth. • The Spirit (‘ruh’) is active in his birth (blowing into Mary’s sleeve = al-Tabari) • Sura 3:42and 19:21, he is conceived by Allah saying “Be”, much like Adam’s birth. • Born of a Virgin (Sura 19:20), so a new creation, as no male was present to provide the ‘Y’ chromosome. • Difficulty of a biological birth from God (Suras 4:171; 25:2; 112:3)

  8. [III] Life of Jesus in the Qur’an: Miracles: • As a baby Jesus speaks from the cradle (3:46; 5:110; 19:29-30) • vs. ‘First Gospel of Infancy of J.C.’ (2nd C.) • As a child Jesus & Mary are fed by the Palm tree(S.19:22-26) • vs. ‘Lost book of the Bible’ (2nd C.) • As a childJesus createsbirds from clay (S.3:49; 5:110) • vs. ‘Thomas’ Gospel of the Infancy of J.C.’ (2nd C.) • In adulthood3:49 & 5:110 Jesushealsthelepers, givessightto theblind, andraisesthedead

  9. Life of Jesus cont. Words: • Suras 5:17, 72, 116; 43:63-64 Jesus denies his deity • Sura 61:6Jesus predicts Muhammad’s coming = ‘Ahmad’ as the messenger to come; why not Muhammad? Translated in the 750s as a noun, instead of an adjective, due to paraclete promise in Jn.14 & 16. Could be ‘whose name is worthy of more praise’.

  10. [IV] Crucifixion of Jesus in the Qur’an: Primary Verses to be considered: • Baidawi (1286 AD) changed 19:15, & 33 to the future, to 2nd coming (for 40 yrs.) because of the need to reconcile it with 4:157-159, thus an internal contradiction.. • Jesus will be taken up is promised in 3:55, 5:117

  11. The main passage is: Sura 4:157-159 1) The Jews believe that they had killed Jesus. 2) God reveals that they definitely did not. Jesus was not killed nor crucified. 3) There was someone else (not named) who looked like Jesus who died in his place. 4) God instead took up Jesus, like an ascension.

  12. Why must Jesus not have been crucified? • The sovereignty of God; that Allah would not allow his prophets to suffer (S. 3:181-183) • Islamic understanding of salvation - that no atonement is needed, since no one can pay for another’s sin (S.6:164; 53:38) • What about Garden of Eden, & Jesus’ sin?

  13. Various Explanations by Muslim scholars: • Al Baidawi(1286 AD)...‘God took Jesus to heaven, The likeness was on someone else who died’. • (Taken from Mani, a Persian in 276AD) • ‘God took Jesus to heaven in his sleep’ • (Taken from ‘Gospel of Peter’, 2nd C. Docetic heresy) • Al-Zamakhshari.. ‘They imagined Jesus was crucified. But Jesus is alive in heaven’. • ‘The substitution of a person for Jesus... Judas, another Jew, or Simon of Cyrene’ • (Taken from Basilides, a Gnostic writer) • Ahmadiyya view = Swoon Theory, ‘Jesus swooned, died later & was buried in Kashmir’ • (Taken from the ‘Gospel of John’, 2nd C. Docetic heresy). Conclusion: there is no resurrectionas there was no death.

  14. Sources for these stories: Taken from 2nd cent. Docetic (Jesus only seemed physical) & Gnostic writings. • The Apocryphal Gospel of Peter: “Jesus was taken up” (Sura 3:55) • The Apocryphal Gospel of John: Jesus appeared to John in a cave, saying the sufferings did not happen to him. (Sura 4:157) • Mani (Persian, 276AD): “The widow of Nain’s son was substituted for Jesus” (Sura 4:157) • Basilides (Gnostic writer): “Jesus changed forms with Simon of Cyrene, a substitution” (Sura 5:116) Ignatius writes against them, quoting them when they say, “Jesus suffered in semblance”

  15. Problems if Sura 4:157 is true: • Qur’anic Confusion:Sura 19:33,15“Blessed be on me, the day I was born, the day I Die, and the day I rise again” (Jesus & Yaxya) • Theological Confusion: (S.6:164; 53:38)? Can one pay for another’s sin, since this goes against the Qur’anic objection on atonement • Eye-Witnesses Confusion: Three eye-witnesses vs. one supposition 600-900 years later (4 gospels vs. 1 Quran), who do you believe? Eyewitnesses • Extra-Biblical Confusion:(Thallus = 50AD, Josephus 80-90AD, Tacitus 80AD, Pliny the Younger 112AD) • Moral Confusion: (Sura 4:157-158) Is God deceitful, since he uses another man to die in Jesus’ place, and then tells no-one for 600 years?

  16. [V] Eschatology & Jesus: • Verses: 3:55; 4:157; 19:33; 43:61 • Traditional ideas: Bukhari- Jesus will return, break crosses, kill swine, suppress poll-tax, bring about wealth, kill anti-Christ, go to Jerusalem and reign 40 years, marry, have children, and then die in Medina. • Thus an empty place next to Muhammad’s tomb is reserved for Jesus.

  17. [VI] Controversial References to Jesus: SON OF GOD: • S. 39:4; 43:81 =God can have a son, possibility exists, who would be worshipped. • S. 6:101; 5:17 = confusion of biological son-ship vs. inherited son-ship = relational • S. 2:177 ‘Ibn ul-sabeeli’ means ‘son of the road’ = traveller • Lk.2:49= ‘begotten’= monogenes = one & only (unique), not ‘genao’ = birth • Phil.2:6-8 = Not man becoming God, but God becoming man • Can God become a man? Yes! So not how, but why! Erradicate SIN • Must remind them of theophanies (Angel with Abraham, and burning bush in Sura 20:9-14), etc...) • Revelation! = Gen.1:26-27; Deut.6:4; John 1:1,18; 5:18, 8:58-59, 10:30-33, Is.44:6 & Rev.1:8,17-18.

  18. GOD = JESUS = DIED ≠ GOD: • How could Allah be so weak, or die? Sura 5:17, 72 • “God [Father] is the Messiah...is one [or the third] of three” • Patripassianism = God the father died on cross. • Noetus in 200 AD and Praxeas felt Jesus = God, & both lived and died on earth. • Bible: God = Jesus = died. Jesus did have authority to lay down his life, and take it up again (John 10:17-18)

  19. MARY = TRINITY: • Sura 5:116 = “Take me and my mother as two Gods apart from God” • Collyridians = 4th century Arabian female sect who saw Mary as the ‘great earth mother’.

  20. TRINITY:a son” (anti - trinity) Sura 4:171= “Do not say three gods... far from his acquiring a son” (anti - trinity) • The word ‘Trinity’ is not in the Bible, nor ‘Tawhid’ in the Qur’an? • Tri-unity (Tertullian 125 A.D.). Not mathematical(1+1+1, or 1x1x1, or xx) but organic: (i.e.: son, father, husband, brother, pen, water, sun, author, egg, body mind and spirit) • Not Sabellian (3 consecutive ‘gods’) nor Arian (‘man becomes God’) • Many mysteries we can’t explain (i.e. God’s omnipresence, eternity, virgin birth, or electricity etc...), yet we accept them…on faith. • Qur’an stands against ‘Christian’ polytheism (S.4:17;5:73), but has a mistaken trinity, as it includes Mary (Sura 5:116) • Qur’an = Jesus = God’s word, both eternal (S.85:22) ≠ ‘Tawhid’, since if Qur’an was created (Mutazilites) then at one time God was without his word.

  21. Trinity cont. • Allah’s names include Love (Wadud), Compassion (Rahman), Mercy (Raheem) & all 3 require objects -so only exist upon Man’s creation, & not found or exampled in a 1-dimensional monad Allah, but found & exemplified in a trinitarian context! • So Allah requires Man’s existence, while Yahweh chooses Man’s existence • Can personal man come from impersonal God, only as Imago Dei…in His image (Gen.1:26-27) • The Tawhid of Allah breeds totalitarian Ummah (many swallowed into the one) • The Trinity of Yahweh breeds individuals relating in community

  22. Trinity cont. • Islamic trinity: • Allah (S.13:16; 14:10) • Ruh (S.50:16; 56:83) • Eternaltablets (S.85:22) • Baptism of Christ (Luke 3:22) = voice of God the father, dove as spirit of God, and Son as Jesus. (Matt.6:11-13 = Lord’s Prayer)

  23. [VII] Sectarian Influences (source Criticism): • Monarchists: (2nd C.)God has no children (sura 4:171; 19:34) • Docetists (late 1st C.): Jesus didn’t die (sura 4:156-158) • Monophysites -Cholloridian(4th C.)Maryolatry: Mary in the Trinity (sura 5:116) • Nestorians (5th C.): Jesus = God-chosen human (sura 3:42-48, 51, 59; 4:171; 5:116-117;19:30, 34-35)

  24. Further Sources: • Imran & Zachariah (Mary’s Father & patron) (S.3:35-37) vs. Proto-Evangelion’s James the Lesser (2nd C.) • Jesus Speaks from the Cradle(3:46; 5:110; 19:29-30) vs. ‘First Gospel of Infancy of J.C.’ (2nd c.) • Jesus & Mary being fed by the Palm tree (S.19:22-26) vs. ‘Lost book of the Bible’ (2nd C.) • Jesus creating Birds from clay (S.3:49; 5:110) vs. ‘Thomas’ Gospel of the Infancy of J.C.’ (2nd C.)

  25. Syriac Influences: from 2nd – 5th C., Eastern Syria • Progression Of Mary: • 1st C. = Minor role: mother of Jesus • 5th C. = Major Role: Eternal Virgin, Mediator, Holy Woman, Pious, greater than Jesus • 7th C. = Major Role: (S.3 & 19): Eternal Virgin, Lives in Temple, above all women, Pious • Digression Of Joseph: • 1st C. = Mentioned often, • 5th C. = Few times, • 7th C. = Non-Existent • Suggests Qur’anic material borrowed from Syriac sources, after 5th C., and not 1st C.

  26. If we want to know more details about the life of Christ, then we need to look at historical sources, writings which were close to the event, not only to the time period of Jesus, but close to the place he lived, in Palestine.

  27. There are accounts of Jesus which are close to the time, and the place Christ lived; written in the late first and early second century, and written by non-Christian Jewish and Roman historians. • Let us look at some of these latter documents first:

  28. Thallus and Phlegon(Greek - 52 AD): two 1st - century historians who debate the cause of the darkness in the middle of the day, and the terrible earthquake TacitusRoman historian (80‑84AD): death of Jesus, during reign of Tiberius, by Pontius Pilate of Judea (Lk.3:1) Josephus,a Jewish historian who lived from AD 37 to 90, wrote the following in his ‘Antiquities of the Jews’. ‘‘And there arose about this time a source of new trouble, one Jesus. He was a doer of marvellous deeds. This man was the so-called Christ and when Pilate had condemned him to the Cross, those who had loved him did not cease - for he appeared to them, as they said, on the third day alive again.” Lucian of Samosata,a Satirist - early second century, who referred to Christ as ‘the man who was crucified in Palestine because he introduced a new cult into the world’. Seutonius,who refers to Christians as being ‘given over to a new and mischievous superstition’. Pliny the Younger(112 AD) advices Trajan on killing Christians, a community who sang to Christ as to "God"

  29. What about the 16 Gnostic Gospels: i.e. Gospel of Thomas, Peter, Mary, Judas, & the Secret Gospel of Mark? • Gnostic: 4 principles • World is evil • Made by an evil creator • Salvation = being rescued from it • By using secret knowledge (Gnosis) • Jesus is the revealer, “sent to find the sacred spark within” • Answer: Gnostic Gospels all written later, borrowing material from the earlier 4, and from the Diatessaron (175 - 200 AD)

  30. Jesus vs. Muhammad • As a baby Jesus speaks from the cradle (3:46; 5:110; 19:29-30) • Did Muhammad speak as an infant? • As a child Jesus & Mary are fed miraculously by a Palm tree(S.19:22-26) • Was Muhammad ever fed miraculously? • As a childJesus createsbirds from clay (S.3:49; 5:110) • Could Muhammad create anything? • In adulthood3:49 & 5:110 Jesushealsthelepers, givessightto theblind, andraisesthedead - Did Muhammad heal, give sight, or raise from the Dead? • Jesus was uniquely referred to as the ‘righteous one’ (19:19) - Was Muhammad sinless? No, see Sura 48:2 ‘Ask forgiveness for your Sins of the past & future’

  31. CONCLUSIONS: • Jesus is important to the Qur’an, referred to 93 times, but he’s not the Biblical ‘Jesus’ • Qur’an uses the wrong name: ‘Isa’ (Syriac?) • The titles emphasize his humanity (‘Isa ibn Maryam’, ‘Isa al-Masihu’) • And confuses his mother with O.T. ‘Miriam’ • Much is spoken of his childhood, but little of his adulthood, unlike the Biblical account • ‘Isa’ = 5th c. Syriac, while ‘Jesus’ = 1st C.

  32. Conclusion cont. • Crucifixion: Internal confusion, no historicity, all can be traced to 2nd C.writings • Jesus’ Eschatology points to later theology… • Son of God points to his omnipotence • Qur’anic view of Trinity is wrong, and borrowed • Qur’anic Trinity exists, but can’t be explained • Jesus vs. Muhammad? • Jesus is unique (birth, death, ministry) • Jesus = righteous (S. 19:19) Muh. forgiven 3 times! • Jesus did miracles, Muh. never could • Jesus is universally relevant, Muhammad fits 7th C. only… • Jesus is God…Muhammad is merely a man…

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