It is important to know that Islam is the only non-Christian faith in the world that believes in the miraculous birth of Jesus. Islam makes it a fundamental issue of faith to believe in Jesus. He along with Noah, Abraham and Moses are considered 4 of the 5 best men, ever. However, there are differences between the Christian belief in Jesus and the Islamic one. The first is in regards to
Adam and the Original Sin, and the second concerns the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Jews planned to kill and crucify Jesus but God saved Jesus. This is described in the Quran:
“And their saying (the Jews):
‘We killed Messiah
I’esa, son of
Maryam, the Messenger of Allah (God)’ - but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but was his resemblance. And those who differ therein are full of doubts, they have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not. But Allah raised him up unto Himslef. And Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.” (Quran 4:157-158)
A question is raised by the above verse: Is there doubt in the crucifixion of Jesus as the Quran states?
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Doubt in the Bible?The Quran states that those who say that Jesus was crucified are in doubt and have no certain knowledge. Here, we will turn to study the Bible and the crucifixion. The focus will be on these issues:
- 1. The Issue of Resurrection.
- 2. Discrepencies in the Story ?
- 3. The Sign of Jonas.
- The Issue of Resurrection.The following verse takes place after the event of crucifixion.
"Jesus himself stood in their midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you… But they were terrified, and supposing that they were seeing a spirit. And he said unto them:
‘Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit has no flesh and bones, as you see me have.’ And showed them his hands and feet. And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them:
‘Have ye here any meat?’ And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them." (Luke 24:36-43).
Two this understood from the verses:
- The disciples where **shocked **to see Jesus, in flesh and bone.
- Jesus asserts that he **was not a spirit **and that he was flesh blood. He asserts that by letting them feel him and by eating.
The disciples of Jesus were scared because they were not EYEwitnessess or EAR-witnesses to the actual happenings of the crucifixion on the previous three days, as described by St. Mark who says that at the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus, “they all forsook him and fled.” (Mark 14:50). All the knowledge of the disciples regarding their Master was from hearsay. They had heard that their master was HANGED ON THE CROSS; they had heard that he had GIVEN UP THE GHOST; they had heard that he was DEAD AND BURIED. A logical conclusion is that they were seeing a ghost. However, Jesus comforts them, telling them he is not a spirit, but he is flesh and blood.
The fact that Jesus was flesh and blood is what creates some of the doubt. According to the Bible, after the resurrection :
"Neither shall they die any more: for they (the resurrected bodies) are equal unto the angles, and the children of God, for such are the children of the resurrection.’ (Luke 20:36)
The verse explains that resurrected bodies will be ‘angelized’ or spiritualised, and will become spirit-creatures. However, Jesus states that he is flesh not a spirit ( i.e. he has not been resurrected).
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2. Contradiction ?There is a question as to what hour was Jesus actually crucified. The following verses of the Bible seem to contradict each other.
“It was the third hour, and they crucified him.” (Mark 15:25)
“It was the sixth hour, and he was not crucified yet.” (John 19:14)
Another is the place where Jesus was put.
“They put Jesus on the cross.” (Mark 15:21)
“They put Jesus on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24 see also Gal. 3:13)
And, doubt in how Judas died:
“Judas went and hanged himself.” (Mathew 27:5)
“Judas fell headlong, and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” (Acts 1:18)
2. The Sign of Jonas.Matthew records that the learned men among the Jews – the Scribes and Pharisees – came to Jesus and asked:
“Master, we would see a sign from thee” Jesus replies:
“An evil and adulterous generations seeketh after a sign; And there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas: 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.” (Mathew 12:39-40).
We understand the following from the above verses:
- Jesus Christ stands or falls by the only sign (i.e. miracle) he was prepared to give: the special sign similar to that of Jonas.
- The sign of Jonas is: Jonas **lived **inside the whale for 3 days and 3 nights.
- The sign that Jesus is going to give: remain buried in the earth for 3 days and 3 nights.
Although, the sign of Jonas states that Jonas ***lived ***in the whale, Christians believe that Jesus died and was
dead while fulfilling the sign, we will not argue that point there . Christians say that:
it is the time factor that Jesus was stressing.
Cont.
