LET THE BIBLE SPEAK

1. 7t,it6! tf,;re
RESERVED

2. LET
THE BIBLE
SPEAK
by
All AD Muhsln

3. FOREWORD
FOREWORD
Being Being totally convinced that this book (Let the Bible Speak) speak) contains
contains
good good infonnation information about The Thc Bible and The Holy Qur'an, Qu/aq The Dammam
Islamic DaWah Dabah and Guidance Gridance Center center decided to reprint it again. again. But as as we
prepare to do the job job we have noticed noticcd that the copy that was available was
too blurred and not good enough for reproduction.
Due to this probler4 Damrnam Dabatr and to review, retlped, arulotatesa nd correctst hc whole as;
problem, Danunam Dawah Guidance Center work it out
retyped, annotates and corrects the book, such as~
1. l. Some Somer references eferencesa are re missing
2. Some quotation
3. Misspelling
4. Typing errors
S. 5. Some chapters and verses are not accurate.
We have tried our utmost to reproduce the book as it is mirurtec hangesto ensre the book not lose its for the benefit of who read it.
with some
minute changes to ensure that will internal beauty
all To the author, Ati Ali Mutrsiq Muhsin, We pray that the Almighty Allatr
Allah
continuously showers His l9Iercy and Gracc to rnd add virnre of this book to his scale of good decds.
Mercy Grace him and the
virtue ofthis ofgood deeds.
ask any mistakes unknowingly,
We Allah's pardon for mi$skes that we commit unlcnowingly,
as it has becn been for us in prcparing preparing it.

4. thanlcs Kingslcy Grecn, tcacher
inthe Dodoma" Tanzania" as pay shrdy prisorU discussionsI owe grstitude.
thank Amncsty whioh cnlargcd my
day Cluistian good Eg;ptian you ! tlping manuscript,
flzra peacc grve meditstg writc dl thEt shouldcru rcct€d burdcn aftcr
tcn whilc livfug refirgee Eg1pt.
gulded dong thc ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My thanks are due to Kingsley Green, an Australian biology teacher
in the Mazengo Secondary School, Dodo~ Tanzania, who as a lay
preacher used to us visits in prison. From him I learn to study the
Bible systematically.
To the many Christian preachers at College and in priso~ fellow
students and fellow inmates, with whom I used to have fruitful
discussions lowe gratitude.
I would also like to express thanks to the Amnesty International for
keeping me supplied with reading matter which enlarged knowledge of present-day Christian thinking.
To Zainab Sabri, daughter of a very Egyptian friend of mine,
Mr. Fathi Sabri, I must say : Thank you! for typing the first
manuscript.
To my dear wife, Azza, I am indebted for her courage to sustain
difficulties and for the peace of mind which she gave me and which
enabled me in prison to study, to meditate, and to write all that I have
written . On her lonely shoulders rested the burden of looking after
herself and our six children for ten long years while she was living as
a refugee in Egypt.
Over and above all I thank Allah who has guided me along the right
path.
2

5. PREFACE
publication of this essay is not intended The writing and to be an
exercise in polemics. Rather is it motivated by the desire to
enlighten both Christians and Muslims who in many parts of the
world have countrymen neighbors.
wrirld to live together as fellow counfirymen and Their regarding the other'sf aith would, m aket hem appreciatet he unity
that binds them adherentso f the sameo riginal Religion which teachess ubmissiont o will of the one the basis on which It is unfortunate that for authoritative as the Prophet Muhammad In Qur'an the teaching of Islam unsullied purity. find slrme in the Gospels (Injeel). The latter compared traditions of the Prophet (the Hadiths Of the the actions of Jesus as reported in the Bible are which are spruious, false, jr:st as there and false were weeded out. It is for sectariana nd other divisive reaso.nsto, fake sayingsa nd them to Impartial criticism would have scientific methodology came collected and shifted been at of the Gospels. The great scholars (Imams). their lives collecting the raditions of the Prophet thcir (Ijtihad) using srictly scientific veriff genuinet raditions.B ut event heir beste ndeavorsa nd their after all human and Fortrurately there Qu/an whose has questioned by fribnd unshakablef oundationo f Islam which the tenets
are based . It is criterion the genuineness of
nadition, which the stnrcture built.
enlightenment original fundamentals of each
other's faith it is hoped, make them appreciate the basic unity.
as adherents ofthe same original faith, the Universal
teaches submission to the ofthe True God as
man's moral behavior is founded.
Jesus Christ has left us nothing as
has done. the Qur'an are
in their We do not fmd the
same may be to the
or Sunna). Ofthe sayings and
ofJesus there admittedly many
spurious, just were established and the weak
undeniable that attempts were made,
sectarian and ns, to sayings and attribute
the Prophet.
to admit, however, that there was
much more when the Prophet's traditions
to be than there has the adoption
canonical Imams) who devoted
traditions made their best
endeavors strictly standards to verify the
genuine traditions. But even their best endeavors and scientific
methods were not infallible. Fortunately is
the Qur'an authenticity never been friend or
foe. That is the unshakable foundation of on of the faith the final of any tradition, and the rock on structwe of Islam has been
3

6. In the following pages it will be seen that I have tended many quotations. This is my way of dealing seriously, particularly a subject of such transcendent importance as
religion. I do not want to be among "Those who would argue about
God without knpwledge, and without guidance and without an
enlightening book, " as the Qur'an be to reproduce
with the subject
p articularly subjecto f transcendenitm portancea s
be "Those woald wilhout bookr" Qu'an puts it.
of my prison cell I attcmpted
Studying the Bible in the long solitude ofmy att~mpted
to search for the true teachings ofJesus had preceded him. Ten and five months became ten and five months of intensive Bible Painstakingly I kept removing har4 had piled up on tnre of Jesus and the Hebrew Prophets who
years of imprisonment
years study.
Pahstakingly bit by bit the hard encrustation which
what I knew must be a lustrous lying beneath.
to my Muslim brothers and sisters who know
I would appeal both very little of Christianity, and10 to nothing about true come along me, We will fmd it, for the truth the Rock, and rain shall fall, shall not fall. There Jesus rose in spiritual ecstasy to Presence is of significance, truth Christian bow to the same and devotion in the Church Holy Sepulchre. That ofthe traditions men and follow the commandments us
relinquish the Religion uphold the
Unity that andto my Christian friends who know next
true Islam (and tnre Christianity for that matter) to
I found it.
with and in the following pages search for the truth.
frnd tnrth is the house that has been founded upon
Roclq fall , and the winds shall blow, but the house
fall . in Holy Jerusalem whence both Muhammad and
Jesusr ose ecstasyt o the Heavenly Presenceis a symbol
glaring denoting the trrlth that bids both Muslim and
God who is worshipped with equal fervor
dcvotion Mosque upon the Rock and in the Chr.uch of the
Truth bids us rid ourselves of the taditions of
of God. That Truth bids us
tendency to divide Rcligion into sects and uphold the
binds us together.
4

7. Allah say's in the Holy Qur'an :
Allah say's Qur'an "And haply they might go
arighl of Mary a portent,
"And We verily gave Moses the Scripture, that aright. And We made the son ofMary and his mother and We gave them a refuge on a height, a offlocks water­springs.
o place oftlock and water-springs,
0 ye Messengers! Eat ofthe things, and right. O Messengen ! of the good do righl Lo!
oware of whot ye And lot your religion one religion
I am aware ofwhat do. Andlo! this religwn is and I am your Lord, so keep duty unto Me. (mankind) have broken their religion among them into each
sect rejoicing in its tenets. So leave them in error till time. "
your But they
man*ind) haveh roken inlo sects, e ach
sectr ejoicing S o their lill a time."
Qur'an 2J:49'54
wandering in enor when the Straight Path is clear
beforeu s. understando ne anothera nd appreciateo ne another's
Muhsin
Qur'an 23:49-54
Let us not keep on error before us. Let us understand one another and appreciate one honesty in seeking for the truth.
Ali Muhsin
5

8. Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgement
Preface
Table ofContents
of Contents
The Teaching of the Church
The Bible
Original Sin
St. Paul
The Only Son of God
God and Jesus are they one and the Same ?
Miracles, But Whose Authority ?
The Virgin Birth
Jesus- ProphetF rom NazarethT he Servanto f God
A Prophet To Israel
SalvationB y Blood
Paul Or JesusF, aith or Works ?
Guide Into All The Truth
The Bible And The Death On The Cross
Killed Him Not"
The Law and The License
Proper Perspective
Pagan Sources
ProphecyO f JesusF ulfilled
C omforter,A dmirable
Conclusion
ofthe ofGod
Same?
Authority?
Jesus - Prophet From Nazareth The Servant ofGod
Salvation By Jesus, Faith Works?
Qur'an
"They Prophecy OfJesus Fulfilled
Counselor, Comforter, Admirable
6

9. II PIETY BASED ON ERRONT ,SIN DEFENSIBLE "
" PIETYBASED ONERROR IS INDEFENSIBLE "
L. Father John Mackenzie
THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH
By the term tenn "lithe the chuch" churchll is meant thc the body of Christians, or more
precisely, preciselyI the professional priesthood which has taken upon itsclf itselfthe
the
task of formulating doctrines and rituals as well as rendering certain
religious services in accordance with what are believed to be the
teachings of Jesus Christ. "liThe The church" chtuch" may also mean the sect to
which an individual Christian belongs.
Churches, teach the following as the
All the main Christian or sects, principal dogmas, or articles of faith to be believed in without
question:
l. God.
1. There is One 2. In God three Persons, th~ the Holy Ghost, Spirit. These are there are divine Personst,h q Father, t he Son and the
Holy three Persons called the
blessed Trinity. They are equal they i.e. no beginning no end. They God.
They €qual and are eternal they have
and are not three gods, but One the fust of the blessed Trinity.
3. The Father is God and frrst Person 4. The Son is God the second and thc Person of the Trinity. He is Jesus
who form. was born of the
Christ wl}.o is God who took the human fonn. He Virgin Mary about two thousand thousandy years earsa ago go in Palestine, was
w as
crucified, crucificd, died and rose rosc again from fiom the dead. d€ad. His death and
suffering on the cross was intended to be bc a sacrifice for the
forgiveness ofthe sins ofmen. is the~Atonement, and
he is entitled the Savior and the Redeemer.
5. The Holy Spirit is the third Person ofthe death of Christ the Holy Spirit descended the Apostles early Missionaries) of Christ, Church.
6. Every human child bears with him "Original Sin" inherited from transgression forgivenesso f the of men. This called thc-Atonement,a nd
cntitled Rcdecmer.
Thc thc Pcrson of thc blessed Trinity. After the
dcscendcd upon thc Apoitlcs (or
Missionarics) and the Spirit continues to lead the
the stain of what is called the
the tarugression of Adam.
7

10. 7. BAPTISM, the c€remony of sprinkling according to some sects, immersing beinga ccepteda s a membero f a nd atonement is the only means whereby Let us examine the sacred doctrines thc writings of the Bible which Churcha cceptsa t hat say, a s the authoritativeW ord THE BIBLE
The word Bible comes from biblia is a collection of many books which form belief. Admittedly they have written authors, known and unknown. But those been inspired by God and they wrote the Dooks supenision
and guidanceo f God; hencet he Bible ret-enedt o God. The Catholic Bible, ProtestanBt ible. The former consisto f w hile only 66 books.
In general the Bible is divided into portions, Testament which was written before the New Testament which was written after describes the life of Jesus his disciples, or apostlcs, in Testarnentc ontainsa lso lettersa ddressedto various groups
individuals. These were written who
faith as He true
founder of modern Christianity,
bookso f the Testamenitn their presentf orm were probably
written retum of the Babyloniur 536 of the Testament 8
ceremony ofsprinkling somebody with water, or,
him in water, as making his
being accepted as member of the Church, and belief in Christ's
man shall be saved.
of the Church in the light of the
the Church accepts a canonical, that is to
as authoritative Word of God.
the Greek ..hihIiL meaning "books". It
the foundation of Christian
been by a large number of
authors are believed to have
books under the supervision
guidance of hence the is referred to as The Word of
however, is somewhat different from the
Protestant Bible. consist of 73 books, while the latter has
two main The Old
the advent of Jesus Christ, and
Jesus Christ and
and teachings Christ and the activities of
apostles, spreading the Christian faith. The New
Testament contains also letters addressed to Christians and letters mostly by Paul, a Jew converted to Christianity and became the chief exponents of the
Christian it known today. has at times described the Christianity.
The books of Old Testament in present form after the return ofthe Jews from the Babylonian captivity i.e.
after B.C. Those New were collected and

11. accepteda s legali n centurya fter (about3 67 A.D.).
Besidesth e Gospels( describingth e andt eachingo f accepted as legal in the fourth century after Christ about 367 Besides the Four Gospels (describing the life and teaching of Christ)
which are in the Bible there are a number of other Gospels which
were not accepted by the Church elders, and some of them available e'/en today. The books could have fonned ofthe
Bible, and indeed were and are accepted by some Christians, but
which the main body of the Christian Church rejected, are called the
Apocrypha, a Greek word meaning "Hidden", but now wrongly been understood as meaning "false, genuine". officially accepted books are called "Canonical". It these canonical
books of the Bible which are regarded as THE OF GOD.
are
even which formed part of the
indeedw ere acceptedb y b ut
ChristianC hurchr ejected,a rc calledt he
which has
felsc, not genuinc". The
acceptedb ooksa rec alled I t is thesec anonical
bookso f whicha rer egardeda sT HE WORD Testamenth e Gencsis,h ast he of crcation
describ€d from grace.
"The nan put gardcn otEden to
till it. And the thc manD Saying,
"Yott of every of lhe garden; hut olthe tree of
knawledge of gaod evil you shall not eat,far the day that yau
of it shall die."
Genesi2s: 15-16
p ersuadedb y wife, transgressedG od's
God crrrsed
both .
said ; "I will your pain in
pain shall hringforth children, yet your desire
shatl for hwband, ond shall rule over you"
said ; "Because you listened to lhe voice ot
wde, of the fiee oJ which I comnunded you,
shall of il", ground bccatue of you; in
9
ORIGINAL SIN
In the Old Testament the first book, Genesis, has the story ofcreation
and the fall of man. Thus is described the fall of Adam "The Lord God took the man and him in the garden ofEden till it and keep it. Andthe Lord God commanded the man, Saying,
"You mayfreely eat ofevery tree ofthe but ofthe knowledge ofgood and evilyou shall not eat,for in day thatyou
eat ofit you shall die. "
Genesis 2:15-16
Adam, however, persuaded by his Eve, transgressed God's
command and ate of the forbidden tree of knowledge. cursed
them both.
To the woman He said; "1 will greatly multiply childbearing; in pain you shall bringforth yetyour shall be for your husband, and he shall you. "
And to Adam He said; "Because have the of
your wife, and have eaten ofthe tree of which commanded you,
"you shall not eat ofit", cursed is the because ofyou;

12. toil you shall of it days otyour shall bringtorth to you; and you shall eot planF of thefteld. the sweat of your face you you groundrfor of il you you dust shall toUyou shaO eat ofit all the days ofyour life; thorns and thistles it
shall bringforlh you; andyou shaH eat the plants ofthefield. In
Genesi3s: 16-19
On account of their sin, the Church teaches, Adam sanctiffing grace, the right of Heaven and their special gifts; became subject to death, to suffering and to inclination evil and they were driven from the garden of Paradise. account of
Adam's sin all human beings are born deprivcd of sanctiffing grace
and inherit his punishment. This is what is called St. Paul's theology developed the doctrine of to justiff
another doctine, of Jesus the cross.
In his letter to the Romans he wrote:
"Therefore assln carfie into twrld through sin, and so aII because all nun - sk indced in thc rwrld law given, sh counted where law. deuth reigned trom Adsm to
Moses, sins not like lransgression
otAdaa who was otthe comc. gtft like trespass.F or il nany man's
trespossm, uch rrurrch ave graceo tGod thetree gilt the
grace of that many."
Romans5 :12-15
Coriuthiens Peul " For all die, so
aho in shall aII bc alive."
I Corinthians 15:22
t0
sweat ofyour face shall eat bread till return to the
ground,jor out ofityou were taken; are dust, and to dust you
shall return."
Genesis 3: 16-19
and Eve lost
sanctifying they
a strong to
ofParadise. On deprived ofsanctifying THE ORIGINAL
SIN.
8t. Original Sin justify
doctrine, REDEMPTION by the death ofJesus on "Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death
through sin, andso death spread to all men because all men sinned
• sin indeed was the world before the law was given, but sin is not
there is no law. Yet death reignedfrom Adam Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression
ofAdam, a type ofthe one who was to come. But thefree
gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one trespass, much more have the grace ofGod and the free gift in ofthat one man Jesus Christ aboundedfor many. "
Romans 5:12-15
To the Corinthians St. Paul wrote: "For as in Adam aU also Christ shall all be made alive. "
1 22
0

13. Paulined octrine however, c ontradictedb y
The Pauline doctrine of Original Sin is, contradicted by
other passages from the Bible. In Deuteronomy, for which
is one of the five books of Torah, Moses "Thefathers not be put to death for the children, nor shall the children be death for thefatlters; every man shall be to deathfor sin. "
otherp assagefsr om DeuteroRomyf,o r example, w hich
say's: shall
for put to
deathfor thefathers; put dealhfor his own
sin."
Deuteronomy2 4:16
Jeremieh read : "In say;
"The Jathers hsve teeth are
edge." shill his man who
eatss our grapesh, k seto n edge."
Jeremiah3 1:29-30
stated :
"Yet say, shoulil iniquity of the
father ? has
observea ll statutesh, e shall sufferf or the
of the father, father for of the
son;t he righteownesso f the righteorc shall himselJia nd
lhe of the shall himself."
Ezekiell 8:19-20
Testementt oo is the evidenceo f Jesush imself
sin :
"As passedh y, s sw4 man blindtrom his birth, and
hb disciplesa sked, "Rtbhi, this man or hisp arents,
ftat was blind ?" Jesus 'ilt was lhis man
his porenls, hut of might be made
nunifest hin "
John 9:l-3
l l
Deuteronomy 24: In Jeremiah we read: "In those days they shall no longer say,'
."TheIllthers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's set on edge. " But every one shall diefor his own sin; each eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge. "
Jeremiah 31 :29-30
And in Ezekiel it is more categorically stated:
" Yet you say, Why should not the son sufferfor the iniquity ofthe
father? When the son has done what is lawful and right, and been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall not suffer for tlte
iniquity ofthe father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity ofthe
son; the righteousness ofthe righteous shall be upon himself, and
the wickedness ofthe wicked shall be upon himself. "
Ezekiel 18: 20
In the New Testament too there evidence of Jesus himself
contradicting the theory of inherited sin:
"As he passed by, he (Jesus) saw a man blindfrom his his disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this his parents,
that he was born blind 7" Jesus answered, ';It was not this sinned, or his parents, but that the works God manifest in him."
1-11

14. Contraryt o the teachingso f the Church, goesu nder that all children are bom in sin, innocencei n the following pes$rgef rom nccording Contrary to teachings ofthe ChW'Ch , which goes under his name,
I sayt o you, unlessy ou like you
will never enter the of heaven."
l8:Thus we seet hat the doctrineo f proporrndedb y in his first letter to the (quoted God and Moses in namely in (all Testament) as well the John and (in T he inclined to Prophets and parts rely letters'of St. which appendedto incorporatedin who Peul i
was When he was yet privilege being Roman was -time. What was was present stoningo f Stephent,h e Christianm artyr.
t2
born Jesus Christ confirms their
innocence in passage from the Gospel according to
Matthew:
"Truly, I say to unless you turn and become /ike children kingdom ofheaven. "
Matthew 18:3
see that doctrine of inherited sin propounded by Paul as
Corinthians above) is contradicted by
more authoritative evidence from the Bible,
Deuteronomy, Jeremiah and Ezekiel of the Old
as by Jesus Christ in Gospels according to
Matthew the New Testament). The Church however is
disregard the categorical evidence of the Torah, the
the Gospels, which form the main of the Bible,
and on the letters 'of 81. Paul for no earthly reason were
appended to and then incorporated in the Bible.
But is this Paul ~
ST. PAUL
St. Paul a Jew whom was born in Tarsus in what is now Turkey.
born the country was part of Roman Empire, and thus
although by race and religion a Jew, he enjoyed the of
a citizen. St. Paul not one of the disciples chosen
by Jesus in his life -time. Indeed there is no indication that he ever
met Jesus. is known is that he fanatical in hatred for
Christians, and engaged himself in hounding out Christians from
hiding and bringing them to be tortured and killed. He at
the stoning of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
12

15. While on his way to Damascus hc is reported to have experienced a
While on his way to Damascus he is reported to have experienced a
vision ofChrist, and thus became a staunch propagator ofChristianity
which he claimed had been revealed by "revealed" version of Christianity what the chosen disciples of Jesus be Master, so that there was a serious original followers of Christ who like the law of Moses and the strict Judaic THE ONLY SON OF GOD
of Christ"a ndt husb ecamea staunchp ropagatorofC hristianity
to him Jesus in visions. This
"revealed" was fundamentally different from
knew to the teaching of the
conflict between Paul and the
Jesus had never deviated from
monotheism.
Gospelso f a numbero f referencest o
In the four Gospels of the Bible there are number of references to
Jesus Christ as the "Son of God". The following Cod". are a few examples:
"And centurion, lacing him, saw thst he thus
"And when the centurion, who stood facing that breathed his last, he said. "truly this man Son ofGodl"
his ltsl, said. "truly this was the Son olGod!"
Mark 15:39
39
And said her, "The Spiril will comc upon you,
of the wiII ovenhadow you; therefore the
chitd horn holy, Son of God,"
Luke l:35
And they all said, t'Are Son of God, ?t' and he said lo
say I afir."
Luke 22:70
He trust deliver now, If he desires;for he said,
"I Son of God-"
Matthew 27:43
And whenever the unclesnsplrilr hcheld hittt' theyfe[ down before
him and cried onl, "Yon ure the Son of God" And he strictly
ordered them not to nake him known.
Mark 3:l l-12
l 3
And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit come and the power ofthe Most High will overshadow child to be born will be called holy, the Son ofGod. "
1:Andthey aU said, "Are you the Son ofGod, then ?" to
them, You say that 1 am. "
70
He trust in God; let God thliver him now, Ifhe desires;for "/ am the Son ofGod. "
Matthew 27:43
And whenever the unclean spirits beheld him, theyfeU down before
him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." he strictly
ordered them not to make him known.
Mark 3:11-13

16. And when he came camc to the other side, side, to the country ofGadarenes,
of Gadarenes,
two demoniac met mct him, hit4 comiilg comiag out ofthe of the tombs, sofierce softerce that no
one could pass poss that way. And behold, hehold, they cried out, "ltlfhat What have
you to lo do with us, us, 0 O Son Son 0/of God? God 7 Have you come cotne here to torment
rc before the time?"
Matthew 29
us be/ore time? "
8:28-29
In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark Merk and rnd Luke there therc are about rbout 22
such references referetrcesto to Jesus Jesuse as s the Son of God, but in all rll of them not
once did he call himself so. Matthew 27:2l:43 quoted above refers to
the allegation of the chief priest with the scribes and the elders who
mocked him. It was not fIrst first hand reporting of Jesus's own statement
by the author of the Gospel. It was nonna1ly normally either madmen, the so
called demoniac and unclean spirits, or pagan Roman soldiers who
referred refened to him as the Son of God. His own owu preference was wrs for the
title of Ben Adam, which just meant man or son of man. That Thrt title
is repeated repeeted about rbout 80 E0 times in the Gospels. His Jewish persecutors
out of malice alleged allegcd that he claimed to be King of the Jews that he
might incur the wrath ofthe of the Roman rulers, and that he hc claimed to be
the Son of to enrage people.
God the Jewish Francis Frsncis Young , Lecturer Lectuer in the New Testament Studies at
Binningham Birmingham University, writing in The Myth of God Incarnate
Incemrte
says: ""Apartfrom Apart/rom fohn John where interpretive materialif naterid is clearlyplaced
upon the lips lips ofJesus, of fesus, the Gospels invariably kwriably portrcl portray not Jesus fesus but
others as using phrares "Son David", Son of nSon phrases like the"Holy One of God", or "Son of
or Son 0/ God". Alone of all the titles rISon of Man"
regularly appears as used by Jesus himself.••.• himsef....."
"
It should time of be remembered that at the Jesus it was
commonplace to invest with divinity not mythological figures but historian as well. Laertus, thc pagan
Author of the Lives of the Philosophers, writcs of a numbei of
philosophen as being sons of Pleto was described as being of
divine parcntage; and so was PJrthagor$ who was supposed to be the
incamate of the god Hermes. Empedocles was also alleged to be
l 4
only non-existent
fIgures mortals the writes number philosophers God. Plato parentage; Pythagoras incarnate son 14

17. an an immortal immortal god god who who healed healed the the sick, sick, and and his his followers followers worshipped
worshipped
him him and and prayed.prayed to him. him. Plutarch Plutarch regards regards it it as as beyond beyond that that Alexender
Alexander
the the Greet Great was was of ofdivine divine descenat descent and ndR Romulus omulus the the legendarya legendary ancestor
ncestor
of ofthe the Romans Romans was was the the Son Son of of Mars, Mars, the the god god of of war. war. He He was was supposed
supposed
to to have have been been raised raised to to heaven heaven in in a a cloud. cloud. An An inscription inscription of of 48 48 B'C.
B.C.
refers refers to to Julius Julius Ceesrr Caesar as as ""god god manifest manifest offspring offspring of of Ares Ares and
and
Aphrodite Aphrodite and and common common savior savior of of human human life"' life". Another Another inscription
inscription
refening referring to to Augustus Augustus caessru Caesan says: says: ""The The Emperor Emperor caesar Caesar, , son Son of
of
God, God, god god Augustus,Augustus, o overseer verseeor of f land land and sea."
These These titles of "god" , , "son of god" , and "lord" being common and
and
widespreadin widespread in the Mediterraneanre Mediterranean region gion aboutt about the he time of Jesusc Jesus could
ould
not not but but influencet influence the heg general enerapl public ublicw who ho weren were not ot deeplyi deeply infused nfusedw with
ith
the the Judaic Judaic monotheism. They were terrns tenns loosely used by all all and
and
sundry.
sundry.
The personalities, m ythological and
historical, later adopted by Christians
The myths around those other mythological historical, were strikingly similar to those in the case of the Prophet Jesus, on Francis Young
in his essay, Two Roots or a Tanrled Mass? caseo f ProphetJ esuso, n whom be peace. F rancisY oung
in his Two Roots or.Tangled Mass ? writes inter alia:
"Moreover, of hand the view that something
of samek ind happenedin caseo f JesusT. herea re,t o take but
one example, Livy's account of Romulus
and somes ynopticn arrativesa boutJ esusa: virgin birth, conception
by a god, a remarkable care€r, no tace of his remains after death, an
uip*.r*.. after deatht o commissionh is successorst,h e offering of
pr"y"rr to him. It would be impossible to make a convincing case for
iiti"t influence; but people living at roughly the same time do seem
to have produced mythological accounts with parallel motifs."
"Moreover, one cannot dismiss out of the same kind happened in the case of Jesus. There are, to take but
one example, general similarities between and some synoptic narratives about Jesus: a by a god, a remarkable career, no trace of his remains after death, an
appearance after death to commission his successors, the offering of
prayers to him. It would be impossible to make a convincing case for
direct influence; but people living at roughly the same time do seem
to have produced mythological accounts with parallel motifs."
To rcturn to the text of the Bible, when Jesus was brought before the
court he refused to concur to the charge that he claimed to be the. Son
of God asm admena nd pagansh adb eenp ropagatin$a bouth im: And
the high priest stood uP and said;
To return to the text of the Bible, when Jesus was brought before the
court he refused to concur to the charge that he claimed to be the Son
of God as madmen and pagans had been propagating about him:'And
the high priest stood up and said;
l 5
15

18. ""Have you no no answer answer to lo make? nuke? What What is is it it that that these these men nun testify
testify
against against you ?" ?" But Jesus Jesw was was silent silenl And the the high high priest priest said said to
to
him, him, "] "I adjure adjure you by hy the the living living God, God, tell tell us us ifyou ifyou are are the the Christ,
Christ,
the son of God" Jesus said hittt "you have so. But I tett
you hereafter you will see otman right hand
of Power, and coming clouds o! heaven.,,
26:62-64
The three Gospels of Matthew, meaningc offrmonv iew becauseth ey agreei n form d o
not refer to Jesus as the "only" son of John
which layss peciasl tresso n thed ivinity Jesusa, ndc allsh im, Only Son of God.
the Word us,full of grace truth; we his otthe only Sonfrom Falher."
Jobn l:God so loved lhat his Son, whoever believes nol hfe."
16
What is special about the term through the Bible we find terms othersb esidesJ esusC hrist. Testamenta, ll been written before the birttr ofJesr:s find 71/hen face daughters were lhem, daughters of men foir; of them they chose."
Genesis6 :l-l 6
Son God. " to him. "You have said so. But] tell
will see the son ofman seated at the right hand
ofPower, on the clouds ofheaven. "
Matthew 26:62-64
Mark and Luke (called "synoptic"
meaning common view because they agree in fonn and content) do
Son of God. It is the Gospel ofJohn
lays special stress on the divinity of Jesus, and calls him, the
"And becameflesh and dwell among us,full ofgrace and
have beheld his glory, glory as ofthe onlySonfrom the
Father. "
John 1:14
"For the world that he gave his only Son, that
in him should not perish but have eternal life. "
John 3:16
use of the tenn "Son of God"? Going
fmd such tenns being used in reference to many
others besides Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, all of it having
birth ofJesus we fmd the following examples:
"When men began to multiply on the face of the ground and
born to them, the sons of God saw that the
ofmen were fair; and they took wives such ofthem as
chose. "
Genesis 6: 1-2
16

19. "On what were i8 hasa or who bA iE cornettlonc, when the
morning slarx song togcthcr, and aII the sotts of God shouledfor
joY?"
"On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the
morning stan sang together, and all the sons ofGod shoutedfor
joy?"
Job 38:6-7
,,Yet fhen umher of thep eoptc of Isrocl shall he li*c tIP sando f the
sea, which be neithet ncasured numheted, end in the place
where il ncs to then, "You arc not my Pcople" It shsll he said
tothcm"sonsotthelivinSGod"
Hosca l:10
Apparently practice befqfc the time of Jcsus
even for Hebrew zuiccts to usc thc tcnn "sons
of God" referencc thosc who wcre bcloved of God. An Italian
Biblicat craveri, who wrote Thc I ifc of rcsrc.
however, term has in history undergone changes
through mistranslation. writes:
"Actually, contain the phras€ cbcd Yahweh'
which, howevcr, scrvant of God", "th€ slave of God",
God's liege Gre€k text of Septuagint translates it
equivocaliy (poblheoil, as much asItEI" like the L*;n Us'
can mgan either "little slav€", subscquently, it was quite
simple to replace lerh thc scnse of nboy" with &I4,t , ufrich mcalut
nson'.
Indccd in Hcbrew literature even the term "seems to have been
rattrcr looscly uscd. In Exodus we rcad of God addlcssing Moscs and
tetling him about thc relation ufrich would bc bcnveen him and
Aaron:
"Hc shall sphfor Jnu to thc pcoptc; and hc shail bc a nnulhfor
,vr4 at d You shalt bc to him os Gd'"
Exodus 4:16
17
Job 38:6-7
" Yet the number ofthe people o/Israel be hethe sand ofthe
sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered, IUId in the place
where it was said to them, "You are not mypeople." It shall be said
to them "Sons ofthe living God."
Hosea 1:10
Apparently it was quite common before of Jesus
even for Hebrew writers on religious suQiects use the term sons
of God" in reference to those were beloved Italian
Biblical authority, Marcello Craveri, The LV< IlI/fSus.
however, believes that the changes
through mistranslation. He "Actually, the Old Testament does phrase (bed Yahwc!J.
which, however, means "the servant the of God",
God's liege subject. The Greek translates it
equivocally as fJzais TheON, in asJJlli,t, the LatinI1J«L
can mean either "little boy" or "slave", subsequently, quite
simple to replacellJli,t in the sense of"boy" tlaJW, which means
"son".
Indeed in Hebrew literature even the term "god" seems to have been
rather loosely used. In Exodus we read ofGod addressing Moses and
telling him about the relation which would be between him and
Aaron:
"He slid SJHlfIk/oryou to tile people;""d lie slid be a 1IIOIIthfor
lOll, ",,4you slid be to him tIS God. "
Exodus 4: 1"6
17

20. Note egain:
Note again:
"I say, "You arc gods, sons of the Most High, all of you
neverthelus, you shall die like men andfall lihe any prince,i
"l say, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you
nevertheless, you shall die like men andfall like any prince. "
Psalm EZ:6-7
All those quotations are from the old restament let us now see what
the New Testament has to say. Luke reports Jesus preaching:
"But love your etumies, and do good and lend expecting nothing
in r&rrn; and your renard will he and you wilt be sons of tie
Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish"
35
In the Gospela ccordingt o Matthew Jesusis reportedt o "Blused are the peacema*asfor shall sorc of God.,,
9
Paul in his letter to the Romans writes:
uFor aII who are led by Spirit of God arc sorc of God,
8:14
The two men who are said to have done divinity to Jesus christ are John and paul; above
quotation Paul definitely admits that resus son of
God, but who are led by the of God sorrso f God."
Let us see what John has to say, he who phrasc, ,rthc
only son of God". In the course of an Jenrs had the
rews who wanted to stone hinr, he the
good works that he had shown them werc they stoning him?
l 8
Psalm 82:6-7
All those quotations are from the Old Testament let us now see what
the New Testament has to say. Luke reports Jesus preaching:
IIBut love enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing
in return,' andyour reward wiU be great, andyou wi/I be sons ofthe
for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish."
Luke 6:35
Gospel according to Jesus is reported to say:
Blessed peacemakersfor they shall be called sons ofGod"
Matthew 5:9
Paul "For all the Spirit ofGod are sons ofGod II
Romans 8:14
their utmost to ascribe
Christ Paul; and yet from the above
Jesus was not the only son of
"all Spirit ofGod are sons ofGod"
has coined the phrase, "the
ofGod". ofan argument Jesus had with the
Jews him, asked of them for which of the
good.works that he had shown them were they stoning him?
18

21. The The Jews Jews answered allswered him, ulfe "We stone stone youfor youfor no no good good wor*works s butlor
butfor
blasphemy,' btasphemyb; because ecausey you ou beinga being a mon, man, makey make yourself ourself God" God. " Jesus
answered answered them, ""Is Is it not wriflen written in your your law, I I said, you you are gods!
If If he called called them gods to whom the word of God came (and the
scripture scripture cannol cannot he be broken), do yoa you say of ofhim him of ofwhom whom the Father
consecraled consecrated ond and sent into lhe the world, world. ""You You are blaspheming"
hecouseI because I said ""I 1 am the son sono ofGod?"
f God?"
John l0:33-36
otherw ords Jesusw as pointingo ut to his Jewishp ersecutortsh at
term of God wasn o more blasphemoutsh ant he tetm t'godsl'
of others previous to him. At least
John'sG ospeli mplies.J esus'so wn personal
term "son of man", in Hebrew, Arabic and
nBenA dam",which just means" man". This is rep€atedn o
Testamentm, ostly spokenb y Jesus
to categorically call himself the Son
sense,
last words when he was about to
ascendto heavena sr elatedi n the Gospelo f John:
"I am ascending Fother Filher, to my God and
God-" John2 0:17
It what Jesus meant by this single
sentencet,h at sonshipw as in no way differentf rom the sonship
Sinclair, says in his book, " A Pqnonol
Jeuus" : " And lest anyone think that : in calling God his Father he
was proclaiming himself the Son, let it be made clear that he called
God your Father, too. He said it eighrcen times in the New
Testament: "Heavenly Father K1oweth", and so on. He meant
that we were all sons of God, and hc was one of them."
t 9
10:36
In other words Jesus was pointing out Jewish persecutors that
the tenn Son ofGod was no blasphemous than the tenn "gods"
which had been used in respect that is what the writer of John's Gospel implies. Jesus's own preference was for the tenn rIson ofman ", Swahili: "Ben Adam", which means "repeated no
less than 80 times in the New Testament, mostly spoken by himself. Not once is he reported of God in any special sense.
Finally let us consider Christ's to
ascend to heaven as related in Gospel of "J am ascending to my Father and your Father, your God. " John 20: 17
It is very clear to understand sentence, that his sonship was different from of all men.
The American writer, Upton "A Pmonal
~: "And lest anyone that: in calling God Father was proclaiming himself the Son, let it made clear that called
God your Father, too. He said it eighteen times in the New
Testament: "Your Heavenly Father Knoweth", and so on. He meant
that we were all sons of God, and he was one of them."
19

22. GOD AND JESUS (are they one and the same ?)
GOD AND JESUS (are they one rnd rhe seme ?)
christian Chuches teacht hat Jesusc hrist is not only the son of God,
but that "he is very God". The Father, The son and the Holy spirit are
one. Three in one, and one in Three. They are co-etemal and co-equal.
Christian Churches teach that Jesus Christ is not only the Son ofGod,
but that "is very God". The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are
one. Three in one, and one in Three. They are co-eternal and co­equal.
Jesusis God, and God is JesusT. hat is thc christian dogm4 to
which the majority of thosew ho call themselvesc hristians subscribe.
St. Paul in his first letter to "we are evenfound to be misrepresentingG od,b ecausew e testfred
of God that he raised chrisL whom he did not tf rt ir the dead are nol raised'l
I Corinthians t 5: t 5
In spite of Paul's alleged belief that christ as
God, he could not but say : "God God
were one and the sa,mew ould it not beenm ore appropriatet o
speak of the operation in the following ? If God raised christ, the two could possibly strme One was definitely the performer operationw asp erformed,
John, t he other stronga dvocateo f the of Christ"r eportsi n Gospel that Jesus said: yoru God, believea lso in me." The word emphasizeth e between God and Christ.
In the Acts of the Apostles ,,And I see the heavens opened and of man the right hand olGod"
20
Jesus is God, and God is Jesus. That is the Christian dogma, to
the majority ofthose who call themselves Christians subscribe.
the Corinthians wrote:
"We misrepresenting God, because we testified
ofGod raised Christ. 1I0t raise ifit is true that
not raised. "
1Corinthians 15: 15
Christ was the same being as
say: Raised Christ". If Jesus and God
same would have been more appropriate to
terms : Christ raised himself
IfGod Christ, not be the same being.
perfonner and the other upon whom the
operation was performed.
the strong advocate ofthe divinity ofChrist, reports in his
"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in
believe also "also" emphasize the distinction
we read: "And he (Stephen) said,
"Behold, the Son ofman standing at
ofGod. "
Acts 7:56

23. The The Son Son of ofman, man, as as Jesus Jesus prefened preferred to to catl call himsctf, himself, is is secn seen by by Stephen
Stephen
to to be be standing standing at at the the right right hand hand of of God. God. Hence Hence he he cannot cannot at at the the same
same
time time be be God; God; and and this this is is a a description description of of a a situation situation in in heaven, heaven, He He is
is
no no longer longer the the Jesus Jesus of of this this world world described described in in Hebrew Hebrew 2 2 as as having
having
been been ',Ilmade made like like his his brethren brethren in in every every respect, respect, so so that that he he might
might
become become a a merciful merciful and and faithful faithful high high priest priest in in the the service service of of God".
Godll
On the Mount fled hunted by the Jews, he
took occasion his disciples, and there in seclusion
"Father, if thou art willing, renurve cupfrom rfl'e; nevertheless
not my will, but thinc he done-" appeared to him an
angel from hetven, hiruu
22:4243
We note herc three thingr:
L Jesus God- Hence they are two
separateb eings unequals tatust o the extent that one has to pray
to othcr.
2. Thcy have separatew ills, butthe will of Jesgs,t he son of man'
is subordinatet o God'sw ill must prcvail.
3. Jesrs, being mar loscs weakens, and God Almighty, as
the source of all strength, scnds an angel to strcnghen Jesus.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says categorically:
"For the Father is grcater lhan It' John l4:28
And finalty on the cross: "And about the ninth hoat Jesrts cried
with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, la ma sabach+hani ?r', that is' t'My
God, my God, why host lhouforsaken nte?t'
Matthew 27:46
2 l
•
On the Mount of Olives to which Jesus Jews. took occasion to withdraw from prayed to God:
"Father, ifthou art wHling, remove this cup/rom me; not my will, but thine be done." And there angel/rom heaven, strengthening him. "
Luke We Dote here three important things:
1. Jesus prays to God, Jesus worship God. separate beings of unequal status to pray
to the other.
2. They have two separate wills, but the ofJesus, the ofman,
is subordinate to that of God. God's will prevail.
3. Jesus, being man, loses heart and Almighty. as
the source of all strength, sends an angel strengthen Jesus.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says categorically:
"For the Father is greater than !" John 14:28
And finally on the cross: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, "EIi, Eli, la ItUI sabach-thani ?", that is, "My
God, my God, why hast thou/orsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46
21

24. It is clear from the above quotation that Jesus and God are not only
separate entities but their will are different and could be even
contradictory; the superior will must however prevail. what is
shockingh, owever,i s the despairingto neo f christ's supplicationo n
the cross. Far from being the only begotten son of God or God, we
could not expects uchw eaknesse venf rom an ordinarym ortal with
a trust in God.
It is clear from the above quotation that Jesus and God are not only
separate entities but their will are different and could be even
contradictory; the superior will must however prevail. What is
shocking, however, is the despairing tone ofChrist's supplication on
the cross. Far from being the only begotten Son of God or God, we
could not expect such weakness even from an ordinary mortal with
a trust in God.
MIRACLES: But in whose Authority ?
MIRACLES : But in whose Authoriry ?
Among the proofs advancedb y somet o substantiateth e divinity of
Jesus are the miracles which he is reputed performed. Examples of such miracles into
wine, the healing of the leprous and the paralytic, of
the possessedth, e raisingo f the dead, very sameG ospelste ll us thatJ esusa ttributeda ll thosem iraclesa nd
everything that he ever did to the God who a few examples:
Among proofs advanced by some to substantiate the divinity of
Jesus are the by the Gospels to have
performed. are the turning of water into
wine, the healing the exorcising of
the possessed, the raising ofthe and walking on water. But the
very same Gospels tell that Jesus attributed all those miracles and
everything had sent him. Hence are
a few examples:
"For I have not spoken who sent
me has himself given say what to
speak- And I know that eternar life, I say,
therefore, I say as the Father has me.,,
l2:50
I can do nothing on my own as I and my
judgement is just, because I see* wilr hut will of
him who senl me."
Jesusta kesj ustifiable pride speakinga nda ctingo n God'sa uthority
and in obedience to his command. In the story of the raising of
Lazarus from the dead as related by John we read:
2?
on my own authority; the Father who sent
himselfgiven me commandment what to say and what to
speak. [ his commandment is eternal life. I say,
has bidden me. "
John 12:49-50
"1 authority; I hear, [judge; and my
judgement just, [ seek not my own will but the will of
!lim sent me. "
John 5:30
Jesus takes justifiable pride in speaking and acting on God's authority
and in obedience to his command. In the story· of the raising of
Lazarus from the dead as related by John we read:
22

25. "Then Jesas, deeply moved canv to the tomh; It was a cave,
"Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; It a and o a stone lay lay upon it Jesus said, soid, "Take Take away away lhe tile stone't. stone". Martha,
Martha,
the sister of ofthe the dead mon, man, said to him, lIim, ""Lord, Lord, by this time lhere
there
will be an odor,for he has been deadfour days. "Jesussaid "Did [ not tell you that ifyou would believeyou o/God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hearest but J
have said this on account ofthe people standing by, believe that thou didst hear me. "
witl he for deodfour Jesus said to her,
"Did I if you believe you would see the glory
of awayt he stane.A nd Jesusl ifted up his eyes
"Father, me always, hut I
of the hy, that they may
helieve thau me."
Iohn I l:38-44
L Jesust ells Marthat hat she" seet he glory of God," and not
Jesuso wn Jesusa lwayss eekst he glory of Ood who sent
dutifully thanks God for
prayers
Jesust akesp ainst o convincet he spectatorsth at it is indeedG od
him. does he does with God's
authoritY.
madeo f Jesus'so wn from the dead, t he so called
resurrectionB. ut refcrencesto the event in the Biblc makec lear
that not rise of his own volition.
Indeed In 2 Kings 32-35 who was raised from the dead.
Another 17:22. The Bible also tells of
"And as rhey still cn and talked, hehold, a chariot oflire and
horses of lire septroted thc two of thent- And Eliiah went up by a
whirl*ind into heaven,"
2 Kings 2:l I
23
John 11 :38-From the above we note three things:
I. Jesus tells Martha that she "would see the Jesus own glory, for Jesus always seeks the ofGod him.
2. Jesus prays to God for miracle, and answering his prayers.
3. Jesus takes pains to convince the spectators that indeed God
who has sent him, and that what he authority.
Much is also made ofJesus's own rising the resurrection. But all references to Bible make clear
that it was God who raised him. He did Indeed neither was he unique in the act.
In 2 Kings 4:32-35 we read of a child from Another case is reported in I Kings 17:22 . of
people who went up to heaven.
"And as they still went en and talked, behold, a chariot offire and
horses offire separated the two ofthem. Elijah went uphy a
whirlwind into heaven. "
2 Kings 2:11
23

26. nEnoch wslked with God: and he was noglor God too* hlmn
"Enoch walked with God: and he was 1101,/0' God took him. "
Genesis 5:24
Genesis 5:24
such legends about outstanding personalities wene rcplete beforc and
at the time of Jesus.J osephusw ritingrnAntiquities sayso f Moscs:
"a cloud suddenly stood over him and he disappeared in a certain
valley, although he wrote in the holy books that he died, which was
done out of fear, lest they should ventue to say that, bccarrse of his
extraordinary virtue, he went to God.u Joscphus also rncntions that
some people thought that Moses "had to divinity.',
Such legends about outstanding personalities were replete before and
at the time of Jesus. Josephus writing in Ant;quitie$ says of Moses:
"cloud suddenly stood over him and he disappeared in a certain
valley, although he wrote in the holy books that he died, which was
done out of fear, lest they should venture to say that, because of his
extraordinary virtue, he went to God." Josephus also mentions that
people "had been taken to the divinity."
According to J. Jeremias moyrcr: ,tThqe went to hcavcn:
Enoch, Moses and Elijah.t,
According in JIlQ)BI: "These went up to hellVen:
Enoch, Elijah. "
THE VIRGIN BIRTH
The virgin birttr of Jesus is regarded, perhaps, powcrful
of all miracles supporting the claim for di"i"ity. Maruicc wilcs,
Regius Professor of Divinity and canon of christ church, oford,
and chairman ofthe church ofEngland Doctrinc commissioq in his article_Gfuitlignifitwithout Incunation ? .Itc
il{ilh of God Incarnate:
The birth as the most powerful
ofall his divinity. Maurice Wiles,
Canon ofChrist Church, Oxford,
and Chainnan Church Doctrine Commission, writes
in his article Christianity without Incarllation 7 in the book, Ik
Myth fit God Incarnate:
"when When around the beginning of ofthis this century, doubts were expresscd
expressed
about the literal truth of the
ofthe virginal conception ofJesus, these were
"itginal
conccption of Jesw, werc
frequently treated as direct attacks upon The virgin birttr was so firmly regardcd msans ufrich incarnation was effected that the two weri standing or falling togethcr."
the doctrine of incarnation.
birth finnly regarded as the means by which the
incarnation were widely regarded as
together."
strong and irrefutable argumcnts have thc pagcs ofhiistory been
presentcd against thc doctrine of incaroatioq i.c.thc bcticf ttrat Almighty took thc human form as Jesus ofNazarcth" The arguments
range from the Quranic ufrich draw the parallel of thc creation of
Adarn from no-fathcr and no mother, and the conccption of Elizabcth
24
Strong inefutable arguments have down the pages ofhiStory been
presented the ofincarnation, i.e. the beliefthat, God
Almighty took the human form as Jesus ofNazareth. The arguments
range from the Quranic which draw the parallel of the creation of
Adam from no-father and no mother, and the conception ofElizabeth,
24

27. the wife of Zachariah,w ho barren and having passedm enopause,d id
yet give birth to John. In the case of Zachariatr, the Qur'an says:
the wife ofZachariah~who barren and having passed menopause, did
yet give birth to John. In the case of zachariah, the Qur'an says:
"Thns doth Allah what he willcth."
And in the case of Mary the Qur'an says:
Qur'an3 :40
,,Even so: Atlah He willeth: When He hath decreed
a plan, He il ttBett h !" 3:47
But arguments; they are for a people who have
faith. the whole thing as purely
mythological,a nd havep resentedm any similar claims of virgin birth
for Christ. Persus of Greece was
supposedto haveb eenb orn T he virgin Rhea Silvia gave
birth to Romulus Horus was bom by Isis, the
immaculate The argument is that these
legends culrent Meditenanean region about the time of
Jesus Rationalisti nterpreterso f havef ound fault with the current
translationsa, nd haves oughtt o placeo n record what they believe is
the more original text. Mafcello Craveri
accuses the into a search for every
passagein Scripturesw hich be seeni n any way to foretell
itre coming "Son virgin birth. As an example
Craveri refers to Isaiatr 7:14 as the most quoted prophecy regarding
the virgin birth:
'tTherefore the Lord himself will give you a sign, Behold a virgin
shall conceive, and hear a son, and shall call his narne ImnruueL"
Craveri argues that the prophecy had nothing to do with the birth of
Jesus.T he original text speaksn, ol of a "virgin" but of a "young
tryoman". The Revised Standard Version of the Biblc agrees with
Marcello Craveri in this respect.T he actualm eaningo f the prophecy
25
"Thus doth Allah accomplish what he wUleth. "
And in the case of Mary the Qur'an says:
Qur'an 3:40
"Even so: Allah createth what He wUleth: He a plan, He but saith to it "Be" and it is /" Qur'an But these are scriptural argwnents; faith. There are those who have dismissed purely
mythological, and have presented many for pagan divinities prior to Jesus was
supposed to have been born by a Danae. The gave
birth to Romulus of Rome. The Egyptian born the
immaculate virgin queen of heaven. argwnent these
legends were current in the Mediterranean of
Jesus was most likely equally legendary.
Rationalist interpreters of the Bible have found translations, and have sought to place on is
the more correct rendering of the Marcello accuses the Church Fathers of launching passage in the Scriptures which could seen in foretell
the coming of a "Son of God" through Craveri refers to Isaiah 7:14 as the most quoted the virgin birth:
"There/ore the Lord himselfwill give you a sign. Behold a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shaH caU his name llllnUlnueL II
Craveri argues that the prophecy had nothing to do with the birth of
Jesus. The original text speaks, not Q.(a "vier;n" but Q.(a "vouor
woman". The Revised Standard Version of the Bible agrees with
Marcello Craveri in this respect. The actual meaning of the prophecy
25

28. is admitted to be diffrcult by the samec hristian cornmentatorsw ho
claim that it referst o Jesus.C raveris ayst hat is ase xpected', sincet he
excerpth ad nothingt o do with the birth of JesusI.t is the endingo f
a discussion that Isaiah says he had with King Ahae, in which the
prophetr eassuredth e king of the imminent destructiono f his two
enemiest,h e Kings of Syria and Israel".
is admitted to be difficult by the same Christian commentators who
claim that it refers to Jesus. Craven says that is as expected "since the
excerpt had nothing to do with the birth of Jesus. It is the ending of
a discussion that Isaiah says he had with King Ahaz, in which the
prophet reassured the king of the imminent destruction of his two
enemies, the Kings of Syria and Israel".
Another rationalist G. vermes resus thgJew iugues "virgin"
even as applied to well one too
young for child-bedng, just sarah, old, or barren.
Lastly we have the opinion regarding the general question Van de Velde M.D. uniting Idcal Marriage, says: Therre numeroui course,
exceptional instances imprcgnation following the penetration sp€rm cclls genitaria
without completejAanUlC.pCa& entance of the cases are of great practical things; Firstly, that wrder certain circumstancesim pregnationc an
result even when thebt4nremains Andsecond(urthat qtennatozoon can reachthe femaleo rgarurin directly, g. contact of a finger..."
The profundity of all thesc rational, is undoubted; but it Qru'an in words simple enough babcs urderstand:
The similitude of betore created himfrom dust, soid him: "8e,,: truth (com*) trom Allah nol of those doubt"
Qur'an 26
Vennes in Jesus the Jew argues that "virgin"
Mary could have originally meant one too
young chi~d-bearing, as Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth were
of a scientist and a medical practitioner
of conception by a virgin. Dr. T.H.
writing in his best selling book on sexology,
Ideal Marriqre. "There are numerous though; of course,
on record of impregnation or conception
of spenn cells into the female genitalia
complete jmmissiopenis or entrance ofthe male organ. Such
importance. They plainly prove two
~under circumstances impregnation can
the..b.mJm remains unbroken. And secondlY. that a
spermatozoon reach the female organs indirectly, e.g. through the
these speculations, medical, scientific or
is the Qur'an which spells out the truth
for babes to understand:
"The Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam: He
him from then said to him.' "Be": and he was. The
comes)/romAlloh alone; so be not ofthose who doubt."
Qur'an 3:59-60

29. - Prophet from Nazareth serryant "Christ disdainethn ot servea nd worshipG od" Qur'an4 :172
Quranic number of places we note
sent by God, and a number
of God"
"Andtlrir tr nay thee true God,
lesus Chrkt senl."
John 17:3
Jesusi n addressesG od as "the only true
himselfh asb eens enta s a messengeor f God.
"God raisedu p hiss enant sent ht.tt youtirct, lo blessy ou
of youtrom yoar wickedness."
Acts 3:26
"The of Ahraham of Isaac of Jacob, of our
fathers, his semant Jesus, you up and
ol Pilate, to release
hittt "
Acts 3:13
"And now, Lordr their threa&, and grant thy setl'ants
ta speak ward with all holdness, while stretches out lhy
heol, sign wonder$ perforped through the
of thy sertant Jesus."
Acts 4:30
The ere rnd wonde6 are performed: who does
this ? is thq hand qf God of Jesus may be invoked,
but instrumentala, s intercederf,o r he at besti s only
"servanto f 27
JESUS Prophet from Nazareth the servant of God
"Christ disdaineth not to serve and worship God" Qur'an 4: The Bible bears out this Quranic truth. In Jesus saying with pride that he has been of times he is referred to as the "servant ofGod"
"And this is eternal life, that they nuzy know the only and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent. "
3
Thus Jesus in befitting humility addresses God God", and he himself has been sent as messenger of "God having raised up his servant sent hi~ to youflrst, to blessyou
in turning every one ofyoufrom your wickedness. "
26
"The God ofAbraham and ofIsaac and ofJacob, the God ofour
fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom delivered denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided him."
13
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats, andgrant to servants
to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretches thy
hand to heal, and sign and wonders are performed name ofthy holy servant Jesus. "
30
The sick are healed, signs and wooden all this? It is the hand Q,fGod The name of but that is only instrumental, as an interceder, for best is "the holy servant of God."
27

30. Jesns is rcported to say according to the Gospels: nwhoever receives
nu, receivesn ot mi hut Him who sentm e.rl
Jesus is reported to say according to the Gospels: "Whoever receives
me, receives not me but Him who sent me. "
Mark 9:37
The Qur'an express€s the same s€nse in the following wonds: rrtrIe
who obeyst he Apostle (Muharunad -saws)o heysA llah.,,
Qu'an 4:80
And in the following verse Prophet by Allah:
",Scy; If ye do follow will love andlorgive
youyour sins: for is torgiving, Mercful"
Qut'an 31
In the Gospel of John nys: wiII of him
who sent me, and to accomplish His work"
That is indeed the literal translation ISLAIVI, means, Sabmissian to thc will af Godn
teachms ir not mine, bw hit who sent rru; tf arty rffin,s to do His will, he shall know whether whether I amspeakhg on nV amhorigl spca*s own aathority seehsh is own glory; hat hc wha seekst he Him who sent him is trae, and in him therc nofalsehoodt,
14-18
who receivesy ou receivs tsu, receivg nu recciva
Him who sent me. He who receives a praphet hecausc prophet receives a prophet's reward, hc reccives righleous mtn because he ls a righteor.s man recclvc righteow manb reword"
40-41
28
Mark 9:37
The Qur'an expresses the same sense in the following words: "He
who obeys the Apostle (MuhanutUld -saws) obeys Allah. "
Qur'an4:80
And in the following the Prophet Muhammad is told by Allah:
"Say: Ifye love God,foliow me: God wil/love you andforgive
you your sins: for God oft-forgiving, Most MercifuL "
Qur'an 3:31
ofJohn Jesus says: "Myfood is to do the will ofhim
sent accomplish His work. "
John 4:34
of the word ISLAM, which
"Submission the ofGod. "
"My teaching is not mine, but his sent me; ifany IIUln's will is
His the teaching isfrom God or
am speaking my own authority. He who spealcs on his
authority seeks his but he who seeks the glory of
true, there is nofalsehood. "
John 7:14·18
"He receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives
prophet beca~e he is a
.
and he who receives a
righteous man' is righteous IrUJn shall receive a
righteous IIUln's reward. "
Matthew 10:4041

31. We thus see on the strength of Christ's own testimony that he is Ii
a
righteous servant scrvant ofGod, of Go4 a aprophet prophet sent sentby by God, Go4 an anapostlc.apostle. Time and
time timc again he hc repeats that he has not come comc on his own authority, that
he does not even act or speak on his own authority; but that he says
and acts in fulfillment ofthe of the commandment and ud the ttre will ofGod of God who
has sent him. These the true ofa and messenger
ofGod. And that indeed is what his followers who saw him and lived
with him took him to be.
Thesc are qualities of a prophet mcssenger
of God. fuid indecd Gospcls:
'tlfhen saw sign hc had done, sai4 nThis
world.'l
14
"Bttt tricd arrest hin feared multilude,
becarue prophet"
2l:46
ttAndthe saidr "This thepruphd laustromNazlreth Galilee."
2l:l I
"And then4 )'What things ?'t sald hiry
"Concerning fesus otNazareth, prophet rtghQ k deed
and aII people.?l
19
Jesrrs was refirsed to be
considerede ven good:
"And sfrhg his journqr s ,run run uP and hnclt
betore hhn, and ashcd hittt, nGood Tcachcr, whu must I do to
inherit eternal lite?" And fcsrc sald httt+ nWhy do you call nu
good alona'l
17-18
29
Read the Gospels:
"When the people saw the sign which he haddone, they said, "This
is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. "
John 6:14
"But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitude,
because they held him to be a prophet. "
Matthew 21 :46
"And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesusfrom Nazareth of
GaIUee."
Matthew 21 :11
"And he said to them, "What things ?" And they said to him,
"Concerning Jesus 0/Nazareth, who as a mighty in and word before God andaU the people. " -
Luke 24:19
Jesus not only denied that he God, but also refused considered even "And as he was setting out on hisjourney, a man ran up iUld knelt
be/ore him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what IlUlSt 1 inherit eternalli/e?" And Jesus said to him, "Wlly yOIl caB me
good? No one is but God alone. "
Mark 10:17-18

32. A PROPHET TO ISRAEL
We have seen we havereproduced thc from the extracts have~eproduced from the Bible
that Jesus was sent by God.
To whom was he sent? To the World? • Let the Bible speak:
Tq:phom Wgs h.e senlLTo the lforld? - sperk:
Jesus went awayfrom there and withdrew dhtrict "And Jesus to the district of
Tyre andSidon. and Sidon. Andbehold, And behold,A A Cannnanite woltllUlfrom twnmnfromthe the region
region
came out oat and cried, ""Hsve Have mercy mcrcy on me, mc, 0 O lord, Son Soi ofDavid; of D.avid; my
daughter daaghter is severely possessed possessehdy by demon. demon." " But Bul he did not answer
cnswer
her a word. word Andhis And his disciples dbciples came came and begged hegged him saying, saying, ""Send
Send
her away, for for she she is crying after us. us." " He (Jesus) Jesw) answered, answered, ""I 1 was
ntas
sent only tothe lo the lost lost sheep sheep ofIsraeL"
of Israel"
Manhew 21-24
When Jesus was and spread going non-
Matthew reports: "These twelve Jesus sent charging 'tGo
nowhere amrrng the Gentiles (ie non-fews), the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep honre Israel"
l0:5-said to then+ "Tralyr say yot+ h thc ncw twrl4 whcn
the Son nan shall sit his gloriotu lhronc, you who have
-to llowed nu wi// also sit tvclve thmna, judging thc ttucttv tihs
of Israel"
Mattlrcw l9:2t
Ctuist rcdeemcr thc is
rccordcd Goryel
prayer dcclares general his mission-
Matthew 15:21-24
despatching his twelve chosen disciples to go out
the Gospel he instructed them to avoid into non·
Israelite towns.
"These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go
among i.e. Jews), and enter no town of
Samaritans, lost sheep of the house of
IsraeL"
Matthew 10:5·6
"Jesus them, "Truly, I say to you, in tile new world, when
Son of mIIn shall sit on his glorious throne, followed me will also sit on twelve thrones,the twelve tr~
ofIsraeL"
Matthew 19:28
The claim that Jesus Christ is a redeemer of the world from sin rebutted by his own categorical statement recorded in the Gospel
according to John. In to God he declares his own limitations
consistent with the spirit of mission.
30

33. "I praying for for hut for
lhose hast given for they thine.'r
"1 am for them; I am not praying for the world butlor
those whom thou hast given me,lor tl.ey are thine. "
l7:If we allow oursclvest o judge statemenot f Jesu by Matthew of Israel,
and his instnrctionst o disciplest hat shouldg o nowherc
among non-Jcws but Israel,
and his prophecy judging
the nrelve tibes Isracl hcreafter, conclude that people refened must the Israclites. Ctuistianity
was not preached Jews aftcr was he who suong from the chosen violation instnrctions Marccllo Craveri rryritesin Thc r ife qf fesus:
Mcanwhile, tlre picturc. personality intcrjecting himsclf
of the hc himsclf rattrer Quanels benveen aros€, .over sonverts outageous
proposal of Judaism."
D r.Hugh Schonfiel( Tharscrn cndiblc
Cirirtian+ conllicts followers of Christ:
of today, uscd soen alr
demondriyen encmy hc
bccarnc aprisonerof thc thc ncither of Jenrsalcm
liftcd fingcr to of Paul's forthe poorsaints of Judca, bad mitigatcd to
morc inhansigent legitimarc was influencc, bcnt 3 l
John 17:9
Ifwe ourselves to from the statement ofJesus as reported
and Mark that he was sent only to the lost sheep oflsrael,
clear instructions to his disciples that they should go nowhere
Jews rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
that he and his twelve disciples would be twelve tribes of Israel in the hereafter, we would not be wrong to
the referred to in Jesus's prayer quoted above
be same, the Israelites. It is a historical fact that Cluistianity
to non-Jews until after the conversion of Paul. It
insisted on doing that in the face of strong opposition
apostles of Jesus. They regarded such action as
of the explicit instructions and practice of the Master. Dr.
Marcello writes in his book The Life gfJesUSi
"Meanwhile, Paul had come into the picture. With his over-whelming
and his ambition, he lost no time in interjecting himself
among the "pillars" ofthe community, as he himselfrather ironically
spoke of James and Peter. Quarrels and conflicts between them and
Paul soon arose, especially over the new converts outrageous
to carry the religion beyond the borders ofJudaism."
Biblical scholar, Dr. Hugh Schonfield, in his book, Thou '''credible
Chrittigll$, writes thus of Paul's conflicts with he genuine original
ofChrist:
"The Saul oftoday, who used the Roman name of Paul, was seen as
the demon-driven enemy of the new David. When eventually he
became a prisoner ofthe Romans, the Christians neither ofJerusalem
nor Rome lifted a finger aid him. None ofPaul's efforts, including
raising funds for the poor saints ofJudea, had mitigated opposition him. For the more intransigent of the legitimate Church Paul a
dangerous. and disruptive influence, bent on enlisting a large
31

34. following from among the Gentiles in order to provide himself himsclf with
a numerical superiority superi-ority with the support of which he could set sct at
defiance the Elders at Jerusalem. Paul had been bcen the enemy from the
beginning, and because becaus€ he had failed in his former formcr open hostility he
hc
had craftily insinuated insinuarcd himself hims€lf into the fold to destroy desEoy it from within.
This he was doing by setting sctting aside the sacred Torah and recruiting
anyone join mercst belicf. should thosc innocent was to. statc led! whole of Messiah himsclf, jeopardy Bccause to be Toratr
was willing to him on the merest profession of belief. He
never have been received; but there were those who were so
and unsuspicious that they had not realized what he up
And see to what a state of affairs their misplaced confidence had
The Nazorean cause, the cause ofMessiah himself, was in
of being utterly discredited in Israel. Because Paul seemed
on of its chief spokesmen and was announcing that the Torah
invalid as a means of salvation it would be believed by pious
Jews that the followers of Jesus were the worst kind ofrenegades.It
Jesu of renegades."
of Jesus in restricting his teaching to Israel lay in his
The wisdom J6sus resnicting Isracl preservc desire to preserve the monotheism of Abraham from being
contaminated by pagan influences which prevailed all around him
among the110n-thenon-Jews. Jews. As far as he was rms concerned the rest ofhwnanity
of humanity
was yet mor€
not ready to receive the whole truth. His fears became more
than fully realized when, with Paul's conversion and consequential
missionary of God activities, not only was the sacred Law ofGod branded a
cursed, but the pagan cults ofMithra, of Mitlua, Orpheus, Osiris, Attis etc were
systematically absorbed and became part and parcel of official
offrcial
Christianity.
The Church's Churchs alleged authority to propagate Chri.¢Chri-stianity anity to non-Jews
(apart from Paul's assertion) derives from the following passages of
t'Go therelore and nale disciples of aII natioru., baptizing thcm thc nanu thc Fathcr Son lhc Spirit
thcm to obsenv hovc corrrntanded you; lo, sn you alwalnr thc clasc of thc aga"
20
the Gospels:
"Go there/ore andIIIJIk,z disciples ofaU nations, baptking them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit
teaching them observe all that I have c01lUlUlndedYOu; and 10, I
am with always, to the close ollhe age. "
Matthew 28: 19-20
32

35. "And that repentance andforgivellesJ o/sim should bepreach.
ill his name to alilladom, beginningfrom Jt!I'IlSakllL "
"And that rcpentance udforgivencss a/sirs should bc pnuhcd
in his narne aII naliotts, beginrtng fum Jazsalem"
Luke 24:47
tuks 47
"And he said to tIaenr, "Go into all the worldandpl'tUU:h tlte Gospel
to the whole creotioIL He who believes andis baptir.ed will be saved;
"Arrd IE said thcr4 "Go aII tlre rwrW and prcach tlu Gospd
tlrcwhdc dfrion Hewlp belicl,6 arrdir bqdqnwiW bc savcd;
but does not bcliarc wiII condemacd."
16
quotedp assagesre fer lived, preached refer to
"nsen" fEw. are
thc th&t ldark. The lvlarlq embcllishments
writers'tastes. the pas$age fezus's dead, instruction" on€s, of prcaching
Christianityt o Jews,Britamica I lth l7 says addcd sccond ccnhry werc reglrdcd
uniting llarper's ulfthere poiff ingoqpel criticisfir dl thc orpcrts MarHs gospcl ctnpter b calledlo nger manuscripts, rnd sccond oentury
orccrpts lvlatthew, thc
efrlirrir+,t#crr ariilctuc of ilrc rrg,trrcrlion ir nal in tlu gospck ir,Sl Paul's ftnt lda thc Codnthiou I 5:3-tn,
33
he who 1I0t believe will be condemned. "
Mark 16:16
All the three above-quoted passages refer not to the historical Jesus
when he lived. and walked with his disciples. They refer to
the "risen" Christ after the so called resurrection, when he appeared
to the chosen few. It is known that among the four Gospels which are
in the Bible the earliest to be written was that of Mark. The others
were written later being based on Mark, but with embellishments
added according to the writers' tastes. It is known also that the whole
passage in Mark about Jesus's rising from the dead. which includes
the instruction, contradicting all his previous ones, of preaching
Christianity to non-Jews. is a later addition.
The Encyclopedia Britannica 11th edition vol. 17 page 730 says that
the passage was added later, possibly early in the second century to
take the place of missing words or words which were regarded
deficient.
William Neil writing in Harper's Bible Commentary says:
"Ifthere is any point in gospel criticism about which aU the experts are
agreed, it is that at this point Mark's gospel ends. The rest of the
chapter (19:9-20) is so-called longer Ending to the gospel which does
not appear in the oldest manuscripts. and which is a second century
pastiche of added excerpts from Matthew, Luke and Acts..... the
etIl'Iiat written evidence o/the~II is IIOt ill tIu! lOIpe& but
ill St. Ptull'sjint letter to the Corinthians 15:J-8".

36. lf passagein l6th chaptero f (verse to If the passage in the 16th chapter of Mark 9 20) is an
interpolation, as it is hereby proven and admitted to be, then the
whole wholes story toryo of f Christ's Christ'sr rising isingf from rom the dead deada and ndo ordering rderingh his is disciples
to go and preach to all creation baptizing in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit, is a later day addition. The author of the
legend as far as can be traced from the reading of the Bible, is St.
Paul, for f or the earliest earliestr record ecordi is s not in the Gospels Cospelsb but ut in Paul's Paul'sl letter ettert to
o
the Corinthians. As Craveri puts it in Tile qfJesusi
A s Craverip uts The Life of Jesus:
"Paul psul convinced convincedh himself imself that though thoughJ Jesus esush had ad really died, he must
have risen, leaving his earthly body behind in order to take on a
"spiritual" one.... blending b lending his own semi-pagan paganc conception onceptiono of f the
assumption of Jesus into a new life as a reward rervard for his virtues vlrtues with
the Jewish Jewishd doctrine octrineo of f the necessity necessityo of f a reconciliation reconciliationw with ith Yahweh,
Yatrweh,
and a "second covenant", Paul taught that exactly this had been the
task of Jesus, and a nd these theseh had ad been beenh his is merits in the eyes eyeso of f God: a
vicarious vicariouss sacrifice acrificet through hroughh himself imself in his saintliness saintlinessa and nd innocence
that expiated the collective guilts of all."
Iftherefore If thereforct the he basis basiso ofthe f the whole story ofJesus's of Jesus'sri rising sing from frcm the dead
is at its best open to question, if not palpably false, then there is no
ground groundf for or the belief that Jesus Jesusa at t any historical historicalm moment omento ordered rdercdt that
hat
his gospel should be taught to the gentiles. Equally the reference to
the Three Persons of the Trinity attributed to Jesus is baseless.
BLOOD
forbidden frtit.
transgressionis by childrcn Adam and Eve.
part what to Him, there just punistrment exc€pt rcstoring the
would good to nothing is gained
conmitted. perfect being,
Gan molliff
SALVATION OF The theory is that Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit.
Their transgression is inherited all children of Since thus they deprive God of a of is due is
no way to escape the punishment of God except by restoring loss that men have imposed on God. The argument have it that
since all the that can be done is owed God, by undoing a wrong once committed. Hence only a who agrees to be punished for the sins of other men, can mollify
34

37. He who must
God's wrath. Since only God is perfect it must be then take the human form, come forward and allow himself to be tortured
and be killed for the faults of his creatures.
vicious Craveri notes: "Thus we enter the truly staggering circle of a
god who punishes himself in order to be able to forgive the men and
womei women who have offended him!"
"And lhem,"that
"And Jesus called them to him and said to tl,em, "You know those who are supposed to rale rule over the Gentiles lord it over thery
them,
and their great men exercise uercise authority over them. thetn But it shall not
he be so amrrng amongYOUi you; but whoever would be great amt amongyou ng you must mtut he
be
your servant, selr'ant, and whoaryr whoever twuld would befint befirst arrurng amongyou you must hc be slave
0/aiL For the Son 0/man also came not to be served but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom/or many."
of all Son of sened hut serae,
give his lde ransomfor Mark 10:l0:42-45
abovep assageis of the quotationsp ut as an
Jcsus. Let us
l. camc tro senre". previoru dced was proud
to God passagc havc anyonc
scrvd bc worstrip$.
phrasc a
fignre nWhoever bc among
Surcly suLgcst that Jesus
mearui "slave" bccomes propsrty sold absurd int€rpr€t onc's ransomn
ag of physical dcath bcing ssificc atonemcnt for thc
oftcn walks of life being
racrificing ttreir people. It ncver oecur
to us understand that ptuasc thcir any way confers
benefit pcoplc. what all amounts to is tlut
35
The above passage is one ofthe Biblical quotations put forward argument for the doctrine of salvation by the blood of Jesus. examine the passage:
1. Jesus declares that he "came not to be.served but to serve". In the
previous pages we have seen how by word and deed Jesus serve and worship God. In this passage he would not have anyone
believe that he came to be served, far less to be worshipped.
2. The phrase "to give his life as a ransom for many is obviously figure of speech in the same vein as "Whoever would be first you must be slave of all." Surely no one would suggest means by "slave" literally that one becomes property to be bought and
sold-. Similarly it is abswd to interpret "giving one's life as a ransom"
as the ~ ofphysical death being a sacrifice for the atonement the
sins of others. We often hear of leaders in all referred to as .sacrificing themselves for their never occur
to us to understand by phrase that their death in benefit to their people. On the contrary it that

38. such leaders have spent their lives working for the good of their
followers.
such leaders have spent their lives working for the good of their
followers.
This remindsm e of a cartoont hat appearedin Eglptian daily, Al-
Akhbar, of l9th october 1976, The cartoon depicts a funeral
procession for a parliamentary candidate. A the bier reads:
I'THE MAN WHO EVERYDAY DIES A ribbon round a wreath carried in front of the reads "TO YOUR LAST RESTING PLACE - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY' someonein tones'VOTE l.
Among the "moumers" is one who sheds a tear, bcside
him reminds him: "Control WurseV. this ohlylor puhlic
relalions !tl
'If
thereforeJ esusd id die on the crossf or sinso f a nd true that he was God, then the whole process was acting, God could not really suffer the tortures, and his to him, for actually he did not die, being procedrue
takes the form of outrageons cheating. And if predestined, and Jesus knew it as we are made to was fulfillment of propheciesa nd the mission of Jesus,t hen who inllicted punishment on him and killed him, benefactors of mankind and the beloved of God for the letter God's own desires.
Another quotation which is as further argument to strenglhcn doctrine of salvation by blood is this from Luke:
"Blessed be the Lord God of kraeffor redeenud
hb pcopk, snd has rabcd up a horn of salvatbntor thc honsc
othis Dayi4 6 spok moulh othit prqphctr
trom of old, andfrom thc hand of aU who hales us."
l:68-36
reminds me cartoon that appeared in the Egyptian daily, AI­Akhbar,
19th October 1976. depicts a mock funeral
sprawling banner over
~'THE FOR YOU"
solemn procession
- A SEAT IN THE
ASSEMBLY" someone intones "VOTE FOR HIM !"
mourners" but his friend beside
"Control vourseif. man. this is only (orpubU,
relations I"
'Iftherefore Jesus did cross for the sins of men, and if it was
stage-acting, for
death meant nothing
God. The whole procedure
outrageous the exercise was
believe, and that it
in ofprophecies and ofJesus, then those
inflicted should be hailed as
ofGod their fulfilling to
used strengthen the
"Blessed Godof Israelfor he has visited and redeemed
his people, and raised ofsalvationfor us in the house
ofhis servant David, as he spoke by the nwuth ofhis holy prQphets
from ofold, the ofaU hates us. "
Luke 1:68-71

39. This prophecy when lbis is the of Zachariah his son John was born. But
it is clear that he says it is God who has redeemed his people, by
raising among them "a hom horn of salvation," which is the Messiah Messiatr who
was being expected by the Jew to deliver them "from their enemies",
the Roman Romur rulers. The coming of the savior, says Zachariah, Zachariatr, is in
fulfillment of ancient prophecies. It is distorting the meaning of
words intcrpret e:qccted deliverancc thc to interpret this expected deliverance from the enemies of the
who were Jews, the Roman rulers, as meaning salvation by blood of
Jesus. Jesus.''Another Another alleged testimony for the doctrine doctine of atonement by
blood:
"The next day, He (John Baptbt) sow Jesru hb4 "Behold, tahes away sin
of the l:"The next the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward
him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb ofGod, who takes away the sin
ofthe world!" John 1:29
words were of the Granted that these not the invention ofthe inventive John
the evangelist (for they are not borne out by any other Gospel) is this
not much the same thing as when we speak of any earthly earttrly leader:
"Here is he who bears all our otu burdens for us" ? or when we advise
someone: "You will witl kill yourself, man, trying ging to heap on your
shoulders shouldersth the e problems problemso ofthe f the world!" The taking away ofsin of sin is not
necessarily the same thing as the forgiveness of sin by the thc death dcath of
Jesus; rather is it by living up to his teachings and treading on his
footsteps (again a figure ofspeech) of speech) that men shall attain salvation. It
is through~through-doing the will of God who sent his servant, Jesus, as a
prophet and messenger, messengera, as s he himself so often said, sai4 that men shall be
saved. It I t is through though righteousness righrcousnessth the e doing of what is morally right,
tighq
according to God's laws, that everyone will save himself. Credit is,
however, reflected rcflcctcd on him who points the way, and indeed he thus
becomes the savior ofthe of the people.
pcople.
Thc tcaching of fesus Erc cssential, his sutlering in the
aounsco f hit *vrk b hcidaual nu Justifud laying sttess on
hcidental ignorhg, evcn Minling,thc cssentfuI ?
37
The teaching ofJesus are what is essential, his suffering course ofhis work is incidentIIL Are wejustified in laying stress the incidentIJI and ignoring, or even belittling, the essential '!

40. The following passagefr passage from om the Gospel according to John is believed
to put the docnine doctrine of ofvicariOlm vicarious atonement more forcefully and clearly
than any other:
"For Godso loved the worldthat hegave his only Son that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God
sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the
world might be saved through him. "
"For God so world tha he gave his Son thst whwr
helieves perish haye lifa wnt bU tha thc
sdved himn
John 3:16
16
Here we have to appreciate that John's Gospel is very different from
the three. It was written much larcr. later. It was not intended to be a factual
narrative, but rather subjective religious propagurda propaganda highly charged
with sentimentalism. It was obviously intended to push definite
doctrines fanatically adhered to by the writer. By the time this Gospel
was being written Pauline Christianity must have been quite prevalent
and the writer more than a faithful adherent. In this Gospel the
absolute divinity of Christ is stressed, and Jesus is referred to as "The
only Son of God." The doctrine ofsalvation is however even in this
Gospel not definitely asserted. At best, one might say, It is glanced at.
It is only one whose mind is already made up who will interpret the
sentence "For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the
world, but that the world might be saved through him." to mean that
it is by his death on the cross: or "whoever believes in him" to mean
"believes in his death as expiation for other people's sins."
defurite
Crospel
quitc prcvalent
faithftl thc
stessed, rcfened of salvation assertedA. t o ne glanccd ufio condcmn thc
worl4 night him.o deattr nufrocver himn othcr inThosc rnercdiblc Christians prcscnts to Dr. Hugh Schonfield in Thos( Incredible Chrqtjpns presents us
in graphic terms the value of the Gospel according to John as an
authentic record ofthe of the life and teaching ofJesus of Jesus Christ. He says:
"Thus in the Fourth Gospel, as in the letters to the Seven Churches,
it is not the real Jesus speaking, but John the Elder who is speaking
in in his name. The fraud can be bc detected, detecte4 however, howevcr, not only because becausc the
Christ ofthe of the Fourth Fountr Gospel expresses expresscs himselfin himself in a manner maurer which so
often is unJewish, but far more morc because the thc evidence of the first
epistle ofJohn of John reveals rcveals that ttrat Jesus speaks in the way ulay the creator crcator of his
38

41. supposed utterances writes. We have to be very thankful for the
existence of that epistle. There is no call for us to be honified at the
idea that a gifted and even spiritualty minded Christian, whose work
has a place in a collection of what many hold to inspired
supposed utterances writes. We have to be very thankful for the
existence of that epistle. There is no call for us to be horrified at the
idea that a gifted and even spiritually minded Christian, whose work
has a place in a collection of what many hold to be inspired
documents, could be guilty ofsuch be to us by now that there are several bogus books in the New
Testament, and others which are Our moral must not applied antiquity, where it was not considered interpolate and slant documents in a good John would have believed that his design would not doubt for a moment that had been specially raised up God for the task to be performed, was being The remarkable way in which everything every stage confirmed it.1
guitty of such gross deception. It should be clear
by that there ars scv€ral bogfrs bools the New
purposefully misleading. Orrr own
judgment be to the literary productions of
at all improper to forge,
slantdocuments agood cause. Johnwould certainly
was righteous and God-guided. He
he [1a1bl eens pecially raisedu p by
performe{ that he bcing led by the Spirit.
evcrything was working with him at
every it."
JESUS ? FAITH OR WORKS ?
Quite early the Sermon Jesus
made "Think not that have corne abolbh law and the propheb;
I havv corne not abolish them hut tofu{il them For truly,I say
to till heaven Pass awo!, not an iota, not a dot, will
the law until all accomplished" Whocvcr then relaxes
onc of the least of th6;c comnundnun$ and 1aachet mcn so, shall
hc called lcast the khgdom of heavcn; hut he who loa them and
teacha thcm shall bc callcd grcat in thc kingdom of hcaven For I
tcll you unlcss rightcousncss ucecds lhat of thc scrihes and
thc Pharisecsy, ou will never cnter the *ingdom of heaven"'
Matthew 5:17-20
39
PAUL OR JESUS? WORKS?
Consider the Sermon on the Mount. Quite in made clear his mission:
"Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets;
I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. truly, to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not will
passfrom the law until an is accomplished. Whoever relaxes
one ofthe least ofthese commandments and teachu men so, shall
be called least in the kingdom ofheaven; bill lie 40es teaches them shall be caUedgreat in the kingdom ofheaven. For tell you unless your righteousness exceeds that ofthe scribes and
the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom ofheaven. "
Matthew 5: 17-20
39

42. Tbe sermon on thc Mount consists of the most tcachings
of Jesus Christ. We can here lies tnrc Christi*ity; we believe that it is Jesus ufuo is the founder of Christianity St. Paul.
The the ofthe important teachings
ofJesus say that true Christianity; that is if
In the above quotcd pat;sage Jesus says that it the kingdom of heaven your righteorsness of the
scribes and the Pharisees." Now what is the scribes and Pharisees ? It is to follow the law the prophets taught. That is why Jesus said: "Think I have
come to abolish them but to fulfil them." His task the law by something else, but ratherto combat purely extemalization of religion among the Jews by spirit of religion. He laid emphasis on TEACHING he said: Whoever then rclaxes lcast commandments and teaches men so, shall be kingdom of heaven; but he who dacs them and teaches called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Those are lhe teachings of Chrbt hintself; hw whot does PauI say?
nEat whatever is sold in thc mcat nurhet rahing qucstion on the ground of corlr'ciencetl
I 25
'tYon are severedfrom Christ, you who woald be justifud law;
you hnefallen awayfrom gruca through thc $phit, we waitfor the hopc of righteousncss."
"We outxelves, who arc law by binh and not Gcntilc shnctx, yet
who hnow that a nan is not jtutifud by worhs bu
through faith k fcsus Chriltt evcn wc havc bclicved fesru, h ordcr to bcJttstifud bylaith Chdst, twr*s law, becatuc by works of thc bw sholl no orrc bcJusfifreil"
16
40
who ofChristianity and not
quoted passage is impossible to enter
ofheaven "unless righteousness exceeds that ofthe
righteousness of the
Pharisees? to the letter, and what
lbat "Think not that Ihave
was not to replace
rather"to the legalistic
the addition of the
ofreligion. lEACHING and DOING when
" relaxes one of the least of these
l.eJl.d1.Q. called the least in the
ofheaven; dJlU. and~them shall be
the ofChrist himseV,· but what does Paul say?
"Eat the meat market without raising any
question grolUld ofconscience. "
1 Corinthians 10:25
"You would bejustUled by IIlw;
havefaUen grace. For the Spirit, byfaith,
hope ofrighteousness. "
Galatians 5:4-5
"We ourselves, are Jews birth andnot Gentile sinners, know man 1I0t justified works of the law but
faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ
Jesus, in order bejustified byfaiIJI in Christ, and not by works of
the because worles ofthe IIlw shall one bejustifletL "
Galatians 2:15-16

43. nLi*"Likewise, ewisen, my ryb bretllnn, ndhrtn, YOIlIuzve you haw diedt tlkd to o thc tile law IJIw throught tIIl'OlIg1l tile he hody
body
o! 0/Chrisq Christ, so so that Mat you yOIl 1tIIIY nry bclong belon, to to onothcr, IInother, to to hirn him who who has hIlS bccn
been
roisedlrom raised/ro", thc the dcd dead h in ordcr order that tIIat wc we 1IfIIY nry bcutruitlor bear/ruit/or M. God. WTrlIc
WIlik
wew we were crc living tivittgi in n thctlah, thejlDh, ow DIU shtul sinfulJ1IISSions, passbnsa, IUOlISed mrccdb by y thc tile "'law,
w,
wcre were at work in our ollr IMmMrs nuallhen to hcarltaitfor bellr/r"itfor deulu deatlt. Bill Bat now now wc
we
arc are dischargedfromth discharged/rom the c 1IIw, law,d dead eodt to o that whtchh which held eld rc lIS copfrvcs, captive, so
o
that wc we serw serrr€1I0tll1lder n ot undcr the thc old wrifrcnc written code odeb bill N h in thc the ncwl lIew life ifc ot
01
thc s'iri'.u
Roma$r 7:44
"For wc hold lhat o nan b iustifud bylsith apailfiom wor*s ot
Igw.n
Rornans creatcd controvcsy carly the history of thc
Church bctween party of Jcwish Christians ufro objcctcd
tcaching of the tbg rrncircrrmsiscde rcndles( i.e.'
regaldcd unclean. Some of the disciples
'uncirpumciscd" utho did not
Isracl. LftilDttcly a mecting was hcld bchrpcn the
frction+ and uas anivcd atwhcrcby it was qgfod
that hea*y burdens sbould bc placcd on thc Gentiles ufio wtre
convertcd Christianity paganisn:
nThcn sccttud good thc aNIs and thc clden, wilh the whole
chuteh, b chouc n*nftom atmag thcn E .d scrrd thca b AnMt
with Psnl and Barnafur-'
Acts 15:22
nFor it has secnud gnd b thc Holt Sptrit snd to tts b tay upoa
yoa no gwter bttdcn then thrrlc nwoty thlngs: t*dyot ry
j-*th ings* not has bccns rcfificcd to ldols, andtmm bln'g, endfioa
s,tungkd andlroa nchutity. If you *ecp younctvalrcn
thac, yor wiII do ttcll Farctryclln
Acts l5:2t-29
4 l
theSpiriL"
Romans 4-6
"For we that II mIIn ifjustified by/Ilith aput/ro", worts 0/
law."
Romans 3:28
The teachings of Paul created controversy early in ofthe
Church between his and that ofJewish who objected
to the teaching ofthe new religion to the uncircumcised Gentiles (i.e.'
non-Jews) whom they regarded as would not even sit at table with the "uncircumcised" who keep the law of Israel. Ultimately meeting held between two factions, and a compromise was arrived at whereby agreed
that no heavy burdenS should be placed the who were
converted to Christianity from paganism:
"Theil it seemedgood to tile tIpOSt1a IUUI tile elders, witlt tile wit_ .
chruch, to choose menfro", IIIIIDllg diem IIIUl sendtilem to AIIIiodI
witlt PlIlIllllld Blll'llalHu. "
15:22
"For ilhllS seemed good to tile Holy Spirit and to. III lily IIpDII
YO" lUIgntIIN blUYielt t1uIII tlleu lI«eSSary 11I111gs: tIudYD" IJbstJJiII
/rolll wi. illS beelt sacriJked to UlDlr, 11114/ro", 6IiNNl, IIIIII/ro.
dings strtIIIgkd IIIId/rolll IUIchastity.lfyoll uepYOlII'Seha/rolll
dlt!Se, YOII will do welL FtuewelL "
Acts 15:28-41