Who was Jesus (pbuh)?
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There are many questions that come to mind when the name Jesus is mentioned. Some people say he was a prophet, others call him a god, while others say he was a very wise man. But whatever your idea is, one thing remains certain: he was not your ordinary man. So if there is something special about him, why all the confusion?
Just who was Jesus anyway?
His Origin
Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago in ancient Palestine when the Roman Empire was at its zenith. He was not conceived in the usual way, but was implanted in the womb of a young woman named Mary. God simply commanded, “Be” and he was. In this sense, he was “a word” of God and a special sign for humanity. In fact, he was the last in a long line of religious guides sent to the Jews.
Mary, The Blessed
Mary was a righteous woman. Her mother dedicated her to God’s service even before she was born. As a child, she lived a life marked by health and righteousness, which others pointed to in admiration. She was raised by the wise Zechariah, who instilled in her, a beautiful sense of faith in God. When she had become a young woman, Mary sought to purify herself further before her Lord. Knowing that the hustle of life in the towns was distracting, she withdrew from her people to a sanctuary in the East. There she could meditate in seclusion and peace. Suddenly, on a day that seemed no different from the rest, an angel of God visited her, disguised in the likeness of a human. Afraid of so strange a sight, Mary prayed for protection, but the strange being reassured her and declared that he was a messenger from the Lord to announce the glad-tidings of a faultless son. Mary, astounded, asked how this was possible seeing that no man had ever touched her. But the angel replied, “Your Lord says, it is easy for Me …”. But when she felt the little child within her, she fled her sanctuary out of fear of what her family would do or say when they heard the news. Mary, however, was not to face hardship. When in her despair she cried out to God for oblivion, a voice soothed her and she found shade and a cool spring. Under a date-palm in the warmth of late summer, she made her dwelling and there bore the child unlike any other in human history.
Shortly thereafter, Mary returned to her community carrying the child who was to be called Messiah, Jesus, and son of Mary. When her people saw her with the baby in her arms they couldn’t believe their eyes, let alone accept her word. They refused to believe when she told of an angel who came and told her she was chosen above all other women to carry this burden. They accused her of infidelity and implied that she had ruined the family name. Mary, being overwhelmed, simply motioned towards the child meekly.
The Miracles
Now the child was the product of a miracle and consequently, miraculous things began to happen. In defense of his mother and of the truth, the infant Jesus spoke saying, “I am a servant of God. He has given me Scripture and has made me a Prophet. He has blessed me wherever I may be and has made prayer and charity my duty as long as I live.” This put the detractors to rest.
Throughout his youth, Jesus remained dutiful to his mother and developed quickly in intelligence, wisdom, and piety. He dumfounded the learned and was greatly admired by those around him who appreciated his talents. He claimed to be a sign of God and a Messenger to the Israelites.
His people had strayed from the spirit of truth and placed their trust in legalism, thereby burying their sense of mercy beneath dusty scrolls and rituals. Finally, when he came of age, Jesus began to travel and preach throughout the land of Palestine about a return to the truth of the old revelations and a rejection of all that man had added. In his task he was supported by the spirit of truth, the angel Gabriel.
The Gospel, His Message
He taught that love and mercy overcome hate and anger and that only a true and sincere faith in the Creator and obedience to His will can bring a person salvation in this life as well as in the next. To reinforce his message, which was called “Injeel” (Good News), God granted him the performance of miracles. He healed the sick, uplifted the distressed and revived the dead. All these things he did with the permission of God, never taking credit for them himself.
He led a simple and pious life. Soon he attracted an inner-circle of devoted followers who listened to his teachings with fervor and humility. These disciples, among them Peter, Barnabas, and John helped him carry the message of Divine Love to the people. They helped him in his mission.
A Test Of Wills
But no righteous man of God is without trial and tribulation. As the message of Jesus began to gain wider acceptance, a small clique of hypocrites and evil men began to plot against him. They were the priests and leaders of the Jews whose position and wealth depended upon their place as the sole interpreters of religion to the masses. They pursued him and his followers and eventually captured him. Though they abused him, he never renounced his faith in the one God. So in their anger they plotted to crucify him on a Roman cross. But Jesus slipped from their grip at the last moment, and all the while they thought they had succeeded. They were sure they had killed him but God answered Jesus’ prayer and saved him from their schemes. Confusion overtook the mob and they might have killed the man who betrayed Jesus instead. In any case, Jesus escaped from their grasp. Then God removed Jesus from this world into another dimension, to a place with Him, not to return until a later time.
With their teacher gone, the devoted followers of Jesus tried to maintain the purity and simplicity of his teachings. But they were soon besieged and overtaken by a flood of Roman and Greek influences, which eventually so buried and distorted the message of Jesus that only a little of its truth now remains. Strange doctrines of Jesus being a man-god, of God dying, of saint worship and of God being made up of different parts came into vogue and were accepted by many of those who took the name “Christians” centuries after Jesus.
Conclusion
The only records that have come down to us concerning Jesus are some sketchy biographical material, poorly researched and compiled, which can in no way be representative of the full and accurate Message of Jesus, the Son of Mary. The time of the final and incorruptible Message was not yet at hand. It would be left to the last prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), to clarify the truth from man’s additions and deletions.
Jesus taught the same eternal message that was taught by all the Messengers of God, from Adam, on through Noah, Abraham, Moses and ending with the mission of God’s last Guidepost to humanity, Muhammad (peace be on them all), whose coming was foretold by Jesus himself.
Every nation and every people, from the Aztecs to the Greeks, have received a Prophet or a Messenger from God. Jesus was the last of a series of Messengers sent to the Israelites, but they consistently strayed from the path of surrender to God. Each of the many Messengers spoke a different language and followed varied customs. Yet the core faith taught by each was the same: surrender your imperfect and fickle will to the perfect will of the Power that is greater than you. You will then find the peace and freedom that only the Creator of all things can provide. Then you must do what is right and good to your fellow creatures. This way of life is called Islam (surrender to God and find peace).
By Yahiya Emerick
Jesus the Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. No man can come to the Heavenly Father except through Jesus the Christ. Did you forget that 1st century historians like Josephus who lived during the time of Jesus said that Jesus arose from the dead? Who do you think I’m going to belive – you or someone who was there? The resurrection from the dead by Jesus is historical fact! He is God manifested in human form sent to die on the cross for the sins of the world! Repent and believe and He will give you eternal life!
Peace SK,
I urge you to think/reflect upon the following passages regarding Jesus(pbuh).
The Quran says about Jesus(pbuh) –
“O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not “Three” — Cease! (it is) better for you! — Allah is only One God. Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that he should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Defender. The Messiah will not scorn to be a slave unto Allah, nor will the favoured angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him: Then, as for those who believed and did good works, unto them will He pay their wages in full, adding unto them of His bounty; and as for those who were scornful and proud, them will He punish with a painful doom. And they will not find for them, against Allah, any protecting friend or helper. O mankind! Now hath a proof from your Lord come unto you, and We have sent down unto you a clear light; As for those who believe in Allah, and hold fast unto Him, them He will cause to enter into His mercy and grace, and He will guide them unto Him by a straight road. “» (The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an: 4:171-176)
Some sayings of Jesus(pbuh) within the Bible –
“I can do nothing of my own authority” (John 5:30)
“I do as the Father has commanded me.” (John 14:31 RSV)
“The words that I say to you I do not speak of my own authority.” (John 14:10 RSV) “I do nothing of my own authority but speak thus as the Father has taught me.” (John 8:28 RSV)
“The Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28 RSV)
“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17 RSV 1952)
“Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” (Mark 10:18)
Jesus claims to be God and the Son of God a number of times in the Bible. He confirms it with Peter in Matthew 16:15-17
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”
The word Son used in this context is the Greek word Huios, which means literally a son as in a father son relationship.
This of course is not the only time.
John 10:30 Jesus also says that “I and my Father are one.” Immediately afterwards the Jews picked up stones to stone Him and accused Him of saying He was God.
Hello my Brother SK,
Muslims and Christians can agree that Jesus (Al-Isa PBUH) arose from the dead. So Allahu Akbar for the account of Josephus!!
But what is so wrong with believing that Jesus PBUH, was guided by the spirit of God, and wanted to teach us that we are too! That we should NOT build dependancies here on earth, for our ONLY need is Him (God our creator) in Heaven! Jesus always tried to tell us this, in all 37+ Gospels in the first century after he died…thats right 37! Not just 4! But you as a Christian Brother/ Sister should ask yourself…WHY….and WHO decided for me, that I should only have access to 4…As YOU said….who are you going to believe a later Church Father that wasn’t even there?
Think about it…..you can be a Muslim and LOVE Jesus, and have a relationship with Jesus all the same, if not BETTER! but we must only worship and submit our will to God…as Jesus did….
Hi SK,
We also believe that Jesus(pbuh) had many miracles, just like other prophets of God.
The Quran says:
“[The Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but obvious magic.” [Quran 5:110]
But I have a question for you, if Jesus (peace be upon him) was God, how did he die? By definition, God does not die.
SK,
1 Cor. 2:5, for your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that send me.
Psalm.68:5 A father of the fatherless and a Judge of the Widows is God in His Holy Habitation.
Neh.9:13 Thou camest down also on Mount Sinai,and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgment and true law, good statues and commandments.
Mat.6:5 -11 And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites; they love to say their prayers standing up in synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them.In truth I tell you they have their reward. But when you pray go to your private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret place and your Father who sees all in secret will reward you.In your prayers do not babble as gentiles do,for they think by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. So you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come, your will be done…..
Ex.20:3 You shall have no other God to rival me.
Ex.20:13 You shall not kill.
Jesus[pbuh] also said: I did not come to break the Law but to fulfill the law.
Gen.1:3-4 God said: Let there be light, and there was light.God saw that light was good and God divided light from darkness.
Prov.8:12 I, Wisdom, share house with Discretion, I am mistress of the art of thought.
And to my Muslim Brothers and Sisters. I would like to share with you my understanding of Sura 4 (157-158)
That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”;- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:-
Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;-
—Qur’an sura 4 (An-Nisa) ayah 157-158
My understanding is that when it says “But it was made to appear to them” it means Jesus may have died a physical death of the body, but they did NOT kill him, nor crucify him because his spirit lives! and he is ascended to Heaven with Allah! And those who do not have faith in this, but believe when the body dies, YOU die with it, are only filled with doubt, because they are dependant of this mortal life and physical world.
What do you think? If we Muslims can agree on a theory like this, I believe Christians can too, and we can STOP arguing about HOW HIS BODY DIED…because it really DOESN’T MATTER!!
I love you all…
Br. Mikey
Greetings Mikey,
Muslims believe that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised to heaven and will return at an appointed time.
Our beliefs are not based on theory or personal preferences. We believe what God and His Messengers have given us in the form of revelations and guidance. Revelation is the Holy Quran and Guidance is the Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Regards
Admin
Al-Hamdulilah
True Jesus was a great messenger sent to mankind by Almighty Allah pub.
why do we prefer to write Jesus(pbuh) instead of only Jesus?
why do we prefer to write Jesus(pbuh) instead of only Jesus?