Reason 3 of 10
Jesus claimed what no prophet ever claimed
Jesus did not say he knew the way. He said he is the way. He used God's own name, forgave sins against God, accepted worship and told the high priest he would sit at God's right hand. The Quran's "only a messenger" is not the Jesus of history.
The way, the truth and the life
Every prophet pointed away from himself to God. Jesus pointed to himself. He did not claim to be one road among many, or a messenger who knew the road. He claimed that no one reaches the Father except through him.
That leaves no middle ground. A man who says this is either telling the truth, or he is not a good prophet at all.
6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
John 14:6 (WEB) · context
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. 26Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 (WEB) · context
9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.
John 10:9 (WEB) · context
12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
Acts 4:12 (WEB) · context
I AM
When God revealed his name to Moses at the burning bush he said I AM WHO I AM. Jesus used that name of himself, and his hearers picked up stones because they understood exactly what he meant.
14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 3:14 (WEB) · context
58Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.” 59Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
John 8:58-59 (WEB) · context
30I and the Father are one.” 31Therefore the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?” 33The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
John 10:30-33 (WEB) · context
18For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:18 (WEB) · context
The trial
At his trial the high priest asked Jesus directly whether he was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed. Jesus answered I am, and quoted Daniel's vision of the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven to receive an everlasting kingdom. The high priest tore his clothes and called it blasphemy. Jesus was condemned for who he said he was.
61But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.” 63The high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death.
Mark 14:61-64 (WEB) · context
13“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. 14Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14 (WEB) · context
Worship, forgiveness and judgment
Jesus forgave sins committed against God, accepted worship from his disciples and from Thomas, who called him my Lord and my God, said he would judge the world, and told his followers to baptise in one name: of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
5Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
Mark 2:5-10 (WEB) · context
33Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
Matthew 14:33 (WEB) · context
28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:28 (WEB) · context
22For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.
John 5:22-23 (WEB) · context
18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20 (WEB) · context
Even the Quran gives Jesus titles it gives no one else
The Quran calls Jesus the Messiah, a word from God and a spirit from him, born of a virgin, raising the dead and creating life from clay by God's leave. It never gives these titles to Muhammad. Then it insists he was only a messenger. The Gospels explain the titles; the Quran keeps them and empties them.
إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ 45
45(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).
Quran 3:45 (Pickthall) · context
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا 171
171O 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 Allah. 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 Defender.
Quran 4:171 (Pickthall) · context
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ 49
49And will make him a messenger unto the Children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if ye are to be believers.
Quran 3:49 (Pickthall) · context
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَٰمًا زَكِيًّا 19 قَالَتْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَٰمٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِى بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا 20 قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُۥٓ ءَايَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا 21
19He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. 20She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 21He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained.
Quran 19:19-21 (Pickthall) · context
What Muslims answer
Muslims answer that Jesus never said the exact words I am God, worship me; that John's Gospel is late; and that Son of God in Jewish usage can mean a righteous servant. They cite Q 5:116-117, where Jesus denies telling people to worship him.
116And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knewest it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower of Things Hidden? 117I spake unto them only that which Thou commandedst me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when Thou tookest me Thou wast the Watcher over them. Thou art Witness over all things.
Quran 5:116-117 (Pickthall) · context
1Say: He is Allah, the One! 2Allah, the eternally Besought of all! 3He begetteth not nor was begotten. 4And there is none comparable unto Him.
Quran 112:1-4 (Pickthall) · context
Why that answer fails
Jesus made the claim in the way a first-century Jew would make it unmistakable: by taking God's name, God's prerogatives (forgiving sin, judging the world), God's worship and God's throne. His enemies understood him and tried to stone him for it.
The claim is not only in John. Mark, usually dated earliest, has the forgiveness of sins and the trial confession. Paul's letter to the Philippians (about AD 60) already quotes a hymn calling Jesus equal with God, within about thirty years of the cross.
Where scholars disagree
- The dating of John's Gospel (most scholars: AD 90-100; some earlier) is debated; the claims above also appear in Mark and in Paul.
Sources
- Earliest source The Gospels of Mark and John; Paul, Philippians 2:5-11 (about AD 60).
- The Quran, Pickthall translation: 3:45, 3:49, 4:171, 5:72, 5:116-117, 19:19-21, 112:1-4.