What does the Bible say about Jesus?

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Rebuttal to Sam Shamoun’s article

A Series of Answers to Common Questions

By

Sami Zaatari

 

 

http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/biblicaljesus.htm

Sam Shamoun has written up quite a lengthy article on Jesus in the Bible. Shamouns's purpose of the article was to show that Jesus without a doubt is God according to the Bible. This rebuttal will be some what different than the rest of my rebuttals, rather than refute and respond to Shamoun word for word as I usually do in previous rebuttals. I will be writing my own lengthy article on Jesus in the Bible. The aim of this article will be to show that Jesus according to the Bible, is not God, but instead he is a prophet, the messiah sent to the Jews. For arguments sake, let us assume Sam's article proves Jesus is God, by the end of this article I will prove Jesus is not God, therefore leaving us with a problem because the Bible seems to teach Jesus is God and is not God therefore bringing the entire Bible into question. It would seem simple if the author had a firm standpoint on Jesus. It is apparent the author of the Bible was confused and did not know how to perceive Jesus, a prophet who was not God, or a prophet who was indeed God. I will be dividing this article up into 6 sections as follows:

 

I- The sent one

II- The mission of the sent one

III- The miracles and great works performed by the sent one

IV- The denial of being God by the sent one

V-  Responding to arguments made by Christians

VI- Conclusion

 

THE SENT ONE

 

Who is Jesus? That is one of the most debated topics that have ever taken place. Many say Jesus is God, many others say Jesus is not God but just a prophet, many others say that Jesus is a son of God but not God. Others just don’t believe a Jesus ever existed, and some others believe that Jesus was just a blasphemer.

 

Well since this main article is directed at Christians, I will be going into the Bible, namely the NT to see what it has to see about Jesus, I will be quoting from the Bible and we will see for ourselves to what the Bible really does say about Jesus. We first start of by the beginning of Jesus, starting from his virgin birth, being sent into this world.

 

All prophets have been sent by God into this world to spread the message and bring people to God. Jesus is no exception to this, he himself was also sent by God just like every other prophet was:

 

Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 

Here we see Jesus claiming he was SENT to the lost sheep of Israel. Just like every other prophet, prophets were sent to a group of specific people, or their own tribe etc. We find Jesus in the same situation as he sent to a specific group of people, the lost sheep of Israel. The one who sent Jesus is of course God, so here is just one verse showing us Jesus just like all other prophets was sent, and just like all other prophets he was sent to a specific people. Let us quote more verses of Jesus being sent:

 

Mat 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!

 

Now this verse does not mention Jesus being sent, however so it mentions other prophets who were sent to Jerusalem for the Jews. What is interesting about this passage is that Jesus mentions prophets. He mentions prophets who were sent, and mentions prophets who were sent for a specific group of people. What is interesting is that Jesus himself is in the exact similar position, he was sent, and he was sent to a specific group of people hence we see the exact similarity between Jesus and other prophets. Not only that, but the Jews stoned the other prophets, the Jews also tried to stone Jesus. Hence from this we already have enough proof that Jesus is a prophet, and just like all other prophets Jesus is sent, and sent to a specific group of people. However let us quote more verses of Jesus being sent to make a strong foundation for the rest:

 

Luk 10:16  He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

 

Jhn 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life

 

Jhn 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

 

Jhn 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

Jhn 7:28  Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

 

So it is crystal clear that Jesus was sent, he did not send himself. So just like all other prophets Jesus is sent, and he is sent to a specific group of people.

So this enough now to show Jesus is indeed a prophet, for prophets are sent by God to do a job just like Jesus said. God does need someone to send him does he? If Jesus indeed was God he would have sent himself, not let someone send him.

 

A Christian does not have one single valid argument against that, the fact is before Jesus came into this world he was fully divine as Christians say. So it would be simple for the divine Jesus to send himself into this world since he had the power and so on, Christians cannot jump to the out-dated argument of Jesus was a man, he gave up his powers and so on. The fact is Jesus was fully divine before he came down to earth, so why did the divine Jesus not send himself? Why did he need the Father to send him? The fact is because Jesus is just a man, and cannot send himself because he is not God. Jesus was sent because he is a prophet, and just like all prophets he was sent by God.

 

 Now let us look at some other interesting verses concerning sent people:

 

Jhn 3:34  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [unto him].

 

That is the exact position of Jesus. The one whom God has sent speaks the words of God. Is Jesus not God? The fact is this verse makes it even more solid to the fact that Jesus was just a messenger, speaking the words of God. I would love to see a Christian response to that which actually makes sense. It is simple logic, if someone is God, then they cannot be referred to like that, being sent and speaking the words of God. Now incase Christians want to get smart with me and say Jesus is God so therefore he is indeed speaking the words of God, because he is God so there is no problem. However so Jesus himself said everything he speaks is not his. So the fact is everything Jesus said, taught and so on were not his own words as he himself stated:

 

Jhn 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

 

.Jhn 7:16  Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

 

Jhn 8:26  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

 

Jhn 12:49  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

 

So those verses make it crystal clear that everything he said, everything he spoke was not of his own but of the ONE WHO SENT HIM, which is the Father. So hence Jesus did not even say things of his own! This is further proof that he is indeed a prophet, every prophet speaks what God tells them to speak, Jesus is no exception to this rule. So hence we see the sent ones speak the words of God, Jesus is the sent one, and he speaks the words of God, he does not speak of his own words as we clearly see in those verses. Therefore Jesus is definitely not God. Let us make a summary of what we have so far:

 

1- All prophets are sent by God, Jesus was sent by God

 

2- All prophets(except Muhammad) was sent to a specific group of people, Jesus is no exception to this, he to was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.

 

3- Every prophet spoke the words of God, they did not speak from themselves but rather what God told them to speak, Jesus once again is no exception to this and he himself claimed that all his words and all of what he said is from God. The Bible itself also claims all sent ones by God speak the words of God, Jesus was sent by God and spoke the words of God. Therefore he is not God.

 

So all this from the NT shows that Jesus cannot be God. Jesus follows a long line of prophets who were all sent by God, if Jesus was some what different he would then arrive on this planet in a some different way, which is to be sent of himself, not being like all other prophets. Jesus' unique birth is a bit different, but not in the sense to put him on a different level which is making him God. Isaac was born of a barren lady. Adam was born of no mother or father. There are several unique births indeed, but the main thing is that it is God who is essentially sending them and sending them in different ways, but at the end of the day they are being sent and all share that common denominator. So this in itself is enough to prove Jesus is not God.

 

THE MISSION OF THE SENT ONE

 

Now every prophet has a mission. They have a job to do, which is to bring people to God and spread the message. It has already been proven that Jesus is a prophet, so therefore since Jesus is a prophet we must look at each and every single prophet and see what their mission was. Now it will take to long to show each and every prophet, and show what their mission was. However so everyone knows that the mission of ALL prophets is to say and claim that ' HEAR O ISRAEL, OUR LORD GOD IS ONE GOD'. That is the basic message of each prophet, and to also bring the people back to moral ways, as you can read in Jeremiah and Isaiah how both of them were sent to a nation who were totally backwards and so on. The same prophets who were sent before and after them. So the missions of prophets are always consistent and the same. Since Jesus is a prophet this should also and does apply to him. Of course Christians will say Jesus' mission was to come and die for us, rise on the third day and so on. However does the NT support this? Let us once again quote Jesus from the NT to show what he really wanted people to do, and what his mission was:

 

Jhn 12:44  Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

 

Jhn 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. ( This without a doubt is the shahada! I bear witness that there is only one God and that Jesus is his messenger, this is the shahada of the time back then.)

 

Jhn 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

Jhn 17:25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

 

Jhn 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

Jhn 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

 

Jhn 7:28  Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

 

Jhn 8:16  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

 

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord

 

Luk 8:21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which

hear the word of God, and do it.

 

Luk 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

 

Jhn 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

 

So from those passages it becomes crystal clear to what Jesus' mission was. His mission was to make people believe in the ONE WHO SENT HIM. Jesus says it so many times, the one who sent, believe in the one who sent me. Jesus always makes it clear about the one who sent him which is God, hence Jesus' mission was not to come and die for us and then rise on the third day, Jesus' mission was to come and spread the word of God, for people to believe in the word of God and keep it, and for people to believe in God. Jesus could not make it anymore clear, every time he performed a miracle, everything he was given he always said it was from the father, he always wanted to make it clear that someone had sent him, and that the people should believe in the one that sent him!

 

Now secondly there is a huge problem if Jesus died! If as Christians say Jesus is God, then how can God possibly die? God is above death. God does not die, so the fact that Jesus did die shows he is not God. Believers in trinity will say there are three persons in the God-head, so hence God did not really died since God is triune, however so how does part of God die? That is insane to say the least. I would love to know how part of God dies, and how does God die. These questions have never been given a good answer by any living Christian. So the fact is Jesus did not come to die for your sins, that is a lie and an invention, Jesus came to bring you to God, to make you believe in the one who sent him. That was his overall mission.

 

Thirdly there are quite a few problems with the entire crucifixion episode. Christians and Jesus claim he died of his own will, however so this is not true, as the Bible says something completely different! Jesus himself states that he does nothing of his own will:

 

Jhn 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

 

There are more passages of Jesus saying he does not do his own will but that shall do for now. So Jesus himself made it crystal clear that HE DOES NOT DO HIS OWN WILL. So therefore for Jesus in the Bible to have said I lay down my life on my own will is a contradiction, and is Jesus lying because he said he does only his father's will. So hence that is just one problem with the supposed Jesus dying for our sins. Secondly Jesus saying I do this of my own will contradicts another passage from the OT in which Christians love to use as a prophecy for Jesus, this prophecy states:

 

Isaiah 53: Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; AND THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE HE WAS STRICKEN. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, AND HE WILL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. FOR HE BORE SIN OF MANY, and made intercession for the transgressors." NIV

 

Hence even the supposed prophecy from Isaiah. which is supposedly talking about Jesus' crucifixion says it was THE LORDS WILL to crush him. The lord speaking in Isaiah is not Jesus, so hence Jesus saying I do it on my own will contradicts this prophecy, contradicts himself in the NT when he says he does nothing of his own will and in fact the Jesus of the NT does not know what he’s talking about and seems to be lying. I for one don’t believe Jesus is any of that, but the NT makes him out to be like that which is sad and which shows the AUTHORS are the ones who had no idea of what they were talking about. Thirdly Jesus saying I do this of my own will causes further problems because Jesus was not being very truthful, he was saying something that was not in his heart, which is that he was ready to give up his life and so on, here are the passages which show his heart did not reflect what his mouth said:

 

Hebrews 5:1-8: 1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

 

So it is apparent Jesus did not want do die at all! His heart did not reflect what his mouth was saying, hence in a way he was indeed lying. He was not ready to lay his life down, he was afraid to do so and so on. Christians can say oh well he was a man so of course he would be! There are several men in this world who have said they are willing to die for something, and have died for that something, but in the process they did not get afraid nor cried or became fearful. When you are very convinced about something, and committed, you will not then become fearful and start crying and praying to be saved. This only happens if you change your mind, or your oath was not truthful and did not reflect your heart. So that response by a Christian will not work. So the facts are clear, the supposed mission of Jesus which was to come and die for us and rise on the third day has so many fallacies that it cant be take seriously. Unless you choose to call Jesus a liar, a coward, and a man who did not know what he was talking about. I don’t think you would want to do that now would you? But if you do believe in the crucifixion of Jesus and him rising on the third day, then you do certainly believe that which is indeed a grave sin!

 

THE MIRACLES AND GREAT WORKS PERFORMED BY THE SENT ONE

 

Now Christians love to always come to us Muslims and say that Jesus did this and Jesus did that to show that he is God. Some of these great miracles they say is that Jesus forgave sin, granted eternal life, healed the blind etc.

They claim for Jesus to be able to forgive sin must make him God. They claim for him to be able to grant eternal life makes him God. Now this is a major fallacy for one major reason, when Jesus does humanly things, a Christian will immediately quote Philippians to show Jesus became a servant a man so it’s normal. However when Jesus does something great they will jump and say this shows Jesus is God and shows he is MORE THAN A MAN. That is hilarious indeed, but the fact is you can’t have both at once. If you accept that Jesus is just a normal man, who became a servant, then him performing several great works and miracles is not anything special. It is just God giving him this right since he has become a servant of God. If you say Jesus is more than a man for performing certain miracles this then contradicts the passage from Philippians! You can’t have it both ways, you must pick one, but either choice still leaves you with a problem. :)

Now let us quote what Jesus himself said about the miracles and great works he performed, which will show that him being able to forgive sins, grant eternal life is not something very special:

 

Jhn 13:3  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

 

John 17:6-8: 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me

 

So Jesus himself said it, EVERYTHING HE HAS IS FROM THE FATHER. So every great miracle he did, is not from himself. Jesus is not independent at all. He is fully dependant on some one else. So him forgiving sin, granting eternal life is not from his own independent power, it is a power given to him, not owned by him, and that is a big difference.

 

There is a difference when you can forgive sin by your own, or grant eternal life by your own. That is indeed something God does. However when you are GIVEN that right, that is a total different case, the fact is Jesus was given that right, he did not own it. So him forgiving sins and granting eternal life is nothing special at all. He was given this power, what is special in that? Every prophet is given blessing and great things from God, just like Jesus. Jesus himself admitted it, so why don’t Christians say this? Why don’t they say that EVERYTHING that Jesus did was not from himself? Why don’t they give the whole truth? The fact is that this once again proves Jesus is a prophet, for all prophets are given several great things from God. Jesus was no exception and he himself admitted that all things he had were from God. Therefore these works don’t make Jesus God, not at all!

So this is not really a good argument for Christians. It completely fails.

 

THE DENIAL OF BEING GOD BY THE SENT ONE

 

Now many Christians always claim Jesus is God. Yet there is not single passage in the NT of Jesus saying I AM GOD WORSHIP ME. Why is that? In the OT there are several passages in which God says I am God and so on. Why does Jesus not say it once? Coincidence? I think not. The fact that Jesus says I am not God proves nothing, because if Jesus never made the claim to being God, then why should he go around and saying he is something he is not when he never made the claim? Its like I’m not a thief, should I go around telling people I am a thief? The burden is on Christian shoulders not mine, if you make a claim on somebody, then you must show that person making the claim, you cannot counter and say show me where he didn’t make the claim. If you make a claim on someone you must provide proof, like men cant go around calling women an adulterer without proof can they? They need witnesses, so you cant go making a claim without proof, so hence you must provide the verse where Jesus says I AM GOD WORSHIP ME, not the other way around where I have to get you the verse of Jesus saying I am not God.

 

Anyway Jesus did in fact deny being God. Jesus denied being God when he denied being good in the sense that God is Good:

 

Mat 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

 

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

 

So Jesus clearly denied being good in the sense that God is good, there is no way around it no matter what you try to say. Here is my rebuttal to Sam's response to this problem (*).

 

So the fact Jesus denied this shows he is not God.

Secondly Jesus claimed to be limited in knowledge, God is ALL-KNOWING! Christians will love to see the man is limited, however lets read the verse and see for ourselves:

 

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

 

So notice what Jesus said, he said his father ONLY. Meaning no one else knows, including the DIVINE Jesus. The divine Jesus is supposed to be the Jesus who is all powerful and all knowing, however so this verse shows that even the divine Jesus was not all-knowing since Jesus said ONLY the Father knows meaning nobody else. So hence the argument that Christians always put up of Jesus the man did not know wont work, because Jesus says ONLY the Father, so that includes divine Jesus so therefore even divine Jesus is not all-knowing so therefore Jesus is not God because God is all-knowing. So hence when Jesus made this statement he did indeed deny being God, because he denied being all-knowing, and God is all-knowing. So Jesus fails the test of being God.

 

So hence Jesus denied being good in the sense that God is good, and Jesus denied being all-knowing and God is all-knowing. Therefore Jesus is not God. Case closed.

 

RESPONDING TO ARGUMENTS MADE BY CHRISTIANS

 

Throughout the ages up to the present time, Christians have been bringing up several passages from the Bible to show that Jesus is God. Although there is enough evidence from their book that Jesus is not God, as I have just shown, they will not give up and they will keep on going over the same arguments and verses while ignoring the rest which prove that Jesus is not God. In this section I will bring up the most common used verses that Christians quote in order to prove Jesus is God.

 

Jesus said I AM

 

Jhn 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am

Now I ask Christians why didn’t Jesus say Adam? The fact Jesus says Abraham is something significant, which you have not grasped, I shall quote my response to this argument from a previous rebuttal of mine:

 

To start of here is a link that shows the real translation of John 1:1:

 

http://www.answering-christianity.com/john1_1.htm

 

As for Jesus saying I AM, this does not prove he is God. Let us post some of the verses Shamoun posted:

 

So Jesus said to them, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.’" John 8:28

 

That is the important part of the verse which Shamoun missed. Those words basically prove that without a doubt Jesus is not God. Why would Jesus make such a statement after making a claim that he is God? You believe Jesus saying I AM makes him God, if so then why would he say such a statement right after saying I AM? The fact is Jesus said those words to show he is a prophet and that he is not God and the fact that he says I AM means nuthing special it is just the desire of Christians to make it seem as if Jesus is claiming to be God when he is claiming something tottally opposite.

Shamoun then posts:

 

"‘Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him replied, ‘You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I AM!’ Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area." John 8:56-59 NET

 

No where in those passages does Jesus say he existed before Abraham, this is bad mis handling and mis-understanding of the text. The fact that Jesus said that before Abraham he was, does not mean he existed literally. I would like Shamoun to prove me wrong on that and show me the passages do in fact show Jesus EXISTED before Abraham, because no where in those passages do we see Jesus claiming that he did exist and was on earth or in heaven. Shamoun may believe that this passage shows that he did exist:

Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.’

 

Not even this passage shows Jesus as being existent before Abraham, let us look at it for ourselfs.

 

Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day.  So infact when Jesus says MY DAY it basically means MY TIME, so Abraham was happy to see Jesus' time come and finally bring the children of Israel back to God, and offcourse Abraham would we overjoyed because they are his offspring! If Jesus existed before Abraham he would have said Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see ME, Not to see my day. To see my day means to see my time, and what time is that? The time when Jesus is sent by God to bring the children of Israel back to God, and Jesus was also their messiah, their savior even giving more reason to why Abraham would be overjoyed to see Jesus' day come.

 

Now offcourse the Jews who couldnt think outside the box mis understood what Jesus meant just like Shamoun does, and they took it for something else that he literally existed before Abraham: Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him replied, ‘You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?

 

So they took it in a literal sense, however so let us even look at Jesus' answer which will even make it more clear that he did not literally exist before Abrahamm, let us quote the Jews remarks and Jesus' response: Then the Jewish people who had been listening to him replied, ‘You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I AM!

 

Jesus did not say he existed before Abraham! Look at his response and you can see it for yourself that Jesus did not say he literally existed before Abraham. Jesus never said I SAW ABRAHAM, he said BEFORE Abraham was that I AM. Christians will say that is proof! Actually it is not, because before Abraham so was I and Shamoun and every other living being on this planet. God has fore-knowledge of all his creation before he even creates them and puts them into existence. However so I know many Christians will be saying well what was so special about Jesus saying that? It isnt something very special since we are all already known before our existence and so on. However when you get the big picture if makes very much sense to why Jesus would make such a statement. Let us see the reasons.

 

1- Abraham is the father of the Jews, and a very important figure to them, he is loved and honored by all Jews and has a very high status.

 

2- Jesus is the messiah to the Jews, their savior.

 

3- Jesus was a prophet sent to the Jews to bring them back to God.

So when you have all those three points it becomes clear that Jesus was showing the Jews of his own HIGH STATUS. Jesus was sent to the Jews who were from Abraham, and Jesus was their messiah and prophet, and the Jews honor and love Abraham. So Jesus said that to show them of his own importance to them ranking right beside Abraham, he was showing them that he is on the same rank and high status of Abraham. That is exactly why Jesus used Abraham and not Adam or Noah, Jesus used Abraham because Jews are from Abraham and Jesus was sent to the Jews. So Jesus is basically showing his importance to them and that even before his existence and his creation that God had already planned on sending him to children of Israel as a messiah and a saviour and last prophet. So it becomes evidently clear to why Jesus would make such a statement. Sadly the Jews mis-understood him, there is no proof that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus because he was claiming to be God neither. The facts are there for all to see, the Jews wanted to kill Jesus because he claimed to be in existence before Abraham, and he was not even very old or old enough to have been alive back then, so they wanted to kill him for making such a statement which they believed to be a lie, they did not want to kill him for claiming to be God.

 

So the fact is Jesus saying I am didnt make him God, the verse doesnt even show that Jesus literally existed before Abraham nor that the Jews wanted to kill him for claiming to be God. Jesus is fully man and is not God at all.

 

(END OF REBUTTAL)

So that is the response to the I AM.

 

Jesus said I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA THE FIRST AND LAST

 

Did he really say that? Let us quote each alpha omega verse and you will see for yourself and not a single one of them is Jesus speaking:

 

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

 

Both times were the I am alpha and omega is used, is not said by Jesus but by THE God as the text clearly shows. Christians would like to say read on which shows that it is indeed Jesus, so let us read on and see:

 

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death

 

Christians will see since John tuned back to see who was speaking, and he saw Jesus then this would mean it was Jesus speaking. That does not work neither, John heard a voice as a trumpet behind him saying ' I am the Alpha and Omega' the first and last. John simply turned around to see who was speaking to him, when he turned around he had a vision, what he saw in this vision does not mean what he sees in the vision is what was talking to him. God not Jesus told John I am the Alpha and Omega and to WRITE what thou sees, so God already told John to make sure what he sees, because God knew John would turn around to see what was speaking to him. As soon as John turns he sees this vision, the man he sees in the vision is assumed to be Jesus, however so Jesus is not the one who made the Alpha and omega statement, they are two different situations.

 

1- God tells John I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and last, and be sure to write what you see.

 

2- John turns around and sees a vision, he sees Jesus.

So even reading on it is still not Jesus saying I am the Alpha and Omega.

Now Christians will be shouting that Jesus told John I am the first and last and I was dead and I am alive evermore. That is Jesus without a doubt.

 

However so let us read Revelations 1:1:

 

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him

So from the first verse see that Jesus cannot be God. God gave Jesus the revelation, does God give God a revelation? It has already been shown that Jesus is not God in this article, and this supports the case even further, so hence if Jesus said I am the first and the last to signify that he is God then this would be blasphemy! So hence Jesus commits blasphemy if he is trying to imply he is God. I don’t think he is, so I don’t believe when Jesus said I am the first and last, that he meant he was God. Secondly Jesus said he was dead, God never dies to be dead, God is never dead PERIOD. So it would seem funny if Jesus is trying to claim he is God and also say he died when death is something God does not go through. So this does not prove Jesus is God, not at all.

 

Revelations 21: 1-8

 

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

This is not Jesus speaking but rather the Father. As it says I will be his God and he will be my son. Or does Jesus have a son now?

 

Revelations 22 : 6-18

 

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Christians once again will say that is Jesus. In fact it is clear that that is not Jesus. Read the text very carefully, you will notice that it is suddenly THE God speaking when he says I am alpha and omega. Let us Quote to make it simple so every one can see who is talking rather than making everyone confused:


This is John

 

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things

 

This is angel

9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be

 

Now this is THE God

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie

 

Now it is Jesus

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.


So it is not good English, no one knows who is talking unless you really try to find out. When you do, you see that Jesus is not claiming to be alpha and omega first and last.

 

Jesus said I am the way and the truth

 

Every prophet is indeed the way and the truth. Who is going to say they are not? Moses was the way and the truth, so was Jacob and Isaac etc. This does not prove anything about Jesus being God.

 

Jesus is the only name by which men can go to heaven

 

At the time yes, because people had to believe in him, if they did not believe in Jesus they would go to hell. You have to believe in all prophets to go to heaven, at the time you had to believe in the man Jesus as a prophet and therefore God would grant you heaven. God tells you to believe in him, his books, his prophets, his angels etc.

 

These are some of the main arguments that Christians continuously always bring up, among others is Thomas saying my lord my God. Thomas was not referring to Jesus, this is clear and common sense.

 

Christians always say Jesus said I and the Father are one. AND? So what? Jesus is not the Father, so what are you trying to say? Do you believe Jesus is literally the Father? Then you no longer have a trinity, so I don’t see what’s the point of saying the Father and I are one if it was not mean literally. However so the context shows Jesus meant one in purpose, as he wanted his disciples to be one with them. Genesis also says man and women get married and become one flesh, is it speaking literally? I don’t think so.

 

These are some of the most common arguments brought by Christians to prove Jesus is God. But as you can see, each are very easy to answer and shows just how weak their supposed proof of Jesus being God is.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

As I stated at the beginning of the article. For arguments sake, let us assume Sam's article proved Jesus is God. Well I just proved Jesus is not God so therefore we have a problem, it seems the Bible teaches Jesus is God and not God!

 

 Both cannot be right unless you choose to pick both. However so it is clear that Jesus in no way is God as my arguments have shown. Jesus was a prophet, all my proof I have brought from the NT, not the Quran. I have proved that Jesus is not God from your own book, so it is quite clear that the NT teaches Jesus is not God, but in fact a prophet, it cant get any more clearer than it already is. Anyone who claims that Jesus is God is committing the biggest blasphemy, as Jesus himself denied being God and never made the claim to being God not ONCE. The truth is clear from the falsehood, it is now your choice to pick which path to follow, the road to falsehood, which is Shamoun, or the road to the truth which is Allah. I will let you decide.

 

In service to the one and true God, indeed Jesus son of Maryam was just a prophet and the messiah, AMEEN! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Rebuttals, and exposing the lies of the Answering Islam team section.

Rebuttals to Sam Shamoun's Articles section.

Sami Zaatari's Rebuttals section.


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