Introduction

As Muslims we believe in Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and all the prophets who came before him, and the books revealed before the Holy Qur’an in their original form. This includes of course believing in Jesus (PBUH) as a distinguished, noble and honorable messenger of God and his Gospel (in original form). However, when we mention the words “original form”, our dear Christian friends and colleagues ask, “what do you mean by original form? Do you not think that the Bible is word of God and Jesus?” Some Christians do presume the current Bible and the Gospels within contain true words of God and Jesus (PBUH). To be clear Muslims don’t believe the entirety of the Bible has been altered, rather parts of it as we can contrast with the standard (The Qur’an) and confirm the authenticity (of existing verses and stories). As such, unlike the Holy Qur’an, very few verses recorded today in the Torah or the Bible are true verbatim words of God However, some of the contents are true conceptually or to some degree as the Qur’an confirms. That said, when I engage in conversations with my Christian friends, I prefer to focus on what Christianity and Islam have in common per the Qur’anic instruction:

“Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable [common] between us and you – that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.'” (Qur’an 3:64)

In Christianity and Islam, we have many principles in common both aiming to serve our creator and Lord -Allah (Al Mighty). However, because from time to time, my Christian friends do ask me about the contradictions and inconsistencies in the Bible some due to pure curiosity and some like to conduct an unbiased scholarly analysis asking why do Muslims agree with some parts but not all, I have decided to write this booklet listing some of these contradictions which prove the fact the Bible is not true word of God (or Jesus) and rather written by men with different views, intentions and interpretations. My intention is not to write about the scientific and general errors, and impossibilities in the Bible, but rather note a few stories and events as they relate to the Peyewrophets, especially Jesus (PBUH).

Many Christians (and non-Christians) have been reading and studying the Bible for over two thousand years. To some it is considered as divinely revealed, or inspired, and to some as a human creation. Some take it literally, or figuratively, and some take it as a reference for historical events. Without getting deep into the Bible’s history as there have already been many studies conducted, and books written about it (which I encourage readers to refer to), the fact remains (and Christian scholars concur) that various Gospels were written starting from 70 years after (70 C.E.) to the end of 3rd century after Jesus (PBUH) as extracts, interpretations, understandings, reports, and letters. All were written by several third-party persons reporting stories and events such as the events before Jesus’ trial by Pilate, his crucifixion and death and many others in the main Gospels. The stories were circulated years after years, not by the disciples rather common people when they became Christians (later) based on what they had heard. Seventy plus years later Gospels were written by highly educated Greeks who had become Christians.

According to The Five Gospels, “All the Gospels originally circulated anonymously. Authoritative names were later assigned to them by unknown figures in the early church. In most cases, the names are guesses or perhaps the result of pious wishes.”2 The New Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. 14 elaborates more about unknown authors. As such their words are not considered to be the true word of God, and that is why each is called Gospel according to so and so (e.g., Gospel according to John or Luke or Matthew). Furthermore, upon reading the stories within the Bible, one immediately realizes these are events and sayings reported by third person(s) many years later after Prophets Moses and Jesus (PBUT) were gone. For example in the Deuteronomy 34:5-7 we read “The servant of the Lord, Moses died according to the word of the Lord and was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, but no one knows his grave to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died”, which clearly indicates these are not the words of Moses or anyone in his time, but instead someone else who recollected and wrote them many years later after Moses died. Of course, many attempts have been made to explain it; however, the existence of doublets and triplets (stories that appear twice or three times with different details in the Torah) prove otherwise. Among these are the two versions of the creation of the world, the covenant between God and Abraham, God changing Jacob’s name to Israeli, and Moses getting water from a rock⁴. It is hard to know what Moses and Jesus (PBUT) really said. In his book Jesus Interrupted, Dr. Ehrman says “The narratives within the Old Testament are filled with legendary fabrications and the book of Acts in the New Testament contains unreliable information about the life and teachings of Paul. Many of the books of the New Testament are pseudonyomous -written not by the apostles but later writers claiming to be apostles. The list goes on”5. He further says “we don’t have the original writings of any of the books of the Bible, but only copies made later -in most instances many centuries later. For me it started making less and less sense to think that God had inspired the very word of the text if we didn’t actually have these words…”. In short, one reason discrepancies and contradictions exist is because none of the events and sayings (that actually occurred) were written by eyewitnesses.

In his book Who Wrote the Bible, Dr. Friedman writes: “Investigators have been working on the solution to this mystery for nearly a thousand years, and particularly in the last two centuries they have made extraordinary discoveries. Some of these discoveries challenge traditional beliefs. Still, this investigation did not develop as a controversy of religion versus science or religion versus secular. On the contrary, most of the investigators were trained in religious traditions and knew the Bible as well as those who accepted only the traditional answers. Indeed, from the outset to the present day, a significant proportion of critical biblical scholars, perhaps the majority, have been, at the same time, members of the clergy. Rather, the effort to discover who wrote the Bible began and continued because the answer had significant implications for both the traditional and the critical study of the Bible. It was the Bible, after all. Its influence on Western civilization and subsequently on Eastern civilization has been so pervasive that it has hardly been possible to recognize its impact, much less to accept its authority, without caring from where it came. If we think that the Bible is a great work of literature, then who were the artists? If we think of it as a source to be examined in the study of history, then whose reports are we examining? Who wrote its laws? Who fashioned the book out of a diverse collection of stories, poetry, and laws into a single work? If we encounter an author when we read a work, to whatever degree and be it fiction or nonfiction, then whom do we encounter when we read the Bible?”

While Muslims believe that some of the Bible’s contents are conceptually true (true to the extent that that Qur’an confirms them), they believe others are not valid. This is because the Gospels are a collection of reports, interpretations and paraphrases, all subject to change. Hence, the contradictions are detected when these Gospels are read horizontally as one might expect from the human writing. Unfortunately Christians rarely put each story within each Gospel next to each other, and compare closely. If these were true words of God, or true words of Jesus (PBUH) in entirety, there would be no inconsistencies, errors and contradictions.

Contradictions and Inconsistencies

By “contradiction” we refer to the classical meaning of the term: a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another. For example, a contradiction would be making a statement about the existence of something and denying such existence in another or reporting an event that can only occur one time but giving two different dates or times in two statements about the same topic where both cannot be true, either one or none can be true. Whereas inconsistency is the fact or state of being inconsistent in two or more statements where one may be true but not both, and neither may be true. For example difference in number of people, or difference in person(s), or fact.

While there are published books and videos regarding contradictions, inconsistencies and errors (scientific or otherwise) in the Bible one can refer to, in this writing, I will present several examples of these contradictions and inconsistencies within the Bible as they relate to life and the person of Jesus (PBUH) and other characters in the Bible.

It would seem obvious that the best way to learn about moral teachings of Jesus (PBUH) and his reality, and the best way to find the answers to one’s questions, one would refer to the Gospel. However, upon close examination, we find that this is not a reliable way, as the Gospels report contradictory words from Christ and in some cases misrepresent his moral aspect!

We will start listing several contradictions and inconsistencies in the New Testament followed with several in the Old Testament. Each is identified by a number which might represent one or more contradictions or inconsistencies.

1. 1. We read in Matthew 16:18-19 that Jesus told Peter (one of his prominent disciples): “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”, but soon afterwards we see in Matthew 16:23 that Jesus became angry with Peter and said to him: “But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”” How can a person have the keys to the kingdom of heaven yet be offensive to Jesus (PBUH) and be called Satan by him? Does this agree with the character of Jesus (PBUH)?
   2. The Gospel accounts vary on who carried the cross for crucifixion, and the events after the crucifixion. We read in Gospels of Matthew 27:32, Luke 23:26, and Mark 15:21 it was Simon of Cyrene, but in Gospel of John we read it was Jesus (PBUH). In Matthew 27:32 we read:
      “Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. But in John 19:16-17 we read: Then Pilate delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away. And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull.”
      After crucifixion, the Gospel accounts differ on who visited his tomb, when the visit took place, and what was on the tomb at the time of visit. The Gospels of Luke, John and Matthew state that the visit took place before the sunrise, while the Gospel of Mark states it was after sunrise. This time in Gospels of Mark, Luke and John state the women found the tomb stone rolled away, but in Matthew we read it was closed until an angel arrived and rolled it away. We read in John 20:1 that: “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” And then in Luke 24:1-2 we read “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” Similarly in John 20:1-2 However, in Matthew 28:1-2 we read: “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.” So which is it? Who really visited the tomb? Was it Mary Magdalene alone (John 20:1), Mary Magdalene and another Mary (Matthew 28:1), or was it Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome (Mark 16:1)? Was it dark or had the Sun risen? Was the tomb stone already rolled away or was it rolled away by an angel while the women were there?
      Here are few more questions and inconsistencies about this story:
      • Whom did the women see when they got to the tomb? No one as in John? An Angel (as in Matthew 28:5)? A young man (as in Mark 16:5)? or two men (as in Luke 24:4)
      • Then do the women tell the disciples what they saw and heard (as in Matthew 28:8), or do they say nothing to anyone (as in Mark 16:8)
      • If they tell someone, who do they decide to tell? Simon Peter and another disciple whom Jesus loved (as in John 20:2), or the eleven disciples (as in Matthew 28:8), or the eleven disciples and all the rest of people (as in Luke 24:9)?
      • How do the disciples react? Do they go to the tomb to see for themselves (as in John 20:3), or do they not believe the women because their words seemed to them like idle tales (as in Luke 24:11), or do they have no response because Jesus himself appears before them (as in Matthew 28:9)?

      The irreconcilable differences within these mentioned Gospels continue with Galilee and the question of whether the disciples are told to go there or not. Which version is true? What is the implication of each version? Obviously in every story there is a third person telling it (not God or Jesus himself). The sheer number of differences imply not only these letters and Gospels were written by different people, but also they were not written at the same time or immediately after Jesus (PBUH).Rather, they were written by people of next generations many years later at different points in time, each with their own understanding, interpretation and biases, just as historians of different eras might report an event differently.

   3. There are discrepancies regarding the date and time of crucifixion as well. In Gospel of Mark 14:12 and Mark 15:1-25 we read Mark’s account of events before Jesus death like disciples asking Jesus where to prepare the Passover meal, and how at the meal; Jesus (PBUH) takes the bread, break it and says this is my body, and then takes a cup of wine and says this is my blood of the covenant, which means that his own blood must be shed. After the meal they all go out and pray. Then Judas brings the soldiers in, and they take Jesus to jail where he spends the night. The next morning, he is put to trial and condemned to death (crucifixion) by the order of Pilate and crucified later that same morning. Hence, according to Mark Jesus dies on the day of Passover, the morning after they eat the Passover meal. However, in Gospel of John (John 13:1-20) there is no mention of Jesus giving instructions where to prepare the Passover meal, and they do not eat the final supper together. Therefore, Jesus does not take the bread and says this is my body, and does not take a cup of wine and says this is my blood of the covenant, but instead washes his disciple’s feet. Then after the meal, Judas arrives with soldiers and Jesus is arrested. In John 19:14 we are told Pilate pronounced his sentence in the day of preparation for Passover at noon, NOT on the day of Passover as mentioned in Mark. According to Mark he was alive on the preparation day and crucified on the day of Passover. Also, you cannot reconcile this discrepancy, as some have suggesting by citing Mark 15:42 that says Jesus died on the day of preparation because the rest of the verse shows it is the Sabbath preparation day, not Passover. The day before Sabbath is also called the day of preparation, which is Friday preparing for Saturday, whereas in Mark Jesus eats the Passover meal on Thursday night and is crucified Friday morning. In Mark he is nailed to the cross in the morning, whereas in John he is not condemned until noon. From these important discrepancies we conclude that it is not possible even from historical perspective that both Mark and John’s account are accurate since they contradict each other on the day and time of Jesus’ death. Another interesting point are the differences in the Gospels about what Jesus said while on the cross before he took his last breath. In Luke 23:46-47 we read “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.”” Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”. However, in Mark 15:34 we read: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”, followed by Mark 15:39: “So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!’”
      Luke portrays Jesus as surrendering to God and accepting his fate as a believer would. However, Mark portrays him as questioning God asking why God has forsaken him, seemingly reluctant to surrender to his fate (not to mention if Jesus is God himself, who is he complaining to or questioning? or is he complaining to God that is beside him?) Which is it? What did Jesus really say? Furthermore, which statement did the Centurion make? Did he say Jesus was the son of God, or a righteous man? Which one is true? Can we trust either version? If we say perhaps, he made both statements, then not only we are creating another version of these Gospels, but also professing Jesus was a man (an ordinary man, independent of God who happened to be righteous) as opposed to Son of God or God himself (not an ordinary man). You see the dilemma.
      There are also differences regarding the trials before Pilate. These differences can only be seen by a Horizontal Reading of John and Mark. There are accounts of the trial before Pontius Pilate in both Gospels, with few differences. In Marks’ account we read the trial is held early in the morning as Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of Jews, and Jesus responds in Mark 15:2-5: “Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.” And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. Mark’s account.” The rest is explained in Mark 15:6-15: “Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!” Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!” So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified”. However in John 18:28-19:12 the story quite different: “Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.” Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore, the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause, I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. Taking the Place of Barabbas “But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. The Soldiers Mock Jesus So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Pilate’s Decision. Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” The differences are underlined. In short Mark’s account says Jesus spoke only to say “it is as you say” and nothing else. In John he engages in multiple conversations with Pilate. In Mark there is no mention of Praetorium, lest the Jewish leaders should be defiled, hence Pilate has to go back and forth from inside to outside to carry conversations between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. Then there are several other events including soldiers mocking Jesus, putting a crown on him, but no mention of all these events in Mark. Finally, it is significant that in John’s account (18:38, 19:6, 19:120) on three occasions Pilate defends Jesus and declares he is innocent, does not deserve to be punished and should therefore be released. In Mark’s account Pilate never defends and declares Jesus’ innocence. Why such differences? Some Christian scholars have tried to explain it by saying John’s tact and attitude towards the Jews was different than Mark’s. And based on Jesus’s declaration to the Jews in John 8:42-44 as “You are of your father the devil,”, he wanted to portray Pilate as a leader who thought Jesus was innocent, hence the only guilty party responsible for Jesus’ death were the Jews. As a result, in John 19:16 he delivers Jesus to Jewish leaders so they could have him crucified. Even if Christian scholars are correct, this is further acknowledgement (by Christian scholars) that these Gospels are writings by human authors reporting and interpreting based on their own understandings, biases, and attitudes on various matters. These Gospels are not true words of God (or Jesus), and while they may partially be true in content, they are historic events reported by human beings many years after they occurred. No more than that.
   4. We read in Luke 9:50: “But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side” And also in Mark chapter 9:40 we read: “For he who is not against us is on our side.” But how can we trust this report when we read in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew (Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30) that: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Which one should we believe?
   5. The Gospels indicate the word of Jesus is the word of God, as we see John 5:31 reporting him as saying: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true”, but on the other hand it is reported from the same disciple in John 8:14 that: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.” Which one should we accept?
   6. The Gospels claim Christ’s word is the word of God and that his promises will be fulfilled, as we read in the Gospel of Matthew 19:28, Jesus promised his twelve disciples that they will sit on glorious thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel as it says: “So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”” However, the same Gospel in Matthew 26:21 it says “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me”. Then in 26:24 tells us how one of those disciples (ie. Judas Iscariot) betrayed Jesus and caused him to be arrested and crucified, and what Jesus said about him: “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
   7. Not only have the Gospels related unjust attributes (to Jesus?), but they have also accused the Prophet John of being deceitful. It is in the Gospel of John 1:21 that when John the Baptist started his ministry, the Jews asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” As noted, John (PBUH) clearly responded that he was not Elijah, but we then read in the Gospel of Matthew 17:10-14 that the disciples asked their master: “And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” That is to say, Elijah was John, but he had lied to them claiming that he was not Elijah. By imputing false and contradictory reports, Gospels create altered personalities of the prophets.
   8. Another example occurs after the crucifixion when the Gospels vary as to what happened to Judas Iscariot and the money he received for betraying Jesus. In Matthew he hung himself, but in Acts he fell in a field and died there. In Matthew 27:3-6 we read: “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.” Then in Acts 1:18-19 we read: Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity [betrayal]; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.” Which is it? Did he hang himself or fell headlong? Also was it called Field of Blood because it was purchased with blood money (as in Matthew)? Or was it because Judas blood spilled in it (as in Act)?
   9. Regarding the lineage of Jesus, we find several discrepancies between Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Firstly, in Matthew 1:6-16, Jesus along with David has twenty-six parents, but in Luke 3:23-31, he has forty-one. Secondly, with the exception of Joseph and Zorobabel the names are different. Both lists start off with Joseph (strangely enough as father of Jesus!). Matthew 1:16 says: “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ”. Also here Jacob is introduced as grandfather of Jesus, yet in Luke Heli is his grandfather. Regarding the whereabouts of Jesus after Baptism, according to Luke, Mark and Matthew Jesus goes into the wilderness where he will be tempted by the Devil. For example, in Mark 1:12 we read: “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness”. However, in John there is no mention of Jesus being tempted by the Devil, and he goes to the wilderness the next day, as we read in the story from the Baptism in John 1:29-34 when John the Baptist sees Jesus again and declares him as Lamb of God stating this happened the next day, followed by Jesus gathering disciples around him in John 1:35-52.
   10. Another irreconcilable difference happens with the death of the daughter of one of synagogue’s leaders called Jairus. As we read in Mark 5:21-43 Jairus came to Jesus and begged Jesus to rush to his home as his daughter was very sick and wanted Jesus to heal her. On the way they are interrupted by a woman who asks for healing and as he heals her someone from Jairus’ house comes and tells Jairus his daughter has died. Jesus tells him, “do not be afraid, just believe.” He then goes to his house and raises the girl from the dead. However, in Mathew 9:18-26 we read the same story except with a key difference which is Jairus came to Jesus because his daughter was already dead as we read in John 9:18 where it says: While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” Whereas in Mark 5:23 same man says “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live”, which is followed by someone from Jairus household who brings the news telling him “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” in Mark 5:35. Was the daughter alive or dead? This is not an insignificant difference.
   11. In all the Gospels Jesus is called son of God, although the Jews thought being called “God’s son” does not make a person God, rather one who is close to God. However, in John’s Gospel Jesus is the word of God through whom the universe was created, who became human (John 1:1-14), he is also equal to God (John 10:30), and he can claim God’s name to himself (John 8:58) and He is himself God (John 1:1 and 20:28).
   12. Was John the Baptist Elijah who was supposed to come? Matthew 17:10-13 says yes, but John 1:19-21 says no.
   13. When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with him hear the voice? Acts 9:7 says yes, and Acts 22:9 says no. When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his companions fall to the ground as well? Acts 9:7 says no, but Acts 26:14 says yes
   14. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals? One – a colt according to Mark 11:7, but two animals at the same time -a colt and a donkey according to Matthew 21:7 (“They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.”)
   15. What was Jesus’ instruction to his disciples? According to Matthew 28:10: “Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” But according to John 20:17: “go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”
   16. Gospels say two thieves were crucified with Jesus. Did both of them mock Jesus? Mark 15:32 says yes, but Luke 23:39-43 says no, just one.
   17. Regarding the threat to Jesus life when he was a child, we read two different stories in Matthew and Luke. In Matthew 2:13-23 we are told Joseph has a dream in which Lord tells him “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” So when he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until Herod’s death. However in Luke 2:21-40 we are told after Jesus is born, they stayed in Jerusalem and when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom. Did Jesus his Mother and Joseph go to Egypt or returned to Galilee?
   18. In John 14:9 we read: “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? yet in John 5:37 we read: “And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”
   19. Many Christians claim that Jesus acknowledged that he and God were one in the sense of essence when he says in John 10:30 “I and my father are one”. But in John 17:21-23, Jesus refers to his followers and himself and God as one that they all may be one: “as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me.”
   20. We read in Mark 10:17-18: “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. In Luke 18:18-19 we read “A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered, ‘No one is good but One, that is, God.”” Then in Matthew 19:16-17 we read “Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”” As noted, the Messiah (PBUH) objected in Gospels of Mark and Luke and said: “Why do you call me good or good teacher?”, but surprisingly we see in the Gospel of John 10:14 that Jesus called himself the good shepherd: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” Is good shepherd not equal to good teacher?
       Now, here are a few examples of contradictions in the Old Testament:
   21. About the Numbering, in 2 Samuel 24 we read: “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.” However, in 1 Chronicles 21 we read: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” Which is it? Lord or Satan? Big difference.
   22. Regarding the Plague, we read in 2 Samuel 24:13 “So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land?” Yet, in 1 Chronicles 21:11-12 we read: “So Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself, either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord-the plague in the land,….” Seven years of famine or three?
   23. Regarding the age of Jehoiachin, we read in 2 Chronicles 36:9 “Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. . .”, however in 2 Kings 24:8 we read “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months…”
   24. Regarding the type and number of Syrians who died we read in 2 Samuel 10:18 “Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there”. However, in 1 Chronicles 19:18 we read “Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army”. Which is it? 700 or 7000? Horsemen or foot soldiers? Shobach or Shophach? There is a similar discrepancy with 2 Samuel 8:4 and 1 Chronicles 18:4
   25. Regarding the death of Egyptians’ livestock due to the fifth plague which was a pestilence, we read in Exodus 9:6 “So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.” Then how is it that a few days later when the seventh plague of hail came we see in Exodus 9:21-22 “But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt-on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt”. If the livestock was dead on the earlier fifth plague, what livestock is this verse referring to?
   26. Regarding Noah’s boarding animals in Genesis 7:2 we read “You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal… “but, in Genesis 7:9 we read “two by two they went into the ark to Noah…”
   27. Regarding God making himself known to Abraham in Genesis 15:7 we read “Then He said to him, ‘I am the Lord [Jehovah], who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans””. However in Exodus 6:3 God does not make himself known to Abraham: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord [Jehovah], I was not known to them”
   28. Regarding every male child, God says to Moses in Genesis 17:10 “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised”. However, in Galatians 5:2, Peter says “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing”. Who is right: God or Peter?
   29. Regarding the age discrepancy, in 2 Kings 8:26 we read “Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel”. However, in 2 Chronicles 22:2 we read “Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem.
       His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri.” Which is it? Twenty-two or forty-two? Similar discrepancy with Jehoiachim’s age of eighteen versus eight in 2 Kings 24:8 and 1 Chronicles 36:9.
   30. Regarding Michal the daughter of Saul in 2 Samuel 6:23 we read “therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” However, in 2 Samuel 21:8 we read “So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.” Did Michal have children or not? Note: the name Michal in 2 Samuel 21:8 still remains in the KJV, NKJV and New world Translation, but changes to Merab in New American Standard Bible 1973.
   31. In 2 Samuel 24:9 we have: “… and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men”, but in 1 chronicles 21:5 we have :”…and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
   32. In 1 Chronicles 11:11 we read: “… chief of the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time”, but in 2 Samuel 23:8 we read: “… Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time”
   33. In 1 King 13:53 we read: “In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years.” But in 1 king 16:8 we read: “In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel, and reigned two years in Tirzah.
   34. In 1 King 7:26 we read: “… It contained two thousand we read: “… It baths” whereas in 2 Chronicles 4:5 contained three thousand baths”
   35. In Ezra 2:6 we read: “the people of Pahath-Moab, of the people of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve, but in Nehemiah 7:11 we read: “the sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen”
   36. In Ezra 2:15 we read: “the people of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four, but in Nehemiah 7:20 we read: “the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five”. Similarly regarding the children of Hashum: three hundred and twenty-eight (in Nehemiah 7:22), but Two hundred and twenty-three (in Ezrea 2:19)
   37. In 2 Chronicles 11:20 we have: “After her he took Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith”, and in 2 Chronicles 11:20 we have: “He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah”, while in 2 Samuel 14:27 we have: “To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance”
   38. Who was Uzziah’s father? In Matthew 1:8 we are told: “Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah, but in 2 chronicles 26:1 ve are told: “Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah
   39. Regarding Jesus giving his life as ransom for many, we read in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” But we read in Proverbs 21:18 “The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright”
   40. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine”, yet in Hebrews 7:15-20 we read: “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness.”
   41. God declared that life span of humans will be limited to one hundred and twenty years in Genesis 6:3, yet we read in Genesis 11:12-13″ …Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years”
   42. Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven? John 3:13 says no, but 2 Kings 2:11 says yes: Elijah went up to heaven.
   43. We read in Exodus 7:20-21 that Moses and Aron through their miracle turned all the waters flowing in the river to blood and so the fish died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the river water and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. However the next verse Exodus 7:22 says “Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their secret arts”. So the magicians were able to turn the river into blood?
   44. We read in 2 Samuel 24:9 “Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.” But we are told different numbers in 1 chronicles 21:5 “Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
   45. Regarding Prophet Lot we read in Genesis 19:15-18 that he talked to angels and they told him to take his family and leave Sodom because the whole city was about to be punished, therefore, God saves His Prophet, as his city is destroyed for the wicked acts they engaged in. We then read regarding Prophet Lot in Genesis 19:34-36 “his firstborn said to the younger, indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father’. Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.” In the same chapter which talks about a chosen Prophet of God whom God’s angels are speaking to, and whom speaks to God, and God saves him, how can a Prophet of God who is against indecent acts committed by his own people, commits incest himself? Is this a contradiction or an impossibility?

And the list goes on…

Conclusion

A few contradictions and inconsistencies were presented in the last section, but they are not limited to these. As one can see several of what was presented are major contradictions and inconsistencies which are irreconcilable. Then there are those that may be considered minor inconsistencies that might be reconcilable but one has to understand once you try to reconcile them by combining them together, you now have a third version -a new Gospel. Many of these inconsistencies lead to different conclusions and tell us either one version is true or none of the versions are true. One might ask who cares about these details? Well for one, these show the inconsistencies of narrations and some with irreconcilable discrepancies within Gospels. All of which cast a shadow of doubt on their authenticity as divine text. Two, it shows these are not God’s words because God never forgets or mixes up an event, date, or character and his words are free of contradictions and inconsistencies. Then, the question becomes: who wrote them? The short answer is: it’s unclear, but what is clear is that the writers were humans making their own reports, narrations, and interpretations. Consequently, Christian scholars look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament as human accounts which they believe were inspired by God. However, even this claim is questionable as it implies that God inspired the authors to write mistakes and contradictions in His scripture. Furthermore, from many different Gospels only twenty-seven of the original Christian books were finally included in the canon. The existing Gospels in the new Testament were selected by early Christian scholars. If all the Gospels were authentic and words of God or Jesus, there would be no need to pare down.
Having established the fact that authenticity of the Bible in many instances is questionable, one can conclude that the Bible cannot be used by itself, and in its entirety as an authentic source for establishing who Jesus was nor the content of his message.
As a result, when reading the Bible, we face two options. We can look at the Bible not as a complete book of revelation but rather as a book of reports, opinions and events written by multiple persons and thus not consider everything in it to be accurate and attributed to God and Jesus (PBUH). Or we can look at it as a literal book of God containing accurate accounts of His revelation, quotations, and instructions, while also considering all sayings and actions attributed to Jesus (PBUH) in it to be true. In this case we must be able to also explain all the contradictions and inconsistencies. If there are two (or three) descriptions of an event (for instance Jesus’s trial, before the trial, or his death) contradicting each other in detail, both accounts cannot be historically accurate. Either one account is right, or all are wrong, but both cannot be right. These discrepancies and contradictions make it impossible to know what really happened, what did Jesus (PBUH) or disciples really say, and do.
In his book Jesus, Interrupted, Dr. Ehrman shares his personal experience: “At about the time I started to doubt that God had inspired the words of the Bible, I began to be influenced by Bible courses taught from a historical-critical perspective. I started to see discrepancies in the text. I saw that some of the books of the Bible were at odds with another. I became convinced by the arguments that some of the books were not written by the authors for whom they were named. And I began to see that many of the traditional Christians doctrines that I had long held to be beyond the question, such as the doctrines of divinity of Christ and of the Trinity, were not present in the earliest traditions of the New Testament but had developed over time and had moved away from the original teachings of Jesus and his apostles.”8
Dr. Ehrman is not alone in his findings. In my experience, I have seen some of my Christian friends who were neither scholars nor academics more or less come to the same conclusion as they happened to read the Bible horizontally. In the conclusion section of chapter 7 in his book Jesus, Interrupted, Dr Ehrman says: “What we might think of as the traditional Christianity did not simply drop from the sky, full grown and fully developed, soon after ministry of Jesus. Nor did it merge directly and simply from his teachings. In many ways what became Christianity represents a series of rather important departures from the teachings of Jesus. Christianity, as has long been recognized by critical historians is the religion about Jesus, not the religion of Jesus.”⁹

Reforming The Gospels

We have pointed out the complicated reality of the Bible as written and available today. The discrepancies and contradictions have been acknowledged by Christian scholars, Bible researchers, and historians. As discussed, many of these differences among various books and Gospels are irreconcilable as over last ten centuries many have tried to do so and the quest continues, but so far without success. Can these books and Gospels be reformed? What is the truth? Can impartial Christians with inquiring minds find the truth?
Impartial and inquiring Christians should not refuse to understand that the reality and the true position of Christ, and the principles of his teachings cannot be taken from the present Gospels without purifying them of contradictions, inconsistencies, errors and impossibilities; but how can such a great task be undertaken? Who can accomplish it?
In our opinion, this is the role of a messenger of God and not the responsibility of an ordinary man, because ordinary people are not free from error, no matter how stout and scholarly they are. Ordinary humans cannot be in a position to modify the books of the prophets, in which mistakes have no place (not that they have not tried for many centuries). Therefore, we have no doubt that the advent of another prophet was necessary after Jesus (PBUH) to explain the reality of Christianity and show the true face of Christ and make clear the teachings of Jesus (PBUH), free from mistakes, attributions, and biased comments of reporters. This great person is not comparable with any reformist such as Luther, Calvin, Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) and others, since all of them deviated from pure monotheism and believed in the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, salvation and atonement and other superstitions and fabrications. None of them recognized the true personality of Jesus as he deserved to be seen, nor did they correct the discrepancies of the Gospels. Regarding the Prophets after Jesus who have been mentioned in the book of Acts, there are no writings from them in history to be relied upon to modify the teachings of Christianity.
The only eminent and great reformist prophet who came after Jesus (PBUH) and resolved the errors and discrepancies between the religions forever with the help of Divine inspiration (the Holy Qur’an) and explained clearly the reality of Jesus and his teachings was the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who is considered the last messenger of God. Since the principles of all divine religions are the same, the most important issue that brings about differences between the religions is the human-made changes or distortions in the scriptures.
However, the noble Qur’an ended and settled all the differences between religions and corrected them with its clear and undisputable explanation. Furthermore, it has been safeguarded from changes through all periods of time (see the Qur’an verse 15:9), hence it speaks divine truth as true word of God. But the reader does not have to take my word (or the Qur’anic verses such as 15:9) for it. One can examine its verses and attempt to find a single contradiction or inconsistency anywhere within its 114 chapters similar to what I have been showing within the Bible. One can try to find two different versions of any chapter, story or a verse within the entire Qur’an that contradict each other. The language of the Qur’an is live and spoken by millions of people throughout the world today. Since its inception there is only one version of the Qur’an (has been and always will be): no matter where in the world you pick up a copy, not a verse, a word or even a vowel, will be missing, misplaced or added. All of which debunks the claim by some atheists who say anything that is written by man’s hand is prone to mistakes and can’t be perfect. To them, I would say it depends, and that they have not read the Qur’an. Unlike the Bible, for recording of the Qur’an there were many eyewitnesses scribing and memorizing the verses as they were revealed over the span of 23 years. Throughout the Qur’an, there are only two sides to the conversation: the transmitter who is God and the receiver who is Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). God narrates the stories of the past and Muhammad is receiving the word of God, memorizing it and delivering it. The stories could contain conversations between God and earlier prophets, and conversations between earlier Prophets and their people. Hence there is not a single verse where Muhammad is talking about himself (as in: “I say this or that”). All the verses were memorized and recorded by the witnesses at the Prophet’s time (and when they were sent down). Next, I would invite the doubtful to find any contradictions or any copy of the Qur’an from any period of time since its inception that is different than the one millions of people read today.
Above all I would add: if one reads a concept, an historic event, or a story within the Qur’an through an unbiased lens, and fully understands it, one will find it surprisingly refreshing, rational and relevant in content and teachings. It is only then one would realize there is no need for further prophets and books because the teachings of the Qur’an correct and also confirm the scriptures of the previous prophets. Through the Qur’anic message the true monotheistic way of worshipping has been revived, as it states:
“By Allah, We indeed sent (messengers) to the nations before you (O Mohammad), but Satan made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he is their patron this day and theirs will be a painful doom. And We have not revealed the Scripture (the Qur’an) unto you, except that you may explain clearly to them those things in which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for those who believe.” (Qur’an 16:63-64)
We note that all principles of faith and moral teachings have been revised in the Holy Qur’an as the past religions and laws have been discussed widely. In particular, there are many verses in the Qur’an regarding Jesus (PBUH), his teachings and the discrepancies about him, such as in Chapter 19 (named Mary):
That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in doubt. It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is. [Jesus said], “And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.”(Qur’an 29:34-36)
Some Christians may say that Jesus was the last prophet and therefore the prophethood of someone after him could not be accepted (in order to correct the Gospels under his guidance). The answer is that Jesus (PBUH) never claimed to be the last Prophet of God and that no messenger will come after him. However he advised the people to watch out for false prophets and to distinguish the truthful from the liar by their acts and their behavior, saying: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)
John the Baptist (PBUH) who lived at the same time as Jesus (PBUH) never claimed that no other prophet would appear after Jesus, and yet when he was introducing himself he said: “I am neither Jesus nor the promised prophet.” This implies that a prophet other than Jesus would come as it says in the Gospel of John 1:19-21: “Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’”
The disciples never claimed that Jesus (PBUH) was the last messenger either. They only warned against false prophets and asked that anyone claiming to be a prophet must be tested so the truthful and the liar can be separated as we read in 1 John 1:4 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world”

Comparative Analysis

One cannot help to compare and contrast. What does the Qur’an say about Jesus? Of course there are many verses in the Qur’an relevant to Jesus (PBUH) across several chapters describing his teachings and his position. These clear verses which talk about different aspects of Jesus’s life as they discuss his mother, his birth, his prophethood, his character, his ministry, his miracles, his disciples, his enemies, his death and his being taken up to God. By reflecting on the related verses the person of Jesus and principles of his religion can be understood clearly. without the mistakes, ambiguity, contradictions and misrepresentations in the Bible as the Qur`an says Will they not contemplate on the Qur’an? If it had been from other than Allah, they would surely have found many contradictions in it” (Qur’an 4:82). Here, we give a few examples of these relevant verses on the monotheistic teachings of Jesus as stated in the Holy Qur’an.

When the Qur’an mentions Jesus, the context of polytheism and monotheism are discussed on three occasions: first in reporting his birth, second regarding his miracles, and third about his preaching.

Birth of Jesus Christ

In the Qur’anic view two groups of people have gone astray in regard to Jesus’ birth. One group has transgressed the sanctity, and the other has exaggerated his status, but the Noble Qur’an has revealed the deviation of both groups and has explained the reality of his birth. The Holy Qur’an condemns the Jews (and those who think like them) because they have transgressed his sanctity, claiming Jesus was the unlawful son of Joseph, thus accusing him of being an illegitimate child. The Holy Qur’an calls this a tremendous slander, and condemns the Jews severely, saying: “And because of their disbelief and of their speaking against Mary a tremendous slander, (We will punish them)” (Qur’an 4:156).

It could be said the way in which the Gospels explain the genealogy of Jesus increased the audacity of the Jews to make such a terrible accusation against Mary, because according to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter one, and the Gospel of Luke, chapter three, the successional lineage of Jesus reaches Joseph, the fiancé of Mary. Whereas, Christians believe that Joseph had no involvement in the birth of Jesus. Surprisingly, the Gospels do not agree on his genealogy, whereas the Qur’an calls Jesus on the one hand the son of Mary, but does not mention Joseph (as either his father or step-father), and on the other hand it regards him as a descendent of Abraham (as his mother was a descendent of Israel) and says: “And among his (i.e. Abraham’s) progeny (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus We reward the good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias, each of them was of the righteous.” (Qur’an 6:84-85)

The Gospel of Matthew responds to the question as to why the Jews at the time of Jesus were not supposed to call him the unlawful son of Joseph or of anyone else, stating: “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20) However, clearly a mere dream would not convince people that Mary’s pregnancy came about without any sexual intercourse, thereby preventing her from gaining a bad and scandalous reputation. It was necessary to prove Jesus is innocent of any accusation of illegitimacy, as that would create a problem for his future mission, because according to Deuteronomy 23:2: “One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shallenter the assembly of the Lord” So it was necessary for the Divine plan to solve the issue of Mary and Jesus (PBUT) in a way other than Joseph’s dream. So what would that be? There is no doubt that a miracle would be needed in order to remove the false accusation against Mary. The Gospel of Matthew in Matthew 2:1-14 goes through the entire process and the sighting of the stars, says: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ” But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.”

Could this report be the miracle which would remove the accusation from Mary? It seems this restates the claim of ancient astronomers that everyone has a star in the heaven, which appears with his birth and disappears with his death, and they used to report the birth and death and whatever was going to happen in a person’s life by his star. However, this fictitious assumption has lost its value today and astronomy does not believe in such an idea. Therefore, this assumption cannot help people to believe in that miracle and prove Mary’s chastity.

The Noble Qur’an states the miracle which proves Mary and her dear child’s innocence in a different way, stating: “Then she brought him to her folk, carrying him. They said: 0 Mary! You have come with an amazing thing. O sister of Aaron (i.e. the like of Aaron)! Your father was not a wicked man nor was your mother a harlot. Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? He said: “Verily, I am a servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet. And He has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined on me prayer and obligatory charity so long as I remain alive. And dutiful to my mother, and has not made me arrogant, rebellious. And peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive”. (Qur’an 19:27-33)

Indeed, such a miracle as a baby talking and giving news of his future, would prove himself and his mother innocent of any accusation, whereas Joseph’s dream (even if it happened) could not prove that Mary’s pregnancy was an extraordinary thing, but it was a Divine matter. Many Christians object, asking why, if such a miracle occurred, there is no trace of it in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)? The answer is: firstly, the Gospels do not record all the events and miracles of Jesus PBUH as it states in the Gospel of John 21:25: “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” Although this is an exaggeration, it proves that Jesus did more than what has been reported in the Gospels. Secondly, the incident of Jesus talking in the cradle has been reported in the “Gospel of childhood of Jesus”, as Priest Karl Pfander writes in his book of “The Balance of Truth”: “Jesus talking in the cradle is written in the book of reports known as the Gospel of Jesus’ childhood”. However, there is lots of truth in the Christian literary works that is not in the main Gospels.

The other Qur’anic discussion regarding Jesus’ birth concerns the 2nd group among Christians who exaggerate his birth without a father and believe this can only be interpreted by accepting the divinity of Jesus. Surprisingly they claim in their literary works that Jesus being born with no father signifies that the Lord of the Universe chose Mary as his bride and He descended into her womb! But in the Holy Qur’an we read: “Glorified be He and High Exalted above that (evil) that they ascribe (unto Him).” (Qur’an 6:100) The famous Pope Pius XII (1950) reached the extraordinary conclusion of belief in the Ascension of Mary and said: “The bride that God took as spouse should reside in a heavenly bridal chamber” [see the book Answer To Job by Carl Gustav Jung]. As he imagined Mary to be God’s wife, he also called her mother of God since in his opinion, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ who is same as the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
Obviously these indecent, absurd and childish attributes are opposed by the Holy Qur’an which states: “And they say: The Most Merciful has taken unto Himself a son. Indeed you have done an atrocious thing. Whereby almost the heavens are torn, and the earth is split asunder and the mountains fall in ruins. That you ascribe unto the Most Merciful a son, when it is not befitting (the Majesty of) the Most Merciful that He should choose a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Merciful as a servant.”(Qur’an 19:88-93)

The Noble Qur’an believes the Great Creator transcends human categories like a spouse or a child as it says “(He) is the originator of the heavens and the earth! How can He have a child, when there is for Him no consort, when He created all things and is Aware of all things?” (Qur’an 6:101)

From the Qur’anic point of view the question of Jesus’ birth has been solved logically and simply. The Noble Qur’an knows Jesus is the second to Adam as he (the first man) was created by the command of the Almighty God without father and mother, and Jesus also came to existence by His command. So there is no reason to take this excuse and call Jesus God or begotten son of God, and believe in such impossibilities. The Holy Qur’an says in this regard: “Verily, the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the Likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: “Be” and he was.”(The Qur’an 3:59)

The issue of “Word or Logos” which has brought about some difficulties in Christianity has been solved in Islam in a simple way. Adam and Jesus were both created by the “Word of God” that is to say their creation did not occur in an ordinary way, but by the “Command of God” and this is not a vocal command, rather it is creation of God, by God. His Glorious word is the same as his action. That’s why Jesus (PBUH) is called the “word of God”, and this interpretation is defined as giving effect to causes as we read in the Qur’an: “This is the Creation of Allah. Now show me that which those (you worship) beside Him have created”. (Qur’an 31:11) In this verse (the creation of Allah), the cause is used in place of effect “what has been created by Allah”. Similarly, Jesus has been called “word of Allah”, because he has been created by the Divine word. Therefore this interpretation does not contradict pure monotheism, and for this reason the Noble Qur’an uses the “word of God” for Jesus, whereas He has prohibited Christians of believing in Jesus’ divinity and the Trinity, and says: “O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter anything concerning Allah but 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 the only 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 a Disposer of affairs”. (Qur’an 4:171)

In short, the Holy Qur’an does not see any problem in Jesus’ birth, and it takes this matter like other signs of God (such as creation of the universe, the first particle, the first human being and so on) and does not conflict with the theism of God. Meanwhile, it has pointed out some clear reasons why Christians should not exaggerate about Jesus, whether they are aware or not, and as an example says: “Those who say that Allah is the Messiah son of Mary are indeed those who disbelieved. Say (O Mohammad): Who then has power against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary and his mother and everyone on earth? And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is able to do all things”. (Qur’an 5:17) What would Christians’ answer be to this Qur’anic question? If they say the Glorious God cannot destroy Jesus, they have restricted the power of God and have denied the absolute Divinity. On the other hand, if they confess that the Exalted God is able to destroy Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all livings, then they have admitted the truth that the essence of God is independent of the Messiah, the Holy Spirit and others and by this admission the Trinity will be void. The Qur’an shows that both Jesus and his mother needed provisions. They ate and drank as mentioned in the Gospels such as in Luke 7:34: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking”, which indicates both, like all humans, were dependent creatures, contrary to the Almighty God Who has no needs and depends on no one. As such they could not be God or partner to Him as the Qur’an says: “They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the third of three.” And there is no god except one God (Allah). And if they do not desist from what they are saying, a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are turned way.(Qur’an 5:73-75)

Again the Qur’an brings up another theme and proves that neither Jesus nor the angels of God refused to be His servant or to be obedient to Him as the Gospels also report, for example in Matthew 12:18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen …”

Propounding this reality leads one’s mind to the conclusion that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not in a position of deity and divinity because the Almighty God cannot be described as being both servant and obedient as the Qur’an confirms: “Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near [to Him]”(Qur’an 4:172). The Noble Qur’an rejects the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit by providing brief, meaningful and clear phrases. In addition, it provides proofs of God’s uniqueness and rejects the notion of anyone being associated, or in partnership with Him. While some Jews called Jesus a liar or unlawful son, the Christians exaggerated and called him divine, but the Qur’an settles the differences: “We have not revealed to you (Prophet Muhammad) the Book except that you may clarify for them that upon which they differ, and as guidance and mercy to those who believe” (The Qur’an 16:64). We will see few examples in this section as well as the next.

The Miracles of Jesus Christ

What about the Miracles of Jesus (PBUH)? Many Christians encourage wrong interpretations of Jesus’ nature by claiming Jesus had total control of the universe. They believe that the whole universe is conquered and subdued by the power and will of Jesus, which is how they claim to prove his divinity. The Holy Qur’an corrects this wrong and corrupt interpretation and shows that the miracles of the Messiah occurred by the permission and authority of Al mighty God as it states: “And will make him a messenger to the Children of Israel, (saying): “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. From clay, I will create for you the likeness of a bird. I shall breathe into it and by the permission of Allah, it shall be a bird. I shall heal the blind, and the leper, and raise the dead to life by the permission of Allah. I shall tell you what you ate and what you store in your houses. Surely, that will be a sign for you, if you are believers.” (Qur’an 3:49)

In another chapter, the Qur’an reports God speaking to Jesus, saying: “When Allah said: ‘O, Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and on your mother; how I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit (Gabriel), to speak to people in your cradle and of age; how I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel; and how, by My permission, you fashioned from clay the likeness of a bird, and breathed into it so that, by My permission, it became a living bird. How, by My permission, you healed the blind man and the leper, and by My permission you brought the dead forth; and how I protected you from the Children of Israel when you brought them clear signs; whereupon the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but plain magic” (Qur’an 5:110). As discussed earlier about the “word of God”, “permission of God” similarly is not verbal command here, because spoken words cannot be the creator of beings, rather the meaning of “permission of God” is His grace and inherent enabling command. As we read in the Noble Qur’an: “As for the good land, its vegetation comes forth by permission of its Lord” (Qur’an 7:58). Therefore, although the miracles of Jesus appeared to occur at his command, in reality Divine permission was governing them. But because the inner nature of affairs is unseen by man those who observed what appeared believed the source of everything was in the hand of Jesus! The prophets of God talked about permission of God and remembered Him or asked for His help when showing miracles to remove any doubt from people’s minds about God and their mission. Jesus (PBUH) was no exception, as we read in Luke 5:17 “And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” And when Jesus wanted to raise Lazarus from death, he said: “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard me. And I know that You always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes.”(John 11:41-44).

The Qur’an reports that Jesus prayed to God before presenting a miracle: “Allah, our Lord,’ said Jesus, the son of Mary, ‘send down upon us a table out of heaven, that shall be a festival for us the first and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us sustenance as you are the best sustainer” (Qur’an 5:114). It should be noted that the Qur’an has testified the miracles of Jesus (PBUH), whereas, the Gospels have lost the historic link to the time of Jesus and, because of many contradictions, inconsistencies among them, a reader cannot fully trust their contents (as indicated by so many who researched it) Therefore, the Christian world has no way other than trusting and making reference to the Holy Qur’an in order to prove the miracles of Jesus (PBUH) or anything else for that matter.

The Quran and Invitation of Jesus Christ

Another issue Christians tend to exaggerate about is Jesus’ mission and invitation. Many Christians believe Jesus called people to worship him, and preached about his lordship. We have seen that there is no significant indication that Jesus has said anything in regard to this, and what the Gospels have reported from Jesus’ words is nothing but his calling people to worship the Almighty God. Hence it appears polytheism and the Trinity entered into Christianity from other religions’ influence. The Holy Qur’an talks about this saying: “When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: “Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which you dispute: therefore keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him. That is the Straight Path. But the factions among them differed…” (Qur’an 43:63-65).

Obviously, these differences were created by Christian narrators and scholars over the years, and followed by ordinary people without any corroboration. However, people are responsible for their deviation from the true faith, from that which started with true monotheism, as the Qur’an has criticized such deviation: “They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Mary, though they were commanded to worship but one God, there is no god except He. Praise and glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him).” (Qur’an 9:31) It has been reported that: “Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was asked how did they take their rabbis and their monks as lords beside Allah while they were not worshipping them? The Prophet (PBUH) replied: whatever God had made lawful they made it unlawful and whatever He had made unlawful, they made it lawful and the Christians obeyed and followed them”.

According to this interpretation, ordinary Christians obeyed, and accepted innovations made by various Gospels written by men and believed for example in the divinity of Jesus (as written in John), his being God and Paul’s reflections in denying the Law. Obviously Jesus and his disciples were free from these accusations and aberrations. The Nobel Qur’an presents a scene of the Day of Resurrection when Jesus will say to God: “I spoke to them only what you commanded me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when You took me, You were the watcher over them. You are witness over all things. If You punish them, indeed they are Your servants, and if You forgive them (indeed they are your servants). Verily, You, only You are the Mighty, and You are the Wise.” (Qur’an 5:117-118) This is a verse a Christian should reflect upon, and it shows that Jesus had no awareness or control over his followers after his death and what has been reported in the Gospels is that Jesus returned to life after his crucifixion and told his disciples in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of time.” This is not true as corrected by the Qur’anic guidance above that Jesus was not with them and not witness over them when he was no longer among them. Furthermore, Jesus could not be with them forever as the disciples did not live forever. The Qur’an highlights this fact that none of God’s messengers are connected and witness to deeds of their apostles once they leave this world through their testimony: “On the day when Allah gathers together the messengers, and says: What was your response (from mankind)? They say: We have no knowledge. You are the Knower of the unseen” (Qur’an 5:109). This verse indicates none of the prophets were able to supervise their people after they were gone.

The list goes on. I have included additional verses of the Holy Qur’an as they relate to the life and the person of Jesus (PBUH) for those who want to read further in the next section.

As pointed out by few references, there are many Christian scholars, writers and academics who have studied and researched the Bible throughout history, especially in the last three to four centuries, all of whom have pointed out the impossibilities, errors, contradictions, inconsistencies, peculiarities and ambiguities within the Bible, from both historic and theological perspectives. However, the Holy Qur’an not only divulged them over fourteen centuries ago, but also corrected them and answered and clarified these questions: who was Jesus?, what was his role?, and what he actually did say? Of course there are aspects of the Bible the Holy Qur’an confirms in concept and also, portions such as Jesus’ miraculous Birth, his miracles, and his family. The next section will elaborate with additional examples.

At this point I leave it to the readers, especially my dear beloved Christian friends whom I know and (of course those whom I don’t) to take what I have presented so far and judge for themselves. You can ask yourselves which verses and concepts presented here make more sense? Is the Bible true word of God or work of man?

At the end, with all sincerity, I ask all of my Christians friends to be impartial and do not look into this booklet with aversion, but rather evaluate it with the scale of intellect and judge it in the court of conscious. It is through the truth of the Holy Qur’an that we can see and confirm the portions of the Gospel which comprise the truth while discerning the portions which are fabricated by man. It is through this impartial study and diligence that the truth will shine. One common truth through which both Christian and Muslims unit and embrace.

Further Reading

There are two chapters in the Holy Qur’an related to Mary: one named after Virgin Mary (called Maryam in Arabic-Chapter 19) and the other named after her family (Al Imran Chapter 3). Yet there are verses in multiple chapters within the Holy Qur’an related to Jesus (PBUH) describing his mother, his birth, his Prophethood, his morals, his invitation, his miracles, his disciples, his followers, his enemies, his death or his rise. In this section, for the reader’s awareness and those interested, we list these verses as they relate to each topic. These verses reflect and summarize the Qur’anic and Islamic view on Jesus (PBUH).

1. Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran), Verses 35 to 37 narrate the birth of Mary, stating: (Remember) when the wife of ‘Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto You that which is in my belly as a dedication (offering). Accept it from me. Indeed you are the Hearer, the Knower! And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female – Allah knew best of what she was delivered – the male is not as the female; and lo! I have named her Mary, and lo! I ask Your protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast. And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: 0 Mary! ‘Mary,’ he said, ‘how does this come to you?’ ‘It is from Allah,’ she answered. Truly, Allah provides whomsoever He wills without measure”.
2. Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran), in Verses 42 to 47 Mary is chosen by Allah and given the good news of having a son: “And when the angels said: 0 Mary! Lo! Allah has chosen you and made you pure, and has chosen you above (all) the women of all nations. O Mary! Be obedient to your Lord, prostrate yourself and bow with those who bow (in worship). This is from the news of the unseen. We reveal it to you (Prophet Muhammad). You were not present when they cast their quills to see which of them should look after Mary, nor were you present when they were disputing. (And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Indeed Allah gives you glad tidings of a word (be) from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, who will be honored in the world and the Hereafter, and will be among those who are close (to Allah). He will speak to mankind in his cradle and in his mature age, and he is of the righteous. She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no man has touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says unto it only: Be! And it is.”
3. Chapter 21 (The Prophets), Verse 91 and Chapter 66 (Prohibition) Verse 12 testify the chastity of Mary and say: “And she who was chaste, therefore We breathed into her (something) of Our Spirit and made her and her son a sign for (all) peoples.”, “And Mary, daughter of ‘Imran, whose body was chaste, therefore We breathed therein something of Our Spirit. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient. And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her (something) of our Sprit, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was among the obedient.”
4. Chapter 19 (Mary), Verses 16 to 36 describe Mary And giving birth to her son Jesus (PBUT): mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East. And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Merciful One from you, if you are God-fearing. He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord, that I may bestow on you a pure son. She said: How can I have a son when no man has touched me, neither have I been unchaste? He said: So (it will be). Your Lord says: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a sign for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter (already) decreed. And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm-tree. She said: Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.” Then (one) cried unto her from below her, saying: Grieve not! Your Lord has placed a stream beneath you. And shake the trunk of the palm-tree toward yourself; you will cause ripe dates to fall upon you. So eat and drink and be consoled. And if you meet any man, say: Lo! I have vowed a fast unto the Merciful, and may not speak this day to anyone. Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! You have come with unprecedented thing. O sister of Aaron! Your father was not a wicked man nor was your mother an unchaste. Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a child? He spoke: Lo! I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a Prophet. And has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, And (has made me) dutiful toward my mother who bore me, and has not made me wretched tyrant. Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning that which they doubt (and dispute). It befits not an (the Majesty of) Allah [exalted is He] that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He says unto it: Be! and it is. And [Jesus said] lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.”
5. Chapter 23 (The Believers); Verse 50 describes Jesus and his mother as a sign: “And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign, and We gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.”
6. Chapter 6 (The Cattle); Verses 83 to 86 speaks about Jesus’s lineage from his mother’s side no reaching Abraham (PBUH): “And that was Our We gave who [conclusive] argument which Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing. And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers of good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above people of the world.”
7. Chapter 2 (The Cow), Verses 87, 136 and 253 affirm the mission of Jesus (PBUH): “And verily We gave to Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers, and We gave to Jesus, son of Mary, clear signs (of Allah’s sovereignty), and We supported him with the Holy spirit. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what you yourselves did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.? (87)”, “Say, [O believers], “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him. (136)”, “Those messengers – some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the holy Spirit. If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends. (253)”
8. Many verses were revealed regarding the prophethood of Jesus, his revelation and his position in succession of prophets of which we list a few here: Chapter 5 (The Table Spread), Verse 46 repeats about the prophethood of Jesus: “And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous. (46)”, similarly in Chapter 57 (Iron), Verse 27: “Then We sent following their footsteps Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy, but monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allah. But they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave the ones who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.” In regard to sending down the revelation to Jesus (PBUH) as was sent down to earlier Prophets we read in Chapter 4 (Women), Verse 163: “Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms] (163)”. The message of Islam in accepting all Prophets including Jesus (PBUH) is repeated in Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran), Verse 84: “Say (O Muhammad): Say, “We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him. (84).”
9. Chapter 3 (The Family of Imran), Verse 48-59 the Qur’an reiterates his mission and the clear proof of it through his miracles: “And He will teach him the writing and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel, And will make him a messenger to the Children of Israel, (saying): ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I fashion for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden to you. I come to you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path. But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my supporter in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah’s supporters. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (in submission to Him). Our Lord! We believe in that which You have revealed, and we follow him [Jesus] whom You have sent. Register us among those who witness (to the truth). And they (the disbelievers) planned, and Allah planned (against them): and Allah is the best of planners. (And remember) when Allah said: 0 Jesus! Lo! I take you and raise you unto Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me you will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein you used to differ. I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers. And as for those who believe and do good works, He will pay them their wages in full. Allah does not like wrongdoers. This (which) We recite to you is a revelation and a wise reminder. Verily the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. ” Regarding the covenant from Prophets, we read in Chapter 33 (The Clans), Verse 7: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant.”
10. The Qur’an describes ‘one religion’ in Chapter 42 (Consultation), Verse 13: “He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We enjoined upon you (o Muhammad), and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus -to establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allah is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns back (to him).”
11. Chapter 5 (The Table Spread), is about reminding Jesus of the favors of Allah in Verses 110-115: “When Allah says: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favor unto you and unto your mother; how I strengthened you with the holy Spirit, so that you speak to mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught you the writing and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how you did shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and breathed into it and it was a bird by My permission, and you healed him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how you raised the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) you when you came to them with clear proofs, and some of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is nothing but obvious magic; And when I inspired the disciples, (saying): Believe in Me and in My messenger, they said: We believe. Bear witness that indeed we are Muslims [in submission to Allah]. When the disciples said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Is your Lord able to send down for us a table spread with food from heaven? He said: Observe your duty to Allah, if you are true believers. (They said 🙂 We wish to eat thereof, that we may satisfy our hearts and know that you have spoken truth to us, and that thereof we may be witnesses. Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us, for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from You. Give us sustenance, for You are the Best of Sustainers. Allah said: Lo! I send it down for you. And whoever disbelieve afterward, I punish surely punish him with a punishment wherewith I have not punished any of (My) creatures.”
12. The following verses reject the divinity of Jesus (PBUH). Chapter 4 (Women), Verses 171 to 172 say: “O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant – He will gather them to Himself all together.” And in Chapter 5 (The Table Spread), Verses 17 to 18: “They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, ‘Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?’ And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent. But the Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are the children of Allah and His beloved.’ Say, ‘Then why does He punish you for your sins?’ Rather, you are human beings from among those He has created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and to Him is the [final] destination.” Again in Chapter 5 (The Table Spread, Verses 72 to 78: “They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who Allah has associates others with Allah forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the third of three.” And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded! Say, “Do you worship besides Allah that which holds for you no [power of] harm or benefit while it is Allah who is the Hearing, the Knowing? Say, “O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way. Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.”
13. Regarding people of the earlier scriptures claiming God has begotten a son, we read in Chapter 9 (Repentance), Verses 30 to 31: “The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah”; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?! They have taken their rabies and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.”
14. Chapter 43 (The Gold Adornments), Verses 57 to 64 are revealed in regard to Prophet Jesus (PBUH) talking about the idol worshippers who said: “if Jesus is worshipped by Christians then our gods are better than him (since they used to worship angels)”, while the Qur’an rectifies such opinion (of Christians) and says that Jesus is only a servant and is also a sign of the Hour: “And when the son of Mary was presented as immediately your people laughed aloud. And an example, they said, “Are your gods better, or is he?” They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute. Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. And if We willed, We could have made [instead] of you angels succeeding [one another] on the earth. And indeed, Jesus will be V[a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path. And never let Satan avert you. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, “I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me. Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”
15. Chapter 5 (The Table Spread), Verses 116 to 118 describe how Allah will question Jesus on the Day of Resurrection saying: “And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?”” He will say, “Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is you who is Knower of the unseen? I said not to them except what you commanded me – to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness. If You should punish them indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
16. Chapter 4 (Women), reports that the Jews claimed to have killed Jesus (PBUH) but the Qur’an, Verse 156 to 158 denies their claim: “And [We cursed them] for their disbelief and their saying against Mary a great slander. And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.”
17. Chapter 61 (The Ranks), Verse 14 describes the disciples and followers of Jesus (PBUH): “O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, ‘Who are my supporters for Allah?’ The disciples said, ‘We are supporters of Allah.’ And a faction of the Children of Israel believed, and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.

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¹ The Qur’an translations by Sahih International and the author
² The Five Gospels, p20
³ All verses of the Bible are in New King James Version (NKJV)
⁴ Who Wrote the Bible, by Richard Elliott Friedman pp54-70
⁵ Jesus Interrupted, by Bart D. Ehrman chapter 1, p6
⁶ Jesus Interrupted, by Bart D. Ehrman chapter 1, pp15-16)
⁷ Who Wrote the Bible? Richard Elliott Friedman, Introduction pl5
⁸ Jesus, Interrupted, Bart D. Ehrman, Chapter 1, p16)
⁹ Jesus, Interrupted, Bart D. Ehrman, Chapter 7, p267</sup8<>