"That they said (in boast), 'We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah'; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made to appear to them so, and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge, but they follow only conjecture; for of a surety they killed him not." [Holy Qur’an 4:157]

CALL YOUR WITNESSES

Demand For Proof

"Say: 'Produce your proof if ye but speak the truth'." [Holy Qur'an 2:111]

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [1 Thessalonians 5:2]

Third Party Evidence - "According To . . ."

The amazing thing about the Christians' sworn writings attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is that not a single one of them is duly attested. Not a single one bears the signature, mark or thumb-print of its author in the so-called originals. They now boast of being in possession of over 5000 "originals" of which no two "original" are identical. Amazing! Little-wonder the Christians themselves label their Gospels as - "The Gospel according to St. Matthew", "The Gospel according to St. Mark", "The Gospel according to St. Luke" and "The Gospel according to St. John".

When Christian scholars are asked why the words "according to" are repeated at the beginning of every Gospel, the obvious implication is that they are not autographed. It is only assumed that they are authored by the names the Gospels carry today (see the page titled "Is the Bible God's Word?" for more detail). In the "New International Version" the translators have unceremoniously expunged the "according to's" from the four Gospels in their latest translation. Of the alleged Gospel writers, viz., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John it can be categorically stated that 50% were not even the elected Twelve Disciples of Jesus (pbuh).

Prima-Facie Case

I dare humbly claim that such unattested documents would be thrown out of hand, in any Court-of-Law, in any civilised country, in just two minutes. Furthermore, one of the alleged witness, St. Mark, tells us that at the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus - "They (the disciples) ALL forsook him and fled" [Mark 14:50] (see below under "Genuine disciples" for more detail). So the so-called "eye-witnesses" were not really eye-witnesses to the happenings, unless St. Mark is not telling us the whole truth, the "Gospel truth". Yet he is supposed to be speaking under oath! You will agree that a case based on such hearsay evidence would be thrown out of Court, TWICE in two minutes, in any civilised country; that is TWICE in just 120 seconds flat! But a ghost (dogma) of two thousand years standing, upon which hangs the salvation of over a billion Christians today, should not be summarily dismissed. We will therefore entertain the alleged testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as if they were duly attested.

ESTABLISHING GOD'S KINGDOM

March Into Jerusalem

Jesus (pbuh) made his triumphant royal entry into Jerusalem at the head of an excited and enthusiastic following, with high hopes of establishing the "Kingdom of God" any minute; riding a donkey to fulfil prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) - Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy KING cometh...sitting upon as ass...And a great multitude spread their garments...and branches in the way...and the multitude cried, saying, "Hosanna to the SON OF DAVID...Hosanna in the highest..." - [Matthew 21:5-9] - let Luke the beloved physician, add his strokes to clarify the picture. "...because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should IMMEDIATELY appear" - [Luke 19:11]

Heavenly Kingdom???

"But those mine enemies, who would not that I should REIGN over them, bring them hither and SLAY them before me"-[Luke 19:27]. "...Blessed be the KING who cometh in the name of the Lord..."-[Luke 19:38]. And John adds that the excited throng exclaimed - "Hosanna! Blessed is the KING of ISRAEL, that cometh in the name of the Lord"-[John 12:13]. "The Pharisees said...Behold, the world is gone (mad) after him (Jesus)"-[John 12:19]. "NOW is the judgement of this world; N-O-W shall the prince of this world be CAST OUT"-[John 12:31].

Who would withstand such heady-wine of impeding glory? Little wonder that Jesus was tempted physically to oust those that bought and sold within the temple precincts. He overthrew the money-changer's tables and drove them out with a "whip of cord"-[John 12:15].

An Aborted Coup

The overthrow of the Temple Authority was imminent, and a forerunner to the expulsion of the Romans, heralding the "Kingdom of God." But alas his high hopes did not materialise. The whole performance fizzled out like a damp squib, despite all the "Hosannas" and hoorays to the "Son of David" and the "King of Israel." All this ballyhoo was only forty years premature.

Jesus had failed to heed the warning of the Pharisees to curb the over exuberance of his disciples (Luke 19:39). He had miscalculated. Now he must pay the price of failure. His nation was not ready for any sacrifice, in spite of all their infantile clamour.

Jewish Reasoning

The Jewish leaders reasoned that this one man had almost brought the nation to destruction. Therefore, "It is expedient for one man to die for the nation"-[John 11:50]. But with all the mass hysteria surrounding him, it was also NOT expedient to apprehend Jesus in public. They waited for the opportunity of a clandestine arrest. As luck would have it they found in Judas, an elected disciple of Jesus (pbuh), a traitor who would sell his Lord and Master for thirty miserable pieces of silver.

Judas was Disgruntled

As a purser for the elect group of Jesus, Judas had endless opportunities of pinching pennies permanently. Why jeopardise that for all times for 30 paltry pieces? There is more to that than meets the eye. Judas was disgruntled, after all those mass demonstrations on Jesus' regal entry into Jerusalem - those hot-pourings of: "The HOUR is come - and NOW is - the prince of this World will be CAST OUT - I should REIGN over them - bring them HITHER and SLAY THEM before me." Jesus has now developed cold-feet. If only Jesus could be provoked, he might react with miracles, and bring down fire and brimstones from Heaven upon his enemies, which would enable him and his disciples to rule the world.

From close contact with the Master, he had learned that Jesus was kind, tender and loving. But, he was not a mealy-mouthed man; he was no milk-and-water Messiah. But Judas could not understand the "hot and cold" blowings of Jesus. Perhaps if Jesus was accosted, he would yet deliver the goods. To this end Judas schemed.

The Traitor Known

The furtive looks and the suspicious behaviour of Judas had revealed everything to Jesus (pbuh). At the table in the Upper-room where Jesus and his disciples were having that "Last Supper", Jesus dismissed Judas with the words:

"...What thou doest, do quickly." [John 13:27]

 

JESUS FINISHED THE WORK

Long before the crucifixion, Jesus says:

"And this is life eternal, THAT THEY MAY KNOW THEE, the ONLY TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." [John 17:3]
"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have FINISHED the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." [John 17:4-5]

He had FINISHED the work that he was sent for. His work was to deliver the message of God unto the Jews. That they might know THE ONLY TRUE GOD and that Jesus Christ was the CHOSEN MESSIAH sent for the Jews - if you had faith in this, then you would have eternal life. There was no crucifixion in sight when he said this. Jesus did not know anything about it. He had done the work that he came to do. When you have finished the work for your employer, you go and ask him for your pay. Jesus is doing just that and is asking God for his "pay", "And now, O Father, glorify thou me".

PREPARATION FOR JIHAD

Policy Change

Jesus will not be a sitting-duck for a clandestine arrest by the Jews. He prepares his disciples for what is coming and introduces the subject of defence:

"And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no SWORD, let him sell his garment, and buy one." [Luke 22:35-36]

This is preparation for Jihad, a Holy War - Jews against Jews! Why! Why this somersault? Did he not advise them to "turn the other cheek"; "to forgive seventy times seven" (70 x 7 = 490)? Did he not send his chosen Twelve with the advice:

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, as wise as serpents, (?) and as harmless as doves." [Matthew 10:16]

To Arms! To Arms!

The situation and the circumstances have changed and as with any wise and able general, the strategy must also change. The disciples were already armed. They had some foresight. They had not left Galilee with bare knuckles. They responded:

"...Lord, behold, here are two SWORDS. And he said unto them, It is enough." [Luke 22:38]

Why couple of swords enough?

If this was a preparation for war, then why should two swords be "enough"? The reason is that Jesus was not contemplating a battle against the legions of Rome. Since his "friend" Judas was in league with the Temple authorities, he was expecting a clandestine, underhand attempt by the Jewish oligarchy to seize him. It would be a question of Jews against Jews. In such a battle against the Jewish temple servants and the riff-raff of the town, he would prevail. Of that he was sure. He had with him Peter (the Rock) and John and James (the sons of Thunder) together with the other eight, each contending with one another to go to prison for him; to die for him. "Likewise also said all the disciples." - [Matthew 26:35]. These were all Galileans. They had a reputation of Zealtism, terrorism, and repeated insurrections against the Romans.

Armed with sticks and stones, and the swords, and fortified with the spirit of self-sacrifice which they had avowed for their Master, he was sure to knock hells into any Jewish rabble, that dare accost him.

The Master Tactician

He had proved himself a skilful strategist and planner, alert and resourceful. This was not the time to sit and twiddle thumbs; to be a sitting-duck, cooped up with his disciples in the upper-room! No, not for him. He leads his platoon, in the middle of the night, to Gethsemane. Gethsemane - an olive press - a courtyard built of stone walls some 5 miles out of town.

You do not have to be a military genius to appreciate that, Jesus (pbuh) deploys his forces as a master tactician. He placed eight of the eleven disciples at the entrance to the courtyard:

"...and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder." [Matthew 26:36]

The question that would bug any thinker is: "Why did they all go to Gethsemane? To Pray? Could they not have prayed in the upper room? Could they not have gone to the temples of Solomon, a stone's throw from where they were, if prayer is all that they wanted to do? No! They went to the Garden so that they might be in a better position to defend themselves!

Observe, Jesus does not take the eight with him to pray. He positions them strategically at the entrance to the courtyard; armed to the hilt, as the circumstances would allow:

"And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee...
Then saith he unto them...tarry ye here, and watch with me." [Matthew 26:37-38]

Where is he taking Peter and John and James now? Further into the Garden! To pray? No! To make an inner line of defence - he had put eight at the Gate, and, now these zealous Zealots (the fighting Irishmen of their day), armed with SWORDS, to "wait and watch" - TO KEEP GUARD! The picture is vivid; Jesus leaves nothing to our imagination. A-n-d HE (alone) prayed!

Jesus Prays For Rescue

"...and began to be sorrowful and very depressed. Then saith he unto them, 'my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death'..." [Matthew 26:37,38]

"And he went a little further, and FELL ON HIS FACE (meaning he bowed down and touched his forehead to the ground, exactly as the Muslim does in Salaat), and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT'." (This is the quality of a good Muslim who submits his will to the will of God). [Matthew 26:39]

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. [Luke 22:42]

And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was, as it were, GREAT DROPS OF BLOOD falling down to the ground. [Luke 22:44]

Messiah Sobs For His People

Why all this bewailing and lamentation? Is he crying to save his skin? It would be highly cynical on his part to do that! Did he not advise others:

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if they right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." [Matthew 5:29-30]

We would be doing Jesus a grave injustice if we thought that he was crying like a woman to save his body from physical harm. He was crying for his people - the Jews. They held a queer logic that if they succeeded in killing any would-be Messiah (Christ), it would be a sure proof of his imposture. For God will never allow His truly "anointed one" (Christ) to be killed. Hence the insistence of the son of Jews as a people, as a whole, in rejecting Jesus, son of Mary, as their promissed Messiah - "The eternal rejection."

If Jesus Died, Then He Was a False Prophet

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after OTHER GODS, WHICH THOU HAST NOT KNOWN, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him And THAT PROPHET, or that dreamer of dreams, SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH..." [Deuteronomy 13:1-5]

"And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (FOR HE THAT IS HANGED IS ACCURSED OF GOD;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." [Deuteronomy 21:22-23]

"But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have NOT COMMANDED HIM to speak, or that shall speak in the name of OTHER GODS, even THAT PROPHET SHALL DIE (be killed)." [Deuteronomy 18:20]

The Jews came round about Jesus and asked him "How long will you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, then tell us plainly". He answers them:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND. My Father, which gave them me, is GREATER THAN ALL; and NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND." [John 10:27-29]

Jesus tells them a parable that no man can pluck his followers out of his hand. God is the one who gave them to him and God is GREATER than all. No man can pluck them out of God's hand. Since Jesus was given this authority by God Almighty, he makes the remark:

"I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE." [John 10:30]

It's like saying "I am ALIVE and my Father <God> is also ALIVE, therefore I and my Father are one" (see the page titled "The doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Christ" for more detail). The Jews condemned Jesus for blasphemy and picked up stones to stone him:

"Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for BLASPHEMY; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." [John 10:31-33]

They claimed that he was equating himself with Gods because he said "I and my father are one". But Jesus explains:

"is it not written in your law, I SAID, YE ARE GODS? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?" [John 10:34-36]

In other words he telling them "look, man, people are called GODS in your book. I only say 'I am the son of God', why do you say that I have blasphemed?."

Jews were to indict him "by hook or by crook", regardless of what he said. They considered him a false "Messiah". Therefore If they could kill this man, then it would be a sure sign that he was an imposture.

Many prophets were sent to mankind to guide them to the truth. But the people always mocked them. Jesus bemoaned:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the PROPHETS, and stonest them that are sent unto thee" [Luke 13:33-34]

Holy Qur'an confirms:

"Ah, the anguish for the bondmen! Never came there unto them a messenger but they did mock him! Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, which indeed return not unto them" [Holy Qur'an 36:30-31]

But God was not going to let this one be killed in the hands of the Jews. So he planned and made them perceive that they killed him, but in reality they did not:

"...for of a surety they killed him not." [Holy Qur’an 4:157]

Allah says:

We took the Covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them Apostles. Every time there came to them an apostle with what they themselves desired not, some (of these) they called impostors and some they (go so far as to) slay. They thought there would be no trial (or punishment); so they became blind and deaf: yet Allah (in mercy) turned to them: yet again many of them became blind and deaf. But Allah sees well all that they do. They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O children of Israel! worship Allah my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy) verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them. Why turn they not to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful. Christ the son of Mary was no more than an Apostle; many were the Apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! [Holy Qur'an 5:70-75]

Allah explains to the Jews that many prophets were sent to them. But every time one of them came, they called him and imposters and others you went as far as killing them. Allah explains to the Christians that Jesus was no more than a prophet and many were sent before him. His mother was a saintly woman. They both ate food. What is being said is that if a person eats earthly food, how can he be a God? "See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they have deluded away from the truth!". (The divinity of Christ is discussed in detailed on the page titled "The doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ".

Imaginative Version

The hot-gospeller, and the Bible-thumper tells us that Jesus was destined to die for the sins of mankind. That he was being prepared for this vicarious sacrifice before the foundation of the world". That there was a contract between "Father and son," and that in the year 4000 A.A. (After Adam; according to Christian calculations, the world is 6000 years old), God himself in the form of Jesus, as the second person from the enigmatic Trinity, was to get himself hanged to redeem mankind from the Original Sin and their actual sins. (Does this make any sense???)

Jesus Unaware of Heavenly Contract

From the "call to arms" in the upper-room and the masterful deployment of forces at Gethsemane, and the blood-sweating prayer to the God of Mercy for help, it appears that Jesus knew nothing about the contract for his crucifixion.

An Un-willing Victim

If this was God's plan for a vicarious atonement to redeem mankind, then obviously He had chosen a wrong substitute. This candidate was most reluctant to die. Arming! Wailing! Sweating! Crying! Complaining! ("Why hast thou forsaken me?"). Contrast these responses with those of Lord Nelson, a war-hero, who gave up the ghost with these undying words: "THANK GOD, I HAVE DONE MY DUTY!". Jesus was an un-willing victim. If this was God's scheme of salvation, then it was a heartless plot. It was murder in the first degree, and not redeeming self-sacrifice.

Disciples Lost Enthusiasm

Strange as it may sound, after every outpouring of prayer, Jesus Christ found his disciples lulled to sleep at their post. Again and again he bewailed: "what could ye not watch with me for one hour?" [Matthew 26:40] "And again he (Jesus) went away, and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when he returned, he found tem sleep again..." [Mark 14:39-40] Poor Mark bemoans that the disciples could give no excuse for their lassitude, their somnambulism. He records: "neither knew they what to answer him" [Mark 14:40]

DISCRETION OR VALOUR?

Second Miscalculation

Jesus had doubly miscalculated:-

1. Regarding the enthusiasm demonstrated by the disciples in that upper-room. Believing that he would only have to contend with the Jews in a clandestine arrest.

2. The Jews were more wily than he had thought. They brought with them Roman soldiers.

The Christian scholars are no less wily in their translation and manipulation of the Bible. They have changed the words "Roman soldiers" to simply "soldiers" and from the word soldiers to now "band of men" and "the guard".

"Judas then, having received a BAND OF MEN and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh there with lanterns and torches and weapons." [John 18:3]

"Band of men": Here and in verse 12 following, the words in the so-called original manuscripts are SPEIRA and CHILIARCHOS respectively. Both Roman military terms, meaning "cohort" and "tribune".

Disciples Caught Napping

The disciples were caught as the Englishman would say with their "pants down". Literally they were caught napping. The enemy trod over them rough-shod. One of the soldiers of Jesus ask him:

"...they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite them with the sword?" [Luke 22:49]

But before Jesus could attempt a reply, the impetuous Peter struck out his sword and cut off the right ear of one of the enemy. Jesus had not anticipated Roman soldiers. Realising that the tables were turned against his misconceived strategy, he advises his disciples:

"...Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that TAKE THE SWORD shall PERISH WITH THE SWORD." [Matthew 26:52]

Change of Strategy

Did Jesus not know the truth of this statement when he ordered his disciples to sell their garments and buy SWORDS? He surely did! Then why the contradiction? There is really no contradiction. The situation now changes, so the strategy must also change. He didn't expect Roman soldiers to come and now it would be suicidal for his sleepy warriors to offer even a pretence of resistance. So he tells his disciples to put down their swords.

Prince of Peace???

Why do not the Christian controversialists give their "Lord and Master" credit for this simple common-sense? Because they have been programmed for a period of two thousand years that Jesus, the "lamb", the "prince of peace", couldn't hurt a fly. They overlook the other o his nature which demanded blood and fire! They forget his words when he said:

"But those mine enemies, who would not that I should REIGN over them, bring them hither, and SLAY them before me." [Luke 19:27]

"Think NOT that I am come to send PEACE on earth: I came NOT to send PEACE, but a SWORD." [Matthew 10:34]

"I am come to send FIRE on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? Suppose ye that I am come to give PEACE on earth? I tell you, NAY; but rather DIVISION." [Luke 12:49,51-53]

Failure, and Trial

Whilst Jesus was being manhandled and buffeted towards his doom, where were his heroes who were beating their breasts with the war-cry: "Master, we are prepared to die for you, Master we are prepared to go to prison for you!" St Mark, the first of the Gospel writers, un-ashamedly and without any apology reveals:

"AND THEY ALL FORSOOK HIM, AND FLED." [Mark 14:50]

TRIALS OF JESUS

Predetermined Judgement

Caliphas the High Priest, was a man who would have rescued himself in any civilised Court-of-Law, because of his prejudice against the defendant. He had already condemned Jesus to death without any hearing. He had recommended to his Council, even before the case that:-

"it is expedient for us that one man die for the people, and the whole nation perish not." [John 11:50]

Jesus had to be liquidated! There was no question of right or wrong; justice or injustice; it was "EXPEDIENT"! The trial was a farce. By hook or by crook they would have Jesus convicted and done away with. In the middle of the night, what we might call at 2 o'clock in the morning, the Jews had mustered up false witnesses to testify against Jesus. A trial past midnight was against Jewish practice; but who cares? Despite sympathetic and encouraging prosecutors and jurors, the false witnesses could not tally in their evidences.

It was too much for Jesus. He could not hold his peace. He had to remonstrate. He made a telling plea in his own defence, saying:

"...I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and IN SECRET HAVE I SAID NOTHING." [John 18:20]

In essence, he said that he expounded no secret or esoteric doctrines. He did not teach anything in private which he would not be prepared to proclaim in public. In which case, the Jews would have been able to line up an army of witnesses to testify against him. But what a farce! The Jews could not get even two to agree in their allegations! "But neither did their witness agree together." [Mark 14:59]. His argument was so potent that an officer standing by was provoked to strike him in silence:

"And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?" [John 18:22]

Did that intimidate Jesus? No! Instead:

"Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" [John 18:23]

The victim was slipping out from between their fingers. It was now or never. The High Priest interjects with a side thrust. Tell us then:

"...Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am..." [Mark 14:61]

"Son of God" - No Blasphemy

There was nothing blasphemous or treasonable in the simple avowel of Jesus (pbuh). "Christ" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Messiah", which meant the ANOINTED ONE. Nowhere was the word Christ equated with God. "Messiah" was a common word used in the Old Testament. The Jewish expectation of a Messiah, did not identify the Messiah with God. "Son of God" is also another harmless expression in Jewish theology. God seems to have sons by the tons in the Jewish Bible. But if you are looking for trouble, you don't have to go far. You will find it round the corner. The High Priest was exultant. He felt that his rapier had ripped open the defence of Jesus. To dramatise his contrived victory, he began renting his clothes:

"Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." [Mark 14:63-64]

Guilty or Not Guilty - "Jesus Must Die!"

The Jews falsely charged that Jesus had blasphemed, which is like treason in the spiritual realm. The Christians are "ONE" with the Jews regarding this "blasphemy" of Jesus, but contend that he was not guilty, because as god, he was entitled to "blaspheme" - it was no blasphemy. Between the two (Jews and Christians) they want poor Jesus to die. One for "GOOD RIDDANCE" and the other for "GOOD REDEMPTION".

The verdict was quick and unanimous. It was cut and dry. But without the Roman consent, they could not hang him. In the morning they took the victim to Pontius Pilate, because, as they said "...It is not lawful for us (Jews) to put any man to death: [John 18:31]

Pilate "Passes the Buck"

On discovering that Jesus was a Galilean, the most troublesome of his subjects, Pilate "passes the buck" to Herod (Luke 23:7). After a fruitless attempt to elicit co-operation from Jesus, Herod sends him back to Pilate. The Jews had condemned Jesus for blasphemy, A man claiming to be God. This would not hold water before Pilate. He had his man-gods beyond counting (Jupiter, Pluto, Mars etc). One more or one less would make no difference to him. The Jews knew this. So they changed their charge from blasphemy to treason:

"And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ A KING." [Luke 23:2]

Second False Charge

The charge was absolutely false. Contrary to what they are alleging, he had said, on the subject of taxation: "...Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." [Matthew 22:21]. Like the Christians (who equate the word "christ" to "A GOD!"), the Jews too, before them had invented a new meaning for the word "Christ", viz. "A KING". So that he could be more easily presented as a challenge to their Roman overlords. Pilate got the message. But this poor man, meek and passive, seemed to be no threat. He did not look like a Zealot, a political agitator, a subversive person, a terrorist!

A Masterful Defence - and a Just Verdict

Incredulously he asks Jesus:

"...Art thou the King of the Jews?..." [John 18:33]

"...Jesus answered, MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." [John 18:36]

A masterful defence! No Q.C. (Queen's Counsellor) could have done a better Job. His was a spiritual kingdom, a ruler to rescue his nation from sin and formalism. This was all nonsense to the Roman Governor. The man may be deluded, mad; but of no danger to the State. He was on no collision course with Rome. Pilate goes to the waiting Jews and delivers an unequivocal verdict -

"...I FIND IN HIM NO FAULT AT ALL." [John 18:38]

Speaking with Closed Mouth?

The hot-gospellers are getting hoarse in the throat, singing and shouting: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." [Isaiah 53:7].

Did Jesus speak with his mouth closed? How did the following utterances which are attributed to Jesus, escape his lips without him opening his mouth -

a. Before Pontius Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world" [John 18:36]

b. Before the Sanhedrin (High Priest): "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest thou me?" [John 18:23]

c. Before God in the Garden: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away..." [Matthew 26:39]

Again and again, whenever the need arose, during his trials and tribulations, Jesus opened his nouth with telling effect, "according to the Scripture". But for those who refuse to hear, we can only seek solace in the words of the Master:

"... they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand." [Matthew 13:13]

The Blackmail

In the case under discussion, Pilate finds Jesus - NOT GUILTY! Pilate was about to release him but his implacable enemies, blackmail Pilate, saying:

"...If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar." [John 19:12]

While the trial was under way, Pilate's wife sends him a message: "Have thou nothing to do with JUST MAN (Jesus); for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." [Matthew 27:19]. Pilate's wife was shown a dream in which she was told - "No harm should come to this just man".

As reluctant as Pilate was to condemn an innocent and harmless subject, and despite the pleadings of his dear wife based on supernatural visions, he could not prevail against Jewish pressure. He was forced to give in to the Jewish clamour of "Crucify him, crucify him!". "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this JUST PERSON: see ye to it."[Matthew 27:24] - you are culpable for this unjust crime. And he handed Jesus over to be crucified.

METHODS OF CRUCIFIXION

Origin of Crucifixion

Crucifixion was the common mode of eliminating political prisoners, murderers and insurgents. Long before the birth of Jesus, the Phoenecians had experimented with various methods to get rid of their anti-social characters. They had tried hanging, impaling, stoning, drowning, etc. But all these were too quick in their effects; the culprits expired too soon for their liking. So they invented the crucifixion, a system which produced a slow L-I-N-G-E-R-I-N-G death.

Two Methods of Crucifixion

The Romans had developed a crucifixion for FAST death and disposal, and another for a SLOW death and disposal.

The Christian Masters like Leornardo Da Vinci etc. are confused in their paintings of the gruesome scene. They portray the two robbers^* who were simultaneously crucified with Jesus, his "crossmates", one on his right hand and the other on his left hand, as undergoing the FAST method, whereas Jesus himself is painted as undergoing a S-L-O-W process.

The Romans never combined these two different methods. They were never confused, as the Christian artist were, with the fast and slow methods.

* Mark 15:27 - "lestes" in the original. Alternatively translated as "theives" or "brigands" is actually a derogatory term for "zealot." These "crossmates" of Jesus were not common thieves or crooks. They were the terrorists of their day. Heroes of their nation.

"The Gospel Untruth"

Contrary to common belief, Jesus was not nailed to the cross, but bound, if at all, like the other two. In the light of the knowledge available, we must regard the "Doubting Thomas" episode as a flagrant "gospel fabrication" (Thomas wanted to see the print of the nails in the hands of Jesus), similar to the story of the woman caught in the act of adultry (John 8:1-11). In the "Revised Standard Version", first published in 1952, John chapter 8 begins with verse 12. Can you imagine any chapter in any religious Book begining with verse 12 as the first verse? Verses 1 to 11 are expunged as a fabrication by the 32 Christian Scholars of the highest eminence, backed by 50 co-operating denominations in their "Most up-to-date version of the Bible". The revisers have re-revised the R.S.V. and have re-inserted the spicy verses once more into the their 1971 Version.

Their Hurry - a Blessing in Disguise

The Jews were in extreme haste to have Jesus done away with. Remember the midnight trial? Early in the morning, they dragged him to Pilate. From Pilate to Herod. From Herod back to Pilate. According to a boisterous American (another "born-again") there were "SIX" trials within twelve hours. According to the Gospel writers, the Jews and the Romans managed to have Jesus on the cross by the 6th hour, that is by 12 noon; and by the 9th hour (Matthew 27:46), that is, by 3 o'clock he had given up the ghost - he had died (?). Strange people, these Jews! As much as they were in a hurry to mount Jesus on the cross, no sooner had they succeeded, they were once more agitated to bring him down. Can you imagine why? Their religious scruples - the Sabbath! They were warned in the "fifth Book of Moses":

"His body (any crucified body) shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day, (for he that is hanged is accursed of God), that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." [Deuteronomy 21:23]

GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS

Was the prayer of Jesus (pbuh) being answered? He had cried to the loving father in heaven for help, with strong crying and tears:

"And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground." [Luke 22:44]

What can be expected from such heart-felt prayer and importuning? One of the four brothers of Jesus reminds us that:

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" [James 5:16]

God Accepted Jesus' Prayers

Paul confirms that his supplications were heard:

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to SAVE HIM FROM DEATH, and was HEARD IN THAT HE FEARED" [Hebrews 5:7]

Angel assures him that God had heard (accepted) his prayers:

"And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven STRENGTHENING HIM" [Luke 22:43]

Strengthening him in faith, in the hope that God will save him. This is actually what he was beseeching God to do for him. When and how rests alone in the Hands of God. His ways are not our ways. Count the blessings so far:

(a) An assurance from Heaven.
(b) Pilate finds him, not guilty!
(c) His wife shown a dream in which she is told that no harm should come to Jesus.
(d) Legs not broken!
(e) In a hurry to bring him down from the cross.

What Use - "The Bones"...

The fourth above: "and they brake not his legs", we are told was in fulfilment of a prophecy: "He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken" [Psalms 34:20].

"Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs" [John 19:32-33]

If bones of victim were to be protected from harm, then they could only be of benefit if the person was ALIVE! For a person, already dead, intact bones mean nothing. But for living person on the cross (like the "crossmates" of Jesus), the breaking of the legs made all the difference between life and death. The pagan Romans were not hell-bound to fulfil any prophecy. Their reason was that they "SAW that he was dead already, they brake not his legs." [John 19:33] "SAW" is a very simple word. Could it be a fulfilment of the words of Jesus Christ "seeing ye shall see and perceive not" [Matthew 13:14]. When John says that the soldiers "saw", he means that they surmised. For no modern-day stethoscope was used to verify death; nor did anyone touch his body or feel his pulse before concluding that "he was dead already". I see in the word "saw" another step in God's plan of rescue.

RESURECTION, DAILY!

There have been numerous reports in the past when people have been "declared clinically dead" but they "come to life again". They were not really dead, their heart and breathing had just stopped for a while and so were pronounced as "dead". Here are a few headlines from various News Papers - What would you say?

Resurrected or Resuscitated?

1. LITTLE GIRL WHO "DIED" TELLS HOW SHE CAME BACK TO LIFE (After 4 Days) - ("Daily News" 15/11/55)
2. MAN DIED FOR TWO HOURS: STILL LIVES - "Miracle" amazes doctors - ("Sunday Tribune" 27/3/60)
3. HE DIED FOR 4 MINUTES - Man's heart stops but he lives on - ("Sunday Express" 23/7/61)
4. HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT HE DIED FOR 90 SECONDS - ("Cape Argus" 16/3/61)
5. DR. HITGE RETURNED FROM THE DEAD - ("Cape Argus" 4/5/61)
6. THE COFFIN MOVED - Young man narrowly escaped being buried alive - ("Sunday Tribune" 13/5/62)
7. BACK FROM THE DEAD - After being thought dead for 2 days - ("Post" 25/7/65)
8. "CORPSE" WINKS AT THE UNDERTAKER - Doctors wrote out a death certificate - ("Daily News" 25/3/75)
9. "CLINICALLY DEAD" - Toddler alive after hour-long revival battle - ("Natal Mercury" 5/12/82)
10. WAS HE DEAD OR ALIVE? - The dilemma facing transplant Doctors - ("Sunday Tribune" 17/7/83)
11. SHAKEN AND STIRRED - Declared clinically dead "from too much Christmas liquor" - ("Daily News" 3/1/84)

SYMPATHY FOR JESUS

God works in a mysterious way. He inspires the soldier to think that the victim is "dead already" so as not to break his legs, but at the same time inspires another to lance him on the side with a spear:

"But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and FORTHWITH came there out blood and water." [John 19:34]

It is a Blessing of God that when the human body cannot endure further pain or agony, unconciousness supervenes. But immobility, fatigue and the un-natural stance on the cross must have slowed down the blood-circulation. The thrust of the spear came to the rescue. By "blood-letting", the circulation could regain its rhythm. We are assured in the Encyclopaedia Biblica, under article "cross", column 960, that "Jesus was alive when the spear was thrust". This also confirms the statement of John that the flow of "water and blood" was instantaneous. In his own words he says: "FORTHWITH" - straight-away, immediately, which was a sure sign that Jesus was ALIVE!

Evangelists Differ

The Gospel-writers are not unanimous regarding the time when Jesus was hoisted onto the cross. But John tells us that Jesus (pbuh) was still before Pilate in the praetorium at 12 noon: "...and about the sixth hour (Hebrew time), he saith unto the Jews, Behold, you King!" - [John 19:14]. And after much wrangling he was handed over for crucifixion. Imagine the disorderly mob, the heavy cross which Jesus himself is supposed to have been loaded with. The long climb to Golgotha could never have been accomplished in minutes. And the saddling, the trying and the lifting must have taken some time. On TV shots, they can do it in 30 seconds! But we know that in real life it does not happen that fast. The author of John's Gospel failed to record the time when "Jesus gave up the ghost" [John 19:30], but the synoptists seem to agree that it was around the "ninth hour", meaning 3 p.m.

Dean Farrar, in his "Life of Christ", says on page 421, that "JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS FOR ONLY THREE HOURS - WHEN TAKEN DOWN".

Pontius Pilate marvels

Joseph of Arimathe'a together with a sympathetic Roman centurion who had declared: "Truly this man was the Son of God" [Mark 15:39], went to Pilate to claim the body of Jesus, and:

"Pilate marvelled if he were already dead, and calling to him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead." [Mark 15:44]

What was the reason for Pilate's amazement? Why did he marvel? He knew from experience that normally no man would die within 3 hours on the cross, unless the "crucifragium" was resorted to, which was not done in the case of Jesus; unlike in that of his "crossmates", who were given the treatment because they were still ALIVE! If you expect a man to die, and he dies, there is nothing to marvel about. But if the man lives, then there is something to marvel about. Conversely, Pilate expects that Jesus should be ALIVE on the cross, and not dead as he is being told, therefore his marvelling is only but natural.

So he had "Secret" Disciples

The so-called disciples of Jesus, whom he called "my mother and brethren!"(Matthew 12:49) (in preference to his own mother and his uterinal brothers and sisters), were nowhere in sight when he was most in need. His "secret" disciples, Joseph of Arimathe'a and Nicodemus, would never have been heard of had it not been for Jesus' ordeal. And they were the only persons to handle the body of Jesus, with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary(s) (Mark 15:47) as the only spectators.

To satisfy the religious scruples of the Jews - the burial bath, the anointing and the shrouding - would well-nigh have taken more than two hours. If there were any signs of life in the limp body, no one was foolish enough to shout to the retreating curiosity mongers: "He is ALIVE! He is ALIVE!" They knew that the Jews would then make doubly sure that that life was snuffed out.

WHY THE INVERTED COMMAS ". . ."

Jews Suspicious and Uneasy

We must not suppose that Jesus was buried 6 feet underground. The sepulchre was a big, airy chamber and not a grave. The Jews were suspicious. It was all very "fishy"

(a) The tomb within easy reach.
(b) Helping hands of his "secret" disciples.
(c) His "crossmates" still alive.
(d) His legs not broken, whereas those of his "crossmates" were!
(e) Quick and easy permission granted by Pilate to obtain the body of Jesus.

For these and many more reasons, the Jews were suspicious. They felt that they had been cheated. Jesus was ALIVE!(?) So they ran to Pilate. But they had missed the bus again! They were 24 hours too late!

Jewish Errors

"Now the NEXT day ... the chief and priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said ...
Command, therefore, that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest ... the LAST error shall be worse than the FIRST (error)." [Matthew 27:62-64]

They do not realise that they have made the second error as well - by going to Pilate the next day. The FIRST error was that they had permitted Jesus to be brought down from the cross without breaking his legs, under false assumption that he had died. The LAST would be to allow the "secret" disciples of Jesus to render help to the wounded man, by NOT sealing off the tomb. So Pilate says to them:

"... ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can." [Matthew 27:65]

From the word "watch" in the King James Version of the Bible, and "guard" of the Roman Catholic Version; the 32 Christian scholars of the R.S.V. have now interpolated the words, "of soldiers" after the word "GUARD", reading "guard of soldiers". There is no end to Christian theological ingenuity!

Cultists' Mania

What the Jews did or did not do after Pilate's curt rely is immaterial. They had already lost a day! But the Christian cultists clutching at straws, transform the Jewish temple "guard" to soldiers, and make these "soldiers" into "Roman" soldiers. Then fill pages expounding the efficiency of the Roman military machine; that is can never be caught napping or caught off-guard! And the dire consequesnces in store for any that slipped. Did all this make the Roman soldier impeccable, faultless (?). By the time the unwary and weary reader wades through the profuse irrelevent details, he is ready to swallow everything hook line and sinker uncritically. It is a deception they have developed as an art!

What was the FIRST "error" that the Jews made in wanting to eliminate Jesus? The first was that they had permitted Jesus to be brought down from the cross without breaking his legs, under false assumtion that he had died. The LAST would be to allow the "secret" disciples of Jesus to render help to the wonded man, by NOT ealing off the tomb. But in the meantime, they made another mistake by approaching Pilate the "NEXT" day which was TOO LATE! God works in a mysterious way. His Ways are not our ways. He says:

"And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah!" [Holy Qur'an 3:54]

Sunday Morning

It was Sunday morning, the FIRST day of the week, according to Hebrew calculations, with Saturday the Sabbath as the seventh, when Mary Magdalene alone (Mark 16:9 and John 20:1) visited the tomb of Jesus. The quesion arises: "Why did she go there?" "To ANOINT HIM.", Mark 16:1 tells us. The Hebrew word for anoint is "masaha", which means to rub, to massage, to anoint. The second question is: "Do Jews massage dead bodies after 3 days?? The answer is "No!" "Do Christians massage dead bodies after 3 days?" The answer again is "No!" Do the Muslims (who are the nearest to the Jews in their ceremonial laws) massage dead bodies after 3 days? We know that within 3 hours rigor mortis sets in - the stiffeneing of the body after death. In 3 days time, the body cells would be breaking up and decomposing. If anyone rubs such a decaying body, it will fall to pieces. Does the rubbing make sense? No!

It would, however, make sense if she was looking for a LIVE person. She was about the only person besides Joseph of Arimathe'a and Nicodemus who had given he final rites to the body of Jesus. If she had seen any sign of life in the limp body of Jesus when he was taken down from the cross, she was not going to shout, "HE IS ALIVE!" because then the Jews would have made sure that this time he was dead for good.

Stone Removed - Winding Sheets Unwound

But when she came to the tomb, she found that the stone was removed and the winding sheets (shroud) were folded up inside. Why was the stone removed? If Jesus had been resurrected then he would have been a spirit. A spirit can pass through walls, so what need was for the stone to be removed? Also a spirit can penetrate out of the winding sheets without having to unfold them. The removal of the stone and the unwinding of the winding sheets was the need of a physically resuscitated body, not that of a resurrected body!

Seeing that Jesus was nowhere to be seen, Mary breaks down and sobs (Jesus had to cast out her "seven devils" - Mark 16:9). Jesus was all the while watching her from the vicinity - not from heaven, but from earth.

A Practical Joke

Jesus is there! He is watching this woman. He knows who she is, and he knows why she is there. He approaches her from behind and find her crying. So he ask her "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" - [John 20:15]. Before she replies, allow me to interject: "Why does he ask what appears to be silly questions? Doesn't he know the obvious reason? Of course he does! Then why the silly questions?

The answer is that in reality they are not silly questions, though they appear to be so. He knows that she will not recognise him because of the heavy disguise so metaphorically speaking he is "pulling her leg". In describing this incident John, refering to Mary Magdalene, says: "She, SUPPOSING HIM TO BE THE GARDENER, saith unto him..." [John 20:15] Now why did she suppose him to be a gardener? Do resurrected bodies look like "gardeners"? No!! Then why does she suppose him to be a gardener? Because he is disguised as a GARDENER! Why is he disguised as a gardener? Because he was afraid of the Jews! Why is he afraid of the Jews? Because he did not die and did not conquered death! If he had died, and if he had conquered death, then he would not be afraid anymore. Why not? Because a resurrected body cannot die twice. Who says so? The Bible says so. Where? In the book of Hebrews 9:27. It says:

"And as it is ordained unto all men ONCE TO DIE, and after that the judgement:" [Hebrews 9:27]

and also:

"NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANY MORE: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, BEING THE CHILDREN OF THE RESURECTION." [Luke 20:36]

Back From the Dead

But what about the hundreds of people who have come back from the "dead"? We read about them daily in our newspapers. Those persons who were certified dead, by medical men, and who subsequently came back to life, were not really DEAD, in the sense of DEATH AND RESURECTION. They were not resurrected from the dead but RESUSCITATED. But I want you to note under the above heading "Resurected or resuscitated?", the word "dead" and "corpse" are in inverted commas. The and alert newspaper reporter in each case is telling us, very subtly, that the "DEAD" was not relly dead. That the "CORPSE" was not really a corpse,. They were so-called dead, the so-called corpse etc. But from the newspaper circulation point of view, the word "SO-CALLED" would greatly diminish the sensationalism, lesson the news value, and reduce possible sales. After all business is business! Hence the inverted commas "..." In actual facts no man ever dies twice. No matter how many death certificates are issued.

We will all die once and will be resurrected simultaneously on the Day Of Judgment. It is these resurrected bodies which will not die again. They will live forever. If Jesus is claimed to have been resurrected, then why was he afraid of the Jews when he knows that he cannot die again? The answer is that he was not resurrected. He did NOT DIE and rose from the dead. Jesus was ALIVE when he ascended into heaven. When he will come back on his second coming, we Muslims believe that he will live a normal life, he will get married, have children and then die in the normal way. He will follow the religion of Islam, which he himself preached and followed before.

When Mary (peace be upon her) came in front the people carrying a baby in her arms, they were shocked. They accused her of an evil crime. But she did not say a word and pointed to the baby. They said how can we talk to a child in the cradle? And Jesus (pbuh) began to speak:

He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable; "So Peace is on me the day I was born the day that I die and the Day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth about which they (vainly) dispute. [Holy Qur'an, Mary(19):30-34]

Prayer (Salaat) and Charity (Zakaat) are two of the qualities of a good Muslim. Jesus prayed in the same way as the Muslim prays five times a day:

Matthew 26:39 "And he went a little further, and FELL ON HIS FACE (meaning he bowed down and touched his forehead to the ground, exactly as the Muslim does in Salaat), and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT'." (This is the quality of a good Muslim who submits his will to the will of God).

The Drama Continues

Mary supposing the disguised Jesus to be a gardener, says unto him:

"Sir, if you had taken HIM hence, tell me where have you laid HIM..." [John 20:15]

She is not looking for a corpse, for "it". She is looking for a LIVE person, for "HIM". And further, she wants to know as to "where have you 'LAID' him? (i.e. to rest, to relax, to recuperate!) NOT, "where have you BURIED him?"

"So that I might take HIM away." [John 20:15]

Take HIM away, where? What would she want with a dead (?) decomposing body? She could only bury it. Who dug the grave? Carrying a corpse is one thing for an American Super-woman, but another for this frail Jewess; Carrying would be one thing, but burying? She would have to dump it in a hole! Does it make any sense?

Joke Gone Too Far

The prank that Jesus was playing upon this woman had gone too far. The woman had not been able to see through the disguise yet and Jesus was "laughing under his breath", but could restrain himself no longer. He blurts out: "M-A-R-Y!" Only the one word! But it was enough. This one word, "Mary!" did what all the exchange of words failed to do. It enabled Mary to recognise her Master. Everyone has a unique way of calling one's nearest and dearest. It made her respond: "Master! Master!". Mad with happiness, she lunges forward to grab her Master, to pay reverence. Jesus says,

"Touch me not;..." [John 20:17]

Sobering Questions

Why not? He is a bundle of electricity, a dynamo, that if she touches him, she might get electrocuted? No! "Touch me not!", because it would hurt. Though he appears normal to all intents and purposes, he had, nevertheless, been through a violent, physical and emotional ordeal. It would be painful if he allowed her any enthusiastic contact. Jesus continues:

"...for I am not yet ASCENDED to my Father." [John 20:17]

She is not blind. She can see the man standing there before her. What does he mean by "not yet ascended" - GONE UP - when he was DOWN right there? He is, in fact, telling her that he is not RESURECTED from the DEAD. In the language of the Jew, in the idiom of the Jew, he is saying: "I AM NOT DEAD YET!" - He is saying: "I AM ALIVE!"

"And they (the disciples), when they had heard that he was ALIVE, and had been seen of her (Mary Magdalene), they BELIEVED NOT."[Mark 16:11]

DISCIPLES DISBELIEVED

Journey to Emmaus

That very day, on the way to Emmaus, Jesus joins two of his disciples and discourses with them for 5 miles without being recognised by them! What a perfect masquerade! On reaching their destination, the disciples persuade the Master to join them for a meal.

"And it came to pass, as he sat EATING with them, he took bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them." [Luke 24:30]

By the manner in which he brake the bread (meaning the way he blessed it), "their eyes were opened". Did they walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus with closed eyes? No! We are being told that the disciples recognised him only at that juncture.

Full of excitement, the two disciples rushed up to that upper room, where the other disciples were:-

"And they went and told it unto the residue (of the disciples), NEITHER BELEIVED they them." [Mark 16:13]

What is wrong with these disciples of Jesus? Why are they reluctant to believe? What is their difficulty? The problem is that they are confronted with evidence that Jesus is ALIVE! Not resurrected (i.e. not spiritualised), but evidence that he is the same physical Jesus, flesh and bones as any one of them! - Eating food! In disguise - but not a spirit and not a ghost. This is what they could not believe. If they were told that Mary had seen the ghost of Jesus, they would have believed. If the above two had told the rest that they too has seen the ghost of Jesus, they would have certainly believed that. They were a people who had seen spirits going into pigs and stampeding two thousand of them to destruction - [Mark 5:13]. They had seen spirits going into trees and drying them up from their very roots overnight - [Mark 11:20]. They had seen "seven devils" coming out of Mary Magdalene - [Mark 16:9]. All this was quite natural to their age. Spirits, ghosts and devils! They could accept that which was believable at that time and age. But a LIVE Jesus? A physical Jesus? One who had escaped the stings of death - [Acts 2:24]? No, no way. This was too heavy for their "little faith" - [Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8 and Luke 12:28].

(1) Mary Magdalene testifies that Jesus is ALIVE!
(2) The disciples from Emmaus testify that he is ALIVE!
(3) Angels said that Jesus was ALIVE! [Luke 24:23]
(4) Two men that stood by told the women "why seek ye the LIVING among the dead?" [Luke 24:4-5]. That he is ALIVE!

Yet they will not believe! Let us see whether they will believe the words of their own "Lord and Master", in the following Chapter.

JESUS NOT RESURECTED

While the two are telling their sceptical audience about their encounter with a physical, living Jesus (one who was eating food with them), Jesus comes into the upper room and says to them:

"Peace be unto you" [Luke 24:36]

But his little lambs "were terrified!":

"But they were terrified and affrighted, and SUPPOSED THAT THEY HAD SEEN A SPIRIT" [Luke 24:37]

Reason For Fear

The reason for their terror was that they thought that the man they saw was standing in their midst was not Jesus himself but his ghost. The had heard that he was hanged on the cross. They has heard that he had "given up the ghost": that he had died. They has heard that now he was dead and buried for three days. So naturally, when you see such a man, you are terrified because you expect the man to be decomposing in his tomb. FOR ALL THEIR KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM HEARSAY! - What they had heard! Because none of them was there to witness what was really going on with Jesus at Golgotha. In the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus:

"...THEY ALL FORSOOK HIM AND FLED" [Mark 14:50]

The Genuine Disciples

Mark is talking about the chosen "twelve". Not about Jesus' "secret" devoted ones like the other John who took Mary the mother of Jesus home, and Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathe'a and the like. In view of the dastardly desertion by the other "twelve", I am loath to call these "men" disciples. Or is Mark lying? When he said all, did he not mean "All"? There was no come-back with these heroes. The author of the fourth Gospel lists a number of women from Jesus' entourage. Among them three Marys, "and the disciple whom Jesus loved". He repeats this phrase a number of times without actually identifying him as JOHN their benefactor in Jerusalem. Why? If that John is the author himself of the fourth gospel, then why does he not say so. Why is he so shy? He was not very bashful when asking Jesus to make him and his brother sit: "One on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand in thy kingdom"-[Mark 10:37]. The reason for his reticence is that the "beloved disciple" is his namesake, i.e. his name is also John! The rest of the disciples were nowhere to be found when he (Jesus) was most in need. They all, as Mark says, "forsook him and fled" - [Mark 14:50].

A Physical, Live Jesus

After the due greetings of "shalom", Jesus begins calming the disciples' fear for taking him to be a ghost. He says:

"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?" [Luke 24:38]

"Behold my HANDS and my FEET, that it is I MYSELF: HANDLE ME, and see; for A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES, as YE see ME have. And when he had thus spoken, he SHOWED THEM his hands and his feet." [Luke 24:39]

In the language of the Jews he is saying "Look, man, ITS ME. Can't you see? Touch my hands and my feet. A spirit DOES NOT have flesh and bones as you see me have."

What was the man trying to prove? That he had been resurrected from the dead? - That he was a spirit? - What has the demonstration of hands and feet to do with resurrection? "It is I MYSELF!" Can't you see, you fools!? "For a SPIRIT..." - any spirit, has "NO flesh and bones, as YOU see ME have!". This is axiomatic, self-evident truth. You do not have to convince anybody, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew, Atheist or Agnostic. Everyone will acknowledge without any proof that A SPIRIT HAS NO FLESH AND BONES! The above verses are so vivid that you do not need a D.D. to explain them to you.

Vivid Explanation . . . I Am Alive!

If I tell you in English that "Because I have flesh and bones - I am not a SPIRIT, I am not a GHOST, I am not a SPOOK!" - is that what it really means in your language? You say, "Yes!"(This reasoning equally applied to every language under the sun.) In other words, Jesus was telling his disciples, when he said: "Behold my HANDS and my FEET", that the body he wanted them to see, feel and touch was not a SPIRITUAL body, nor a METAMORPHOSED body (to change in form), not a RESURRECTED body. Because a resurrected "body" becomes spiritualised!

Who Says So?

The argumentative Crusader asks: "Who says that resurrected persons will be spiritualised?" I say, "Jesus!" He asks: "Where?" I say: "In the Gospel of Luke; go back four chapters from where Jesus said "A spirit has no flesh and bones", that is to Luke 20:27-36, and you will see...":

The Jews came to Jesus concerning a Jewess who had seven husbands, according to a Jewish practice - if one man dies leaving no offspring behind, then the 2nd brother of the deceased husband takes her to wife, to give her the seed. But when he fails and dies, the 3rd takes her on; and so on and so on. In the case before Jesus, seven brothers had this woman, one after another. All the seven brothers died, and in time, the woman also died. There was no problem while each was trying to fulfil his duty - it was ONE by ONE! But the question of the Jews was that, at the RESURECTION, which one was going to have this woman, because the all "HAD" her here! The picture the Jews are trying to conjure up in Jesus' mind is that if the seven brothers are resurected simultaneously at the RESURECTION, and the woman also, then there will be a war in heaven among the seven brothers, all claiming the woman as his wife, because they all "had her here". In short, which fellow will have theis woman as his wife in heaven?

In answer to that, Jesus says "NEITHER SHALL THEY DIE ANYMORE" [Luke 20:36] - meaning that the resurrected bodies will be immortalised: Needing no food, no shelter, no clothing, no sex, no rest (of the type we know). "FOR THEY ARE EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS; and are the children of God, being the children of the RESURRECTION" meaning that they will be ANGELISED, they will be SPIRITUALISED, they will become SPIRITUAL CREATURES, they will be SPIRITS!, such are the children of the RESURECTION.

St. Paul confirms what Jesus had already said. He was the first man to begin writing the New Testament. So he could not have got this information from the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as they were not written yet. He poses a question:

"But someone may rationally ask, How do the dead rise again? and with what body do they come?" [1 Corinthians 15:35]

And he answers it in verse 43 and 44:

"It is sown <buried> in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown <buried> in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown<buried> a PHYSICAL BODY; it is RAISED A SPIRITUAL BODY. There is a physical body, and there is a spiritual body." [1 Corinthians 15:43,44]

So if Jesus Christ had a PHYSICAL BODY then he could never have resurrected from the dead. Why did he have a physical body then, you may ask. The only answer is that he DID NOT DIE at all, he was ALIVE!

"And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet." [Luke 24:40]

The Disciples Fear Subsides

The disciples were "overjoyed and wonder", what could have happened? (Luke 24:41). They thought that he was dead and gone, but here with them stands their Master, with flesh and bones - with 100% characteristics of a man ALIVE!

To assure them further, to calm their shaky nerves, he asks:

"HAVE YE HERE ANY MEAT? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. and he took it, and DID EAT BEFORE THEM."[Luke 24:41]

To prove what? That he was RESURRECTED? Why does he not then say so instead of proving everything to the contrary? Presenting his physical body for examination, eating and masticating "broiled fish and honeycomb". Is all this an act, a pretence, a make-believe? "No!" Said Schleliermacher a hundred-and-eighty years agao. Albert Schweizer in his book "In Quest of the Historical Jesus", page 64, quotes him:-

"IF CHRIST HAD ONLY EATEN TO SHOW THAT HE COULD EAT, WHILE HE REALLY HAD NO NEED OF NOURISHMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRETENCE - SOMETHING DOCEITIC."

Jesus (pbuh) said:

"The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord." [Matthew 10:24].

Also:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord (Hebrew word Rabbi, meaning master or teacher); neither HE THAT IS SENT (i.e. Jesus) greater than HE THAT SENT HIM (i.e. God). [John 13:16]

Meaning that the disciples words can never be heavier than the master's. Therefore if Jesus Christ himself proved that he was not resurrected, then no matter what the disciples had said, their words cannot weigh more than the words of Jesus.

Easy Salvation

What is wrong with our Christian brethren? Jesus says that a spirit has no flesh and bones, they say that it has! Please ask your friends among them; who is lying? Jesus ot you, the billion so-called followers of his? This is the result of two thousand years of brain-washing ot "programming" as the American would say. Salvation is cheap in Christianity! The Christian does not have to fast, and pray, and stait-jacket his life as the Muslim is obligated to do. He merely has to BELIEVE and salvation is his. For us, all your efforts, all your good deeds are "like filthy rags"(Isiah 64:6), he says. You better re-programme him, or he will programme you. HE will never be satisfied with us, never mind how far backward we bend to appease him. Allah says:

"And they - the Jews and the Christians - will never be satisfied with you until you follow their religion." [Holy Qur'an 2:120]

It's either you change them or they change you! If you want peace - Peace - Salaam - Islam!

THE ONLY MIRACLE PROMISED

The Jews had murmured in the wilderness against Moses (pbuh). They had given him endless trouble, and now his successor, the Messiah is given no lesser parrying. In their bouts of harassing questionings, they come to him, now, sounding most respectable and polite:

"Master, (Hebrew -Rabbi, meaning Teacher) we would have a sign of thee." [Matthew 12:38]

All his teachings and preaching, and healing were not enough to convince the Jews that he was a man sent by God; that he was their Messiah. Now they are asking for a "SIGN" - a Miracle - such as flying in the air like a bird, or walking on water; anything they considered IMPOSSIBLE.

No "Sign" But One!

So Jesus reacts:

"...An evil and adulteress generation seeketh after a sign (miracle), and there shall NO SIGN (miracle ) be given to it, BUT the sign (miracle) of the prophet Jonah."...[Matthew 12:39]

What was the "sign" or the miracle that Jonah performed that Jesus now proposes to emulate? To find that out we have to go to the book of Jonah.

Dead Or Alive?

Jonah was thrown into the sea:

[Jonah 1:12] "Take me up, and cast me into the sea; so shall the sea be calm for you; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you."

1. When you throw a man into a raging sea, he ought to die. If he died, no miracle. Because Jonah did not die, therefore, it is a MIRACLE!

2. A fish comes and gobbles the man; he ought to die. If he died, no miracle. He did not die, therefore, it is a MIRACLE!

3. Because of heat and suffocation in the Whale's belly for three days and three nights, he ought to die. If he died, no miracle. He did not die, therefore it is a MIRACLE!

Jesus Like Jonah

What did Jesus say?

"FOR AS JONAH WAS three days and three nights IN THE BELLY OF THE WHALE, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE three days and three nights IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH" [Matthew 12:40]

How was Jonah in the whale's belly for three days and three nights - DEAD or ALIVE? We all give a unanimous verdict of A-L-I-V-E! How was Jesus in the tomb, for the same period of time - Dead or Alive? Over one-and-a-half billion Christians, of every church or Denomination give a unanimous verdict of D-E-A-D! Is that like Jonah or un-like Jonah in your language? And everyone whose mind is not confused, says that, that is very UN-LIKE Jonah. Jesus said that he would be "Like Jonah" and his infatuated followers say that he was "UN-LIKE JONAH!" Who is lying - Jesus or his followers? I leave the answer to you!

Big Business

But religion is good business. In the name of Christ they are making a mint of it. The crusaders say that we have got it all wrong. They say it was the time factor that Jesus was prophecising about, and not whether he would be Dead or Alive. They say "Can't you see that he is emphasising the time factor? He repeats the word "three", four times." These are drowning men clutching at straws, drowning women do the same! What did Jesus say?

"For as Jonah was THREE days and THREE nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the son of man be THREE days and THREE nights in the heart of the earth" [Matthew 12:40]

Jesus was nowhere near the "heart of the hearth"; he was supposed to have been in a tomb, which is well-above ground level. Maybe he was speaking figuratively.

Three and three are no doubt repeated four times, but there is nothing miraculous about a time factor. The Jews were asking Jesus for a "sign" - a miracle and there is nothing to make THREE days. or THREE weeks or THREE months into a miracle. but it is not so easy for the Christian to agree because salvation hangs upon a thread. Therefore he must hold on for dear life. We can afford to be charitable. So let us humour him!

Simple Calculations

When was Jesus crucified? According to the scripture, Jesus was SUPPOSED to have been in the tomb on the night of Friday. He was still SUPPOSED to be in the tomb on the night of Saturday. But on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, when Mary Magdalene visited the tomb, she found it empty.

So how many days and how many nights did that make? ONE day and TWO nights. Juggle as you may, you will never, never get three days and three nights as Jesus had himself foretold, "according to the Scripture", Even einsten, the Master mathematician, cannot help you for this! Can't you see that the Christian is giving a double lie to Jesus from this one prophecy alone.

Jesus failed a second time in fulfilling one prophecy from the Bible, according to the Christian. So if I was a Jew, I would say that Jesus deserved too be killed because he was an impostor. The man gave the ONLY miracle he could [no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah] and he failed TWICE in fulfilling it. But I as a Muslim accept that Jesus was the chosen Messiah sent for the Jews, and was not killed nor crucified, because the Holy Qur'an testifies it,

"That they said (in boast), 'We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah'; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made to appear to them so, and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge, but they follow only guess-work; for of a surety they killed him not." [Holy Qur’an 4:157].

Crystal Clear Evidence

We have seen over-whelming proof from the Christian scripture where it was being said, again and again that Jesus was ALIVE, ALIVE! Yet the disciples did not believe. Will the modern-day discples believe now? Are they prepared to to believe their own Master who had said:- "As Jonah was...So SHALL the son of man be"? Not likely! Remember Thomas?Another one of the elected ones of Jesus. Dubbed by the Christians as "Doubting Thomas". He was "not with them (the disciples) when Jesus came" - (John 20:24), the first time in the upper-room. Subsequently, when these very disciples who had felt, and touched and eaten with Jesus, testified that they had seen the "Lord" (not God, not the ghost of Jesus, but he himself flesh and bones - ALIVE!), Thomas said unto them:

"Except, I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my inger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hands into his side, I will not believe." [John 20:25]

A Fabrication

Biblical scholars are coming to a conclusion that the "doubting Thomas" episode is of the same variety as that of the woman "caught in the act" - [John 8:1-11], i.e. it is a fabrication! But as the orthodox will not allow this interpolation to be expunged from their Versions of the Bible, he exhibits a similar stubbornness in dealing with the verses about "putting fingers into the print of the nails" - (John 20:25). For the present we will deal with them for what they are worth.

Thr Romans had no special reaons for being vindictive towards Jesus as compared to his two "crossmates". Why make fish of one (his "crossmates") and flesh of the other (Jesus), i.e. to have the two tied with leather thongs to the crossbar and to have Jesus "nailed"?

Not "at this point", as the cultist alleges, but "eight days" later, Jesus walks once again into the upper-room and he finds Thomas there this time. And according to John, he commanded Thomas to...

"Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hands, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing." [John 20:27]

Thomas realises the heel he has been. He had signally rejected every proof that Jesus was ALIVE! Every other disciple, beside Judas Iscariot the traitor, had testified that they had seen Jesus and felt him and eaten food with him, but Thomas WOULD NOT BELIEVE!. What would he not believe? That the living, pulsating Jesus was making his rounds - Not a ghost of Jesus. Now, being confronted with the PHYSICAL reality of his presence, demonstrating his physical, material body, he was forced to exclaim,

"My Lord and my God!" [John 20:28]

What did Thomas Realise?

Did Thomas realise at that juncture that Jesus Christ was his Jehovah? Did he and the other disciples fall down in prostration before him? Never! His words were the words of self-reproach. We utter them daily, "My God! What a fool I have been!" Are you addressing your listener, as your God? (For more detail regarding the false claim that Jesus was God, see the page titled "The doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Christ".)

WHY DO CHRISTIANS BELIEVE IN CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS?

So why do Christians believe that Jesus died for their sins? Because it was Paul who preached it. He admits,

"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL" [2 Timothy 2:8]

"...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." [1 Corinthians 15:3,4]

The references made here to the scriptures are not the four Gospels because they were not yet written at the time when Paul started writing. Paul is referring to the Old Testament. Paul was the first man who began to write the New Testament. He wrote 14 different epistles, more than 50% of the New Testament. Paul is the real founder of Christianity and not Jesus.

He says:

"And if Christ be not risen (from the dead), then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain." [1 Corinthians 15:14]

This is clearly against the teachings of the Master (Jesus) who taught that salvation only comes through keeping of the commandments

"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, WHY CALLEST THOU ME GOOD? THERE IS NONE GOOD BUT ONE, THAT IS, GOD: BUT IF THOU WILT ENTER INTO LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS." [Matthew 19:16-17] - This is the way to salvation.

(See the page titled "Paul and his teachings" for more detail.)

But Jesus said that he will die and be raised again

Jesus said:

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the DEAD the third day" [Luke 24:46]

The word "Dead" does not always mean dead. It is often used to mean "suffer", to "separate", as Paul says:

"I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I DIE daily" [1 Corinthians 15:31]

Adam was separated from God.

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely DIE." [Genesis 2:17]

Yet Adam lived for nine hundred and ninty years:

"And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died." [Genesis 5:5]

Ask the Christian what the meaning of the word "dead" means in these verses and they will tell you that this was a spiritual death not physical. Adam was dead spiritually, and not in the sense that his soul departed from his body. Then why cannot the same explanation be given in the case of Jesus.

Remember the story of the prodigal son, that the Christians speak about in their preaching to their congregation? The one who had asked a portion of goods from his father and went to a foreign land? He met bad company and ended up in the mire, in the gutter. When he had wasted all his goods, and felt the pain of poverty, he makes up his mind to return to his father and repent before him. And the father (representing God) sees his prodigal returning and says

"For this my son was DEAD, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry." [Luke 15:24]

Why don't you say that this word "dead" meant DEATH and not separation?

Jesus cried out on the cross:

"Eli, Eli, lama sabach'thani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [Matthew 27:46]

What is this "forsaken"? Adam was separated (forsaken) by God and it was called DEATH. The prodigal son was separated (forsaken) from his father and it was called DEATH. Jesus Christ according to his own admission was separated from God (forsaken) and it was called DEATH. All these are SPIRITUAL DEATHS.

But the death, which the Christian talks about when it comes to Jesus is a physical death, that his soul departed from his body and he died.

We have given above over-whelming proofs that Jesus did not die. Paul also writes that Jesus gave them many convincing proofs that he was ALIVE:

"To whom also he showed himself ALIVE after his passion by many CONVINCING PROOFS, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" [Acts 1:3]

When Jesus was resurected, why did he disguise himself? His disciples did not recongnise him when he travelled with them for 5 miles. Jesus stayed on the earth for forty days after he was "resurected". Why did he not go up to the Jews and say "Look, here I am you fools! You thought you had killed me, but I am alive. I cannot die again, so go on, try killing me now". Not once did he come out in the open in front the Jews. Because he was scared, he knew that if they saw him, they would doubly make sure that this time he was killed.

See the outline for this article.


Source:

Taken from The choice, vol. 2, by Ahmad Deedat 1994


e-mail: prince_zedz@hotmail.com
© 2001 (Zed). All rights reserved.

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