Fourth Category

Fourth Category

These are verses and passages, which declare Jesus’ (PBUH) prophethood, and that is more proof against his divinity.

Jesus’ (PBUH) contemporaries professed of his prophethood and message, which are human characteristics and not Allah’s (S.W). In the Book of John, we read, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.”(John 13:13). In this, Jesus (PBUH) accepted and confirmed their belief as they called him lord and master. It was common during his time to call him such, “And he said to him, Teacher”(Mark 10:20). Was it moral not to call him “God” and use this humble title “Master” instead?

Jesus (PBUH) started his mission as a prophet when he was thirty, “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age”(Luke 3:23) and there was a time that the Holy Spirit had not been given to him.“For as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”(John 7:39)

In addition, Jesus (PBUH) himself confessed that his God is one and that he is just a messenger. “You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”(John 17:3). Similarly, he said, “And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”(Matt. 13:57). He considered himself like the rest of the prophets, whom are not honored among their people.

When the Pharisees threatened Jesus (PBUH) with Herod, he confirmed, once again, that he is just a prophet. He said, “I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it Jerusalem.O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.”(Luke 13:33-34) He confessed his prophethood and he was afraid of murder, like many other prophets; therefore, he left Jerusalem calling it ‘killer of prophets’ not ‘Killer of Gods’.

When he (PBUH) performed his miracles, he used to pray to Allah (S.W), linking his miracles to his message and prophethood. “But I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”(John 11:42)

When the Jews tried to kill him once, he made a statement, in which he made a clear confession that he is human and just a messenger of Allah (S.W). “But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.”(John 8:40).

Confirming that, he told his disciples many times that he is a messenger, and his words are infallible, for he speaks with inspiration from Allah (S.W). “Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”(John 20:21)

He affirmed that again, when he said, “the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak”(John 12:49) and he said, “the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.” (John 14:24)

"My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”(John 7:16) he also said, “Nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”(John 13:16)

That everyone during his time believed in him as a prophet, and confronting him with that, without his objection, is another confirmation that he (PBUH) was just a prophet. “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!”(Luke 7:16) and when he fed the crowd with the five loaves and two fish, people said, “"This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”(John 6:14) even Paul, “for there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”(Tim.1 2:5)

In his book ‘The Spreading Universe’ Sir Arthur Findlay was right. He said, “Jesus was not God or savior, but he was a messenger of God who served, during his short life, to cure the sick and to tell news about the hereafter. He taught that life in this world is just a preparation for the Kingdom of God, which is a better life for every righteous.”

From the above, we see the proof that Jesus (PBUH) was a servant of Allah (S.W), and great messenger from Him, which is identical to the Muslims belief. “He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.”(Holy Quran 43:59)