 Questions About Islam
Dear Bro. Waddey:
I have been discussing the Bible with a Muslim coworker and need some help with the following passages. Thanks - Bentley
Dear Bentley:
1. The prophet predicted by Moses in Deut. 18:15-18 is Jesus. It could not have been Mohammed because he was to come from "midst of thee...(i.e. The Hebrews) of thy brethren" (18:15). Mohammed was of Arab stock, not Jewish. Mohammed falls in the category of the prophet mention is 18:20: "But the prophet that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have no commanded him to speak ...that same prophet shall die." A prophet is a spokesman for God. In Exodus 7:1 God said to Moses, "Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet, i.e. thy spokesman. In Ex. 4:16 God said to Moses that Aaron "shall be thy spokesman unto the people... that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God." Jesus is a prophet in the sense that he speaks to us on behalf of God (Luke 24:19; Heb. 1:2). He is also described as our High Priest and King as well as our Messiah (Christ).
While other prophets such as Moses, did mighty deeds, Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4)
2. In Matt. 11:11, Jesus is saying that of all the earthly prophets who ever lived, none of them were greater than John the Baptist. Yet there is a sense in which we are greater than John. It is not in our spirituality, or in the good we have accomplished, not in our ability to disseminate God's Word. In those areas they were obviously greater than we. Our superiority is in our status. None of the Old Testament Prophets were privileged to live in the kingdom of Jesus. We are indeed privileged to live in his kingdom. Thus in that sense alone we are greater than they.
Being members of his kingdom (church) gives us privileges and opportunities they never knew. Jesus does not include himself among those mortal men who were God's prophets. He not only is a prophet he is God's Son (John 3:16). He existed from eternity with God the Father as God in his own nature and being (John 1:1-3, 14).
John openly declared that he was unworthy to tie or loose Jesus' sandals (Mark 1:7). He also said of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Thus John knew Jesus was greater than he was, even if the Muslims do not.
3. When Jesus came down to save us he "emptied himself" and "humbled himself," "taking the form of servant" and became "in fashion as a man" (Phil 2:6-8). He did not cease to be divine; he did not surrender his nature that was the same as that of his Father. But in becoming a man he temporarily surrendered some of his divine prerogatives. For example God is omnipresent, i.e., he is not limited to a particular place. While in his fleshly body, Jesus was limited as are we. Also while in the flesh he had to eat, drink and rest his body just as we do. God is all-powerful and has no such need. These things Jesus endured to live among us and save us. He also limited the things he knew (Matt. 24:36). He did not know the day or hour of the day of judgment.
In his ascension, "God hath highly exalted him" and given him a name above every name, including Mohammed, that every knee should bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord (Phil. 2:9). He is "King of kings, and Lord of lords" (I Tim. 6:15). He is our "great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 3:13).
4. As to the verses about Elijah and John the Baptist. The Old Testament closes with the mysterious promise, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come." (Mal. 4:5). The clue is found in Luke 1:17 where the angel of God said to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, "And he shall go before his (Christ's) face in the sprit and power of Elijah..." Remember that he dressed like Elijah, he lived an acetic life in the desert like Elijah, and he was a powerful preacher of righteousness as was Elijah. He confronted and rebuked sin among the people and even in his king (Herod Antipas) as Elijah did in his day. Thus when asked if he was Elijah, John truly answered "No" (John 1:21). He was not actually Elijah. The disciples along with most Jews of their generation misunderstood the prophecy and thought that Elijah would be resurrected and return to preach to them.
Jesus, correctly understanding Malachi's prophecy, said that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of the promise that Elijah would come (Matt. 17:10-13). John came in the spirit and power of Elijah.
John Waddey |
