Muslim Christian Dialogue

6. Was Jesus Crucified?

NOW TO THE QUESTION: WAS JESUS (pbuh) CRUCIFIED?

M. The Holy Qur'an states in Surah 4:v157 that Jesus was not crucified: "And their (Jews) boasting: 'we killed Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah,' but they (Jews) killed him 60 not, nor crucified him." Do you still believe that he died on the cross?

C. Yes, Christians believe he died and was then resurrected.

M. It is recorded in the Bible that nobody saw the moment he was resurrected. They found the sepulchre empty where Jesus was laid down and made the conclusion that he was resurrected because the disciples and other witnesses saw him alive after the alleged crucifixion. Could it not be possible, as the Qu'ran claims that he didn't die on the cross?

C. Where is the proof then?

M. Let us see passages in the Bible supporting this evidence. Do you give more weight to what Jesus said or to hearsay of the disciples, apostles and other witnesses?

C. Of course more to what Jesus said!

M. That is in accordance with what Jesus said in (Matthew 10:24) "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord."

C. But Jesus himself said that he would rise from the dead (Luke 24:46) and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day."

M. Suffering is often exaggerated in the Bible and termed "dead" as Paul said (I Corinthians 15:31): "I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ, I die daily" (i.e. I suffer daily). Here are some of the proofs from the Bible:

1. On the cross Jesus beseeched God for help (Matthew 27:46) "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And in Luke 22:42: Saying: "Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will but Thine be done." (This cup is the cup of death.)
2. Jesus's prayer not to die on the cross was accepted by God, according to Luke, Hebrews and James. Then how could he still die on the cross? (Luke 22:43): "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." (Hebrews 5:7): "Who in the days of his flesh, when he, Jesus 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." It means that an angel assured him that God would not let him die. The word "heard" whenever it occurs in the Bible means that the prayer was accepted.

Jesus's prayers were "heard," meaning that it was answered in a positive way by God WHO SAVED HIM FROM DEATH. (James 5:16): "... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Jesus himself said in (Matthew 7:7.10) "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him who knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
- Question: If God, according to Jesus, definitely accepts and answers a righteous man's prayer, then surely Jesus's prayers were also answered, including the one not to die on the cross. Was he not a chosen one of God? How could his prayer be rejected, and he still had to die on the cross after he prayed for safety and was informed that his prayer was "heard"? It does not make sense. Look to the example Jesus (pbuh) uses. If a son asks a father for bread will he give him a stone? Definitely not! So it is illogical to believe that God did not answer his prayer for being saved when we all know that he was innocent and was "heard."
1. His legs were not broken by the Roman soldiers (John 19:32-33) "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," Can you rely on these soldiers for pronouncing him dead?