Islam’s Denial of the Death of Jesus Christ

In today’s world of religious pluralism, it is common to hear our prominent politicians and religious
leaders commend Islam as one of the noble religions of humanity. The truth is, Mohammed’s system
is vigorously opposed to the facts of the Christian gospel. Islam’s Qur’an asserts that Jesus was not
crucified; rather, the Savior’s death was only “made to appear” as such. Actually, it is alleged, he was
“raised up” unto God without dying on the cross (Sura 4:157?158). Here is the text in full: “That
they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus The son of Mary, The Apostle of God’; – But they killed him
not, Nor crucified him, But so it was made To appear to them, And those who differ Therein are full of
doubts, With no (certain) knowledge, But only conjecture to follow, For of a surety They killed him not: –
Nay, God raised him up Unto Himself; and God Is Exalted in Power, Wise;”
This allegation is absolutely void of evidence. It was written by Mohamad in an attempt to deny and discredit the New Testament and Christianity. The facts, the undeniable historical facts are as follows:
a. The Old Testaments prophets foretold the death of Christ hundreds of years before it occurred.
The Lord was to be pierced Ps. 22:16; Zech. 12:10. Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter
Isa. 53:7. He was slain as the Passover Lamb, Ex. 12:1ff; 1 Cor. 5:7. He would enter into
Scheol (The place where your spirit goes when you die. It is the realm of the dead) Ps. 16:10;
Acts 2:22?32.
(A) Jesus himself declared that he would be killed, Matt. 16:21. That His body would be in the
grave three days Matt. 12:40. All of the New Testament eye witnesses and spokesmen,
with one voice, uniformly affirmed that Jesus died on the cross. Buried and Resurrected.
(1) Peter proclaimed this message in Acts 2:23; 3:15; 1 Pet. 1:18?21. And Stephen, the
first martyr, proclaimed Acts 7:52, Paul, in Acts 13:28; assures us in 1 Cor. 15:1ff,
The apostle John confirms to us in Rev. 5:9; 11:8; 12:11.
(a) Secular history confirms that Christ died. Josephus, the Jewish historian, refers
to Jesus’ death (Antiquities18.3.3). The Roman writer and historian, Tacitus,
(Annals 15.44) said that Christ was “executed” by Pilate. The early enemies of
Christianity, like Celsus and Lucian, also conceded that Jesus was put to death,
as did the Patristic writers of the ante?Nicean period.
The evidence for the death of the Lord is absolutely overwhelming. Only someone who are oblivious to history, or with a diabolic agenda, would dare deny this irrefutable reality.
A Moslem scholar, who has written a brief commentary on the Quran, expresses the Islamic viewpoint regarding this matter. “The end of the life of Jesus on earth is as much involved in mystery as his birth, and indeed the greater part of his private life, except the three main years of his ministry. It is not profitable to discuss the many doubts and conjectures among the early Christian sects and among Muslim theologians. The Orthodox Christian Churches make it a cardinal point of their doctrine that his life was taken on the Cross, that he died and was buried, that on the third day he rose in the body with his wounds intact, and walked about and conversed, and ate with his disciples, and was afterwards taken up bodily to heaven. This is necessary for the theological doctrine of blood sacrifice and vicarious atonement for sins, which is rejected by Islam.” (Qur’an – Translation & Commentary, Islamic Propagation Centre International, A. Yusuf Ali, 1946, p. 230).
Mr. Ali cites several sources for the notion that Jesus never died. They are the Basilidans and the Docetae. His attempt to discredit the death of Jesus Christ is absolutely futile. His two sources are not credible.
Basilides was an Egyptian Gnostic of the 2nd century A.D. He was a false philosopher who had only the remotest connection with Christianity. He taught many things that are disputed by Islam and that negates him as an authoritative source.

The Gnostic movement, known as the Docetists, denied that Jesus ever existed in a human form; he only “appeared” that way. The Moslems, of course, certainly do not endorse that idea. Therefore, It is, wholly disingenuous to quote these sources as though they had some bearing upon the true, historical picture relative to the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
(2) The Islamic repudiation of the death of Christ is grounded in an aversion to the biblical doctrine of the Lord’s vicarious death to atone for sin, and thus strikes at the very heart of the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth. The religion of Mohammed is hostile to the Christian faith, and it must never be viewed as an optional religious system that has divine approval.
(1) Unfortunately some politicians, who ostensibly identify themselves with the Christian movement, are willing to mute their personal convictions concerning Jesus – in the interest of soothing Islamic feelings within the international community. The genuine Christian would not dare accommodate such compromise. Matt. 10:32-33.
(2) The Bible is the inspired Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Messiah sent by God to make the last and final covenant by which man can be restored to God. He sealed that covenant with His blood. In doing so He died on a Roman cross, was buried in Joseph’s new tomb, was resurrected and ascended back into heaven, sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide through the word He gave the New Testament apostles and prophets and one day He will return to redeem those who have come to God, the Father, through Him.
(1) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 03/23/03 pm