CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO: DR. JAMAL BADAWIS JESUS IN THE QURAN AND THE BIBLE Dr.

Jamal Badawi is considered to be North Americas premiere Muslim apologist and spokesperson, having debated and lectured extensivel throughout the world at some o! the most prestigious universities and institutions. Although a pro!essor o! business management at "t. Mar s #niversit , $ali!ax Nova "cotia, Badawi is perhaps best known !or his achievements as one o! the most capable and knowledgeable Muslim speakers in the world. Badawi is also regarded b Muslims as a scholar o! comparative religion and inter%!aith dialogue. &t there!ore comes as no surprise to discover Badawi producing tracts and articles criti'uing the $ol Bibles authorit and authenticit , as well as the (hristian belie! that Jesus (hrist is )ods uni'ue, divine "on. Due to his &slamic belie!s, Badawi cannot allow !or a Jesus that is more than a prophet and hence must there!ore interpret the Bible through Muslim lenses, disallowing the possibilit o! a divine (hrist to emerge !rom its pages. *ne such tract is Badawis Jesus in the Quran and the Bible. +hroughout this tract, Badawi attempts to discredit Jesus uni'ueness b producing verses !rom the *ld +estament showing other prophets abilities to per!orm the same miracles which (hrist per!ormed. +his would demonstrate, or so Badawi thinks, that to attribute divinit to Jesus due to his uni'ue 'ualities or miraculous ministr is unnecessar since this would make the other prophets divine as well. Although Badawi ma indeed be a scholar o! &slam, he is !ar !rom being 'uali!ied to criti'ue the biblical portrait o! Jesus since his approach is !ar !rom being scholarl or unbiased. +he misinterpretation and mis'uotation o! biblical passages is apparent to an serious student o! the Bible. Badawi o!ten ignores the context o! the verses he cites since when the text is read in relation to the entire passage, the ver point he hopes to make is o!ten clearl re!uted. &n this paper we will give a concise re!utation o! ,ust some o! Badawis points, exposing the deliberate mishandling o! biblical 'uotations. -rom there we will brie!l look at Muhammads career, contrasting it with both the ministries o! (hrist and the *ld +estament prophets. +his will be done to show that the ver method Badawi uses to den the divine nature o! Jesus is the ver method which proves that either Muhammad was not a prophet or at best, was not as great as those prophets which preceded him. Note% &t should be pointed out that Badawi does not 'uote the biblical text but alludes to it b giving the speci!ic chapter and verse. &n similar !ashion, instead o! 'uoting the entire passage we will give the speci!ic re!erences to the verses which will allow the reader to check them personall . +he onl passages that will be 'uoted are those which help clari! a speci!ic point in our rebuttal. -inall , we will not be responding in chronological se'uence to Badawis tract, but will be dealing with the main arguments presented b him.

.A&"&N) +$/ D/AD J/"#"% 0uke 1233%31, 4256%547 John 33258%55 *0D +/"+AM/N+ /9#&:A0/N+% /0&JA$% 3 ;ings 3121%<5 /0&"$A% < ;ings 5234%81 (*MM/N+% &t is presumed since both /li,ah and /lisha raised the dead, there is then no basis to argue !or Jesus divinit based on the !act that (hrist was able to raise the dead since this would make the two divine as well. (hristians do not argue the !act that Jesus was the divine, uni'ue son o! )od simpl because he was able to resurrect the dead but on the statements which Jesus made in relation to his abilit to resurrect individuals !rom death. #nlike /li,ah and /lisha who beseeched )od !or the abilit to per!orm the revivi!ication o! departed souls, (hrist claimed to be the ver source o! li!e and the power which enables the dead to be resurrected2 Jesus said to her, = I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE7 he who believes in me though he die, et shall he live, and whoever lives and believes shall never die...> John 332<?%<@ Jesus said to him, = & am the Aa , and the +ruth, and the LIFE. No one comes to the -ather except through me.> John 352@ = Most assuredl , & sa to ou, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead SHALL HEAR THE OICE OF THE SON OF !OD" AND THOSE #HO HEAR #ILL LI E.> John ?2<? +his is something which no prophet be!ore Jesus would ever dare sa . Bet (hrist does, impl ing that he is more than a human messenger. A"(/N"&*N +* $/A:/N J/"#"% Acts 32C *.+. /9#&:A0/N+% /N*($% )enesis ?2<5 /0&JA$% < ;ings <233 (*MM/N+ #nlike /noch and /li,ah who were taken into heaven b the power o! )od, (hrist ascended b $is own power and authorit . &n !act, (hrist indicates that he will personall come back and take all believers b his own power into heavenl glor 2 =0et not our heart be troubled7 ou believe in )od, believe also in me. &n m -athers house there are man mansions7 i! it were not so, & would have told ou. I !O TO

$RE$ARE A $LACE FOR %OU& AND IF I !O TO $RE$ARE A $LACE FOR %OU' I #ILL COME A!AIN AND RECEI E %OU TO M%SELF" THAT #HERE I AM' THERE %OU MA%BE ALSO.> John 3523%8 $*0B "D&.&+ -&00/D (*MM/N+ (hristians o!ten point to the !act that Jesus was conceived miraculousl b the $ol "pirit in the womb o! the virgin Mar . +his presumes the !act that Jesus was uni'ue and there!ore the "on o! )od, since there was no human !ather involved in the birth o! (hrist but )ods own miraculous hand who personall caused this supernatural conception. "ince it was )od who replaced the male element in the birth process b causing (hrist to be conceived supernaturall , without an sexual overtones whatsoever, (hrist is rightl called the "on o! )od. Badawis attempted rebuttal is to suggest that other prophets were !illed with the $ol "pirit, and some like John the Baptist while still in their mothers womb. E0uke 323?F $ence, Badawis reasoning is that these men should also be considered the uni'ue sons o! )od. +here are two responses to this assertion7 3F while some might have been !illed with the $ol "pirit even while in their mothers womb none o! them were ()n(ei*ed b the $ol "pirit. <F (hrist was not onl the onl $ol "pirit conceived, virgin born child but he also had authorit to grant the "pirit to whomever he chose to give it2 =And he EJohn the BaptistF preached, sa ing, G a!ter me comes he who is mightier than &, the thong o! whose sandals & am not worth to stoop down and untie. & have baptiHed ou with water7 but he +ill ba,ti-e .)u +ith the H)l. S,irit. G = Mark 321%4 =+he next da he EJohnF saw Jesus coming toward him... G +his is he o! whom & said, = A!ter me comes a man who ranks be!ore me, /)r he +as be/)re =... this is he +h) ba,ti-es +ith the H)l. S,irit... = John 32<Ca, 86, 88b =And & will pra the -ather, and he will give ou another (ounselor, to be with ou !orever, even the "pirit o! +ruth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him or knows him7 but ou know him, /)r he d+ells +ith .)u, and will be in ou.> John 3523@%31 ENote% +he "pirit was alread present with the disciples in the person o! (hrist since earlier the "pirit had descended and remained upon Jesus. Matthew 823@%31F =But when the (ounselor comes, +h)0 I shall send t) .)u /r)0 the Father, even the "pirit o! +ruth, who proceeds !rom the -ather, he will bear witness to me...> John 3?2<@

-inall , ="o Jesus said to them again, G Deace to ou. As the -ather has sent me, & also send ou. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said, 1 Re(ei*e the H)l. S,irit. = John <62<3%<< &t there!ore becomes apparent that Badawis responses to theses biblical comparisons are thoroughl inade'uate and !ails to take in the overall picture o! (hrist as presented in the New +estament. 0*.D Badawi seems to impl that the title 0ord in re!erence to Jesus is nothing more than a respect!ul wa o! sa ing master, since !or him, this cannot possibl impl divinit since Jesus is no more than a prophet o! Allah. +o back up his assertion, Badawi o!ten cites re!erences in scripture wherein the title is used to re!er to certain individuals such as "aul in 3 "amuel <524. /ven angels are addressed as 0ord in Acts 3625. +he problem with this interpretation is that it presumes that the title 0ord onl means master, neglecting the !act that this is also commonl used throughout the New +estament as a s non m !or Bahweh, the covenant name o! )od. +wo examples demonstrates this point clearl 2 Jesus answered him, = +he !irst o! all commandments is2 G $ear, * &srael, the L)rd our )od, the L)rd is one. = Mark 3<2<C +he 0ord is 'uoting the She0a !ound in Deuteronom @25 where the term 0ord is being used in place o! Bahweh. =Ahoever calls upon the name o! the L)rd shall be saved.> .omans 36238 Daul is 'uoting the )reek "eptuagint version o! Joel <28< where the literal $ebrew text reads, =Ahoever calls on the name o! %ah+eh shall be saved.> $ence, !or Badawi to presume that the title onl means or should simpl mean master in relation to Jesus is erroneous. &n !act, the evidence indicates that the writers used 0ord in the absolute sense o! Jesus being )od, not simpl a teacher or master2 =But wh is this granted to me E/liHabethF, that the 0)ther 2Mar.3 )/ M% LORD EJesus 3 sh)uld ()0e t) 0e&4 0uke 3258 $ere, /liHabeth calls the unborn child her 0ord. -or a Jewess to sa that would impl that the babe was actuall Bahweh )od, since the Jews knew onl Bahweh as their 0ord. =-or there is born to ou toda in the cit o! David a "avior, who is Christ the LORD.> 0uke <233

=-or to this end (hrist died and lived again, that he 0i5ht be L)rd b)th )/ the dead and )/ the li*in5.> .omans 352C =+hese will wage war against the 0amb, and the 0amb will overcome them, be(ause he is L)rd )/ l)rds and 6in5 )/ 7in5s...> .evelation 31235 +hat Jesus is the lamb is clear !rom John 32<C2 =+he next da he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, G Behold, the La0b )/ !)d +h) ta7es a+a. the sin )/ the +)rld&4 +his can onl mean that Jesus is called 0ord in the sense that he is )od, not ,ust a great master. (ompare the title given to Jesus with this re!erence in 3 +imoth @23?%3@2 =which $e E)odF will bring about at the proper time% $e who is the blessed and onl "overeign, the 6in5 )/ 7in5s and L)rd )/ l)rds =who alone possesses immortalit and dwells in unapproachable light7 whom no man has seen or can see. +o him be honor, and eternal dominion. Amen.> $ence, both )od the -ather and the 0ord Jesus (hrist are re!erred to as ;ing o! kings and 0ord o! lords, clearl demonstrating Badawis misinterpretation and misunderstanding o! biblical theolog . M#0+&D0&(A+&*N *- -**D J/"#"% John @24%38 *.+. /9#&:A0/N+ /0&"$A% < ;ings 525<%55 (*MM/N+ Jesus miraculous abilit to create bread !rom a !ew loaves, enabling him to !eed thousands is astonishing all b itsel!. But even more astonishing is Jesus reason !or per!orming the miracle, a reason which no prophet ever gave as the purpose o! their miracles2 Jesus answered them and said, G Most assuredl , & sa to ou, ou seek me, not because ou saw the signs, but because ou ate o! the loaves and were !illed. =*h not labor !or the !ood which perishes, but !or the !ood which endures to everlasting li!e, +hi(h the S)n )/ Man +ill 5i*e .)u, because )od the -ather has set his seal on him.> John @2<@%<1 Not onl can (hrist provide dail bread to sustain the ph sical bod , but he alone provides spiritual nourishment which endures to eternal li!e2 =I a0 the LI IN! BREAD +hi(h (a0e d)+n /r)0 hea*en. &! an one eats o! this bread, he will live !orever7 and the bread that I shall 5i*e is M% FLESH' +hi(h I shall 5i*e FOR THE LIFE OF THE #ORLD.> John @2?3 No prophet ever dared to speak like (hrist.

Although Badawi also attempts to re!ute the biblical evidence !or Jesus divine claims we will not be addressing it since we have alread provided in%depth responses to these allegations in previous studies which are available upon re'uest. Ahat we will do is contrast Muhammads li!e b the ver criteria Badawi uses. &n doing so, we will demonstrate that Muhammad does not measure up to the bibles test o! true prophethood. .A&"&N) +$/ D/AD Muhammad% Never $*0B "D&.&+ -&00/D Muhammad% Never &t should be noted that the biblical teaching on the $ol "pirit is that $e is !ull )od, being the third Derson o! the +rinit EMatthew <4234%<67 $ebrews C235F, whereas in &slam he is not )od but the angel )abriel. "o even the identit is garbled up. A"(/N"&*N Muhammad% Never /ven the alleged night ,ourne o! Muhammad cannot be substantiated. +he 9uran onl mentions his ,ourne to Jerusalem and the A'sa Mos'ue E". 3123F, with the hadiths indicating that his heavenl ascent was simpl a dream since his bod never le!t the room. &t should be also pointed out that the sura presents a historical anachronism since there was no mos'ue at Jerusalem during that time, seeing that the "olomonic temple had been destro ed in A.D. 16. -urthermore, Mas,id%ul A'sa was not erected until A.D. @C3 b Abdul Malik, raising the 'uestion as to what temple did Muhammad allegedl visitI Another point worth mentioning is the !act that Muhammad died a slow and pain!ul death. +he hadiths record that he was a victim o! poisoning and illness. &n contrast, we are told that Moses died in the peak o! health and was personall buried b )od at the age o! 3<6. Deuteronom 852?%1 Aith Jesus, )od raised him !rom the dead to immortal glor , never to experience the sting o! death again. Acts 8238%3@7 Dhilippians <2C%337 .evelation 3231%34 +his strongl suggests that Muhammad was unlike Moses and Jesus, since he died disillusioned and lonel , leaving it up to his companions to bur him. $ence, as the 9uran acknowledges, he was an apostle with no outstanding 'ualities, a mere mortal like us. E ". 823557 342336 F M#0+&D0B&N) -**D Muhammad% Never

At this point a Muslim might contest the !act that Muhammad never per!ormed an miracles since both the 9uran and hadiths document his miracles. -or instance, the 9uran in ?523, 8238, as well as 42C mention Muhammad splitting the moon and the angelic intervention at the Battle o! Badr. +hese miracles are !urther attested to in the hadith literature. +here are several responses to these alleged miracles. 3F +he clear witness o! the 9uran is that Muhammad was given no miracles whatsoever E ". @281, 36C7 362<67 3821, <17 312?C7 <32?%@7 <4254 F. +o sa that it does mention speci!ic miracles o! Muhammad is to impl an internal contradiction within the 9uran. <F +he assumption that ". ?523 is re!erring to the alleged miraculous moon splitting at the hands o! Muhammad is not unanimousl held b Muslim scholars themselves. -or instance, Buse! Ali in his commentar indicates that there are three possible interpretations commonl given b Muslims themselves. +he !irst being that this is a sign which transpires on the last da . +his is supported b the verse itsel! since it speaks o!, = the hour E o! ,udgement F = as being , = nigh =, i.e. at hand. *thers view this allegoricall , in the sense that the matter addressed has become as clear as the moons splitting. +he purported angelic aid at Badr is unveri!iable since no one saw an supernatural beings descend on the battle!ield. -urthermore, unlike the miracles o! Jesus which are attested to b both ancient pagan and Jewish writings, we have no witnesses apart !rom the Muslims themselves to veri! the historicit o! this event. +he appeal to hadiths !or the proo! o! miracles leaves more problems !or the historian. +his is primaril due to the late dating and composition o! these &slamic traditions. -or example, no literature compiled stems !rom the seventh centur , but dates !rom the ninth centur on. +his leaves a gap o! nearl two hundred ears !rom Muhammads death in A.D. @8< to the !irst collection o! traditions b Bukhari Ed. A.D. 416 F. /ven &bn &sha's biograph on Muhammad, Sira Rasulullah which purportedl dates to the eighth centur , onl exists in edited !orm b &bn $isham !rom the ninth centur . $ence, due to the great time !actor involved it is not hard to see how stories o! Muhammads miracles could be !orged and circulated, seeing that no e ewitnesses were present who could prevent an m ths !rom taking place. Ae must sa with all due respect that Badawis attempt to discredit the biblical portrait o! Jesus does not hold weight under a care!ul, scholarl exegesis o! )ods Aord, the $ol Bible. &n !act, the criteria which Dr. Badawi emplo s actuall serves to discredit Muhammad as a genuine prophet o! )od. +here!ore, we strongl urge him to abandon his un!ortunatel unscholarl method i! he wishes to maintain his belie! in &slam.

+o conclude, in his Heal to disprove the divinit o! (hrist, Badawi overlooked a ver interesting !act7 even though the $ol Bible presents certain prophets who were capable o! per!orming some o! the man miracles o! (hrist, none could combine all these 'ualities together. +his honor belongs to Jesus alone, demonstrating clearl his preeminence and superiorit over all, being the (hrist the "on o! the living )od. AM/N