First published on: A Sign to the People: Is Jesus a god? 


  Alaa Subhi

In the first article in our series, we talked about the creation and the miraculous birth of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH)). This led us to another question that needs to be answered as well. Based on what we mentioned in the previous article, is Jesus (PBUH) a god?

In this two-part article, we will discuss this point and see what we will get.

Who prays to whom?

Let’s firstly try to answer our discussed question through asking another question: Is it logical that a god prostrates to another god?!

As for human beings, the position of prostration is bending down, falling on the face, and putting the forehead on the ground.

Logic tells us that to prostrate to God in this way means that you submit to God, worship and obey Him, because you need Him and seek His help.

Since God is Exalted and Almighty, does He need anyone? Does He need to pray or prostrate to anyone?!

In the Bible, it’s mentioned that Jesus, as well as other prophets before him, prostrated and prayed in the same way in which Muslims pray and prostrate today!

As for Jesus:

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”” [Matthew 26:36].

And he [Jesus] went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”” [Matthew 26:39].

That’s clear

Let’s imagine this situation. Jesus is standing in a humble submission, he is falling down on the ground, his forehead is touching the ground in a complete submission while the drops of sweat are dropping down from his forehead. Is it logical that this position could represent characteristics of a god?!

Here, we can realize that Jesus prayed and prostrated to God because he can’t hold for himself harm or benefit. So, he refuged to God in the time of hardships to help him, to protect and save him, and to take him out of the calamities and hardships. He refuged to the Only One Whom he believes can do all of this; God.

Moreover, Jesus himself said that worshiping and praying is only to the Father. This has been mentioned in:

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”” [John 4:21-23].

If it’s only the servant who needs God and prostrates to Him, while God never needs anyone nor prays or prostrates to anyone, then, is it logical that Jesus is God?!

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” [Luke 6:12].

The Father

In the Bible, it has been explicitly mentioned that God is the Father. For example, this is mentioned in:

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” [John 6:27].

“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—” [Galatians 1:1].

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” [Galatians 1:3].

And in many other positions, it has been explicitly mentioned that God is “the Father”. But in any position, it has never been mentioned that God is the son “God the Son”. It has never been clearly and explicitly mentioned that Jesus, the son, is God (“God” not “Lord”, since not every lord is a god!). If “the son”, Jesus, is God as well, why this has not been clearly and explicitly mentioned too?!

Not only that, in the Bible, it has been also explicitly mentioned that the Father is the Creator of heaven and earth. This has been mentioned in:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,”” [Matthew 11:25].

And in his book “THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD OF GOD”, St. Athanasius has mentioned:

Then, again, there is the theory of the Gnostics, who have invented for themselves an Artificer of all things other than the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“How can they get a creation independent of the Father out of that? … How then could the Artificer be someone different, other than the Father of Christ?”

These texts clearly refer to two things:

Based on what we mentioned in the previous point, God is the Father, then the Father is God of Jesus Christ.


The Father, God, is the Creator and Artificer of all things.


Then, the Bible is telling us that God is the Father and the Father is the Creator. This has been clearly and explicitly mentioned about the Father, while has never been mentioned about the Son, which makes us ask ourselves: Why?! Why this has not been mentioned about the Son, Jesus, likewise if he is God too?!

In the second part of this article, we will see together whether or not Jesus (PBUH) told the people and his followers to take him as a deity. So, stay with us!


we stopped at the question: Did Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH)) tell the people to take him as a deity?

Now, let’s try together to discover the answer.

“I am the way”, then Jesus is God?

Muslims believe that Jesus (PBUH) never said to his followers that he is a god, he never said to the people to take him or his mother as deities. He neither explicitly said “I am God” nor “worship me”. 

Then, what about his saying: “I am the way”?

When I talked to some Christians, I discovered that the reason why they believe that Jesus is God and they should worship him as a god is these words. He said “I am the way”, so definitely he is God and we should worship him!

OK, now, let’s read the text within its full context:

 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

“If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” [John 14:6-7].

Actually, when I read and read and reread this text again and again, I could not get but the exact opposite! These words so clearly show that Jesus is NOT God! This text so clearly shows that he is not talking about himself as the Father/ God, on contrast! He said that he is the way to the Father/ God. This means that God, Who should be worshiped and Who is worthy to be worshiped alone without associating any other partners with Him, is other than Jesus. And this is also apparently shown in his other saying:

 because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.” [John 5:30].

It is so apparent here that he is talking about a god who is totally other than him.

So, what about him being “the way”?!

As for the word “I am the way”, the surprise is that we can find the same meaning in the Qur’an, but about Prophet Muhammad!

 Say, [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (31)

Say, “Obey Allah and the Messenger.” But if they turn away – then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers. (32)” [quran.com/3/31-32].

All the Prophets and Messengers, including Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), are the way for their people and followers to their One and Only God, Almighty Allah, the only True Unique God Who is worthy to be worshiped alone without any partners with Him. God sent Prophets and Messengers to call the people to worshiping Him and to guide and show them how to worship, obey, and satisfy Him, and how to live their life as God intends. So, through obeying the Prophet and following his teachings, one can worship God, and gain His satisfaction. Thus, accordingly, all the Prophets and Messengers of God are “the way”. 

Are God’s attributes applicable to Jesus?

From another side, there is no doubt that God must have some unique attributes (and that’s why He must be only One!). These attributes must be applicable only to Him, to God alone. From among these attributes, God must be Eternal, He must be The Most Great, The All-Knowing (Who has the absolute knowledge), The All-Powerful and All-Able (Who is capable of everything and has full and absolute power and ability over everything), and He reveals and is not revealed to. 

In the Bible, Jesus said:

“By myself I can do nothing” [John 5:30], which means that he is not all-powerful and all-able, and he does not have the absolute ability and power!


“But of that day and hour no one has knowledge, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but the Father only.” [Mark 13:32], which means that he is not all-knowing and he does not have the absolute knowledge!


“The Father is greater than me” [John 14:28], which means that he is not the greatest!


“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” [John 8:26], which means that he is revealed to. 


Finally, Jesus was given a birth by his mother Virgin Lady Mary (peace be upon her), which means that, at least, his mother existed before him, which also means that he is not eternal!

So, if God must be Eternal, The Most Great, The Most Powerful, The All-Knowing, and only reveals but is never revealed to, then Jesus is not, and can never be… God.

Jesus witnessing that there is no god but Allah and that he is a Messenger of Allah!

Believe it or not! This is exactly what Jesus literally said in John 17:

 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” [John 17:3].

–

 And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?'” He will say, “Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen. (116)


I said not to them except what You commanded me – to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness. (117)


If You should punish them – indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (118)


Allah will say, “This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness.” For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment. (119)” [quran.com/5/116-119].

 

Now, after we answered the question of whether or not Jesus (PBUH) is God, there is another question that needs to be answered as well. Since Jesus is not a god, then: Is Jesus the son of God? This is what we will discover together in the coming article of the series. Stay with us!