Jesus, the Son of God: Biblical meaning, Muslim Understanding ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

St Francis Magazine Vol 7, No 3 | August 2011!concepts could be more intentionally implemented as a major part ofthe Church's overall mission strategy (including budgeting the necessaryresources) for accomplishing our evangelism and discipleshipgoals worldwide, especially in areas where misunderstandings andfalse teachings about the Bible have resulted in resistance to thegospel.4 What do Muslims really believe aboutthe term "the Son of God"?When working to make disciples of Muslims, and in order to makegood Bible literacy content for them, it is important to know thetruth about what they believe. For example, what is Islam's mainproblem with the teaching that Jesus is the Son of God? An excerpt froma recent conversation I had with Khalil, a Muslim convert to Christianityfrom Pakistan, is insightful, since it mirrors the Qur'an'steachings as well as what Qur'anic commentators say:My question to Khalil: What is the first thing that the average Muslimwill think, their very first thought, when they hear that Jesus is theSon of God?His answer: Every Muslim will consider that to be shirk, the unforgivablesin, because it means that Jesus is God, but there is no God butAllah to them.My response: O.K. that's the first thought Muslims have. But does theclaim that Jesus is God's Son also make the average Muslim think thatChristians believe God had marital relationships with Mary? 20His answer: Nooo... we, I mean, Muslims, don't believe that.Notice that the average Muslim's first understanding of the Biblicaltruth that Jesus is the Son of God is exactly right; it means tothem that Jesus is God—the same meaning, by the way, that the leadersof the Jews understood from Jesus' use of Father-Son terminologyin John 5:17ff (more on that later).!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!20 These questions were asked in order to investigate the MIT claim that "the Sonof God" only has biological/sexual connotations in Arabic, creating an impassablestumbling block for Muslims. See later notes that address this claim.St Francis Magazine is published by Interserve and Arab Vision!*+!
St Francis Magazine Vol 7, No 3 | August 2011!To better understand Khalil's first answer (and what Muslimsbelieve), it is important to understand that "the term shirk generallyimplies assigning partners or equals to God, and is considered to bethe paramount sin in Islam." 21 In the words of other Muslim writers:One of the most important obligations [for every Muslim] is to knowthe meaning of shirk, its seriousness and its different types, so that ourTawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) and our Islam may be complete,and our faith may be sound.... [Shirk] means ascribing to someoneother than Allaah something that belongs only to Allaah, such asLordship...divinity...and the divine names and attributes... 22In Islam, shirk is the sin of idolatry or polytheism, i.e. the deification orworship of anyone or anything other than the singular God, or moreliterally the establishment of ‘partners’ placed beside God. It is thevice that is opposed to the virtue of tawhid (monotheism)... Within Islam,shirk is an unforgivable crime; God may forgive any sin except forcommitting shirk. 23A few quotes below show how Khalil's answers simply reflectwhat many passages in the Qur'an and Qur'anic commentators teachabout this major theological issue in Islam.In 4:171 of the Qur'an 24 (which is similar to 5:72–77 and otherpassages), it says:O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits (oftruth) in your religion, nor say of Allah anything but the truth. TheMessiah 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) aMessenger/Apostle of Allah and His Word, 25 ("Be!" - and he was)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!21 "Shirk: Meaning and Definition in Islam, Types, Information", in Islam and IslamicLaws, February 2, 2011.22 Shaykh Muhammad S. Al-Munajjid, "Basic Tenets of Faith: Shirk and its differentforms" in Islam Q & A. Fatwa No. 34817, April 21, 2011. (Note that "Allaah" isa variant spelling of "Allah".)23 "Shirk (Islam)", Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, March 31, 2011.24 Quotes from the Qur'an are from the Arabic translator, Mohsin Khan. All parentheticalinformation is his.25 Notice that Muslims interpret the title “the Word” to mean that Jesus was nomore than a spirit/soul created by God's decree (the same way they believethat Adam, John the Baptist and other mere human beings were miraculouslySt Francis Magazine is published by Interserve and Arab Vision!**!
Page 1 and 2: JESUS, THE SON OF GOD:BIBLICAL MEAN
Page 3 and 4: St Francis Magazine Vol 7, No 3 | A
Page 9: St Francis Magazine Vol 7, No 3 | A

Jesus, the Son of God: Biblical meaning, Muslim Understanding ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?