For Muslims or Jews: question about Jesus?

Question

From my limited understanding of Islam and Judaism (from reading about the religions and talking to Muslims/Jews) I have learned that believers of both religions believe that a) Jesus was a great Prophet but b) he was only a prophet, not the son of God/Messiah. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (the Messiah), so logically he was either truely the Son of God, or he was lying, or he was crazy. A prophet is chosen by God to speak for Him; God inspires his prophesies and gives him the power to perform miracles (both things Jesus did). My question is since Muslims/Jews believe Jesus was truely a prophet, he was obviously not crazy, so why would he lie about being the son of God/the Messiah? Why would God use a liar/give him the power to perform miracles, etc.? I am not poking fun at these religions, but it is a question I have been wondering about for a while. Could someone explain this to me (without being angry/hostile, please)? I really appreciate it. Thanks!

Answer 1

I don't mean for my answer to sound hostile or mean, but it probably will. I am a Jew, at least culturally, and I do NOT consider Jesus a prophet at all. I consider Jesus to be an egomanical anarchist crazy.

Muslims DO accept Jesus as a prophet. Jews do NOT.

Please note, Messianics are NOT Jews....so their answers don't count.

Answer 2

the lord, lunatic, liar augment only works if you assume that everything in the NT said by Jesus and his followers actually happened.

Islam states that both the new and old testament have become corrupted as such anything that Jesus or his followers according to those writings becomes suspect and thus fallible.

Judaism contrary to what you have stated dose not believe that Jesus was a prophet of any kind and says that he very well might have lied or he was crazy, but again they do not even have to say that because they hold no validity in the NT documents so anything written is irrelevant.

I hope this answers your question on why the three L augment as it is commonly called dose not affect either Islam or Judaism, but only those who stand by the scriptural/historic validity of the Christian bible.

Answer 3

Sounds very similar to an argument put forth by Josh McDowell, who converted to Christianity. What you fail to understand though, is that the Bible holds no special significance in Islam/Judaism and its authenticity has not been verified. As a matter of fact there are so many inconsistencies with the Bible and science that many parts of the Bible have been deemed as figurative and not literal (i.e. that the Earth has been around for only 6,000 years). By basing your argument off of your book, WITHOUT establishing its authenticit, your whole argument loses its merits.

However, for the sake of argument, let's say Jesus did say he was the son of God (which he NEVER did in the sense you think), even then I would take it figuratively in that we are sons and daughters and are of God. Just like when you see a man of God, you don't literally mean he is divinely inspired. So NO, he was not a liar, lord or lunatic but simply a prophet.

Peace.

Answer 4

One thing we know is that the great story about Jesus telling those without sin to throw the first stone never happened. There is no version of this story older than 400 C.E. None. It's just not in any earlier versions. It is made up.

Like Jesus calling himself the Messiah was made up. That stuff was written afterwards and clearly shows that the writers were trying desperately to make Jesus fit the prophecy.

The Jews and Muslims are totally right on this one - jesus was a man, just a man. Really bright, but just a man. As he himself said - the kingdom of god is within you.

Answer 5

Jews don't believe in him as a prophet. Some believe he was a teacher, but even that is a stretch. Most believe he was a heretic, a blasphemer, or a lunatic. Saying anything is the son of G-d is blasphemy. We don't believe G-d used him to perform miracles, we believe he did that all by himself and he was one of the false deceptive prophets. (I'm not being hostile, this is simply the truth on what we believe)

Peace

Answer 6

Muslim truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah/prophet of God, and in no way a liar, the Bible you read has got problem lying about Jesus. The Bible was written far after Jesus and His apostles. They took the Gospel God gave to Jesus to guide them, and changed it according to their needs. But because the word of God is not changeable they were unable to change these:-
Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but rather to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until Heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until all things are accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever keeps the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up, to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause, God gave them up, unto vile affections: for even, their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over, to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

Answer 7

May the peace, blessings and mercy of God be upon you

I completely understand how you came to your conclusion but it is a bit fallacious.

I am a Muslim, and we believe in the Prophet Jesus Peace Be Upon Him, we believe that what he preached is to believe in God alone, we do not believe that he ever said to people that he was God's son or God in human form. We also do not believe he was crucified.

We believe that God saved him when the Jews came to his house to try and kill him, and that another person was made to look like him and that person was crucified. This makes alot of sense according to the bible when the person on the cross yells "O God why have you forsaken me" in Hebrew

I understand you get your viewpoint from the Bible, but we as Muslims do not accept the current Bible as being purely from God.
We do acknowledge that the Prophet Jesus was sent with a Gospel, but we do not believe that this "pure" Gospel is the one in the modern bible.

The Modern Bible was written by people, and thus it has many contradictions.

We believe that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was the Last and Final Prophet sent, and the Qu'ran is the FINAL testament.

We also believe that the Prophet Jesus peace be upon him will descend to fight and kill the antichrist, whom the Jews will take as their long-awaited Messiah.

Peace Be With You and may God guide you to the straight path of Islamic Monotheism

"There is no deity worthy of worship besides God and Muhammad was his messenger"

Answer 8

thank you for this good question.

i am muslim, and let me tell u that jewish and muslim aren't in the same believer considering Jesus. jewish don't believe Jesus was a prophet at all, they think he was a liar. but muslim confirm that Jesus is actually the Messiah and a prophet.

considering the son of God, no Jesus did not lie, but the people after him did. take a look at this question to understand what does the word "son of God really means"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoA9QseI1bwCKoupR5nDK07sy6IX?qid=20070211033944AAxwEcN

Answer 9

The only reason why muslims make mention of Jesus in the q'uran is to build the religion on the existing base of Judaism and christianity.

The fact is Jesus said in Luke 16:16, that there are NO MORE prophets after John the Baptist. That means that muhammad (pibuh) of islam is a liar. This guy who reeks of pedophilia, murder and lying is unfit even to be a senator, let alone a prophet.

As for Jews, they don't believe in Jesus, that's why they are still under the law. We are watching to see which of them can be saved by their own self righteousness.

Answer 10

Jesus never claimed to be the son of God, he actually told his followers to not worship him as if he was God because he wasn't. Saying "God why have you forsaken me?" while on the cross makes it seem obvious to me. Either way, the book was written around 200 years after he died and can be translated too many different ways. It's not accurate and for all we know, Jesus saw himself as a only a prophet too.

Answer 11

as your respondants point out all but the jew think jesus to be a prophet ,being in the middle i feel he was a true son of the father who revealed we are all sons/daughters of the father
jesus came to his own and they knew him not
despite the right time and place ,it wax the message of a non judgmental god his own reject
jesus revealed god to be a god of love ,
to love god and love neighbour ,but there was a need for his own for a vengfilled god ,this was alloowed to happen after he died ,as was the lie of his claiming to be the only son of god ,reading the whole new testiment you find numerous times him saying he and god are not the same
it is a made up thing ,twisting for egsample thatr jusus was the word with god in the beginning
go to the old test and read it god saw the light was good ,not god and anyone else,
but over time christians have made all sorts of diversions so now many christians swear the son is the father
catch 22 division where jesus came to draw us back to the real father ,now you heard from respondants that muslem acknowledge jesus at least ,and some his own reject him because christians insist he was god ,he wasnt but thats all decided cut and dried ,opposing camps caught up in historical deceptions ,no easy middle path with out god being god and jesus the mediator between god and man ,the saviour of man ,not god who he came to tell men about.