This article is a response to appendix 22 of QURAN, The Final Testament, translated by Rashad Khalifa. Mr. Khalifa says the Quran informs us that:
It is not the purpose of this article to dispute that these are the claims of the Quaran. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that this is absolutely not the teaching of the Bible! It is important to clarify this since Mr. Khalifa attempts to demostrate that the Bible makes these same statements about Jesus Christ. This is certainly not the case! Here are the clear statements the Bible makes:
Mr. Khalifa presents a series of quotations from the Bible that are supposed to support his claims. These quotations are from an unknown paraphrase of the Bible and are sometimes inaccurate. Some of the quotations are incomplete and some are taken out of context. They present a lopsided and incomplete picture of the Jesus of the Bible. The tables below show Rashad Khalifa's quotations of the Bible compared to the New American Standard Bible Update(NASU)- an extremely accurate translation of the Bible.
| John 12:44-50 - "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me" | |
|---|---|
| Complete text from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's qutation |
| And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. "I have come [as] Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. "He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment [as to] what to say and what to speak. "I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." | Jesus proclaimed aloud: ``Whoever puts faith in me believes not so much in me as in him who sent me; ..... For I have not spoken on my own; no, the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to speak. Since I know that his commandment means eternal life, whatever I say is spoken just as he instructed me.'' |
| Discussion: Jesus tells us that he was sent by the Father and he spoke the words the Father told him to speak. But, notice the part that Khalifa left out of his quote. Jesus did more than just speak the words of the Father. He said that seeing him was the same as seeing the Father! He also came to do more than just speak. He came to save the world. The statement by Jesus that he was sent by God the Father in no way conflicts with him being God too. To understand this read the discussion of Deuteronomy 6:4 at the bottom of this page. |
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| John 5:30 - "I can do nothing on My own initiative" | |
|---|---|
| John 5:26-30 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| "For just as the Father has life in Himself,
even so He gave to the Son also to have life in
Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment,
because He is [the] Son of Man. "Do not marvel at
this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the
tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who
did the good [deeds] to a resurrection of life, those who
committed the evil [deeds] to a resurrection of judgment."
- 5:26-29 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." - 5:30 |
"I cannot do anything of myself. I judge as I hear, and my judgment is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of him who \par sent me." |
| Discussion: It helps to look at the context of this statement. Jesus is talking about the end time when men are judged for their evil deeds. It will be Jesus who will judge them. He will do this according to the will of the Father. Does this sound like a mere messenger? |
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| John 7:16 - "My teaching is not Mine..." | |
|---|---|
| New American Standard Bible Update | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. | Jesus said: ``My doctrine is not my own; it comes from him who sent me.'' |
| Discussion: This in no way conflicts with Jesus being more than a messenger and more than a man. |
|
| Acts 2:22 - "Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God..." | |
|---|---|
| Actes 2:22-24 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the
Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and
wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your
midst, just as you yourselves know-- this [Man], delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put [Him] to death. "But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. - Acts 2:23-24 |
Men of Israel, listen to me! Jesus the Nazorean was a man whom God sent to you with miracles, wonders, and signs as his credentials. These God worked through him in your midst, as you well know |
| Discussion: It is important to understand the main point of this verse. In order to do that we need to look at the two that follow it. The main point is that God certified that Jesus' ministry was authentic through miracles. The greatest of which was raising him from the dead! The statement that Jesus is a man does not conflict with the statement that Jesus is God. He is both. Jesus referred to himself both as "Son of God" (John 5:25) and "Son of Man" (John 5:27). This is what sets Jesus apart from being a mere messenger. God came to us in the form of a perfect man, Jesus. We know this from John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.", and John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us..." |
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| John 5:24 - "...he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life..." | |
|---|---|
| John 5:24-27 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My
word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and
does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death
into life. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is [the] Son of Man." - John 5:25-27 |
``...The man who hears my word and has faith in him who sent me possesses eternal life." |
| Discussion: Jesus sais that those who hear his word and believe the one who sent him will have eternal life. What is it that they need to believe? It is the word that Jesus spoke to them! The word of Jesus is no ordinary word. It is the word or the Son of God and at His word even the dead will come to life! |
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| John 7:28-29 - "...I have not come of Myself..." | |
|---|---|
| New American Standard Bible Update | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. "I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me." | ``...I have not come of myself. I was sent by One who has the right to send, and him you do not know. I know him because it is from him I come; he sent me.'' |
| Discussion: There is no conflict in Jesus' statement that he was sent by God and he is God. See the discussion of Acts 2:22 |
|
| John 17:1-3 - "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God..." | |
|---|---|
| John 17:1-5 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to
heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify
Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave
Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have
given Him, He may give eternal life. "This is
eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. - John 17:4-5 |
Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ``...Eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and him whom you have sent, Jesus Christ.'' |
| Discussion: It is again important to look at all of what Jesus said. Yes, Jesus Christ addressed the Father as "the only true God", but look at what else he said. He claims to have the authority to give eternal life. Jesus also asks God to give him the glory that He had with God before the world began. In Isaiah 48:11 God says "...My glory I will not give to another." It is clear that Jesus is more than just a human messenger. |
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| Romans 8:14 - "...these are sons of God" | |
|---|---|
| New American Standard Bible Update | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." | "All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." |
| Discussion: The phrase "son of God" is used in a number of different way in the Bible. Again, context is the key to understanding what is meant. In this context "sons of God" are believers who are following the Spirit of God. In verse 16 it says that these beleivers are "God's Childeren". This shows us the close relationship that God has with those who belong to him. Look at John 5:25 above to see how different the context and useage of the phrase "Son of God" is. First it doesn't say "a son of God", but "the Son of God". This is not just one believer among many, but the unique Son of God. Now look at what he will do. He will speak and the dead will live! This is not something that any one of the "sons of God" can do. It is important to understand the meaning of the term "son of". This phrase in the Hebrew language was used to describe someone as being like something. For example, Jesus called James and John "Boanerges" which means "Sons of Thunder", one of the Apostle Paul's companions was named Barnabus, which means "Son of encouragement". So, when Jesus is called the "Son of God", it does not mean that he is the child of God, it means that he has the qualities of God- that He is Divine! |
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| John 11:41 - "...Father, I thank You that You have heard Me" | |
|---|---|
| John 11:41-42 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes,
and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard
Me. "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of
the people standing around I said it, so that they may
believe that You sent Me." When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." - John 11:42 |
Jesus looked upward and said, ``Father, I thank you for having heard me. I know that you always hear me but I have said this for the sake of the crowd, that they may believe that you sent me.'' |
| Discussion: This is an amazing passage. Jesus brought a dead man back to life by the power of God the Father! This does not conflict with Jesus statements equating himself with God. To understand this read the discussion of John 12:44-50 above. The fact that Jesus did this miracle by the power of God the Father does not diminish his claim to equality with God. In Philippians 2:5-9 it says:
The reason Jesus did miracles by the power of God the Father is that he had "emptied" himself when he took on the form of man. This is why Jesus Christ asked the Father to raise Lzarus from the dead. |
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| Mark 10:17-18 - "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." | |
|---|---|
| NASBU | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." | As he was setting out on a journey a man came running up, knelt down before him and asked, ``Good Teacher, what must I do to share in everlasting life?'' Jesus answered, ``Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.'' |
| Discussion: This statement could be taken either of two ways. One could interpret it as meaning that Jesus is correcting the man for calling him good. The other interpretation is that Jesus was challenging the man to think about who Jesus really is. In light of all the other actions and statements Jesus made to reaveal his identity as God the second interpretation makes more sense. |
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| Matthew 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven" | |
|---|---|
| Matthew 7:21-23 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's version |
| "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven [will enter]. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' | ``None of those who call me `Lord' will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." |
| Discussion: The quotation that Rashad Khalifa gives is both incomplete and inaccurate. Jesus is not saying that his disciples shouldn't call him Lord. When the passage is read in it's entirety it is clear that Jesus is condeming those who call him Lord but don't do the things that someone who calls Jesus Lord should do. |
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| John 20:17 - "I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." | |
|---|---|
| New American Standard Bible Update | Rashad Khalifa's quotation |
| Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, `I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.' " | ``...Go to my brothers and tell them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' '' |
| Discussion: This statement is not a contradiction of Jesus' claims to be equal with God (John 17:1-4, John 8:58, John 10:30) This is a result of the role that Jesus willingly took as a humble servant. See the discussion of John 11:41-42. |
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| Deut. 6:4 - "The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! " | |
|---|---|
| Deuteronomy 6:4-5 from the NASU | Rashad Khalifa's version |
| "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. | ``Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one'' |
| Discussion: This does not contradict the biblical teaching that the one God exists in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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