Common Muslim Objections to Christianity

• Jesus never stated that He was God
• Christians have changed the Bible, so Muhammad bought the truth back
• The Bible has been corrupted
• How could God die?

Jesus never stated that He was God?

Jesus did actually make statements that the Jews at the time believed to be saying He was equal to God.

Jesus called God His actual Father

John 5:17-18 But Jesus said, "My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working." Now the leaders wanted to kill Jesus for two reasons. First, he had broken the law of the Sabbath. But even worse, he had said that God was his Father, which made him equal with God.

John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Mark 14:60-64 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

Jesus claimed His body was the temple

He also claimed that his body was the temple of God. The temple was the place that the Jews believed God’s Spirit dwelt. By saying His body was the temple Jesus was stating, in Him was God.

John 2:19-21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.

The Disciples clearly stated Jesus was Equal to God

The fact is that the apostles, those who knew and followed Jesus all said plainly that Jesus was God.

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Col 1:15-17 Christ is exactly like God, who cannot be seen. He is the first-born Son, superior to all creation. Everything was created by him, everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen, including all forces and powers, and all rulers and authorities. All things were created by God's Son, and everything was made for him. God's Son was before all else, and by him everything is held together.

The Old Testament Aludes to Christ being God

Jesus was also predicted to come in the Old Testament, his coming was prophesied, or prementioned. Here are two scriptures:

Isa 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Mat 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin* shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

*The word Virgin here has probably been taken from the Greek Septuagint by translators, the original word was most likely "young woman", which appears in the Hebrew.

Isaiah 9:6 is criticized by some scholars who claim that the verse is talking about a previously born person, not someone to be born. Stating the following:

Notice that it says “a child HAS been born to us.” This is an event that has just occurred, not a future event. Isaiah is not making a prophecy, but recounting history. A future event would say a child will be born to us, but this is NOT what the verse says.

However:

• The verse however states that the child will be called Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, all biblical terms for God, no king in David’s line would be revered that highly
• Secondly the kingdom that this child was to set up would have no end. Each previous king had an end.

The words in the name of this child, are as follows:

Hebrew	Transliteration	English
פֶּלֶא‎	pe-leʾ	wonder, marvel, miracle
יוֹעֵץ‎	yōʿ-ēṣ	counselor, advisor
אֵל‎	ʾēl	God
גִּבּוֹר‎	gī-bōr	strong, mighty
אֲבִי‎	ʾáḇī	my father
עַד‎	ʿaḏ	eternal, everlasting, ancient
שַׂר‎	śar	prince
שָׁלוֹם‎‎	šā-lōm	peace

Firstly we will discuss the name of the child, God, or everlasting ancient one. Although the Septuagint, and original Hebrew uses the term "was born", the child's name is still God, making it impossible to be a previous king. There was no child born called God, or Father of the Ages in the past. Certainly not on David's throne, as the next verse in the passage says. No ruler in the past, rules forever, as this child does, and none of them could be said to be holy, or God. The following verse speaks of this unending kingdom:

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

So “yes” it can be translated as “was born”, but this need not mean it is a historical event; in the present tense every child “was” just born. Prophecy can be in the present tense.

But regardless of the tense, the child would be called, or named, God, or ancient one. This child who was born, would be called, the messenger of great counsel, wonderful, counsellor, God mighty in power, potentate, ruler of peace, father of the ages. No past king was worthy of such an honour, most being ungodly kings.

Christians have changed the Bible, so Muhammad bought the truth back?

The fact is that the message of the New Testament fits with the Old. Jesus never replaced the law, he came to fulfill it. He still wants people to do what was in the law in principal. But He came to be a sacrifice for our short comings (our inability to keep the law perfectly).

Mat 5:18-19 Truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth come to an end, not the smallest letter or part of a letter will in any way be taken from the law, till all things are done. Whoever then goes against the smallest of these laws, teaching men to do the same, will be named least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who keeps the laws, teaching others to keep them, will be named great in the kingdom of heaven.

So what did Muhammad bring back. The fact is any Christian who know the Bible can tell you the Quran does not bring back the Old Testament (OT), it is actually contrary to it.

Muhammad actually did what he accused the Christians of doing. He replaced the Law with his own. Muhammad did not follow the OT he created his own laws. Take the law of theft, in the OT it was:

Exo 22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

In the OT the thief had to restore (with extra) what he had stolen. But Muhammad changed that law to:

Quran 5:38 As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in power.

The OT law makes more sense, it adds a penalty but does not harm the person. Muhammad’s law is massively more strict.

There is also no law like the following in the Bible. The Quran’s law on marriage is clearly evil.

Sahih International (Quran 4:34): Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

Pickthall (Quran 4:34): Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.

The above is not in the Bible, it is not a truth. The way Muhammad treated people is also contrary to Jesus teaching to "love oneanother".

Matthew 5:43-44 You have heard people say, "Love your neighbors and hate your enemies." But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.

Mark 12:30-31 And you are to have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. There is no other law greater than these.

As we see from the Hadith Muhammad did not love his enemies, he treated them with distain and cruelty.

7.623 Narrated Anas bin Malik: [initial text]…. When this news reached the Prophet he sent in their pursuit (and they were caught and brought). The Prophet ordered that their eyes be branded with heated iron bars and their hands be cut off, and they were left at Al−Harra till they died in that state. - Abram, Simon. Islamic Hadith . Kindle Edition.

The Bible has been corrupted?

Many people have studied the Bible, and it’s original texts, written in Greek and Hebrew. There are 1000’s of original manuscripts, written in the original language of the day, and we get a good picture of what was taught from them. It must also be noted that the New Testament was written in Greek, which was the common language of the time period. The region having adopted the language after the conquest of Alexander the Great in around 332 BC. The Greeks controlled the region some centuries before Christ, and their language became the written language of Palestine.

Eye-Witnesses

One accusation bought against the bible is that the writters were not eye-witnesses, but this is an opinion not based on facts. Take the following quote which shows the intimate knowledge that the disciples had of the time period in which they were writting.

Internally Consistent

The Bible has proof with in it’s pages of its authenticity. Take the following passage taken from Isaiah written in between 740 BC and c. 686 BC, 700 years before Christ, if you did not know it was from the Old Testament you would think it was someone describing Jesus. It speaks of a man being offered as a sacrifice for sin, being “cut off from the land of the living " i.e. dying, suffering a painful death, yet to live to see decedents. This matches 100% with the mission and life of Jesus.

Isaiah 53:1-12 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Israel or Jesus

There are links that try to fight Isaiah 53 as a prophecy, they quote the context of the passage, and at times quote the word servant is used, saying this word and the context links back to Israel being called a servant.

Firstly let it be stated the context of the previous passage has zero impact upon the Isaiah 53 passage. As we will show in a minute. But first let’s talk about the word servant, it has no special meaning in Hebrew, as we see even the Canaanites Israel’s mortal enemy were called by the same word.

Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant H5650 of servants H5650 shall he be unto his brethren.

Just because Isaiah has used the word servant to refer to Israel in other places does not automatically mean the following passage refers to Israel, as you will see as we read on. For this servant is referred to as an individual man.

Isa 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

I will explain the context (Isaiah 52). It is talking about the virgin daughter of Israel being redeemed by God, read the passage when you have time. The next passage in the context (the passage before Isaiah 53) is talking about a man not Israel. As we see here:

Isa 52:13-15 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Note is says “As many were astonished at thee” so will people be astonished at this man.

And from the Septuagint (not a great translation, but still shows the same point)

Isa 52:13-15 Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. As many shall be amazed at thee, so shall thy face be without glory from men, and thy glory shall not be honoured by the sons of men. Thus shall many nations wonder at him; and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider.

As many shall be amazed at thee … Thus shall many nations wonder at him.

We see the context of this passage is describing a single man. Lets change it to English so you can see.

Isa 52:13-15 Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.  According as many were appalled at thee Virgin Daughter of Israel - so marred was his visage unlike that of a man, and his form unlike that of the sons of men -   So shall he cleanse many nations, kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they perceive. 

Jesus Seed?

Some people say how can Jesus have seed, or children. In answer. Christians are often referred to as children of God, or the seed of Abraham through the promise. When Isaiah says:

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

It is saying, Jesus is looking ahead to the time when he will see these children given his spiritual new birth.

Christians have God’s Holy Spirit, Jesus indwells the believer. Because of this indwelling we are figuratively God’s children.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Authenticity of Isaiah 53

For those who doubt the authenticity of the passage. Here is a comparison between the Hebrew and the Septuagint. First is taken from Hebrew. The second from Greek. To show the meaning has been well preserved. The dead sea scrolls one of the oldest finds, shows that the scroll of Isaiah is practically identical to our modern Hebrew versions.

Taken from Hebrew

Isa 53:1-12 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Taken from Greek

Isa 53:1-12 O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? We brought a report as of a child before him; he is as a root in a thirsty land: he has no form nor comeliness; and we saw him, but he had no form nor beauty. But his form was ignoble, and inferior to that of the children of men; he was a man in suffering, and acquainted with the bearing of sickness, for his face is turned from us: he was dishonoured, and not esteemed. He bears our sins, and is pained for us: yet we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering, and in affliction. But he was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we were healed. All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins. And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death. And I will give the wicked for his burial, and the rich for his death; for he practised no iniquity, nor craft with his mouth. The Lord also is pleased to purge him from his stroke. If ye can give an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed: the Lord also is pleased to take away from the travail of his soul, to shew him light, and to form him with understanding; to justify the just one who serves many well; and he shall bear their sins. Therefore he shall inherit many, and he shall divide the spoils of the mighty; because his soul was delivered to death: and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and was delivered because of their iniquities.

How could God die?

Christians do not bellive God died, they believe only the body that contained Him died. God's Spirit lived on. As we see from Jesus words happend to all men.

Luke 16:19-31 There was once a rich man who wore expensive clothes and every day ate the best food. But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man's house. He was happy just to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. His body was covered with sores, and dogs kept coming up to lick them. The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. He went to hell and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, he said to Abraham, "Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I'm suffering terribly in this fire." Abraham answered, "My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain. And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over." But the rich man said, "Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father's home. Let him warn my five brothers, so they won't come to this horrible place." Abraham answered, "Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophets wrote. They should pay attention to that." Then the rich man said, "No, that's not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God." So Abraham said, "If they won't pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even to someone who comes back from the dead."

Some people will say but the Old Testament speaks of a sleep in death. But the OT does not specifically mean men sleep in death. If you look at the whole of the OT it speaks of a firey end to the wicked, in a prision or pit.

Isa 66:24  My people will go out and look at the dead bodies of those who turned against me. The worms there never die, the fire never stops burning, and the sight of those bodies will be disgusting to everyone. 

Psa 11:5-6  The LORD tests honest people, but despises those who are cruel and love violence.   He will send fiery coals and flaming sulfur down on the wicked, and they will drink nothing but a scorching wind.

 

As you can see with the following verse the dead king goes down into a fire.

Isa 30:33  Long ago the LORD got a place ready for burning the body of the dead king. The place for the fire is deep and wide, the wood is piled high, and the LORD will start the fire by breathing out flaming sulfur.

The grave was also known as the pit. It was said to contain prisioners, in the lower parts of the earth. It is called a pit of destruction. We see that the earths core is full of fire, a apt holding cell for all who do evil.

Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 

Pro 1:12  Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: 

Job 17:16  They shall go down to the bars of the pit

Isa 24:22  And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 

Psa 55:23  But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Eze 26:20  When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living;

The verses which speak of the dead knowing nothing, refer to them knowing nothing of what is happening on the earth, they are cut off from thier old lives.