Did Jesus Die on the Cross?
One of the most fundamental disagreements between Christianity and Islam is whether or not Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and killed on a Roman Cross. The New Testament is very clear that Jesus was killed and crucified on a Roman Cross, whereas the Qur'an denies it:
Surah 4:157-"And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor crucify him; but they thought they did. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except they following assumption, and they did not kill him for certain."
While the world stresses the necessity to coexist, the simple truth is that the only way the Bible and Qur'an can coexist on this issue is if both are wrong, and the only way both can be wrong is if Jesus never existed, in which case both faiths are incorrect. So which one is right? Well, historical investigation sides with the Bible on this issue. So let us look at what historians discovered.
Firstly, the New Testament is much more reliable on this fact than the Qur'an. The Gospels of were all written by people who knew Jesus personally or by those who were close to those who knew him. The Fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John, was written approximately 50-60 years after the death of Christ by the Apostle John, though some scholars assert that it was written even earlier. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke were all written even earlier than John's Gospel, less than 30 years after the death of Christ. Matthew was written by the Apostle Matthew. Mark was written by John Mark, who is mentioned in the Book of Acts and based his Gospel on the testimony of his companion, the Apostle Peter. Finally, Luke is written by the Greek physician Luke, who was companion of the Apostle Paul. Many of Paul's letters even pre-date the Gospels. Of Paul's Letters, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 contains this religious creed that scholars unanimously agree was a creed recited by the Christian community in the 30's A.D., within a few years after the death of Jesus:
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures, that he was buried, the he was raised on the Third Day, according to the scriptures."
Some scholars even state that this creed was recited by the Christian community within a few months of Jesus' death. It is abundantly clear that this was a belief preached by the Christian community from the very beginning.
However, is the Bible alone enough? Most say no, which is why historians went to sources outside the Bible. Early Church Fathers Clement of Rome (AD 95) Ignatius of Antioch (AD 108), and Polycarp (AD 110) all wrote extensively on the New Testament and all affirmed the Crucifixion and Execution of Jesus at the hands of Pontius Pilate. Amazingly, even 1st and 2nd century opponents of Christianity support this. First Century Jewish historian Josephus wrote of Jesus and his Brother James in his Jewish Antiquities Book. Josephus wrote that Jesus did exist and that many of his followers believed him to be the Messiah. He likewise confirmed the martyrdom of his Brother James (also mentioned in the Book of Acts) as well as the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist by King Herod. The Roman historian Tacitus likewise confirmed in the early 2nd century that Jesus was crucified and killed on the orders of Roman Prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Second Century Greek writers Mara bar Serapion and Lucian of Samosata likewise confirm this. None of these writers were Christian. In fact, most mocked the Christian faith, but they nonetheless conceded that Jesus was crucified and killed on a Roman Cross.
Now let us look at the Qur'an. The first problem is that the Qur'an was compiled over 600 years after the death of Jesus. A second problem with Surah 4:157 is that it contradicts two other Surah's in the Qur'an:
Surah 19:15-"Blessed was he on the day he was born, and the day of his death; and peace be on him when he is raised to life.
Surah 19:54-55-"He has exhorted me to honor my mother and has purged me of vanity and wickedness. Blessed was I on the day I was born, and blessed I shall be on the day of my death and on the day I shall be raised to life"
Even if we ignore these clear contradictions, the Qur'an has a final problem. It doesn't say what did happen to Jesus! To this day, Muslims disagree with each other on what happened to Jesus because Muhammad never gave an answer. Most follow the "Substitution Theory." This theory is that someone else was crucified instead of Jesus, and Allah deceived the people into believing that it was Jesus. However, Muslims who follow this theory don't agree on who it was that took the place of Jesus. Some say it was Judas, some say it was Simon (the man who helped Jesus carry the cross), some say it was a Roman soldier, others say it was a secret Disciple of Jesus who volunteered to take his place.
Other Muslims like Shabir Ally believed that Jesus was crucified, but he survived the cross. This is known as the Swoon Theory. However, this theory was dismissed by atheist critics of the Bible centuries ago for a number of reasons. Firstly, the cross was designed as a sure method of execution, it was so effective that nobody in history was ever known to have survived a full Roman crucifixion. Secondly, if a Roman solider had permitted a man who was condemned to death to live and escape, his life would have been forfeit, so the Romans made absolutely certain that the condemned were indeed dead before their bodies were taken away. This is why Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a spear, to make sure he was dead. Thirdly, medical experts studied the Gospel accounts, writings of Roman crucifixion, and remains of crucified bodies. They all assert that it was physically impossible for Jesus to have survived the cross.
The evidence in favor of the crucifixion and execution of Jesus of Nazareth on a Roman Cross is so overwhelming, that it's considered a sure fact of history. Even non-Christian historical Jesus scholars unanimously agree that on this one point, the New Testament is right, and the Qur'an is not. In fact, Reza Aslan a practicing Muslim, admitted in his book Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, that Jesus of Nazareth was "most definitely crucified." The historical evidence was so overwhelming that even a practicing Muslim had to confess that the New Testament is right on this point. To quote the words of atheist New Testament scholar Gerd Lüdemann: "Jesus' death as a consequence of crucifixion is indisputable."
With this abundance of Historical Evidence, we not only conclude that Jesus of Nazareth did exist, but that his death as a consequence of crucifixion is a historically attested fact. We therefore must conclude that on this one particular issue that the Bible is right, and the Qur'an is wrong.
Sources
Acts17Apologetics. "Live Event: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?" Filmed [March 2018]. YouTube Video, 3:10:23. Posted [March 2018]. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYL5TZ9jJqg
Acts17Apologetics. "Muslim Scholar Reza Aslan Admits that the Qur'an is Wrong about Jesus." Filmed [Jan. 2014]. YouTube Video, 2:38. Posted [Jan. 2014]. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0-7D75ftmk
Brooks, Rice. Man, Myth, Messiah. Nashville: W. Publishing Group, 2016.
Limbaugh, David. Jesus on Trial: A Lawyer Affirms the Truth of the Gospel. Washington DC: Regnery Publishing, 2014.
McDowell, Josh. More Than a Carpenter. Wheaton, IL: Living Books, 1977.
McDowell, Josh & Jim Walker. Understanding Islam & Christianity: Beliefs that Separate Us & How to Talk About Them. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2013.
Qureshi, Nabeel. No God but One: Allah or Jesus? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016.
Qureshi, Nabeel. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.
Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalists Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998.
Wallace, Warner J. Cold Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2013.
White, James R. What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 2013.
Surah 4:157-"And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor crucify him; but they thought they did. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except they following assumption, and they did not kill him for certain."
While the world stresses the necessity to coexist, the simple truth is that the only way the Bible and Qur'an can coexist on this issue is if both are wrong, and the only way both can be wrong is if Jesus never existed, in which case both faiths are incorrect. So which one is right? Well, historical investigation sides with the Bible on this issue. So let us look at what historians discovered.
Firstly, the New Testament is much more reliable on this fact than the Qur'an. The Gospels of were all written by people who knew Jesus personally or by those who were close to those who knew him. The Fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John, was written approximately 50-60 years after the death of Christ by the Apostle John, though some scholars assert that it was written even earlier. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke were all written even earlier than John's Gospel, less than 30 years after the death of Christ. Matthew was written by the Apostle Matthew. Mark was written by John Mark, who is mentioned in the Book of Acts and based his Gospel on the testimony of his companion, the Apostle Peter. Finally, Luke is written by the Greek physician Luke, who was companion of the Apostle Paul. Many of Paul's letters even pre-date the Gospels. Of Paul's Letters, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 contains this religious creed that scholars unanimously agree was a creed recited by the Christian community in the 30's A.D., within a few years after the death of Jesus:
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures, that he was buried, the he was raised on the Third Day, according to the scriptures."
Some scholars even state that this creed was recited by the Christian community within a few months of Jesus' death. It is abundantly clear that this was a belief preached by the Christian community from the very beginning.
However, is the Bible alone enough? Most say no, which is why historians went to sources outside the Bible. Early Church Fathers Clement of Rome (AD 95) Ignatius of Antioch (AD 108), and Polycarp (AD 110) all wrote extensively on the New Testament and all affirmed the Crucifixion and Execution of Jesus at the hands of Pontius Pilate. Amazingly, even 1st and 2nd century opponents of Christianity support this. First Century Jewish historian Josephus wrote of Jesus and his Brother James in his Jewish Antiquities Book. Josephus wrote that Jesus did exist and that many of his followers believed him to be the Messiah. He likewise confirmed the martyrdom of his Brother James (also mentioned in the Book of Acts) as well as the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist by King Herod. The Roman historian Tacitus likewise confirmed in the early 2nd century that Jesus was crucified and killed on the orders of Roman Prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Second Century Greek writers Mara bar Serapion and Lucian of Samosata likewise confirm this. None of these writers were Christian. In fact, most mocked the Christian faith, but they nonetheless conceded that Jesus was crucified and killed on a Roman Cross.
Now let us look at the Qur'an. The first problem is that the Qur'an was compiled over 600 years after the death of Jesus. A second problem with Surah 4:157 is that it contradicts two other Surah's in the Qur'an:
Surah 19:15-"Blessed was he on the day he was born, and the day of his death; and peace be on him when he is raised to life.
Surah 19:54-55-"He has exhorted me to honor my mother and has purged me of vanity and wickedness. Blessed was I on the day I was born, and blessed I shall be on the day of my death and on the day I shall be raised to life"
Even if we ignore these clear contradictions, the Qur'an has a final problem. It doesn't say what did happen to Jesus! To this day, Muslims disagree with each other on what happened to Jesus because Muhammad never gave an answer. Most follow the "Substitution Theory." This theory is that someone else was crucified instead of Jesus, and Allah deceived the people into believing that it was Jesus. However, Muslims who follow this theory don't agree on who it was that took the place of Jesus. Some say it was Judas, some say it was Simon (the man who helped Jesus carry the cross), some say it was a Roman soldier, others say it was a secret Disciple of Jesus who volunteered to take his place.
Other Muslims like Shabir Ally believed that Jesus was crucified, but he survived the cross. This is known as the Swoon Theory. However, this theory was dismissed by atheist critics of the Bible centuries ago for a number of reasons. Firstly, the cross was designed as a sure method of execution, it was so effective that nobody in history was ever known to have survived a full Roman crucifixion. Secondly, if a Roman solider had permitted a man who was condemned to death to live and escape, his life would have been forfeit, so the Romans made absolutely certain that the condemned were indeed dead before their bodies were taken away. This is why Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a spear, to make sure he was dead. Thirdly, medical experts studied the Gospel accounts, writings of Roman crucifixion, and remains of crucified bodies. They all assert that it was physically impossible for Jesus to have survived the cross.
The evidence in favor of the crucifixion and execution of Jesus of Nazareth on a Roman Cross is so overwhelming, that it's considered a sure fact of history. Even non-Christian historical Jesus scholars unanimously agree that on this one point, the New Testament is right, and the Qur'an is not. In fact, Reza Aslan a practicing Muslim, admitted in his book Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, that Jesus of Nazareth was "most definitely crucified." The historical evidence was so overwhelming that even a practicing Muslim had to confess that the New Testament is right on this point. To quote the words of atheist New Testament scholar Gerd Lüdemann: "Jesus' death as a consequence of crucifixion is indisputable."
With this abundance of Historical Evidence, we not only conclude that Jesus of Nazareth did exist, but that his death as a consequence of crucifixion is a historically attested fact. We therefore must conclude that on this one particular issue that the Bible is right, and the Qur'an is wrong.
Sources
Acts17Apologetics. "Live Event: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?" Filmed [March 2018]. YouTube Video, 3:10:23. Posted [March 2018]. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYL5TZ9jJqg
Acts17Apologetics. "Muslim Scholar Reza Aslan Admits that the Qur'an is Wrong about Jesus." Filmed [Jan. 2014]. YouTube Video, 2:38. Posted [Jan. 2014]. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0-7D75ftmk
Brooks, Rice. Man, Myth, Messiah. Nashville: W. Publishing Group, 2016.
Limbaugh, David. Jesus on Trial: A Lawyer Affirms the Truth of the Gospel. Washington DC: Regnery Publishing, 2014.
McDowell, Josh. More Than a Carpenter. Wheaton, IL: Living Books, 1977.
McDowell, Josh & Jim Walker. Understanding Islam & Christianity: Beliefs that Separate Us & How to Talk About Them. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2013.
Qureshi, Nabeel. No God but One: Allah or Jesus? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016.
Qureshi, Nabeel. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014.
Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalists Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998.
Wallace, Warner J. Cold Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2013.
White, James R. What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 2013.
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