Defending the Christian Faith in Conversation with Islam — Unit 4: Who Is Jesus? Isa in the Qur'an and Christ in the Gospels

Key Verse

"He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" (Matthew 16:15-16, NKJV)

Learning Objectives

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Describe what the Qur'an teaches about Jesus, whom Muslims call Isa, in a way an informed Muslim would recognize.

2. List what the Qur'an affirms about Jesus and what it denies.

3. Explain how the same titles, such as Messiah and Word, carry different meanings in the Qur'an and in the Bible.

4. Present the Gospel evidence that Jesus is God, using His actions, His claims, and the worship He received.

5. Explain what Christians mean, and do not mean, when they call Jesus "the Son of God."

Introduction: The Most Important Question

Jesus once asked His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). That question is still the most important question in any conversation between a Christian and a Muslim. The Trinity, the cross, the resurrection and the reliability of the Bible all lead back to it. If Jesus is only a prophet, then Islam may be right to call Him a great messenger and nothing more. If Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became man, then He is far more than a prophet, and every person must bow before Him.

Many Christians are surprised to learn that Muslims love and honour Jesus. A Muslim neighbour may speak of Jesus with real respect. He may say that he believes in Jesus too, and may ask why Christians think Muslims reject Him. This is a door for conversation. But it also hides a deep difference. The Jesus of the Qur'an and the Jesus of the Gospels share a name and some facts, yet they are not the same in the most important ways.

In this unit we will first listen carefully to what Islam teaches about Jesus. A wise pastor describes another faith fairly before he answers it. Then we will look at the evidence in the Gospels that Jesus is God in the flesh. Finally, we will think about how to speak of these things with a Muslim friend in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15, "with meekness and fear."

Jesus in Islam: What Muslims Believe About Isa

His Name and His Honour

In Arabic, the Qur'an calls Jesus Isa. He is often called Isa ibn Maryam, which means "Jesus, son of Mary." His name appears in the Qur'an about twenty-five times, and He is mentioned in many more verses by His titles. A sura is a chapter of the Qur'an, and an ayah is a verse. So "Qur'an 3:45" means sura 3, ayah 45. Mary, His mother, is the only woman named in the Qur'an, and sura 19 carries her name.

Muslims count Jesus among the greatest prophets, together with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Muhammad. When devout Muslims say His name, they often add "peace be upon him," as they do for other prophets. A Muslim believes that to reject Jesus as a prophet would be to leave Islam. So we should never tell a Muslim that he hates Jesus. He honours Jesus as he understands Him. Our task is to show him who Jesus truly is.

What the Qur'an Affirms About Jesus

The Qur'an says many things about Jesus that Christians also believe. This common ground is real, and we may use it gladly.

• His virgin birth. The Qur'an teaches that Mary conceived Jesus without a man. When the angel brought the news, she asked how she could have a son when no man had touched her (Qur'an 3:47; 19:20).

• His purity. In Qur'an 19:19 the angel tells Mary he has come to give her "a faultless son" (Pickthall); other translations say "pure". The Qur'an speaks of the sins of other prophets but records no sin of Jesus. Muslims believe God protects all prophets from serious sin, so they may not mean exactly what Christians mean when we call Jesus sinless.

• His miracles. The Qur'an says that Jesus healed the blind and the leper and raised the dead "by Allah's leave" (Qur'an 3:49; 5:110). It also tells of Him speaking as a baby in the cradle and making a bird of clay that came to life. These last two stories are not in the Bible.

• His title Messiah. The Qur'an calls Him al-Masih, the Messiah, many times (for example Qur'an 3:45; 4:171). No other person in the Qur'an has this title.

• His titles Word and Spirit. Qur'an 4:171 calls Him "a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him."

• His book. The Qur'an says God gave Jesus the Injil, the Gospel (Qur'an 5:46).

• His ascension and return. The Qur'an says God raised Jesus up to Himself (Qur'an 4:158). Most Muslims believe, from the hadith (the reported sayings and actions of Muhammad), that Jesus will return near the end of the world.

What the Qur'an Denies About Jesus

The Qur'an also denies the very truths that stand at the centre of the Christian faith.

• It denies His deity. "They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary" (Qur'an 5:72; see also 5:17).

• It denies that He is the Son of God. The Qur'an says that God "begetteth not nor was begotten" (Qur'an 112:3), and that it is not fitting for God to take a son (Qur'an 19:35). It criticizes the Christians for saying that the Messiah is the son of God (Qur'an 9:30).

• It teaches that He was only a created messenger. "The Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger" (Qur'an 5:75). The Qur'an compares Him to Adam, whom God created from dust by saying "Be" (Qur'an 3:59).

• It denies His crucifixion. Qur'an 4:157 says that the Jews "slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them." We will study this verse in Unit 6.

• It denies the Trinity. Qur'an 4:171 tells Christians, "say not 'Three'." We will study this in Unit 5.

Notice what this means. The Qur'an honours Jesus, but it denies His deity and His divine Sonship, and the usual reading of Qur'an 4:157 denies His crucifixion. From the Christian point of view, these denials remove exactly what makes Jesus a Saviour. A Jesus who did not die cannot pay for sin, and without His saving death there is no resurrection as the gospel tells it. A Jesus who is only a creature cannot fully reveal God as the Father. This is a Christian theological conclusion, not a quotation from the Qur'an. The Qur'an does speak of God raising Jesus up to Himself (Qur'an 4:158), and Muslims understand His future in their own way. But the gospel's account of salvation stands or falls with His death and resurrection. This is why the question "Who is Jesus?" matters so much.

If Jesus Was a Prophet, Should We Not Hear Him?

Here is a question worth asking before any argument about the Trinity or the cross: if Jesus is a true prophet sent by God, do His words not deserve our careful attention? Islam honours Jesus as a prophet (Qur'an 19:30). The Qur'an even shows Him telling people to keep their duty to God and obey Him (Qur'an 3:50; 43:63). It says that God gave Him the Injil, with guidance and light, and it tells the people of the Gospel to judge by what God revealed in it (Qur'an 5:46-47). So a Christian is not bringing in a foreign starting point when he asks a Muslim friend to take Jesus seriously.

The next question needs an honest answer: where can we read what Jesus said? Many Muslims believe that God gave Jesus an original Injil, but that the four Gospels in the New Testament are later human accounts that may not keep His words faithfully. So we cannot simply assume that every Muslim accepts the authority of the New Testament. Our invitation can be: "We both honour Jesus as a prophet of God. Would you be willing to look at the earliest accounts of His words that we have, and ask what He claimed?" That invites a look at the history, rather than beginning with a claim the other person rejects.

Now listen to Jesus in those accounts. He forgives sins (Mark 2:5-12). He speaks of the Son of Man coming with heavenly authority (Mark 14:61-64). He claims a unique relationship with the Father (John 10:30; John 14). He teaches that He is the way to the Father (John 14:6). Each passage has its own setting and should not be used as a slogan. Yet together they raise the central question: was Jesus only one messenger among many, or did He understand who He was and why He came in a far greater way?

A conversation might go like this: "I respect the way you honour Jesus. Since we agree that a true prophet should be heard, may we read His words together? And may we ask what the earliest evidence tells us about whether those words have been kept faithfully?" A gentle question can do what an angry attack rarely does.

Common Ground and Real Differences

The Same Titles, Different Meanings

When a Muslim and a Christian both call Jesus "Messiah," they may think they agree. But the word means different things to each. In the Qur'an, al-Masih is a title of honour, but the Qur'an does not explain it. In the Bible, "Messiah" (in Greek, "Christ") means "the Anointed One." It points to the promised King from the line of David, whose kingdom has no end (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The prophets said this King would be called "Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6). Daniel saw "One like the Son of Man" who received everlasting dominion, and all peoples were to serve Him (Daniel 7:13-14). So the biblical Messiah is not only a prophet. He is a divine King.

A friendly question can help here. A Christian may ask, "The Qur'an calls Jesus the Messiah. What does that word mean? Why is He the only one with this title?" Many Muslims have never thought about this. The question invites them to read what the earlier books, the Torah and the Prophets, teach about the Messiah.

The same is true of the title "Word." The Qur'an calls Jesus "His word" (Qur'an 4:171). Many Muslim teachers explain this to mean that Jesus was created by God's word of command, "Be," just as Adam was (Qur'an 3:59). That is the Muslim understanding, and we should state it fairly. The Bible, however, teaches something greater: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This Word did not begin at Bethlehem. He was with God before creation, and through Him all things were made (John 1:3). Then "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). In John's Gospel, the Word is not a creature made by God's command. He is the Creator who took on human nature.

So we must listen carefully. When a Muslim says, "I also believe in Jesus," we can rejoice in the common ground. We can then ask gently, "Which Jesus? The one the Qur'an describes, or the one His first followers wrote about?" This is not a trick. It is an honest question about evidence.

The Researched Answer and the Revealed Answer

At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples what people were saying about Him (Matthew 16:13-17). They gave answers that were kind but incomplete: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. These were the researched answers, the conclusions people reached after hearing reports or watching His ministry. Then Jesus turned the question from public opinion to personal confession: "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16, NKJV). Jesus did not simply accept a compliment. He called Peter blessed, "for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17).

In his preaching on Matthew 16, Dr. Cook uses this difference between the researched answer and the revealed answer to shape a whole conversation with a Muslim friend. To honour Jesus as a prophet is better than to treat Him as unimportant, but the Gospel asks whether it is enough. The confession in verse 16 is Peter's own testimony, and Jesus' approval follows in verse 17. Matthew places the confession and God's approval of it side by side, and that is what gives the passage its power.

The passage also leads to the church's mission. Jesus promises, "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Gates are for defence, so the picture is of the church advancing, not hiding behind walls. But we must say plainly that the advance is spiritual: through preaching, prayer, teaching, service, sacrifice and the power of the gospel. The church must never use force against its neighbours.

Christ in the Gospels: The Evidence for His Deity

Muslims sometimes say that Jesus never claimed to be God, and that the church invented this idea later. Unit 10 will answer the common objection "Jesus never said 'I am God.'" Here we lay the foundation. The Gospels show Jesus' deity in three main ways: by what He did, by what He claimed, and by what He received.

Jesus Does What Only God Does

He forgives sins. In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus told a paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." The religious teachers understood at once what this meant. They asked, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7). A man may forgive a wrong done to himself. But only God can forgive sins against God. Jesus did not correct them. Instead He healed the man to prove "that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" (Mark 2:10).

He rules over nature. When Jesus calmed the storm, His disciples asked in fear, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" (Mark 4:41). In the Old Testament, it is the Lord who stills the sea (Psalm 107:29).

He acts by His own authority. The Qur'an says that Jesus did miracles "by Allah's leave." In the Gospels, Jesus often heals by His own word: "I am willing; be cleansed" (Mark 1:41). He also says that He will raise the dead on the last day (John 6:40), and that He will be the judge of all people (John 5:22; Matthew 25:31-32).

Jesus Claims What Only God Can Claim

He claims to have existed before Abraham. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). The words "I AM" recall the name God gave Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). The crowd understood, and they picked up stones to kill Him for blasphemy (John 8:59).

He claims equality with the Father. Jesus said, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). Again His hearers wanted to stone Him, "because You, being a Man, make Yourself God" (John 10:33). Earlier, John explains that the leaders sought to kill Him because He "said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:18).

He claims the divine throne at His trial. When the high priest asked whether He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, Jesus answered, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62). He was joining Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14. He was claiming to share God's rule and to receive the worship of all nations. The high priest tore his clothes and called it blasphemy (Mark 14:63-64). This was the claim for which Jesus was condemned.

This last point is important for Muslims. Many Muslims believe that John's Gospel is late and that Mark, the earliest Gospel, shows a merely human Jesus. But Mark also shows Jesus forgiving sins, ruling the sea and claiming the throne of God. The deity of Christ is not found in one Gospel only. It runs through all four.

Jesus Receives What Only God Should Receive

In the Bible, worship belongs to God alone. When John fell down before an angel, the angel stopped him and said, "Worship God!" (Revelation 22:8-9). When people tried to worship Paul and Barnabas, the apostles tore their clothes and refused (Acts 14:11-15). But Jesus accepted worship. After He walked on the water, "those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Truly You are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:33). After His resurrection, the women and the disciples worshiped Him (Matthew 28:9, 17). Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Jesus did not rebuke Thomas. He blessed those who would believe the same way (John 20:29).

A true prophet would never accept worship. Moses did not, and neither did Elijah. If Jesus were only a prophet, He would have refused. Because He accepted it, He was either guilty of the greatest sin, or He is truly God. The Qur'an itself calls Jesus faultless (Qur'an 19:19). A Muslim friend may be invited to think about this: a faultless man who accepted worship cannot be merely a man.

The Witness of His Followers

The first Christians were Jews who believed strongly that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). Yet within a few years of the resurrection they worshiped Jesus as Lord. Paul, writing within about twenty to thirty years of the cross, says that Christ was "in the form of God" and that every knee will bow to Him (Philippians 2:6-11). He calls Jesus "our great God and Savior" (Titus 2:13), and he writes that in Him "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). These letters were written centuries before Muhammad and long before the church councils that Muslims sometimes blame for "inventing" the deity of Christ. The councils did not invent this belief. They defended what the apostles had already taught.

What "Son of God" Means and Does Not Mean

The title "Son of God" offends many Muslims more than any other. Part of the reason is a misunderstanding. The Qur'an asks how God could have a child when He has no wife (Qur'an 6:101). For many Muslims, the word "son" suggests that God had physical relations with a woman. To a Muslim, this sounds like a terrible insult to God's holiness.

Christians must say clearly that we reject this idea too. We do not believe that God took a wife, or that Mary was a goddess, or that Jesus began as the result of a physical union. That would be blasphemy. When the Bible calls Jesus the Son of God, it speaks of an eternal relationship, not a biological one. The Son has always existed with the Father (John 1:1-2; 17:5). He shares the Father's nature, just as a son shares the nature of his father. He perfectly reveals the Father (John 14:9; Hebrews 1:3).

The word "begotten" in the Bible and in Christian creeds does not mean "created" or "born from a wife." It means that the Son is of the same nature as the Father, and that He has always been the Son. The virgin birth is the moment when the eternal Son took on human nature. It is not the moment when He began to exist.

A simple illustration may help, though no picture is perfect. In Arabic, a traveller can be called ibn al-sabil, "son of the road," and the Qur'an itself uses this phrase (for example Qur'an 2:177). No one thinks that a road has children. The word "son" can describe a close relationship or a shared nature. In the same way, "Son of God" does not describe biology. It tells us that Jesus shares God's own nature and has a unique relationship with the Father. In Unit 5 we will explain how the Bible teaches one God in three Persons, and why this is not the "three gods" that the Qur'an rejects.

When a Muslim friend says, "God cannot have a son," you might answer kindly: "I agree that God did not take a wife and have a child. That is not what the Bible teaches. May I show you what Christians really mean?" This answer removes a stumbling block that is not part of the gospel, so that your friend can consider the real claim of Christ.

Why John's Opening Words Matter

In another sermon, Dr. Cook approaches the identity of Jesus through John 1:1 and 1:14. How can we speak of Jesus to someone who does not share the language and habits of Christian worship? John's answer is to take a familiar idea, the Word, and then make an astonishing claim about the person of Christ. The Word already "was" in the beginning; He was with God; He was God; and He "became flesh" (John 1:1, 14). John does not mean that Jesus began to exist when Mary conceived. The eternal Word entered human history.

As we saw above, many Muslims understand "His word" in Qur'an 4:171 as God's command "Be"; John means far more.

This invites us to think beyond the manger: before Bethlehem, before the prophets, before Abraham (John 8:58), the Word already was. This moves the conversation from an argument about a title to the eternal identity of Christ. A picture like this should help us read the text, not take the place of careful reading.

The Testimony of Nabeel Qureshi

Nabeel Qureshi (1983–2017) was born in the United States to devout Ahmadi Muslim parents of Pakistani background. His father was an officer in the US Navy. Nabeel grew up loving God and loving Islam, and he honoured Jesus as a prophet. As a student at Old Dominion University he met a Christian named David Wood. The two became close friends and debated for years, always with respect.

Qureshi studied the historical case for the crucifixion, the resurrection and the deity of Christ. He also examined the sources on Muhammad and the Qur'an. Qureshi argued that the Gospels, even the earliest one, present Jesus as more than a prophet, and that the best historical evidence points to Jesus claiming divine authority. He prayed for God to show him the truth, and he described dreams that he believed God used to guide him. Around 2005 he became a Christian. It cost him greatly in his relationship with his family, whom he loved. He later became a medical doctor and then a speaker and author. He died of stomach cancer in September 2017, at the age of 34. His book No God but One: Allah or Jesus? (2016) is recommended reading for this course.

Qureshi's story teaches two lessons. First, the question of who Jesus is can be answered with evidence, and many Muslims are willing to examine that evidence. His conversion is a personal testimony, not itself proof of every conclusion he reached. Second, the evidence was weighed inside a long and patient friendship. David Wood did not win Nabeel by one clever argument. He stayed his friend and kept answering his questions over many years. A pastor may be firm about evidence and kind toward a Muslim friend at the same time.

Reading Qureshi with the Bible Open

For further reading, see Qureshi's Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (2014).

The strongest opening is still the simple question: if you recognize Jesus as a prophet, will you hear Him? When your friend asks whether the Gospel accounts have kept His words faithfully, discuss that historical question openly.

Using This in Conversation

Here are some practical steps for pastors and church members who speak with Muslim neighbours about Jesus.

• Begin with common ground. Thank your friend for honouring Jesus. Agree gladly about the Qur'an's accounts of the virgin birth and the miracles, and speak about His purity with care, rather than assuming that both faiths mean exactly the same thing by "sinless."

• Ask good questions. "Why is Jesus alone called the Messiah? Why does the Qur'an call Him a Word from God? Have you ever read what His first followers wrote about Him?"

• Read the Gospels together. Choose short passages such as Mark 2:1-12, Mark 14:60-64 or John 20:24-29. Let the text speak.

• Clear away misunderstandings. Explain that "Son of God" does not mean that God had a wife.

• Speak with gentleness and respect. Never mock the Qur'an or Muhammad. Your manner must match your message.

• Pray. Only the Holy Spirit can open eyes to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Summary

Muslims honour Jesus, whom they call Isa, as one of the greatest prophets. The Qur'an affirms His virgin birth, His purity, His miracles, His title Messiah, His titles Word and Spirit from God, His ascension and His return. But it denies His deity, His Sonship and His crucifixion, and it calls Him only a created messenger like Adam. The same titles, Messiah and Word, carry far richer meaning in the Bible, where the Messiah is the divine King and the Word is the eternal Creator who became flesh. The Gospels, including Mark, show that Jesus did what only God does, claimed what only God can claim and received the worship due to God alone. The apostles taught His deity long before Muhammad. When we call Jesus the Son of God, we do not mean that God had a wife, but that the Son eternally shares the Father's nature. If Islam honours Jesus as a prophet, His words deserve a hearing. At Caesarea Philippi, Peter went beyond calling Him a prophet and confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," and Jesus said the Father had revealed this. Like David Wood with Nabeel Qureshi, we should present this evidence patiently, inside real friendship, with meekness and fear.

Questions for Reflection

1. When a Muslim neighbour says, "I believe in Jesus too," how would you answer in a way that is both truthful and kind?

2. Which of the Gospel passages in this unit would you choose to read first with a Muslim friend, and why?

3. Why does it matter that the Qur'an removes from Jesus His deity, His Sonship and His death on the cross?

4. How would you explain to a member of your church what "Son of God" means and does not mean?

5. What can your congregation learn from the long friendship between David Wood and Nabeel Qureshi?

6. Who speaks the great confession in Matthew 16:16, and why does Jesus' reply in verse 17 matter in a conversation with a Muslim friend?

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