Deliverance from the Cross — Page 12
Sabbath, rejecting the Signs of God, seeking to slay the prophets, uttering a grievous calumny against Mary, taking interest, devouring people's wealth wrongly, etc. (an-Nisa', 4:155-165) By the time of the birth of Jesus they had been so bereft of spirituality that there was no one among them who was worthy, in divine estimation, of begetting the Messiah, by believing in whom the Bani-Israel (Children of Israel) could have made their peace with God and could thus have redeemed themselves. They were warned that if they rejected him the Kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matt. 21:43). This meant that prophethood would be transferred from the house of Israel to another people. This was conveyed to them dramatically by Jesus through a parable to the following effect: 'A certain man planted a vineyard and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time and at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruits of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast 12