Stories from Early Ahmadiyyat — Page 34
34 come alive from the dead. He did not do so. Instead, he met his disciples in secrecy and convinced them that he was still alive and did not die on the cross. In fact, the whole body of the doctrine—that sal- vation is possible only through atonement—is a later innovation and finds no support whatsoever in anything that Jesus as said or did. The term ‘son of God’, which he used, cannot be taken literally as this expression is used in the sacred scriptures in a metaphorical sense for other people. The Bible describes Israel as [ Jacob] as God’s son, even ‘first born’. The peacemakers are described as the ‘children of God’. Even in the Lord’s Prayer, God is addressed as Father. Jesus as had announced that his people would be given a similar sign as was given to the people of the prophet Jonah as; for as Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights, so would Jesus as remain three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Now, Jonah as was devoured by the whale alive, remained inside its belly alive, though unconscious, and came out alive. Had Jesus as died on the cross there would have been no resem- blance between his case and that of Jonah’s. Now we look at the belief held by Muslims in general. They believe that Jesus as rose to heaven, is still alive there, and will come back to this world to guide mankind. They