Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page iv
Vl11 I NT ROD U C T ION concept that Jesus had been raised to heaven in his physical body and would descend to earth in that physical body in the latter days in fulfilment of the prophecies of the Holy Pro- phet in that behalf. The Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross, a misconception which has now been completely exposed, that he was resurrected and ascended to heav. en in his physical body and would descend to the earth in that body in the latter days. Yet Jesus himself had explained clearly the meaning of a second coming of one who had passed away. One factor that reinforced the opposition and hostility of the Jewish divines to his claim of being the Messiah, whose advent had been foretold in their scriptures, was that it had been prophesied in Mal. 4:5 that Elijah, the Prophet, would be sent before the advent of the Messiah. His disciples asked him, saying, why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them Elias truly shall first come and restore all things. But I say unto you that Elias has come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. . . then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist [Matt. 17:10-13]. If ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come [Matt. II: 14]. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias. . . [Luke 1:17]. Thus,Jesus made it clear that a second coming of one who has passed away means the coming of someone in his power and spirit. One question that needs to be considered in respect of the almost universal expectation of the second advent in the latter days of a great teacher is, what would be the message and function of that teacher? Such an advent has been prophesied in almost all the principal faiths that flourish today upon the earth. Wauld the message and function of everyone of them be identical or would each of them have his own message different from and in conflict with the messages of the other great teachers in their second advent? If the messages of all of them are to be identical then not more than one would be