Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 412
412 'known a man. Mary was indeed an Israelite, but the line of family is 'determined by the father and not by the mother, fence the laws of society cannot call Jesus Christ an Israelite though at the same time it cannot be denied that he was strongly related to the house of Israel: for was not his mother an Israelite? Thus though Christ was not really an Israelite; yet in the absence of a father he may with some truth belong to the Israelite stock, But with all this, feeble as the relation of John was with the Israelites, that of Jesus, Christ was feebler still*. Now by making Christ His Prophet, God meant to show the rebellious Jews, that the hour of the complete transference of prophethood from them was fast approaching. The second step was already taken and an open warning was given. But woe to the stiff-necked Jews, who heeded not this change, bub turned a deaf ear to the warnings of the Lord. Had they repented and turned penitent, they would have been allowed to bask in the, sunshine of Divine favour a little longer. . But their doom was sealed. Him who was a living warning of God, but who would have proved their deliverer had they listened to him, they rejected. Nay, they did more. They fastened him on a cross and resolved upon putting him to an accursed death. This heinous act on their part filled the cup of their iniquity to over- flowing and their knell was sounded ; the next prophet was a son of Ishmael. . The Quran has very beautifully described this gradual process of the transference of prophethood. from the Israelites in Sura Mariarn where the births of John and Jesus Christ) are mentioned in their natural order with, all the necessary details, a careful study of which reveals the sublime mystery underlying the unusual birth ; of Jesus the Christ. . . . . . . . ;. . . . ,,. '. ,. (VoK. XVI B, R. 1917)