Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 98
98 outcome of this event. In the eyes of the Jews and the common people he was to die on the Cross, hence Jesus' choice of words was probably meant to foretell what the people would think after that event. Indeed, a man who was nailed to the Cross and who had fainted from the severe pain, had become as good as dead for the people. To be saved from a condition of assured death, as in this case, the choice of such words as coming to life again could not be considered an exaggeration. There is no doubt that after so much suffering, Jesus' escape from death was a miracle; it was no ordinary event. Additional Gospel testimonies which deny Jesus' death by crucifixion and his subsequent physical ascension are also contained in Matthew: 95 Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Likewise, the verse in John: 96 Jesus saith unto him, if I will that he (i. e. , the disciple, john) tarry (i. e. , in Jerusalem) till I come. The above verses show with great clarity that Jesus had promised some people that they would continue to live till his return. According to John's Gospel, he had even mentioned that one of his disciples, John, would stay in Jerusalem till his return. The fulfillment of this promise was thus assured. Accordingly, even Christians admit that it was inevitable for the fulfillment of the above prophecies that Jesus' return occur at a time when some of the people of that age, specifically John, were still alive. Hence the prophecy should have been fulfilled according to its promise. This is the basis of the clergy's declaration that, in accordance with his promise, Jesus had come to Jerusalem at the time of its destruction and that John had seen him, as he was alive at that time. However, the Christians deny that Jesus descended from heaven accompanied by appointed signs. They claim that he appeared to John as in a vision so that he may fulfill his prophecies. The return of this kind, however, does not fulfill this prophecy. This is a very weak interpretation that is patently untenable and absolutely wrong. ff the fulfillment of this prophecy was considered in Jesus' appearance to someone in a vision, then it would have been fulfilled long before the destruction of Jerusalem. According to the Bible, Jesus had appeared to Paul earlier in a vision, 97 and hence the fulfillment of this prophecy. Consequently, there was no need for his subsequent appearance to John. The Gospel of Matthew provides additional irrefutable testimony that denies Jesus’ alleged death by crucifixion and his supposed resurrection: 98 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. According to this verse, Jesus is foretelling of a time, when due to Divine intervention, additional knowledge, arguments and evidence will be made available to the world which will invalidate the beliefs of Jesus' divinity, his death on the Cross, his ascension to heaven and his physical return.