Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 165
165. A WELCOME RECEPTION. But history confirms that those people soon became devoted to the Messiah readily believing him to be a prophet. . In brief, under the circumstances, God compelled him to go there. If we do not accept this explanation, leave alone the theory of redemption, the Messiah loses even the status. of a truthful and true man. For, he clearly says that he would enter the tomb alive, and stay in the tomb alive and come out of the tomb alive and that after all these events his journey to the lost tribes was unavoidable, so that his likeness to the Prophet Jonah is established. Now when did Jonah go to the inhabitants of Nineveh to preach? The answer is, when he came out of the fish's belly. Similarly the real period of work for the Messiah came when he rose from the grave. If it had not so happened and the Messiah had not preached after rising from the tomb and had not gathered the lost sheep, he would be proved to be a liar and so also Isaiah and other. Prophets who foretold that he would gather together the lost sheep of Israel. (We seek refuge with God against such belief). . These incidents conclusively establish that it was not ordained that the Messiah should die on the Cross or offer atonement. The theory of redemption makes it impossible to accept the Messiah as a reighteous person; for thus, his greatest prophecy turns out to be false and so also the word that was revealed to Isaiah and what was foretold by some other prophets. It is established therefore that Jesus did not offer the sacrifice which is ascribed to him by those who subscribe to the theory of vicarious atonement; nor did he make any atonement. . STORY OF CRUCIFIXION. Now we shall examine whether the incident that took