Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 76
76 to relate the prophecy of Abram (peace be on him) to. Messiah knocks down the whole edifice of the theory of atonement. . I well remember, I was yet a boy, about seventeen years old when I went to Lahore and felt tempted to have an exchange of views with some Christian clergy. I went to see the Bishop of Lahore who was later appointed. Principal of the Saharanpur Mission College. I asked him how people of the preceding generations attained to salvation? He said that they believed in Jesus and through their faith in him were saved. I said "If I were to assert that they were saved through faith in me what would he suggest for an answer?" He replied back that such a claim called for a prophecy to support it. I conceded his point but wanted to know which prophecy was related to the Messiah. He cited the prophecy made by Abram (peace be on him). I said he could have before him all the prophecies made by Abram (peace be on him). If, on the one hand, they speak of blessings in the generation of Isaac (peace be on him), they, on the other, say the same thing about the progeny of Ishmael (peace be on him). "If you feel entitled to apply the prophecy to Messiah (peace be on him), why should we not apply it to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and the blessings of Allah be on him) for he was of the progeny of Ishmael (peace be on him). " Then I asked him to first answer the question whether the theory of atonement rested on the basis that Messiah was the Son of God. But, I added, if he were a son of Abram, there could be no point in favour of the said theory. He was an aged man, some 55 to 60 years old but my question caused him no ordinary headache. In the end, after an hour's argument, he apologetically said that according to a Greek proverb every fool could put a question but it needed a wise