One of the reasons why devoted Muslims harbor resentment toward the Jews is their belief that the Jews killed Jesus unjustly. Muslims also maintain that Jesus never claimed to be divine. However, if one carefully examines the Gospels, it becomes evident that Jesus was condemned because He claimed to be the Son of God and, by implication, equal with God. To the Jewish leaders, such a claim constituted blasphemy, an offense punishable by death under Jewish law.
Likewise, Muslims accuse Christians of committing idolatry because they believe that Jesus was merely a man and never claimed divinity. Yet the Gospels present a different picture. According to the New Testament, Jesus’ claims concerning His divine identity were precisely what provoked the hostility of the Jewish authorities and ultimately led to His crucifixion.
Furthermore, the god of Islam appears ignorant of the Gospel. Allah taught His believers that Jesus did not claim divinity, yet the Gospel narratives indicate that His claims to divine status were the very reason his enemies sought his death. Allah declared that He taught Jesus with the Gospel (Quran 5:110), asserting He is the author of the Gospel. But in truth, the Gospel is the account of Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection, written by His apostles and followers. This raises an important question: How could Jesus be taught by a record of His own life and ministry? The author of the Quran does not know what he is talking about. Another point to consider is the claim that Jesus was not crucified because someone else was substituted in His place. This account is associated with the Gospel of Barnabas, a document generally dated to the 14th century. How could a teaching found in a 14th-century book have been reflected in the Quran, which Muslims believe was revealed in the 7th century? Take note that Muslims had no official Quran until 1924. That official edition even underwent further revisions and corrections in 1936. Therefore, it is not surprising that a foreign idea could have been introduced into this book.
Moreover, in Christianity, the Gospel is not a law to be taught to the people, but as a news to be proclaimed to the world. The word gospel literally means good news, coming from the Greek word euangelion and the Old English word godspel. This is why you would not hear a priest say, “Teach the people with the Gospel,” but rather, “Spread the Gospel (Good News)” or “Proclaim the Gospel”.
The following passages from the Gospels provide evidence that Jesus claimed divinity—an assertion that aroused the anger of the Jewish leaders and ultimately led to His condemnation and death sentence.
1. [Matthew 26:63-66] But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered.
2. [Mark 14:62-64] But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What is your verdict?” And they all condemned Him as deserving of death.
3. [Luke 22:70-71] So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” “Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.’
4. [John 10:30-33] “I and the Father are one”. At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”
5. [John 10:34-36] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
6. [John 19:6-7] As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.” “We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
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