By: Gen. Jim
The following is taken from “Our Beloved Jesus Son of Mary” by Jan Khan of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Canada:
“We, the Ahmadi Muslims hold Jesus Christ in high esteem and love him greatly. The Holy Quran speaks very highly of the magnificent personality of Jesus Christ and records that he was a beloved messenger of God who was sent for the reformation of the Children of Israel”
(Ch. 3:50; 43:60)
JESUS – PROPHET FOR THE ISRAELITES
The Bible also notes regarding the purview of his ministry:
1. “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24)
2. “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not to the City of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5-6)
3. “…When the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matt 19:28)
4. “I pray for them (Jews). I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.” (John 17:9)
5. “How is it that you manifest yourself to us and not to the world?” (John 14:22)
6. “Out of you shall come a Governor, who shall rule my people Israel.” (Matt 2:6)
7. “Blessed is the king of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:15)
8. “But we had hoped that was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21)
9. “He will rule over the house of Jacob.” (Luke 1:33)
10. “Why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world.” (John 14:22)
11. “Who will be shepherd of my people Israel.” (Matt. 2:6)
A natural question that arises here is that when Jesus was sent, was it only for the children of Israel?”
Let’s take the first Scripture – Matt 15:24 – and examine Jesus’ reason for saying what He did to the Syrophenician Woman -Mark calls the woman a Greek (Mk7:26), but here in Mt. 15:22 she is called “ a woman of Canaan, a Canaanite.” Mark calls the woman a Greek because she speaks that language – of Syrophenician descent. Matthew regards Syrophenicians as descendants of the Canaanites, who in the OT are often spoken of with reproach ( see Gen. 24:3; Ezra 9:1; Zech. 14:21; see also Gen 9:18, 22,25; 28:1).
The setting was that Jesus had left His own land. He was now in the Gentile world. Make no mistake, as our Muslim points out verses, that Jesus’ Mission was first and foremost to the Jews (but not limited to them as we see here). Another point that I might mention is that God has chosen the Jews/Israelites/Hebrews etc. as His instrument for SAVING the WORLD ( it was their mandate even in the OT which Jesus was living in time wise).
God’s heart was heavy because of the “lost” condition of His very own people. Jesus was sent first to them. Not that He was to neglect the “lost world” around Him, the larger world was from the first included in His mission, even as the nations were included in God’s covenant with Abraham.
Paul the apostle knew this – as a religious Jewish leader and later as a born-again Christian- where he wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; TO THE JEW FIRST and also TO THE GREEK (or “world”) – Rom.1:16
Why God sent Jesus to the Jews first was that the Jew (although in a “lost” condition) knew the Scriptures of the OT; the Gentile world did not. It was logical and natural that God would use the Jews to evangelize the world- as the early Jewish converts went about doing. The Jews were supposed to be the Gospel Evangelists. Matthew 15:24 brings the “world” into Jesus’ ministry: the “lost sheep” of the house of Israel and the “Canaanite” crying for help are joined together in their common need.
JOHN 3:16
Our Muslim fails to cite many counter-Scriptures, like Jn 3:16. He, in other parts of the booklet, tries to define for us what the word “world” meant/means. He cites several verses where the word “world” is used. “It cannot be taken to mean the whole planet earth”, he writes. And why not? I’m not getting into a long study here on “the world”, but it certainly can mean several things. “The world” can mean “local” or “universal”, but our Muslim sticks to “local”.
John 3:16, which he did not cite, certainly means more than Jewish/Israel etc. “For God so loved the world”. Does this only mean the Jewish nation? NO! The “whosoever believeth” certainly exceeds the bounds of the Jewish nation. Jn 3:16 shows us that God’s heart and purpose includes ALL persons, i.e., “ the world” (see 1 Tim. 2:4)
OTHER SHEEP?
Our Muslim also fails to mention John 10:16 where Jesus said: “And OTHER SHEEP I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be ONE FOLD, and ONE SHEPHERD”.
Just who are these “other sheep”? It is obvious that our Muslim author doesn’t know. That “Jesus” statement was sure to send shock waves throughout all Israel. They were proud, rebellious and bigoted. Racism was pre-eminent. Jesus was a revolutionary that upset the order of-the-day, His day. He opened up His heart to the Gentiles, which the Jews hated and threw the whole nation into a fissiparous rebellion against Him and His disciples. Even the scribes and Pharisees were in disagreement. Now Jesus is speaking of “other sheep”. Jesus was about to sanction an Apostolic precedent. Not only the Jewish fold Mr. Muslim, Christ’s horizon takes in ALL men of ALL races and time (see Jn 11:52; 12:32).
John 11:52 says, “And not for that nation only (Israel, v. 51), but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” Here we have the high priest, Caiaphas, prophesying Jesus’ mission of gathering “other sheep” into ONE sheepfold. John 12:32 says, “And I (Jesus), if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto Me.” Jesus was speaking of His crucifixion (v.33).
The word “all” can mean either in a limited sense or absolute sense. The “all men” Jesus spoke of was men and women from all earthly tribes/ cultures etc. Our Muslim does not even know what Jesus has already done. Where do we find anything in our Bible about his (false) prophet – Muhammad – taking Jesus’ place as Savior/Prophet. In fact, Muhammad never prophesied anything that came to pass. Jesus did!! The book I’m refuting says that Jesus was sent ONLY to the Jewish nation, Muhammad to all the world. Give us a break Mr. Muslim. Muhammad, as your Qur’an and Hadiths says, was a sinner! Your books also say that Jesus was sinless. How can a sinner redeem a sinner? Silly question.
Jesus died for “all men” but not “all men” will receive grace because many love their sins, and because of their love for sin, God’s free grace is nullified (see Mt. 23:37 in reference to the Jews).
AMAZING!
Amazing to the “religious” Jews of Jesus’ day, mission in Christ’s mind and heart takes in the WHOLE world. How do I know this?
“I the Lord have called You (Christ), the Messiah, for a righteous purpose and in righteousness; I have taken You by the hand and have kept You; I have given You for a covenant to the people (Israel), for a light to the nations”( Isaiah 42:6). Isaiah the prophet continues in verse 7: “To open the eyes of the blind (both physically and spiritually), to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon (sin-life), and those who sit in darkness from the prison” (prisoners of Satan from birth, see also Mt. 12:18-21).
That, my friends, is what Jesus the Christ/Messiah was going to do. By His death and resurrection, this opened the prison doors to ALL men, EVERYWHERE to be set FREE. Muhammad’s body is in the tomb; Jesus’ body glorified in Heaven.
Isaiah 49:6 states: “He says, It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors (of the judgments) of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the nations that My salvation may extend to the end of the earth” (Amplified Bible, see v. 7 also).
Isaiah 56:8 says: “Thus says the Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather yet others to Israel, besides those already gathered”. How much plainer can the Bible be on this subject?
NOT ALL ISRAEL
Our Muslim critic forgot to mention Paul’s discourse in Romans 9:1-11: Verse six is telling: “Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” With this verse, he begins an extended discussion of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel and the reason for their present unbelief.
Chapters 9-11, Paul looks at the problem of Israel’s past election, present rejection of Jesus’ Gospel, and future salvation for “other sheep”. You see, God has turned Israel’s transgression (i.e. having Jesus crucified) into an opportunity (that was written about centuries ago by prophets) to proclaim salvation to ALL THE WORLD -10:11-15 : “For the Scripture saith, ‘whosoever believeth (Gentile) on Him shall not be ashamed’”. Verse 12 says, “ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him”. Verse 15 says, “For whosoever (Jew/Gentile) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. (see Acts 2:21)
These verses destroy our Muslim critic’s theory that Jesus’ salvation was only for the nation of Israel; Muhammad’s mission was for all the world. Paul in Acts 28:28 declared, “ Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it”. This is what Paul wrote about when he said, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been HID in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 3:9)
Now if we go back to vv. 3-8, we get the whole picture , “ that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel” (v. 6). The “mystery”, hidden for ages- although written about – made known to Paul by revelation along with others, that CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL mankind. We find Paul starting his epistle out with “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in ONE all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.” (Eph 1:9, 10) This “mystery” which our Muslim author did not even perceive! – was that Gentiles would be invited into the ONE BODY of Christ Jesus… without circumcision or Jewish rites, etc.
Therefore, ALL nations, not merely Jews, have this promise- even LOST Muslims. “Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” (Rom 16:25, 26)
SO…
From the Jews and the Gentile nations, God created “in Christ” (Eph 3:6) a new people for Himself (see also Eph 1:4-6; 2:16; 4:4,16; Matt 16:18; Col 1:24-28 and 1 Peter 2:9, 10). Look all these up for proof of what I write.
Again , Paul in Col. 1:25-28, writes about this “dispensation” and “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generation, but NOW is made manifest to His saints” (v. 26). We can’t miss it!, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this MYSTERY among the Gentiles; which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.” (v. 27).
Don’t ever believe that Muhammad ever replaces Jesus (see my other articles). The crowning wonder to Paul especially was that God had included the Gentile nations in His redemptive grace (see Eph. 3:1, 2). He feels honored to have been called to preach Jesus, not merely Judaism.
Let us therefore preach Christ to ALL MEN. Amen.
Now, if we were to take those other 10 verses Khan mentioned at the beginning, we could have a Bible study on each. Yes, Jesus was sent to the “lost sheep of the House of Israel” but the “mystery” was about to be revealed – Gentile believers could become part of the New Israel which came forth of old racial Israel.