TODAY’S MUSLIM CHALLENGE: EXPLAIN HOW YOU RECOGNISE JESUS AS A PROPHET WHEN YOU DENY EVERY PROPHECY HE EVER MADE OF HIS OWN DEATH AND RESURRECTION
Below across the four gospel accounts we find three dozen references by Jesus Himself in anticipation of His death.
Notes:
▪︎ Every mention of “cross” is an indirect reference to His death and the method of it.
▪︎ Every mention of being “lifted up” is also a reference to His death (see John 12:33-34).
▪︎ The references in the parable of the wicked tenants killing the “son and heir” are clearly Jesus self referencing His own death in anticipation of it.
▪︎ Parallel verses are counted individually, properly so, for the repetition is signifying their importance.
1. Matthew 10:38 “And whoever doesn’t take up his CROSS and follow Me is not worthy of Me.”
2. Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the SON OF MAN WILL BE IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.”
3. Matthew 16:21 “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be KILLED, and be RAISED again the THIRD DAY.”
4. Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS, and follow Me.”
5. Matthew 17:9 “And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be RISEN again FROM THE DEAD.”
6. Matthew 17:22-23 “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: [23] And they shall KILL HIM, and the third day he shall be RAISED AGAIN. And they were exceeding sorry.”
7. Matthew 20:18-19 “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, [19] And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to CRUCIFY him: and the THIRD DAY he shall RISE AGAIN.”
8. Matthew 20:28 “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE — A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
9. Matthew 21:38 “But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us KILL HIM , and let us seize on his inheritance.”
10. Matthew 26:2 “Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be CRUCIFIED.”
11. Matthew 26:26-28 “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; THIS IS MY BODY.” [27] Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. [28] For THIS IS MY BLOOD THAT ESTABLISHES THE COVENANT; IT IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.”
12. Matthew 26:31-32 [26:31] “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” [26:32] But AFTER I AM RISEN AGAIN, I will go before you into Galilee.”
13. Mark 8:31 “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be KILLED, and after THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN.”
14. Mark 8:34 “Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS, and follow Me.”
15. Mark 9:9 ” And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were RISEN FROM THE DEAD.”
16. Mark 9:31 “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall KILL HIM; and after that HE IS KILLED, he SHALL RISE THE THIRD DAY.”
17. Mark 10:33-34 “Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: [34] And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall KILL HIM : and the THIRD DAY HE shall RISE AGAIN.”
18. Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE — A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
19. Mark 12:7-8 “But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. [8] And they took him, and KILLED HIM, and cast him out of the vineyard.”
20. Mark 14:8 “She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to ANOINT MY BODY TO THE BURYING.”
21. Mark 14:27-28 “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd , and the sheep shall be scattered. [28] But AFTER THAT I AM RISEN, I will go before you into Galilee.”
22. Mark 14:41 “And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is BETRAYED into the hands of sinners.”
23. Luke 9:22 “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and BE SLAIN, and be RAISED THE THIRD DAY.”
24. Luke 9:23 “Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS DAILY, and follow Me.”
25. Luke 9:44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be DELIVERED into the hands of men.”
26. Luke 14:27 “Whoever does not bear his own CROSS and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
27. Luke 18:31-33 “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. [32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: [33] And they shall scourge him, and PUT HIM TO DEATH: and the THIRD DAY HE SHALL RISE AGAIN.”
28. Luke 20:13-15 “Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. [14] But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us KILL HIM, that the inheritance may be ours. [15] So they cast him out of the vineyard, and KILLED HIM. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?”
29. Luke 22:19-20 “And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This IS MY BODY, WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. Do this in remembrance of Me.” [20] In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the NEW COVENANT ESTABLISHED BY MY BLOOD; IT IS SHED FOR YOU.”
30. Luke 24:6-7 “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, [7] Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be CRUCIFIED, and the THIRD DAY RISE AGAIN.”
31. John 2:19, 21-22 “Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary, and I WILL RAISE IT UP IN THREE DAYS.” [21] But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body. [22] So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. And they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.”
32. John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man BE LIFTED UP. [15] so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.”
33. John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have LIFTED UP THE SON OF MAN, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”
34. John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I LAY DOWN MY LIFE, that I might take it again. [18] No man taketh it from me, but I LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF. I have POWER TO LAY IT DOWN, and I HAVE POWER TO TAKE IT AGAIN. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
35. John 12:7, 23-24, 32-34 “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against THE DAY OF MY BURYING hath she kept this.”
36. John 12:32-34 “And I, if I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, will draw all men unto me. [33] This he said, signifying WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE. [34] The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?”
There is no doubt the subject to which Jesus devoted most attention in His prophetic ministry, more than any other event, is His own death and resurrection.
□ THE CHALLENGE:
So Muslims, since you recognise Jesus as a prophet why do you mock the subject of His greatest prophecies? All 36 of the above passages are challenged and yet left unexplained by the Quran. You call Jesus a prophet yet you reject the substance of what he prophesied most frequently about and attached most importance to – His own death and resurrection! What is this if not glaring contradiction and breathtaking hypocrisy?
Yes Muslims, you make Jesus, who told us and proved He is THE TRUTH (John 14:6), you make Him a serial liar and pretender for the dozens of occasions where He predicted His death and resurrection, which according to you never happened. Yet you still pretend to honour Him as a prophet!
I am yet to see any Muslim even acknowledge this glaring contradiction, still less attempt to reconcile how they claim to honour and respect Him as a prophet when they deny the substance of His greatest prophecies!
Let’s see if they can now respond to the challenge.
Below across the four gospel accounts we find three dozen references by Jesus Himself in anticipation of His death.
Notes:
▪︎ Every mention of “cross” is an indirect reference to His death and the method of it.
▪︎ Every mention of being “lifted up” is also a reference to His death (see John 12:33-34).
▪︎ The references in the parable of the wicked tenants killing the “son and heir” are clearly Jesus self referencing His own death in anticipation of it.
▪︎ Parallel verses are counted individually, properly so, for the repetition is signifying their importance.
1. Matthew 10:38 “And whoever doesn’t take up his CROSS and follow Me is not worthy of Me.”
2. Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the SON OF MAN WILL BE IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.”
3. Matthew 16:21 “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be KILLED, and be RAISED again the THIRD DAY.”
4. Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS, and follow Me.”
5. Matthew 17:9 “And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be RISEN again FROM THE DEAD.”
6. Matthew 17:22-23 “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: [23] And they shall KILL HIM, and the third day he shall be RAISED AGAIN. And they were exceeding sorry.”
7. Matthew 20:18-19 “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, [19] And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to CRUCIFY him: and the THIRD DAY he shall RISE AGAIN.”
8. Matthew 20:28 “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE — A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
9. Matthew 21:38 “But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us KILL HIM , and let us seize on his inheritance.”
10. Matthew 26:2 “Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be CRUCIFIED.”
11. Matthew 26:26-28 “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; THIS IS MY BODY.” [27] Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. [28] For THIS IS MY BLOOD THAT ESTABLISHES THE COVENANT; IT IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.”
12. Matthew 26:31-32 [26:31] “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” [26:32] But AFTER I AM RISEN AGAIN, I will go before you into Galilee.”
13. Mark 8:31 “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be KILLED, and after THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN.”
14. Mark 8:34 “Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS, and follow Me.”
15. Mark 9:9 ” And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were RISEN FROM THE DEAD.”
16. Mark 9:31 “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall KILL HIM; and after that HE IS KILLED, he SHALL RISE THE THIRD DAY.”
17. Mark 10:33-34 “Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: [34] And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall KILL HIM : and the THIRD DAY HE shall RISE AGAIN.”
18. Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE — A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
19. Mark 12:7-8 “But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. [8] And they took him, and KILLED HIM, and cast him out of the vineyard.”
20. Mark 14:8 “She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to ANOINT MY BODY TO THE BURYING.”
21. Mark 14:27-28 “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd , and the sheep shall be scattered. [28] But AFTER THAT I AM RISEN, I will go before you into Galilee.”
22. Mark 14:41 “And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is BETRAYED into the hands of sinners.”
23. Luke 9:22 “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and BE SLAIN, and be RAISED THE THIRD DAY.”
24. Luke 9:23 “Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his CROSS DAILY, and follow Me.”
25. Luke 9:44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be DELIVERED into the hands of men.”
26. Luke 14:27 “Whoever does not bear his own CROSS and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
27. Luke 18:31-33 “Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. [32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: [33] And they shall scourge him, and PUT HIM TO DEATH: and the THIRD DAY HE SHALL RISE AGAIN.”
28. Luke 20:13-15 “Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. [14] But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us KILL HIM, that the inheritance may be ours. [15] So they cast him out of the vineyard, and KILLED HIM. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?”
29. Luke 22:19-20 “And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This IS MY BODY, WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. Do this in remembrance of Me.” [20] In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the NEW COVENANT ESTABLISHED BY MY BLOOD; IT IS SHED FOR YOU.”
30. Luke 24:6-7 “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, [7] Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be CRUCIFIED, and the THIRD DAY RISE AGAIN.”
31. John 2:19, 21-22 “Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary, and I WILL RAISE IT UP IN THREE DAYS.” [21] But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body. [22] So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. And they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.”
32. John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man BE LIFTED UP. [15] so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.”
33. John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have LIFTED UP THE SON OF MAN, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.”
34. John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I LAY DOWN MY LIFE, that I might take it again. [18] No man taketh it from me, but I LAY IT DOWN OF MYSELF. I have POWER TO LAY IT DOWN, and I HAVE POWER TO TAKE IT AGAIN. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
35. John 12:7, 23-24, 32-34 “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against THE DAY OF MY BURYING hath she kept this.”
36. John 12:32-34 “And I, if I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, will draw all men unto me. [33] This he said, signifying WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE. [34] The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?”
There is no doubt the subject to which Jesus devoted most attention in His prophetic ministry, more than any other event, is His own death and resurrection.
□ THE CHALLENGE:
So Muslims, since you recognise Jesus as a prophet why do you mock the subject of His greatest prophecies? All 36 of the above passages are challenged and yet left unexplained by the Quran. You call Jesus a prophet yet you reject the substance of what he prophesied most frequently about and attached most importance to – His own death and resurrection! What is this if not glaring contradiction and breathtaking hypocrisy?
Yes Muslims, you make Jesus, who told us and proved He is THE TRUTH (John 14:6), you make Him a serial liar and pretender for the dozens of occasions where He predicted His death and resurrection, which according to you never happened. Yet you still pretend to honour Him as a prophet!
I am yet to see any Muslim even acknowledge this glaring contradiction, still less attempt to reconcile how they claim to honour and respect Him as a prophet when they deny the substance of His greatest prophecies!
Let’s see if they can now respond to the challenge.