Did St. Paul explain the Crucifixion of Jesus in his own way ?

I had responded to a posting on one social network where a Muslim Brother called Ayman had doubted the death and the ressurection of Jesus Christ and had posted to us links about some Islamic websites where a Muslim preacher was converting people to Islam.

You can watch the same videos on
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWuB7Llr9FQ
 2) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmxvd6_6-live-shahadas-with-sheikh-yusuf-estes-pierre-vogel-2-of-2_school

 Therefore Rashid,asked me question in the following email:

Ndugu Paul
It is 'dialogue' not 'clash'. It is to meet the Islamic preacher online, just go ahead.
Let there be no compulsion in Religion:
For the truth stands out dinstinct from error.
-Holy Quran 2:256 -----------------....BUT MOST OF THE MANKIND STILL DO NOT KNOW (HOLY QURAN 12:40).------------
NDUGU PAUL , Iam a Layman and not a specialist, May i learn from you.Just an inquiry, Is it true that St. Paul explained the Crucifixion of Jesus (Isa) in his own way ? Ali On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 9:48 AM 

So the following is my responce to Rashid about what I observed in the Video and the question on Paul's Ministry.

Just as I said to Ayman, please pay attention to how English is used here because a lot is lost when you focus on non-essentilas or you lose the focus of a communication. Please let me clarify:

1. By compulsion, I did not mean that the man was compelled to become a muslim. What I said was, THE MAN WAS COMPELLED TO SWEAR. Is this not compulsion? Gabriel did choose what to say, he was led to swear this is compulsion and when you make someone swear in disregard of the person's volition, that is making a vow under duress. You realize that at a point, he couldn't repeat exactly what he was  told to say- rasoosoolulah he said bismilahi- this is clear evidence that the man was not himself-i.e he was not thinking straight. Whatever happened to this guy can happen to anyone especially in a high powered congregation such as that one. Many people are overwhelmed by emotions when the cameras are directed at them.

2. Please could respond to the Issue of swearing in people to make a decision? In Christianity from which you Muslims model almost all your evangelisation including public rallies- when we lead anyone to Christ Jesus, we ask them to pray and invite Jesus in their lives and we never ask the person to swear. Please I would like you to comment on this. For those who are reading this, I would like to point out that Islam as super religion-the best among the best of religions- is LEGALISTIC TO THE CORE and there is no ounce of GRACE. Grace is undeserved favour granted to a sinner from God through Jesus Christ.

3. Did you realize that the guy replicated exactly what he used to know when he was a christian? Could you please point to me in the Quran where an individual's sins are forgiven at reciting the shahada? Who forgives these sins? What sins was Gabriel being forgiven? How did the preacher come to a conclusion that Gabriel was a sinner? Did Gabriel confess to be a sinner? Please I would like these questions answered.

You made an inquiry, as to whether it was true that St. Paul explained the Crucifixion of Jesus (Isa) in his own way, My answer to this question is yes and No.

1.First, yes because Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ who met the resurrected Jesus on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians. He was a Pharisee himself knowledgeable in matters of the Law and Religion per-excellence! So when he wrote about the death of Jesus, he was speaking and writing about what he had witnessed with his own eyes. Paul Himself may not have met Jesus Christ while Jesus was alive because many of the religious leaders sought to see him but they couldn't.Even those who went to arrest Jesus did not know him and sought the services of Judas Iscariot to show them and that is why he told those going to arrest Jesus that the one I kiss is him Mathew 26 

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up ^[l]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” ⁴⁹ Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

The above passage shows that Paul was just the same as these guys here who did not who know who Jesus was. Another person was Herod the King who sought to see him but could not. Here Jesus himself points to the same fact I am positing above that many did not know him and could not identify who He was because he was not as famous as Prophet Mohammad. He lived among the poor, his company was ex-fishermen, tax collectors and all people who lived on the peripheries of society. How could he meet a mad man living in the grave yard if he didn't visit those areas? How could he meet lepers when lepers were excluded and isolated from the public?

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶ But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

For example, I know Uhuru Kenyatta  but I have never met him in person.  Just because I have never met Uhuru Kenyatta in person does not deny me the right of talking and even writing about him especially if I can find what he says recorded anywhere.

Secondly, the second part of the answer to your question above is NO because Paul wrote about the death of Jesus Christ basing his writing on the Scriptures as he and other Jewish believer knew.

Lastly remember, the Islamic believer in the video said Jesus told his disciples to buy a sword. Now let me say again here, you Muslim brothers do us a great disservice when you pull out the scriptures out of context and you wrongly interpret them the same way you interpret the Quran. The Bible is not a book of holy verses. It is a library of Books written by human beings who were sinners but inspired by God to write what they did. Your Holy Quran just fell down in caves to Prophet Mohammad while he was alone hence the revelation becomes subjective. Only Prophet Mohammed knows the source of the Quran and no other human being was there to share this wonderful revelation. In Chritianity, the Bible was written by diverse people in different cultures, from different backgrounds over a long period of time. Neverthe less the Bible talks about the same God, the same Holy Spirit, the same Jesus and the same story.

Now look at what that scripture says about the sword;

¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has ^[d]demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ³³ But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” ³⁴ And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵ And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “But now, ^[e]whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and ^[f]whoever has no sword is to sell his ^[g]coat and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its ^[h]fulfillment.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.

Why was Jesus telling his disciples to do this? Was he commanding them to take swords and use them to kill?. Was he asking them to defend him using swords? The answers to my questions above are NO. Why? Jesus was preparing His disciples for the next phase of life without him. He knew he was going to be killed and he was telling his Disciples that while he was with them that He provided for them while he was with them but when he dies, they will need to fend for themselves. The disciples of Jesus were just human beings who were also insecure and Jesus had protected them against many things including drowning in the sea of Galilee. Now according to the above scripture, Jesus was fulfilling the prophesies as HE HIMSELF QUOTES verse 37 above. Now let us see what Christ intended to teach His disciples about the sword. Read

⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus ^[m]reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and ^[n]cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve ^[o]legions of angels? ⁵⁴ How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

The Lord Jesus did not ask His disciple to buy swords and use them to kill. He actually wanted to teach them that it is not by their power; "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. ⁷ ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’” And in Psalm 44:3 we are told that not by the sword but by God's Spirit. It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.

I am not among the People who believe that Islam was spread by the sword that is a great lie and it is also folly for this guy to say that this is what we Christians teach.

I hope I have comprehensively answered your question.

Paul

The Death and Ressurection of Jesus Christ

 
I have once or twice visited Islamic websites that dispute the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ  and what they discuss about the death of Jesus Christ is not convincing at all to anyone who understands simple English. 
       For instance when I use the if clause in any sentence, I use it for a particular purpose of showing conditionality. For example 

i) If I went to Mecca last year would I have seen you?

 ii) If you die you will rise again

 iii) If Nairobi is in the East of Nakuru the Nakuru is West of Nairobi 
 iv) If Christ Jesus did not rise again then our faith is useless

In the sentences above, the if clause is used as an apodosis; that is to say it is the main clause of a conditional sentence. In the first sentence, the subject I of the sentence did not go to Mecca last year and therefore s/he did not see the subject you. 

In the second sentence, a fact is being put across, that is to say in case the subject you dies, she/ he will rise again. The same applies to the third sentence. 

In the fourth sentence, emphasis is being put on the fact that because Jesus ressurected, our faith is sure.
 
Now concerning what you Muslims believe that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, I would like to pin point Historical facts here;The Holy Quran acknowledges that:- 

 1  there was a man called Jesus Christ the Messiah the Son of Mary. Who else in this world goes by the title of his mother?
 2. there was a punishment by death on the cross meted on criminals in the Roma empire.
 3.On a particular day this same guy called Jesus was arrested by the authorities and sentenced do death by being crucified-although it gives a wishful thinking here that the person crucified was not Jesus but another fictitious person-this Islamic thought is backed by any evidence whatsoever. Jesus Christ came to earth for the sole purpose of dying on the cross a lamb of sacrifice. The issue of sacrifices including human sacrifice permeates the traditions and religious practices of almost all religions.

I refer to Dr. Ben Malik Jamil on http://www.thegrace.com/about.html who says
 "The Great Sacrifice" that was mentioned by the Koran in (The Rangers 37:109), quoting the Torah, and telling the story of Abraham, when he was about to offer his son as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, but God stopped him and gave him a lamb to redeem his son; was but a symbol of the redemptive work of Christ on Calvary. Here, we see the Koran calling it "the Great Sacrifice", because that lamb was not an ordinary lamb, similar to the other lambs that were offered daily; 

NB- It is this doctrine and practise of sacrifice that we Christians believe in the death of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice. If you do not believe that Jesus died on the cross,you are not the first to do so and you may continue to believe so but the evidence to the fact of His death is so heavily pointing to the fact that Jesus died on the Cross as the following passage in Isaiah 53 says please read it all and give me one person in the History of Mankind who fits the description of this prophecy. Jesus Christ died on the cross for me. I believe this so much. 

The Suffering Servant 53 
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a tender [a]shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should [b]be attracted to Him. 3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of [c]sorrows and acquainted with [d]grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely our [e]griefs He Himself bore, And our [f]sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, [g]Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was [h]pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our [i]well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To [j]fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the [k]living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? 9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.  

Now there is a verse in the Quran that many Muslims have debated that indicates that Jesus Christ actually died while you say that He did not die. 

These are examples of such discussions:
Verses from the Holy Quran relating to the Second Advent of Jesus Son of Mary (: (bismillah) 
 And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e. Jesus as an messenger of God and as a human being) before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them. (The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:159) 

 And Jesus shall be a Sign for the coming of the Hour of Judgment: therefore have no doubt about the Hour, but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. (Quran, Az-Zukhuruf, 43:61)

So I will again say with the Apostle Paul in 1 Corithians 15 12ff that

12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified [f]against God that He raised [g]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 

The above excerpt is emphatic of the fact that Jesus Died and rose again. It does not doubt the death and the ressurection of Jesus. Please Abu and Twaha let us respect each other by rendering to scripture what it deserves instead of twisting it to suit our own selfish idiosyncratic ends.
I chose the colours to use for the Bible quotations deliberately because red stands for the blood of Jesus and those from the Quran I put in green because it is the colour I see painted on many Mosques.

Jesus' Death and Ressurection

I have once or twice visited this websites and what they discuss about the death of Jesus Christ is not convincing at all to anyone who understands simple English. For instance Abu, when I use the if clause in any sentence, I use it for a particular purpose of showing conditionality. For example
"if I went to Mecca last year would I have seen you?
If  you die you will rise again
If Nairobi is in the East of Nakuru then Nakuru is West of Nairobi

In the sentences above, the if clause is used as an apodosis that is to say it is the main clause of a conditional sentence. In the first sentence, the subject I of the sentence did not go to Mecca last year and therefore s/he did not see the subject you. In the second sentence, a fact is being put across, that is to say in case the subject you dies, she he will rise again. The same applies to the third sentence. Now concerning what you Muslims believe that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, I would like to pin point Historical facts here;The Holy Quran acknowledges:-

 1 that there was a man called Jesus Christ the Messiah the Son of Mary. Who else in this world goes by the title of his mother?

2. the fact that there was a punishment by death on the cross meted on criminals in the Roma empire.

3.On a particular day this same guy called Jesus was arrested by the authorities and sentenced do death by being crucified-although it gives a wishful thinking here that the person crucified was not Jesus but another fictitious person-this Islamic thought is backed by any evidence whatsoever. Jesus Christ came to earth for the sole purpose of dying on the cross a lamb of sacrifice. The issue of sacrifices permeates the traditions and religious practices of almost all religions including human sacrifice. I refer to Dr. Ben Malik Jamil on http://www.thegrace.com/about.html who says
"The Great Sacrifice" that was mentioned by the Koran in (The Rangers 37:109), quoting the Torah, and telling the story of Abraham, when he was about to offer his son as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, but God stopped him and gave him a lamb to redeem his son; was but a symbol of the redemptive work of Christ on Calvary. Here, we see the Koran calling it "the Great Sacrifice", because that lamb was not an ordinary lamb, similar to the other lambs that were offered daily;

NB- It is this doctrine and practise of sacrifice that we Christians believe in the death of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice. If you do not believe that Jesus died on the cross,you are not the first to do so and you may continue to believe so but the evidence to the fact of His death is so heavily pointing to the fact that Jesus died on the Cross as the following passage in Isaiah 53 says please read it all and give me one person in the History of Mankind who fits the description of this prophecy. Jesus Christ died on the cross for me. I believe this so much.

The Suffering Servant

53 Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² For He grew up before Him like a tender ^[a]shoot,
And like a root out of parched ground;
He has no stately form or majesty
That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should ^[b]be attracted to Him.
³ He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of ^[c]sorrows and acquainted with ^[d]grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely our ^[e]griefs He Himself bore,
And our ^[f]sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
^[g]Smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was ^[h]pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our ^[i]well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To ^[j]fall on Him.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
⁸ By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the ^[k]living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
⁹ His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

Now there is a verse in the Quran that many Muslims have debated that indicates that Jesus Christ actually died while you say that He did not die. These are examples of such discussions

Verses from the Holy Quran relating to the Second Advent of Jesus Son of Mary pbuh)">:


And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e. Jesus as an messenger of God and as a human being) before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them. (The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:159)

And Jesus shall be a Sign for the coming of the Hour of Judgment: therefore have no doubt about the Hour, but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. (Quran, Az-Zukhuruf, 43:61)

So I will again say with the Apostle Paul in 1 Corithians 15 12ff that

¹² Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. ¹⁵ Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified ^[f]against God that He raised ^[g]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁷ and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

The above excerpt is emphatic of the fact that Jesus Died and rose again. It does not doubt the death and the ressurection of Jesus. Please Abu and Twaha let us respect each other by rendering to scripture what it deserves instead of twisting it to suit our own selfish idiosyncratic ends. 

Paul