Times of Ahmad: Perspective: Death of Jesus, the apostle of God

It is interesting that adherents of three major religions of the world Jews, Christians and Muslims are at variance about the death of Jesus

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By Attiya Ghani | April 15, 2017

Every year, Christians around the world remember Prophet Jesus’s crucifixion and celebrate his resurrection. According to the Gospels, Jesus (peace be on him) was put on the cross on Friday, died on the cross and was buried in an airy tomb in a garden. On the third day (Sunday), his disciples found an empty tomb while some of them saw him later and spoke to him. They began to believe that Jesus who died on the cross was raised from the dead on the third day. That is how the Christian community started to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

It is quite interesting that adherents of three major religions of the world- Jews, Christians and Muslims are at variance about the death of Jesus Christ who was a Jew.The Jews believe that Jesus was put on the cross as a punishment for treason while the Christians believe that his death on the cross was a redemption for the sins of man. Although almost all Muslims, regardless of sects, unanimously agree that Jesus did not die on the cross but differ as to what happened after the cross. A vast majority interpret that he bodily ascended to the heavens.The Qur’an clearly states that Jesus (peace be on him) did not die on the cross. It says, “And for their saying, ‘We did slay the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah;’ whereas they slew him not, nor crucified him, but he was made to appear to them like one crucified; and those who differ therein are certainly in a state of doubt about it; they have no certain knowledge thereof, but only pursue a conjecture; and they did not arrive at a certainty concerning it” (4:158). The verse does not deny the fact of Jesus being nailed to the cross but denies his having died on it.

It was the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (1835-1908), the Promised Messiah, who solved the mystery of the cross and under the guidance of God said that Jesus Christ was indeed put on the cross but he was taken down alive, brought into an airy tomb by two of his disciples in secret, treated for his wounds by them, and when he was healed and regained consciousness, left Palestine and traveled to Kashmir in search of the lost tribes of Israel. This account is corroborated by the Gospel of Luke which states, “And he said unto them, l must preach the Kingdom of’ God to other cities also; For therefore l am sent” (Luke 4: 43). Thus Jesus cannot be said to have been successful in his mission if he did not address and preach to the lost sheep of Israel. His supposed death on the cross at the early age of thirty-three demolishes the mission on which he was sent by God. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ, after his escape from the cross did migrate to the East in search of the lost sheep and he died a natural death and was buried in Srinagar, Kashmir.

Ahmad, in his book, “Jesus in India” (1899) explained in detail the event of the cross and what happened afterwards. He based his claim on evidence found in books of history, ancient Buddhist records, old medical books and scriptures of both Christians and Muslims.

The Gospel tells us that Jesus was left on the cross for merely three hours, whereas it took several days for criminals to die from crucifixion. He was put on the cross on a Friday afternoon.As Sabbath, the Jewish holy day, was approaching at sunset, no criminal could remain on the cross on that holy day.Jesus was taken down from it afterabout three hours. “And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, LAMA SABACHTHANI”(which means, My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me?) (Mark, 15:33-34)?It shows that Jesus was alive and conscious up to the ninth hour of the day, and then fell into a swoon and was taken as a dead man.

It is evident from the saying above that Jesus(peace be on him)did not expect to die on the cross as he had fervently prayed to God that he might be saved fromsuch an accursed death as mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy of the Old Testament (21: 22-23).If we assume that he died on the cross, the mission of his whole life would be unfulfilled and wrongdoers could challenge his claim of being the messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures. How could God not listen to the prayers of His righteous servant who prayed in these words?

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew, 26:39).

Hence, we must presume that his earnest prayer was, no doubt heard and he miraculously escaped death by crucifixion and lived long enough to preach his mission to the lost sheep of the Israelites in the East.

-- Perspective: Death of Jesus, the apostle of God | Attiya Ghani

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