Jesus: Man, Messenger, Messiah · 5. The Crucifixion
Were the New Testament authors writing under divine inspiration?
In short
- 1.Luke 1:1-4 describes the author investigating accounts handed down by others — the language of research, not revelation.
- 2.None of the four Gospels names its author; the titles 'according to Matthew', 'according to Mark' were attached in the second century.
- 3.They are written in Greek, decades after the events, outside Palestine.
- 4.The Qur'an, by contrast, claims divine authorship in its own text and is delivered as direct speech from God.
The claim being examined
The Gospels are held to be the inspired word of God, and therefore a reliable record of the crucifixion.
The Islamic position
Islam observes that the Gospel writers never claim inspiration for themselves; one of them describes his work as ordinary historical research.
Analysis
Luke's prologue is a courteous dedication to Theophilus explaining that many have undertaken to draw up accounts and that the author has carefully investigated everything. This is a normal Hellenistic historical preface. It is a strange opening for a document held to be dictated by God, and it invites the reader to weigh the Gospels the way one weighs any ancient source — which is precisely the invitation Islam accepts.
From the Qur'an
وَمَا كَانَ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ أَن يُفْتَرَىٰ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ مِن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
wamā kāna hādhā l-qur'ānu an yuf'tarā min dūni l-lahi walākin taṣdīqa alladhī bayna yadayhi watafṣīla l-kitābi lā rayba fīhi min rabbi l-ʿālamīna
Nor could this Qur'an have been devised by anyone other than God.
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ
wamā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā in huwa illā waḥyun yūḥā
Nor does he speak from his own inclination; it is only a revelation revealed.
From the Bible
ἔδοξε κἀμοὶ παρηκολουθηκότι ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀκριβῶς καθεξῆς σοι γράψαι
It seemed good to me also, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you.
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