COMPARING JESUS AND MUHAMMAD Prt 2

COMPARING JESUS AND MUHAMMAD!!!

Yesterday, I resumed my apologetical ministry after a long break. I appreciate my readers for their contributions. Lemme also thank the members of Yusuf Adepoju's ACADIP Facebook Group. I would appreciate them because yesterday was my first time of encountering them and they gave me a beautiful welcome.

However, I have to tell you (since we're new to one another) that I don't muddle up issues in my posts. I address my points one after the other and expect them to just go along, as you will see members of other groups do. I take my time to speak on my topic, even if it will take me a whole week to satisfactorily address it.

Welcome to this beautiful first Sunday of May as I continue from where I stopped yesterday: ''Did Jesus and Muhammad preach an equivalent moral message?'' Yesterday, I talked about these prophets' reactions to their enemies. Today, I'll continue by discussing the use of ''swords'' by these men.

A good number of comments yesterday mentioned Luke 19:27. As much as I love this quotation as a signal that my Muslim friends read the Bible, I realise that they only twist the Words of the Holy Scriptures to suit their beliefs or merely in conformity to what their religious leaders tell them. Had it been my Muslim friends stop reading the Bible and start studying it (as I suggested in one of my status updates yesterday), there would be lesser confusion and disorientation.

Now, let's look at the passage: Luke chapter 19 verse 27 in its immediate context. In verse 11, Jesus began a parable of a king who went on a journey to receive a kingdom for himself. However, the citizens of the kingdom he wanted to receive rejected him but he was still eventually made king by the powers that be.

Before this king left, he had given his servants certain money and upon his arrival, he requested an audit report of the money he gave them. Among these servants was one who failed to trade with the money. From verse 22, this king spoke up till verse 27 and it is only insincerity that makes one muddle up the king's statements with Jesus' own words.

The king gave his verdict on his ''wicked'' servant in verses 22-24. In verses 26, the king replied to the complaint that the servant he is about giving the wicked servant's pound already has ten pounds (v. 25). The king now spoke, as he did in verse 22, in the first person plural:
''He (i.e. The King) replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them - bring them here and kill them in front of me.'' (vv. 26-27, NIV)

Verses 26 and 27 make one sentence according to the Greek text (grammar, syntax and structure). A cursory view of this story reveals that verse 26 happened in the story and not an act by Jesus, so it becomes incumbent that verse 27 is also part of the story: an act mandated by the protagonist of the story (the king) and not one by Jesus.

Verse 28 reveals that, after these words were spoken, Jesus moved on to Jerusalem (CJB, NET, NIB, NIRV, NIV, NLT, and several other versions helped to clarify the confusion that the speaker in verse 27 was not Jesus).

Now, come to think of it! Did Jesus seek to become a king that some people would now stand as his enemies stopping Him from achieving his goal? Even when the people tried to enthrone Him by force, Jesus avoided them (John 6:15). Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world, otherwise His servants would have fought to protect Him just as it is the case for every earthly king (John 18:35).

Now what does this imply to you? The parable of Luke 19: 11-27 was really to correct the notion of the people who though that the kingdom of God should immediately appear (v. 10). Jesus told them, via this parable, that He is coming back to establish His kingdom in the very place He is rejected. The Book of Revelation pictures Jesus, the Lamb of God, exercising sovereign rule over the whole universe and creation, as God!

Now, when Jesus comes back to establish His kingdom (the kingdom of God), He will punish His servants (Christians) who refuse to engage in productive service for Him and the worse punishment would be meted out on those who do not want Him to be the Lord of their lives. This second category includes everyone who refuses to worship the Lamb of God (Jesus), which by inference includes Muslims. So, my Muslim friends do not need to wait till Jesus comes back to announce the irreversible verdict of eternal death (separation) before you accept Jesus as Your Lord. If you do not submit to Jesus coluntarily now, you'd be compulsorily subjected to Him later because Jesus MUST reign and all things shall be put under His feet (1 Corinthians 15: 24-27).

Will you wait till you're forced to worship the Lamb Who was slain and Who is worthy to receive all that we do give God? (Revelation 5: 12-14; cf. Rev. 4:11). The earlier the BETTER! God bless you.....

To be continued.........