This is a continuation of my debate notes: NOTES FOR “Dr.” Shuaib Sayyed DEBATE PT. 1.

MUHAMMAD CONFIRMS THE BIBLE

1. Jesus and the Old Testament

 And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel… “attesting to WHAT IS BETWEEN MY HANDS (Wamusaddiqan lima bayna yadayya) OF THE TORAH, and to make lawful to you a part of that which is forbidden to you.” S. 3:48, 50

And in their footsteps (of Moses and the Jews) We sent Jesus the son of Mary, attesting to the Torah WHICH WAS BETWEEN HIS HANDS (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi); and We gave him the Gospel – therein is guidance and light and attesting to the Torah WHICH WAS BETWEEN HIS HANDS (wamusaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi): a guidance and an admonition to the righteous. S. 5:46

Then will God say, “O Jesus son of Mary! Recount my favor to you and to your mother when I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you spoke to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel…” S. 5:110

And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: ‘Oh Children of Israel! I am the apostle of God to you, CONFIRMING THAT WHICH IS BETWEEN MY HANDS from the Torah (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayya mina al-tawrati)…” S. 61:6

Here is Ibn Kathir’s exposition of the foregoing texts:

“… The Tawrah is the Book THAT ALLAH SENT DOWN TO MUSA, son of Imran, while the Injil is what Allah sent down to Isa, son of Maryam, peace be upon them, AND ISA MEMORIZED BOTH BOOKS… affirming the Tawrah AND UPHOLDING IT,” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 3:48, 50 http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/3/48; capital emphasis mine)

“… meaning, he believed in it AND RULED BY IT… meaning, HE ADHERED TO THE TAWRAH, except for the few instances that clarified the truth where the Children of Israel differed. Allah states in another Ayah that ‘Isa said to the Children of Israel… So the scholars say that the Injil abrogated some of the rulings of the Tawrah…” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 5:46 http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/5/46; capital emphasis mine)

Finally:

(And when `Isa, son of Maryam, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Tawrah before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.”) ‘Isa said, “The Tawrah CONVEYED THE GLAD TIDINGS OF MY COMING, and my coming CONFIRMS THE TRUTH OF THE TAWRAH…” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 61:6 http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/61/5; capital emphasis mine)

2a. Muhammad and the Scriptures of his day.  

 Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and fulfil My covenant and I shall fulfil your covenant; and have awe of Me. And believe in that I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And sell not My signs for a little price; and fear you Me. And do not confound the truth with vanity, and do not conceal the truth wittingly. And perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and bow with those that bow. Will you bid others to piety, and forget yourselves while you recite the Book? Do you not understand? S. 2:40-44

When there came to them a Book from God, confirming what was with them — and they aforetimes prayed for victory over the unbelievers — when there came to them that they recognized, they disbelieved in it; and the curse of God is on the unbelievers. S. 2:89

And when they were told, ‘Believe in that God has sent down,’ they said, ‘We believe in what was sent down on us’; and they disbelieve in what is beyond that, yet it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say: ‘Why then were you slaying the Prophets of God in former time, if you were believers?’ S. 2:91

Say: ‘Whosoever is an enemy to Gabriel — he it was that brought it down upon thy heart by the leave of God, confirming what was before it, and for a guidance and good tidings to the believers. S. 2:97

When there has come to them a Messenger from God confirming what was with them, a party of them that were given the Book reject the Book of God behind their backs, as though they knew not, S. 2:101

Say you: ‘We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets, of their Lord; we make no division between any of them, and to Him we surrender.’ S. 2:136

The Messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and the believers; each one believes in God and His angels, and in His Books and His Messengers; we make no division between any one of His Messengers. They say, ‘We hear, and obey. Our Lord, grant us Thy forgiveness; unto Thee is the homecoming.’ S. 2:285

You who have been given the Book, believe in what We have sent down, confirming what is with you, before We obliterate faces, and turn them upon their backs, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-men, and God’s command is done. S. 4:47

This Koran could not have been forged apart from God; but it is a confirmation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of the Book, wherein is no doubt, from the Lord of all Being. S. 10:37

In their stories is surely a lesson to men possessed of minds; it is not a tale forged, but a confirmation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of every thing, and a guidance, and a mercy to a people who believe. S. 12:111

Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered.’ S. 29:46

2b. Muhammad taught that the Jews and Christians read the revelations correctly, and even exhorts them to judge and live in accordance with their sacred writings.

Those to whom We have given the Book and who recite it with true recitation, they believe in it; and whoso disbelieves in it, they shall be the losers. S. 2:121

Yet how will they make thee their judge seeing they have the Torah, wherein is God’s judgment, then thereafter turn their backs? They are not believers. Surely We sent down the Torah, wherein IS guidance and light; thereby the Prophets who had surrendered themselves gave judgment for those of Jewry, as did the masters and the rabbis, following such portion of God’s Book as they were given to keep and were witnesses to. So fear not men, but fear you Me; and sell not My signs for a little price. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down – they are the unbelievers. And therein We prescribed for them: ‘A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation’; but whosoever forgoes it as a freewill offering, that shall be for him an expiation. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down — they are the evildoers… And We have sent down to thee the Book with the truth, confirming the Book that was before it, and assuring it. So judge between them according to what God has sent down, and do not follow their caprices, to forsake the truth that has come to thee. To every one of you We have appointed a right way and an open road. If God had willed, He would have made you one nation; but that He may try you in what has come to you. So be you forward in good works; unto God shall you return, all together; and He will tell you of that whereon you were at variance. S. 5:43-45, 48

2c. Muhammad believed that the Quran was an Arabic version of the book given to Moses in order to leave the Arabs with no excuse for being ignorant of God’s will for their lives.

Then We gave Moses the Book, complete for him who does good, and distinguishing every thing, and as a guidance and a mercy; haply they would believe in the encounter with their Lord. This is a Book We have sent down, blessed; so follow it, and be godfearing; haply so you will find mercy; lest you should say, ‘The Book was sent down only upon two parties before us, and we have indeed been heedless of their study’; or lest you say, ‘If the Book had been sent down upon us, we had surely been more rightly guided than they.’ Yet indeed a clear sign has come to you from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy; and who does greater evil than he who cries lies to God’s signs, and turns away from them? We shall surely recompense those who turn away from Our signs with an evil chastisement for their turning away. S. 6:154-157

Yet before it was the Book of Moses for a model and a mercy; and this is a Book confirming, in Arabic tongue, to warn the evildoers, and good tidings to the good-doers… They said, ‘Our people, we have heard a Book that was sent down after Moses, confirming what was before it, guiding to the truth and to a straight path. S. 46:12, 30

3. The hadiths confirm the incorruptibility of the Bible.

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar:

A group of Jews came and invited the Messenger of Allah to Quff. So he visited them in their school.

They said: AbulQasim, one of our men has committed fornication with a woman; so pronounce judgment upon them. They placed a cushion for the Messenger of Allah who sat on it and said: Bring the Torah. It was then brought. He then withdrew the cushion from beneath him and placed the Torah on it saying: I believed in thee and in Him Who revealed thee.

He then said: Bring me one who is learned among you. Then a young man was brought. The transmitter then mentioned the rest of the tradition of stoning similar to the one transmitted by Malik from Nafi'(No. 4431).

 Grade: Hasan (Al-Albani)

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4449

In-book reference: Book 40, Hadith 99

English translation: Book 39, Hadith 4434 (Sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/abudawud/40/99; underline emphasis mine)

 41 Chapters on Knowledge

(5) Chapter: What Has Been Related About Knowledge Leaving

Narrated Jubair bin Nufair:

from Abu Ad-Darda who said: “We were with the Prophet when he raised his sight to the sky, then he said: ‘This is the time when knowledge is to be taken from the people, until what remains of it shall not amount to anything.” So Ziyad bin Labid Al-Ansari said: ‘How will it be taken from us while we recite the Qur’an. By Allah we recite it, and our women and children recite it?’ He said: ‘May you be bereaved of your mother O Ziyad! I used to consider you among the Fuqaha of the people of Al-Madinah. The Tawrah and Injil ARE WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS, but what do they avail of them?‘” Jubair said: “So I met ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit and said to him: ‘Have you not heard what your brother Abu Ad-Darda said?’ Then I informed him of what Abu Ad-Darda said. He said: ‘Abu Ad-Darda spoke the truth. If you wish, we shall narrated to you about the first knowledge to be removed from the people: It is Khushu’, soon you will enter the congregational Masjid, but not see any man in it with Khushu’.’”

 Grade: SAHIH (Darussalam)

Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2653

In Book Reference: Book 41, Hadith 9

English translation: Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 2653 (sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/41/9; capital emphasis mine)

42 Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)

(1698) Chapter: The Qur’an, The Word Of Allah

‘Amir b. Shahr said:

I was with the Negus when his son recited a verse of the Gospel. So I laughed. Thereupon he said: Do you laugh at THE WORD OF ALLAH, the Exalted?

Grade: SAHIH (Al-Albani)

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4736

In-book reference: Book 42, Hadith 141

English translation: Book 41, Hadith 4718 (sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/abudawud/42/141; capital and underline emphasis mine)

PAUL AND ISLAM

1. IBN HAJAR AL-ASQALANI (D. 852H)

Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari

فتح البارى بشرح صحيح البخارى لابن حجر العسقلانى (المتوفى852هـ)

الجزء السادس ص467 ( قوله باب واضرب لهم مثلا أصحاب القرية الآية )

واسم الرسل الثلاثة صادق وصدوق وشلوم وقال بن جريج عن وهب بن سليمان عن شعيب الجبئي كان اسم الرسولين شمعون ويوحنا واسم الثالث بولص وعن قتادة كانوا رسلا من قبل المسيح والله أعلم

Chapter: Regarding the People of the City (Vol.6, P.467)

The name of the three apostles, Sadiq, Saduk and Shalum. Ibn Jurayj said from Wahab Ibn Sulayman from Shu’ayb al-Jaba’ie, the name of the messengers was Simon and John, and the name of the third is Paul. And from Qatada they were messengers from The Messiah. And Allah knows best. http://islamport.com/w/srh/Web/2747/3604.htm

2. AL-TABARI.

 Among the apostles, and the followers who came after them were the Apostle Peter and Paul who was a follower and not an apostle; they went to Rome. Andrew and Matthew were sent to the country whose people are man-eaters, a land of blacks, we think; Thomas was sent to Babylonia in the east, Philip to Qayrawan (and) Carthage, that is, North Africa. John went to Ephesus, the city of the youths of the cave, and James to Jerusalem, that is, Aelia. Bartholomew was sent to Arabia, namely, the Hijaz; Simeon to the land of the Berbers in Africa. Judas was not then an apostle, so his place was taken by Ariobus. He filled in for Judas Iscariot after the latter had perpetrated his deed. (The History of Al-Tabari: The Ancient Kingdoms [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany, NY 1987], translated by Moshe Perlmann, Volume IV, p. 123; bold emphasis mine)

There related to me al-Harith– Muhammad b. S’ad– Hisham– his father– Abu Salih– Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: Between Musa, son of ‘Imran, and ‘Isa, son of Maryam (Mary), was nineteen hundred years, but there was no interval (fatrah) between them, because during this period, God sent a thousand prophets from Banu Isra’il (Children of Israel), apart from those whom He sent to other nations. Between the birth of ‘Isa and the Prophet was 569 years, in the first part of which HE SENT THREE PROPHETS, as in His words, “When We sent to them two persons, and they branded them as liars, We strengthened them with a third person”; the person whom He sent as a strengthener was SHAM’UN (Simon), ONE OF THE APOSTLES. The interval during which God did not send any prophets was 434 years. When Jesus was raised up (i.e., in his Ascension to Heaven), he was thirty-two years and six months old, and his period of prophethood was thirty months. God raised him (to Heaven) corporeally, and he is still alive at this moment. (The History of al-Tabari: The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakmids, and Yemen [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany, NY 1987], translated by C.E. Bosworth, Volume V, pp. 414-415; bold and capital emphasis mine)

3. AL-QURTUBI (D. 671H).

 Tafsir al-Jami’ Lil-Ahkam al-Quran, Q. 61:14

تفسير الجامع لاحكام القرآن/ القرطبي (ت 671 هـ)

[Quran 61:14] O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, “Who are my supporters for Allah?” The disciples said, “We are supporters of Allah.” And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.

وقيل : نزلت هذه الآية في رسل عيسى عليه الصلاة والسلام . قال ابن إسحاق : وكان الذي بعثهم عيسى من الحواريين والأتباع بطرس وبولس إلى رومية ، واندراييس ، ومشى إلى الأرض التي يأكل أهلها الناس . وتوماس إلى أرض بابل من أرض المشرق . وفيلبس إلى قرطاجنة وهي أفريقية . ويحنس إلى دقسوس قرية أهل الكهف . ويعقوبس إلى أورشليم وهي بيت المقدس ، وابن تلما إلى العرابية وهي أرض الحجاز . وسيمن إلى أرض البربر . ويهودا وبردس إلى الإسكندرية وما حولها . فأيدهم الله بالحجة . فأصبحوا ظاهرين أي عالين ; من قولك : ظهرت على الحائط أي علوت عليه . والله سبحانه وتعالى أعلم بالصواب ، وإليه المرجع والمآب .

It was said: This verse came down in regard to the apostles of E’esa. Ibn Ishaq said: E’esa sent them from the apostles and followers of Peter and Paul to Rome, Andrew walked to the land where its people ate people. And Thomas to the land of Babylon from the land of the East. Philips to Cartagena, which is Africa. And Jonas to Daqus the village of the people of the cave. Jacob is to Jerusalem, the house of the holy, and Ibn Talma to the Arabia, which is the land of the Hijaz. And Simon to the land of the Berbers. And Judea and Bardas to Alexandria and its surroundings. Allah supported them with Argument. They became visible, i.e. high. From your saying: Any one who is on the wall has appeared on the wall. Allah almighty knows what is right. http://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/qortobi/sura61-aya14.html

4. IBN KATHIR.

 Tafsir Al-Quran Al-Adhim, by Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir (D. 774 H)

تفسير تفسير القرآن العظيم/ ابن كثير (ت 774 هـ)

وقوله : ( إذ أرسلنا إليهم اثنين فكذبوهما ) أي : بادروهما بالتكذيب ، ( فعززنا بثالث ) أي : قويناهما وشددنا أزرهما برسول ثالث. قال ابن جريج ، عن وهب بن سليمان ، عن شعيب الجبائي قال : كان اسم الرسولين الأولين شمعون ويوحنا ، واسم الثالث بولص ، والقرية أنطاكية .

And his statement: (When We sent to them two Messengers, they denied them both) means, they hastened to disbelieve in them. (so we reinforced them with a third) means, “We supported and strengthened them with a third Messenger.” ‘Ibn Jurayj narrated from Wahab bin Sulayman, from Shuayb Al-Jaba’ie, “the names of the first two messengers were Simon and John, and the name of the third was Paul, and the city was Antioch.” http://quran.ksu.edu.sa/tafseer/katheer/sura36-aya14.html

[Quran 36:14] When we sent to them two but they denied them, so we strengthened them with a third, and they said, “Indeed, we are messengers to you.”

(When We sent to them two Messengers, they denied them both) means, they hastened to disbelieve in them. (so we reinforced them with a third) means, “We supported and strengthened them with a third Messenger.”  ‘Ibn Jurayj narrated from Wahab bin Sulayman, from Shu`ayb Al-Jaba’i, “the names of the first two messengers were Sham`un and Yuhanna, and the name of the third was Bulus, and the city was Antioch (Antakiyah). (and they said) means, to the people of that city, (Verily, we have been sent to you as Messengers.) meaning, `from your Lord Who created you and Who commands you to worship Him Alone with no partners or associates.” This was the view of Abu Al-`Aliyah. Qatadah bin Di’amah claimed that they were messengers of the Messiah sent to the people of Antioch. https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/36.13

Qasas al-Anbiya’ by Ibn Kathir (D. 774H), Vol. 1, P. 575

قصص الانبياء لابن كثير ( المتوفى774هـ ) الجزء الأول ص575

باب ذكر صفة عيسى عليه السلام وشمائله وفضائله.

وكان ممن آمن بالمسيح وصدقه من أهل دمشق رجل يقال له ضينا وكان مختفيا في مغارة داخل الباب الشرقي قريبا من الكنيسة المصلبة خوفا من بولس اليهودي وكان ظالما غاشما مبغضا للمسيح ولما جاء به وكان قد حلق رأس ابن أخيه حين آمن بالمسيح وطاف به في البلد ثم رجمه حتى مات رحمه الله

Section mentioning the status of E’esa and his virtues.

And one who believed in the Messiah and believed him from the people of Damascus was a man who was called Dina and was hiding in a cave inside the eastern door close to the solid church for fear of the Jew Paul, and he was unjust and oppressive, with hatred for the Messiah, and when he came to him, he shaved the head of his nephew when he believed in the Messiah and roared him in the country and then stoned him until he died, Allah’s mercy be upon him.

ولما سمع بولص أن المسيح عليه السلام قد توجه نحو دمشق جهز بغالة وخرج ليقتله فتلقاه عند كوكبا فلما واجه أصحاب المسيح جاء إليه ملك فضرب وجهه بطرف جناحه فأعماه فلما رأى ذلك وقع في نفسه تصديق المسيح فجاء إليه واعتذر مما صنع وآمن به فقبل منه وسأله أن يمسح عينيه ليرد الله عليه بصره فقال اذهب إلى ضينا عندك بدمشق في طرف السوق المستطيل من المشرق فهو يدعو لك فجاء إليه فدعا فرد عليه بصره وحسن إيمان بولص بالمسيح عليه السلام أنه عبد الله ورسوله.

When Paul heard that the Messiah had gone to Damascus, he prepared a mule and went out to kill him, and he received it at Kokuba; when he faced the companions of the Messiah, an Angel came to him, and he hit his face at the end of his wing, so when he saw that he fell. He believed the Messiah, and came to him and apologized for what he did and believed in him and he accepted it. And he asked him to wipe his eyes so that God would return his sight to him.  He said, “Go to our city in Damascus, at the end of the rectangular market of the East. He called you and came to him and returned to him his eyesight.” And Paul had solid faith in the Messiah that he is a slave of Allah and His Messenger. http://islamport.com/w/tkh/Web/2908/87.htm

Al-Bidayah Wal-Nihayah, by Ibn Kathir (D. 774), Vol. 2 P.119

البدايةوالنهايةلابنكثيرالجزءالثانىصفحة

119

ولما سمع بولص أن المسيح عليه السلام قد توجه نحو دمشق جهز بغاله وخرج ليقتله فتلقاه عند كوكبا، فلما واجه أصحاب المسيح، جاء إليه ملك فضرب وجهه بطرف جناحه. فأعماه.

When Paul heard that the Messiah had gone to Damascus, he prepared his mules and went out to kill him, and he received it at Kokuba. And when he confronted the companions of the Messiah, an Angel came to him and hit his face with the tip of his wing. He blinded him.

فلما رأى ذلك وقع في نفسه تصديق المسيح، فجاء إليه واعتذر مما صنع وآمن به فقبل منه وسأله أن يمسح عينيه ليرد الله عليه بصره، فقال إذهب إلى ضينا عندك بدمشق في طرف السوق المستطيل من المشرق فهو يدعو لك، فجاء إليه فدعا فرد عليه بصره وحسن إيمان بولص بالمسيح عليه السلام أنه عبد الله ورسوله وبنيت له كنيسة باسمه فهي كنيسة بولص المشهورة بدمشق من زمن فتحها الصحابة رضي الله عنهم حتى خربت.

So when he saw that himself, he believed in the Messiah. So he came to him and apologized for what he had done and believed in him, so he accepted him and asked him to wipe his eyes so that God would return his sight to him. He said, “Go to our guest in Damascus at the end of the rectangular market of the east; he calls for you.” He came to him and returned to him his eyesight, and Paul had strong faith in the Messiah that he is a slave of Allah and His Messenger. And a church was built in his name, the Church of Paulus, famous in Damascus, from the time it was opened by the companions until it was destroyed. http://islamport.com/w/tkh/Web/927/514.htm

5. AL-SHAWKANI (D. 1250H)

Tafsir Fath Al-Qadir

تفسير فتح القدير/ الشوكاني (ت 1250 هـ)

أي بينا لكم أحوالاً بديعة غريبة هي في الغرابة كالأمثال فقوله سبحانه هنا { وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَّثَلاً } يصح اعتبار الأمرين فيه. قال القرطبي هذه القرية هي أنطاكية في قول جميع المفسرين. وقوله { إِذْ جَآءَهَا ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ } بدل اشتمال من أصحاب القرية، والمرسلون هم أصحاب عيسى، بعثهم إلى أهل أنطاكية للدّعاء إلى الله، فأضاف الله سبحانه الإرسال إلى نفسه في قوله { إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ ٱثْنَيْنِ } ، لأن عيسى أرسلهم بأمر الله سبحانه، ويجوز أن يكون الله أرسلهم بعد رفع عيسى إلى السماء، فكذبوهما في الرسالة، وقيل ضربوهما، وسجنوهما. قيل واسم الاثنين يوحنا، وشمعون. وقيل أسماء الثلاثة صادق، ومصدوق، وشلوم قاله ابن جرير، وغيره. وقيل سمعان، ويحيـى، وبولس { فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ } قرأالجمهوربالتشديد،

That is, we showed you strange strange situations that are as strange as proverbs, for what the Almighty said here (And present to them an example) Two things can be considered in it. Al-Qurtubi said that this village is Antioch; this is the opinion of all the (Mufassirin) interpreters. And his word:

(When the Messengers came to it) apart from the people of the City, and the messengers are the companions of E’esa; he sent them to the people of Antioch to call them to Allah. And Allah Almighty added the message himself in his saying

(When we sent to them two) because E’esa sent them with the command of Allah the almighty. And it is possible Allah sent them after E’esa was raised to heaven. They lied to them in the letter, and it was said that they beat them, and imprisoned them. It was said and the name of the two was John and Simon. The names of the three were said to be Sadiq, Musaduk, and Shalum, as stated  by Ibn Jarir and others. And it is said Simon and John and Paul (we strengthened with a third), AS IS READ BY THE MAJORITY WITH EMPHASIS. http://islamport.com/l/tfs/736/2237.htm

 THE SEED OF ISAIAH 53:10

 First, the word zera is used in a spiritual and/or metaphorical manner.

“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed (zera) of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.” Isaiah 1:4 Authorized King James Version (AV)

“Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed (zera) of evildoers shall never be renowned.” Isaiah 14:20 AV

“But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed (zera) of the adulterer and the whore. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed (zera) of falsehood.” Isaiah 57:3-4 AV

Second, Isaiah does not say that the Servant will see his own seed. The verse merely says that the Servant will see seed, just as the following translations affirm.

Yet it pleased Hashem to bruise him; He hath put him to suffering; when Thou shalt make his nefesh an asham offering for sin, he (Moshiach) shall see zera [see Psalm 16 and Yn 1:12 OJBC], He shall prolong his yamim (days) and the chefetz Hashem (pleasure, will of Hashem) shall prosper in his [Moshiach’s] hand. Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him. NET Bible

This brings us to the third point. According to Isaiah, Yahweh has sworn to save and justify, e.g. make righteous, the seed (zera) of his people Israel.

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed (la’zera) of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed (zera) of Israel be justified (yisdaqu), and shall glory.” Isaiah 45:18-25 AV

Isaiah 53 explains that the way in which Yahweh does this is by having his Servant die as a vicarious sacrifice for all their sins, as well as for the sins of the nations.

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed (zera), he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many (yasdiq la’rabbim); for he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:10-11 AV

 The Psalms confirm this interpretation since it speaks of the seed which will come to glorify and serve God for having vindicated and delivered his Messiah.

“But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto MY BRETHREN: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed (zera) of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed (zera) of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A SEED (zera) shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” Psalm 22:19-31

The NT describes the followers of Christ as being the very spiritual seed of God.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, to make THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto MY BRETHREN, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I AND THE CHILDREN WHICH GOD HATH GIVEN ME. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made LIKE UNTO HIS BRETHREN, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:9-18 AV

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:10-13 AV

“And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” John 11:49-52

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to MY BRETHREN, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and YOUR FATHER; and to my God, and your God.” John 20:17

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:4-7 AV

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure… He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for HIS SEED remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother… And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” 1 John 3:1-3, 8-10, 23-24 AV

FURTHER READING

Does Taurat Refer Only to the Revelation Given to Moses?

 

 

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