The inspired Scriptures proclaim that the Father employed the Son to create and preserve the whole entire creation:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the very beginning. Through him all things (panta di’ autou egeneto) came into existence, and without him there was nothing. That which came to be found life in him, and the life was the light of the human race… The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, the world had come into existence through him (di’ autou egeneto), yet the world did not recognize him… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-4, 9-10, 14 New Catholic Bible (NCB)

“yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things (ta panta) and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things (di’ hou ta panta) and through whom (di’ autou) we exist.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

“giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For BY HIM all things were created (en auto ektisthe ta panta) that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things (ta panta) were created THROUGH HIM (di’ houtou) and FOR HIM (eis autou). And He IS BEFORE all things (autos estin pro panton), and IN HIM all things (en auto ta panta) consist.” Colossians 1:12-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

“On many occasions and in many ways in the olden time, God having spoken to the fathers through the prophets, at the last of these days has spoken to us through his Son, whom he put forth the heir of all things (panton), and through whom (di’ hou) he created the ages (tous aionas); who being the brightness of his glory, and the character of his person, and holding up all things by the word of his power (ta panta to rhemati dynameos), having made purgation of the sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:1-3 Godbey(i) New Testament

The foregoing passages conclusively prove that the Son is not a part of creation but, like the Father, he is separate and distinct from every created thing since he is the One who brought the whole created realm into being.

This can be further proven from the fact that the exact same prepositions which the NT writers employ to describe the Son’s role in creation are attributed to God, specifically the Father. Moreover, the expression “all things” was the standard Jewish and Biblical way of referring to the entire creation that God brought into existence.

Noted Trinitarian scholar and biblical exegete Robert Bowman Jr. explains it best:

“In Colossians 1:16-17, Paul uses the specific expression ta panta, the neuter plural form with the definite article (‘the all [things])’. Although this expression can be used in other contexts, when it is used in the context of creation (as is explicitly the case here), it is a standard Jewish expression referring to the totality of God’s creation (Gen. 1:31; Neh. 9:6; Jer. 10:16; Wisdom 1:7, 14; 9:1; Sirach 18:1; 23:20; 43:26; Acts 17:25; Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:3; Rev. 4:11).¹² By placing the Son outside the category of ‘the all’ that was created, Paul excludes the notion that Christ was the chronologically first of all creatures.”

12. See Richard Bauckham, God Crucified: Monotheism and Christology in the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 31–32. (Bowman, #8: Is Jesus Christ God’s first creature?; bold emphasis mine)

I now present the list of citations where all things are said to have been created and are preserved by, through and for God:

“For it was fitting that he, for whom (di’ hou ta panta) and by whom all things exist (di’ autou ta panta), in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Hebrews 2:10

“By faith we understand that the ages were framed by a word of God (katertisthai tous aionas rhemati Theou), so that the things being seen not to have come into being out of the things that appear.” Hebrews 11:3 Modern King James Version (MKJV(i))

“Because of him his messenger finds the way, and by his word all things (panta) hold together.” Sirach 43:26

“Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all (panta ta) that is in them.” Acts 14:15

“The God who made the world and all things (panta ta) in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things (ta panta); and He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him (en auto) we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’’” Acts 17:24-28 LSB  

“For from him and through him (di’ autou) and to him (eis auton) are all things (ta panta). To him be glory for ever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

“In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth… And God saw all the things (ta panta) that he had made, and, behold, they were very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”  Genesis 1:1, 31 LXX (Lancelot C. L. Brenton’s Septuagint [LXX])

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” Genesis 2:1

“And Esdras said, Thou art the only true Lord; thou madest the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, and all their array, the earth, and all things (panta) that are in it, the seas, and all things (panta) in them; and thou quickenest all things (ta panta), and the hosts of heaven worship thee.” Nehemiah 9:6 Brenton LXX

“Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things (ta panta), and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name.” Jeremiah 10:16

“Because the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things (ta panta) together knows what is said… For he created all things (ta panta) that they might exist, and the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them; and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.” Wisdom 1:7, 14

“God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy, by your word^[a] you have created all things (ta panta), and in your wisdom you have fashioned man to have power over all the creatures you have made,” Wisdom 9:1-2  

a. Wisdom 9:1 Your word: i.e., God’s creative Word (see Gen 1), a concept that is like a prelude for the revelation of the Word of God, Jesus Christ (Jn 1:1-14). NCB

“All things (ta panta) were known to him before they were created,[h] and they still are, now that they are finished.” Sirach 23:20

h. Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:20 Known to him before they were created: God’s antecedent knowledge of creation is divine wisdom itself (Prov 8:22f). And they still are, now: after creating the world, God continues to watch over it. Indeed, the Lord knows all things, both past and future (see Sir 42:18; Ps 139:1-16). NCB

“He that liveth for ever Hath created all things (ta panta) in general.” Sirach 18:1 Brenton

Therefore, since God created all things by his Son this means that the Son, like God, is uncreated and eternal. And seeing that all creation came into existence by, through and for the Father and the Son, this also confirms their essential coequality. I.e., both God and his beloved Son (along with their eternal Holy Spirit [Cf. Heb. 9:14; Gen. 1:1-2; Job 33:4]) have eternally coexisted as the one true God.

There’s simply no way around this revealed fact.

Unless stated otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE).

FURTHER READING

JESUS THE ETERNAL CREATOR AND SUSTAINER

JESUS AS THE ETERNAL CREATOR IN HEBREWS

JESUS CHRIST: SUPREME OVER ALL CREATION

The Book of Hebrews and Jesus as Creator

THE NWT TESTIFIES THAT THE TRINITY IS THE ETERNAL CREATOR!

This is a short outline to be used in discussions and debates. The texts listed are meant to be expounded and exegeted during these discussions/debates.

1. JESUS IS YHWH GOD

Matthew 1:21-23 (Cf. 28:20; Psalm 130:7-8); Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-6, 15-17; Acts 19:4; John 1:23, 26-36 (Cf. Isaiah 40:3-5); Luke 7:11-23 (Cf. Isa. 35:3-6); John 20:28 (Cf. Psalm 35:23); Romans 10:9-13 (Cf. Joel 2:32); Ephesians 4:7-10 (Cf. Psalm 68:18; Jeremiah 23:23-24); Philippians 2:9-11 (Cf. Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10); 1 Peter 1:10-12 (Cf. 2 Samuel 23:1-3; Nehemiah 9:20, 30; Isa. 48:16; 61:1; Micah 3:8; Zechariah 7:12); 1 Pet. 2:3 (Cf. Psalm 34:8).  

1B. JESUS IS CALLED GOD IN AN ABSOLUTE SENSE

Isa. 9:6-7 (Cf. 10:20-21; Psalm 24:8; Jer. 32:18); Matt. 1:22-23; John 1:1; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8-9; 1 John 5:20 (Cf. 1:2); 2 Peter 1:1.

1C. JESUS IS IDENTIFIED AS THE ONE AND ONLY LORD (YHWH)

1 Cor. 8:6b; Eph. 4:5; Jude 1:4 (Cf. Deut. 6:4; Neh. 9:6; Zech. 14:9).

2. JESUS IS THE UNCHANGEABLE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER

John 1:3-4, 9-10, 14; 1 Cor. 8:6b; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2-3, 10-12; 3:3-4 (Cf. 11:3; Genesis 1:1-2:7, 19-22; Neh. 9:6; Job 9:8; 10:8-12; Psalm 36:9; 102:25-27; Isa. 42:5; 45:12, 18; 48:13; 66:1-2; Jer. 10:10-12; Matt. 19:4-6; Acts 17:24-29; Eph. 3:9; Revelation 4:11).

3. JESUS POSSESSES DIVINE TITLES AND ATTRIBUTES

A. The Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev. 1:7-8, 17-18; 2:8; 22:12-13, 16, 20 – Cf. 21:6-7; Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12).

B. King of kings and Lord of lords (Cf. 1 Tim. 6:14-16; Rev. 17:14; 19:11-16 – Cf. Deut. 10:17; Psalm 136:3; Dan. 2:37).

C. The Amen and the Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 3:14 – Cf. Isa. 65:16-17; Jer. 42:5).

D. Omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresence (Matt. 8:5-13; 18:20; 28:20; Mark 2:8-9; 7:24-30; John 1:45-49; 4:43-54; 5:16-29; 6:39-44, 53-54, 57; 10:27-33; 11:25-26; 14:1-6, 20-23; 16:25-31; 17:2, 20-23; 21:17; 2 Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:16-17, 27; 2:2-3, 9; 3:11; Heb. 1:2-3, 10-12; Rev. 1:18; 2:18-23).

E. The Lord/Owner of all Creation (heavens and earth), of the sabbath and the temple (Matt. 11:10, 27; 12:6, 8; 28:18; Mark 1:2; 2:28; Luke 6:5; 7:27; 10:22; Acts 10:36; Rom. 14:9).

F. I AM sayings (Matt. 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 13:19; 18:5-6, 8 – Cf. Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 13; 45:18; 46:4; 51:12; 52:6 [47:8, 10; Zephaniah 2:15]).

G. YHWH’s Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus (Rom. 8:9-11; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; 1 Peter 1:11-12).

H. The Judge of all creation (Matt. 16:27; 25:31-46; John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:30-31; 1 Cor. 4:3-5; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11, 23; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; 2:1-4, 8; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:23 – Cf. Gen. 18:25; Psalm 9:7-8; 62:12; 96:13; 98:9; Prov. 24:12; Isa. 40:10; 62:11; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; 29:23; Joel 3:1-2, 11-13).

I. The Day of YHWH is the Day of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:7-8; 5:5; Phil. 1:6-11; 2:16 – Cf. Amos 5:18-20; Zephaniah 1:7-9, 14-17).

J. The Savior and Forgiver of sins (Matt. 1:21; Mark 2:5, 10; Luke 7:48-50; 24:44-47; John 3:16-17; 4:42; Acts 3:26; 5:31; 13:38-39; 15:11; 16:30-31; 20:28; 26:18; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:8-21; 6:23; Gal. 1:4; 2:20; Eph. 1:6-7; 4:32; 5:1-2, 23; Col. 1:13-14, 19-20; 3:13; Titus 2:14; 1 Tim. 1:15-16; 2:5-6; 2 Tim. 1:7-12; 4:8, 18; Heb. 1:3; 2:9-18; 4:14-16; 7:23-28; 9:14, 22-28; 10:10, 14-18; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 2:21-24; 3:18-22; 1 John 1:7; 2:1-2, 12; 4:9-10, 14; Rev. 1:6; 7:9-17 – Cf. Exod. 19:5-6; Psalm 25:11; 54:1; 78:38; 79:9; 130:3-4, 8; Isa. 43:10-11, 25; 45:21-22; Hos. 13:4-5; Matt. 19:25-26).

K. The Husband/Bridegroom (Mark 2:18-20; Eph. 5:25-33; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:1-2, 9-14 – Cf. Isa. 54:5; Hos. 2:16-19).

4. JESUS IS WORSHIPED AS YHWH GOD AND AS THE FATHER’S EQUAL

John 5:23; Rev. 5:8-14; Matt. 10:37-39; 16:24-26; Luke 14:26-27; 21:15-16 (Cf. Psalm 8:1-2); Acts 7:59-60 (Cf. Psalm 31:5; Ecclesiastes 12:7); Acts 9:14, 21; 1 Cor. 1:2 (Cf. Gen. 12:8; 21:33; Deut. 4:7; Psalm 99:6-7; 116:1-4, 13, 17; 145:18); Heb. 1:6 (Cf. Deut. 32:43; Psalm 97:7).

See also: Matt. 2:2, 8, 11; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:9, 17-20; Mark 5:6-7; John 9:35-38; 14:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:3; 16:22-23; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; 13:14; 1 Thess. 1:1; 3:11-13; 2 Thess. 1:1-2, 12; 2:16-17; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8, 18; 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 John 1:3; Rev. 1:4-6; 22:20-21.

FURTHER READING

New Testament Outline to the Deity of Christ

A QUICK DEFENSE OF CHRIST’S DEITY

JW BIBLE PROVES JESUS IS JEHOVAH WHO SAVES

Jesus Christ and JWs: Who is the Jehovah That Saves?

Paul’s Divine Christology Pt. 3

JESUS AS THE ETERNAL CREATOR IN HEBREWS

The Book of Hebrews and Jesus as Creator

THE NWT TESTIFIES THAT THE TRINITY IS THE ETERNAL CREATOR!

JESUS CHRIST: SUPREME OVER ALL CREATION

JESUS: THE ETERNALLY EXISTING ONE

JESUS CHRIST: ISRAEL’S ANI WAHO WHO SAVES

Jesus as the Great I AM

Jesus as the Great I AM Excursus

The Early Church Fathers On John 8:58

In this post I will be referencing the commentary on Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45 and 9:24-27 by renowned Medieval rabbi and anti-Christian polemicist Shlomo Yitzchaki, otherwise known as RASHI. Rashi’s commentary is important since he candidly admitted that the Messianic era or kingdom would be ushered in during the time that Jesus appeared on the scene. He further acknowledges that the Messiah whose death is foretold in Daniel 9:26 occurred right around the time Jesus ministered. Rashi’s interpretation corroborates the Christian exegesis that Daniel prophesied of the events which culminated in Jesus’ crucifixion and the destruction of the second temple.  

Note what Rashi states in respect to Daniel 9:

24 Seventy weeks [of years] have been decreed upon your people and upon the city of your Sanctuary to terminate the transgression and to end sin, and to expiate iniquity, and to bring eternal righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.

Seventy weeks [of years] have been decreed: on Jerusalem from the day of the first destruction in the days of Zedekiah until it will be [destroyed] the second time.

to terminate the transgression and to end sin: so that Israel should receive their complete retribution IN THE EXILE OF TITUS AND HIS SUBJUGATION, in order that their transgressions should terminate, their sins should end, and their iniquities should be expiated, in order to bring upon them eternal righteousness and to anoint upon them (sic) the Holy of Holies: the Ark, the altars, and the holy vessels, which they will bring to them THROUGH THE KING MESSIAH. The number of seventy weeks is four hundred and ninety years. The Babylonian exile was seventy [years] and the Second Temple stood four hundred and twenty [years]. (The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary)

26 And after the sixty-two weeks, the anointed one will be cut off, and he will be no more, and the people of the coming monarch will destroy the city and the Sanctuary, and his end will come about by inundation, and until the end of the war, it will be cut off into desolation.

And after: those weeks.

the anointed one will be cut off: Agrippa, the king of Judea, who was ruling at the time of the destruction, will be slain.

and he will be no more: Heb. וְאֵין לוֹ, and he will not have. The meaning is that he will not be.

the anointed one: Heb. מָשִׁיחַ. This is purely an expression of a prince and a dignitary.

and the city and the Sanctuary: lit. and the city and the Holy.

and the people of the coming monarch will destroy: [The monarch who will come] upon them. THAT IS TITUS AND HIS ARMIES.

and his end will come about by inundation: And his end will be damnation and destruction, for He will inundate the power of his kingdom THROUGH THE MESSIAH.

and until the end of the wars: of Gog the city will exist.

cut off into desolation: a destruction of desolation. (Ibid.)

27 And he will strengthen a covenant for the princes for one week, and half the week he will abolish sacrifice and meal- offering, and on high, among abominations, will be the dumb one, and until destruction and extermination befall the dumb one.

And he will strengthen a covenant for the princes for one week: לָרַבִּים, for the princes, like “and all the officers of (רַבֵּי) the king,” in the Book of Jeremiah (39:13).

will strengthen: TITUS [will strengthen] a covenant with the princes of Israel.

for one week: He will promise them the strengthening of a covenant and peace for seven years, but within the seven years, he will abrogate his covenant.

he will abolish sacrifice and meal-offering: This is what he says in the first vision (8:26): “and in tranquility he will destroy many.” Through a covenant of tranquility, he will destroy them.

and on high, among abominations will be the dumb one: This is a pejorative for pagan deities. i.e., on a high place, among abominations and disgusting things, he will place the dumb one, the pagan deity, which is dumb like a silent stone.

high: Heb. כְּנַף, lit. wing, an expression of height, like the wing of a flying bird.

and until destruction and extermination befall the dumb one: and the ruling of the abomination will endure until the day that the destruction and extermination decreed upon it [will] befall it, IN THE DAYS OF THE KING MESSIAH.

befall the dumb one: Heb. תִּתַּ, reach; and total destruction will descend upon the image of the pagan deity and upon its worshippers. (Ibid.)

Rashi acknowledges that Daniel’s prophesy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was fulfilled when the Roman general Titus came up against the city and sanctuary to destroy it. He further admits that this period coincides with the King Messiah anointing the artifacts of the holy sanctuary and subjugating the Roman empire.

This shows that even according to Rashi’s calculation the Messiah had to appear during the time when the second temple was still standing.

Rashi’s interpretation that the Anointed One who was to be cut off or killed refers to Herod Agrippa is rather ironic since there is nothing of significance related to Agrippa’s murder via poison, which took place in 44 AD. Rashi fails to explain exactly how or why Agrippa’s death brought about the end or termination of transgressions and sins, expiated or atoned for iniquities, ushered in eternal righteousness, and anointed the Holy of Holies.

Conveniently, Rashi failed to mention that just less than a decade earlier Jesus of Nazareth was killed on the cross for claiming to be the unique divine Son of God and Messianic King of the Jews who proclaimed that he had come to offer his life as a ransom for the forgiveness of sins!

“For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Matthew 26:26-28  

“This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:50-51

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:11, 14-18

Thus, by situating the cutting off period of the Messiah in the first half of the first century AD, Rashi has provided tacit and implicit corroboration that Daniel was in fact prophesying the events which led to the violent death of Jesus Christ!    

As Messianic Jewish apologist and theologian Dr. Michael L. Brown explains:

Still, it is only fair to ask, If there are two anointed ones spoken of in the text, who is the first one? And for the sake of argument, if the second one is not Yeshua, then who is it? Candidates for the first anointed one include the Medo-Persian king Cyrus among non-Israelites and either Joshua the high priest or Zerubbabel the governor (spoken of throughout Ezra and Nehemiah, as well as in the Book of Zechariah) among Israelites. None of these figures, however, can be decisively identified as the anointed leader of whom the text speaks, nor is there a rock-solid interpretation that explains how the forty-nine-year period beginning with Daniel 9:25 ends with any of them. Some of them are certainly potential candidates, but there are either chronological problems (as in the case of Cyrus)²¹⁰ or problems in determining exactly why the text singled them out or how someone would identify them as the anointed one in question. Why them?

The point of this is simple: While it is certainly possible that Daniel 9:24–27 speaks of two anointed ones rather than one Anointed One (= Messiah), it is difficult to see why the first one was mentioned at all, especially in the context described (i.e., coming after a period of forty-nine years). This suggests that it is fair to revisit the traditional Christian division of the weeks suggested above (4.18 and 4.20), since that interpretation puts the emphasis on the proper division of the years (49 years for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, followed by 434 years until the Messiah’s death) and explains why such emphasis was placed on this mashiach.

As to the question of the identity of some of the non-Messianic candidates for the second anointed one—whose death is described in Daniel 9:26—reference is often made to the high priest Onias III, who was displaced by his brother Jason in 172 B.C.E. and then killed by Menelaus in 171 B.C.E. A later candidate would be King Agrippa I, who died in 44 C.E. However, the association with Onias III is based on the assumption that Daniel got his chronology entirely wrong (see above, 4.19), while the association with Agrippa I, which is the most common view among traditional Jewish interpreters, fails to explain why he would be singled out as a special anointed one whose death was of such significance. More important, it would mean that the Anointed One whose atoning death changed the course of world history, the candidate who fits the chronological data to a tee, was bypassed entirely in favor of a man whose death about fifteen years later was of no lasting significance at all.²¹¹ Similar questions could be raised about the other potential candidates who allegedly answer to the description of the anointed one mentioned in Daniel 9:26, a man whose death occurred shortly before the destruction of the Second Temple.

To repeat our premise, then, we can safely state that (1) if the text speaks of two anointed ones, the second of these two is Jesus the Messiah, and (2) if the text speaks of one anointed one, all the more can we be sure that it refers to our Messiah and King. Honestly, now, can anyone claim that there is one candidate who even remotely displaces Yeshua as the obvious, central subject of the text? I think not.

210 A potential candidate such as Cyrus, who was a key mashiach in biblical Jewish history, is disqualified because of chronological issues, since there is no valid way to begin the terminus a quo of Daniel 9:25 (received by revelation from the angel Gabriel somewhere around 539 B.C.E.) with a date 49 years before Cyrus (who issued his decree to rebuild the Temple in the year 539 B.C.E.)!

211 Gerald Sigal also makes the odd claim that the second anointed one mentioned in the text is Alexander Yannai, the ruthless high priest who led Israel from 103 to 76 B.C.E. There are, however, insuperable difficulties with this interpretation: (1) Since Cyrus cannot be the mashiach mentioned in Daniel 9:25, Alexander cannot be the mashiach who is cut off 434 years after Cyrus. (2) Even using Sigal’s dating (“The first seven weeks ends in 537 B.C.E. The second segment of the Seventy Weeks period, sixty-two weeks in length, covered by verse 26, culminates in 103 B.C.E.”), why does this period culminate with the beginning of Yannai’s reign rather than the end of his reign, his alleged “cutting off”? (3) Aside from the fact that the identification of Alexander Yannai is quite tenuous (why single him out, and why point to someone in whose lifetime what was written in Daniel 9:24–27 did not take place?), Sigal’s explanation of being cut off and having nothing is bizarre, since nothing unusual is recorded about Yannai’s death. Thus, he must argue that the verb yikkaret here means “suffer the penalty of excision” (as in “being cut off” for certain sins in the Torah), claiming that, “The penalty accompanying karet is here aptly described as ‘to have nothing,’ or ‘be no more.’” This is impossibly forced, since being cut off and having nothing (or being no more) unquestionably speaks of death (as widely recognized by Jewish commentators and translators). Not only so, but the only definitive evidence that Alexander Yannai suffered this alleged penalty of excision is that Sigal says he did! See concisely <http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/j4j2000/html/reflib/dan9120.html&gt; (Brown, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus [Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI 2003] Volume 3. Messianic Prophecy Objections, pp. 130-132)

There’s more from Rashi, who also admitted that Daniel predicted that the Messianic kingdom would be established while the Roman empire was still in existence!

44 And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom forever, it will not be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left to another people; it will crumble and destroy all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

And in the days of these kings: in the days of these kings, WHEN THE KINGDOM OF ROME IS STILL IN EXISTENCE.

the God Of heaven will set up a kingdom: The kingdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, which will never be destroyed, IS THE KINGDOM OF THE MESSIAH.

it will crumble and destroy: It will crumble and destroy all these kingdoms.

45 Just as you saw that from the mountain a stone was hewn without hands, and it crumbled the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has let the king know what will be after this, and the dream is true, and its interpretation is reliable.”

Just as you saw: just as you saw that a stone was broken off the mountain, which crumbled the entire image. This is the interpretation that the fifth kingdom will destroy and shatter them all.

what will be after this: what will be after this, after this kingdom of yours.

and its interpretation is reliable: for the Eternal of Israel neither lies nor repents. (Ibid.)

Rashi even goes as far as to confirm that the Son of Man figure whom the prophet saw is none other than King Messiah!

13 I saw in the visions of the night, and behold with the clouds of the heaven, one like a man was coming, and he came up to the Ancient of Days and was brought before Him.

one like a man was coming: THAT IS THE KING MESSIAH.

and… up to the Ancient of Days: Who was sitting in judgment and judging the nations.

came: arrived, reached.

14 And He gave him dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall serve him; his dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not be removed, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

And He gave him dominion: And to that man He gave dominion over the nations, for the heathens he likens to beasts, and Israel he likens to a man because they are humble and innocent.

which will not be removed: [as translated,] will not be removed. (Ibid.)

Hence, according to Rashi the Messiah had to come and establish his kingdom during the Roman empire, specifically around the time of the first century AD!

Is it a coincidence, then, that Jesus shows up in the first century claiming to be that very Son of Man that Daniel foresaw and who had been sent to inaugurate the heavenly kingdom on earth?

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15  

“But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Mark 14:61-62  

“And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.” Matthew 4:23

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb′edee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.’” Matthew 10:1-8  

“For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:27-28

“But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Luke 11:20

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, “Lo, here it is!” or “There!” for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.’ And he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see it.And they will say to you, “Lo, there!” or “Lo, here!” Do not go, do not follow them.For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.’” Luke 17:20-25

Unless indicated otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE).

FURTHER READING

RABBINIC JUDAISM ON THE TIME OF MESSIAH’S APPEARANCE

The Time of Messiah’s Advent Pt. 1

The Time of Messiah’s Advent Pt. 2

MESSIANIC TIMELINE OF DANIEL REVISITED AGAIN

MORE ON DANIEL’S MESSIANIC TIMELINE

A Divine Messiah That Suffers and Reigns! Pt. 2

A Justification of the Translation of Dan. 9:24-27 in the KJV

 

Muslims will often bring up the objection that Islam is not named after the man or prophet that brought the message, unlike Christianity and Buddhism which are named after their founders. They will further boast that they do not serve a man but submit to the one true God, supposedly Allah, nor do they need a human being to stand between them and their lord like Christians do.  

In this post I will refute this canard and prove from both the Quran and ahadith that Muslims are in fact Muhammadans and that their deen is Muhammadanism.

I star off by citing the definition of Muhammadan given by Wikipedia:

Mohammedan (also spelled Muhammadan, Mahommedan, Mahomedan or Mahometan) is a term for a follower of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet.^[2] It is used as both a noun and an adjective, meaning belonging or relating to, either Muhammad or the religion, doctrines, institutions and practices that he established.^[3][4] The word was formerly common in usage, but the terms Muslim and Islamic are more common today. Though sometimes used stylistically by some Muslims, a vast majority consider the term either archaic or offensive. (Mohammedan

; emphasis mine)

Since a Muhammadan is a follower of Muhammad I now turn to the alleged sound reports attributed to the Islamic “prophet” and/or his companions to see if both he and his disciples described Muslims as such:

Narrated Ibn Abbas:

Once the Prophet ascended the pulpit and it was the last gathering in which he took part. He was covering his shoulder with a big cloak and binding his head with an oily bandage. He glorified and praised Allah and said, “O people! Come to me.” So the people came and gathered around him and he then said, “Amma ba’du.” “From now onward the Ansar will decrease and other people will increase. So anybody who becomes a ruler of the followers of Muhammad and has the power to harm or benefit people then he should accept the good from the benevolent amongst them (Ansar) and overlook the faults of their wrong-doers.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 13, Number 49 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:927)

Narrated ‘Aisha… The Prophet then said, “O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! There is none who has more ghaira (self-respect) than Allah as He has forbidden that His slaves, male or female commit adultery (illegal sexual intercourse). O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! If you knew that which I know you would laugh little and weep much. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 18, Number 154 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1044)

Narrated ‘Aisha:

Allah’s Apostle said, “O followers of Muhammad! There is none, who has a greater sense of Ghira (self-respect) than Allah, so He has forbidden that His slave commits illegal sexual intercourse or His slave girl commits illegal sexual intercourse. O followers of Muhammad! If you but knew what I know, you would laugh less and weep more!” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 148)

Narrated ‘Aisha:

The Prophet said, “O followers of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 78, Number 627 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6631)

Narrated Salim:

I heard Um Ad-Darda’ saying, “Abu Ad-Darda’ entered the house in an angry mood. I said to him. ‘What makes you angry?’ He replied, ‘By Allah! I do not find the followers of Muhammad doing those good things (which they used to do before) except the offering of congregational prayer.” (This happened in the last days of Abu Ad-Darda’ during the rule of ‘Uthman).  (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 622 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:650)

Seeing that Muhammad and his pupils described Muslims as followers of Muhammad, which is precisely what Muhammadan means, we have therefore established that Islam is in reality nothing other than Muhammadanism.  

The Quran corroborates this by emphatically that a person must follow and obey Muhammad as they obey Allah, otherwise they are not true believers and the Muslim deity will not love them:

Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Say (O Muhammad): “Obey Allah AND the Messenger (Muhammad).” But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers. S. 3:31-32

It is interesting to note that Muhammad’s contemporaries soon realized that Muhammad was basically demanding that his followers love and obey him the same way that Christians love and surrender to the risen Christ:

(Say) O Muhammad!: (If ye love Allah) and His religion, (follow me) follow my Religion; (Allah will love you) He will increase your love (and forgive you your sins) which were committed when you followed Judaism. (Allah is Forgiving) of whoever repents, (Merciful) towards whoever dies in a state of repentance. This verse was revealed about the Jews who claimed they were the children of Allah and His beloved ones. When this verse was revealed ‘Abdullah Ibn Ubayy said: “Muhammad is commanding us to love him as the Christians loved Jesus”, and the Jews said: “Muhammad wants us to take him as a compassionate Lord, just as the Christians took Jesus as a compassionate Lord”. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=31&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine)

(Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah…) [3:31]. Said al-Hasan ibn Jurayj: “Some people had claimed at the time of the Messenger of Allah that they loved Allah. They said: ‘O Muhammad! Verily, we love our Lord’, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”. Juwaybir also reported that al-Dahhak related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Prophet saw the Quraysh in the Sacred Mosque prostrating to their idols which they erected therein, with eggs of ostriches hanging from them and earrings dangling from their ears. And so he said to them: ‘O Quraysh! You have contravened the religion of your fathers Abraham and Ishmael, both of whom were Muslims’. They responded: ‘O Muhammad! We worship them out of love for Allah and so that they bring us closer to Him’. Upon which Allah revealed (Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah) and you worship your idols to bring you closer to Him, as you claim, then (follow me; Allah will love you…) for I am His Messenger to you, His proof against you, and I am more worthy of reverence than your idols”. Al-Kalbi also related from Abu Salih that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “When the Jews said: ‘We are the children of Allah and His beloved’, Allah revealed this verse. Then the Messenger of Allah read it to the Jews but they refused to accept it”. Muhammad ibn Ishaq reported that Muhammad ibn Ja’far ibn al-Zubayr said: “This was revealed about the Christians of Najran, for they had said: ‘We venerate and worship Christ out of love and veneration for Allah’. And so Allah revealed this verse as a response”. (‘Alī ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=31&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine)

Hence, the people clearly saw that Muhammad was making himself into a Christ-like figure in order to supplant the true Christ from the hearts of those whom he deceived into following him.

The Quran has a lot more to say about the necessity of following and obeying for the express purpose of receiving forgiveness and obtaining salvation:

We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah’s Leave. If they (hypocrites), when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you (Muhammad) and begged Allah’s Forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving (One Who accepts repentance), Most Merciful. S. 4:64

Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. S. 9:103

Note how in the aforementioned texts Allah makes it incumbent for Muslims to go to Muhammad to procure his intercession as the necessary condition to obtain forgiveness from the Islamic deity.

Continuing further:

These are the limits (set by) Allah (or ordainments as regards laws of inheritance), and whosoever obeys Allah AND His Messenger (Muhammad) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success. And whosoever disobeys Allah AND His Messenger (Muhammad), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment. S. 4:13-14

And when it is said to them: “Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger (Muhammad),” you (Muhammad) see the hypocrites turn away from you (Muhammad) with aversion. S. 4:61

And whoso obeys Allah AND the Messenger (Muhammad), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqun (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddiq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! S. 4:69

He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah AND His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. S. 4:100

Isn’t it intriguing that the above verse equates migrating to another land for the sake of Muhammad as the exact same thing as doing it for Allah’s sake?  

Muslims are further exhorted to refer all things back to Muhammad if they wish to procure the favor of their deity:

When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah upon you, you would have followed Shaitan (Satan), save a few of you. S. 4:83

O you who believe! Obey Allah AND OBEY the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah AND His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. S. 4:59

Pay specific attention to the fact that even though Muslims are exhorted to obey those in charge these verses still make it clear that Muhammad’s decisions are final, and take precedence over what any other authority may say.

In the following citation,

It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah AND His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error. S. 33:36

We see that Muhammad’s decisions are Allah’s decisions, i.e., Allah decrees what Muhammad decrees, which is why no true believer can ever go against Muhammad’s commandments.

This explains why the Quran states that to obey Muhammad is the same thing as obeying Allah, and to disobey him is equivalent to disobeying the Islamic deity:

How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people? On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger (Muhammad) will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah. S. 4:41-42

And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination. S. 4:115

He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them. S. 4:80

The next citation makes it explicitly clear that true Islam or submission only takes place when a person fully and completely submits his mind and actions to the desires and whims of Muhammad:

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. S. 4:65

Here’s what a modern Sufi scholar stated in respect to this passage:

When the best generation of humankind ever to walk the earth realized that the Lord of the Heaven was addressing them directly with His timeless Speech in the language which they had mastered better than any human nation ever mastered a language, they realized that not only had Allah Almighty deputized the worthiest of them as the carrier of the final Message to humanity, but He had also made belief in that most honorable, most distinguished, and most accomplished Messenger – our liege-lord Muhammad – an integral condition of belief in Allah Himself by saying repeatedly “Believe in Allah AND the Messenger.”

They also heard Allah again and again command them to “Obey Allah AND the Messenger.” They also realized that Allah Almighty stressed to them that this Messenger was their paramount model of behavior and of belief in Allah and the Last Day. They also heard and understood it meant they had to follow him and love him before they could claim to follow and love Allah.

They further understood the required levels of following the Prophet properly and truly on which one’s actual belief in Allah Most High depended: {But nay, by your Lord! they will not believe (in truth) until they make you judge of what is in dispute between them}. But to make the Prophet judge is not enough, this must be done without any mental reservation toward the Prophet and his decision: {and find within themselves no dislike of that which you decide}. Even this unalloyed acceptance of the Prophet’s judgment is not enough, there must be full embrace of the heart, mind and soul for the Prophet: {and submit with full submission} (4:65)! (Gibril Fouad Haddad, The Story of Hadith – On Obeying, Following, Imitating, And Loving Prophet Muhammad https://muslimanswersfiles.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/the-story-of-hadith-on-obeying-following-imitating-and-loving-prophet-muhammad/; emphasis mine)

Renowned sunni scholar and Quranic commentator Ibn Kathir illustrates what happens to any Muslim who refuses to fully submit to Muhammad:

One Does not Become a Believer Unless He Refers to the Messenger for Judgment AND SUBMITS TO HIS DECISIONS

Allah said…

<But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them,> Allah swears by His Glorious, Most Honorable Self, that no one shall attain faith until he refers to the Messenger for judgment IN ALL MATTERS. Thereafter, whatever the Messenger commands, is the plain truth that must be submitted to inwardly and outwardly. Allah said…

<and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.> meaning: they adhere to your judgment, and thus do not feel any hesitation over your decision, and they submit to it inwardly and outwardly. They submit to the Prophet’s decision with total submission without any rejection, denial or dispute. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Urwah said, “Az-Zubayr quarreled with a man about a stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allah’s Messenger said to Az-Zubayr…

<<O Zubayr! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor.>> The Ansari became angry and said, `O Allah’s Messenger! Is it because he is your cousin?’ On that, the face of Allah’s Messenger changed color (because of anger) and said…

<<Irrigate (your garden), O Zubayr, and then withhold the water until it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms). Then, release the water to your neighbor.>> So, Allah’s Messenger gave Az-Zubayr his full right when the Ansari made him angry. Before that, Allah’s Messenger had given a generous judgment, beneficial for Az-Zubayr and the Ansari. Az-Zubayr said, `I think the following verse was revealed concerning that case…

<But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them.>’” Another reason in his Tafsir, Al-Hafiz Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin `Abdur-Rahman bin Ibrahim bin Duhaym recorded that Damrah narrated that two men took their dispute to the Prophet, and he gave a judgment to the benefit of whoever among them had the right. The person who lost the dispute said, “I do not agree.” The other person asked him, “What do you want then?” He said, “Let us go to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq.” They went to Abu Bakr and the person who won the dispute said, “We went to the Prophet with our dispute and he issued a decision in my favor.” Abu Bakr said, “Then the decision is that which the Messenger of Allah issued.” The person who lost the dispute still rejected the decision and said, “Let us go to `Umar bin Al-Khattab.” When they went to `Umar, the person who won the dispute said, “We took our dispute to the Prophet and he decided in my favor, but this man refused to submit to the decision.” `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked the second man and he concurred. `Umar went to his house and emerged from it holding aloft his sword. He struck the head of the man who rejected the Prophet’s decision with the sword and killed him. Consequently, Allah revealed…

<But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith>. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/surah/4/64; emphasis mine)

Umar brutally beheads a companion of Muhammad for refusing to accept the judgment of Allah’s “prophet,” without the Muslim deity rebuking him for this cold-blooded murderous act!

Instead, Muhammad’s god “sends down” this very text to warn folks of the consequences of not completely submitting to Allah’s “messenger”!  

The foregoing data conclusively proves that Islam is nothing other than Muhammadanism, and that Muslims are in fact Muhammadans who follow and submit to a false prophet and antichrist whom Satan raised up to lead people away from their only hope of salvation.

This brings me to my final section.

THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE PATH

God’s inspired Word, the Holy Bible, teaches that true believers are those who fully submit to and love the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s uniquely begotten Son:

“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Eli′jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli′jah.’ For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.’” Mark 9:2-7

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.’ Peter began to say to him, ‘Lo, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.’” Mark 10:27-30

“He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39  

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.’” Matthew 16:24-27

Since Jesus is the only Way to eternal life, all who would desire to be saved must seek to obey him with the power supplied by the Holy Spirit whom God gives to all those confess Christ as their Lord and Savior:

“‘Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him… In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.’” John 14:1-7, 20-24

“On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Ca′iaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.” Acts 4:5-14

Christ himself spoke of those who would bear his name as a sign of their being his disciples:

“John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.’” Mark 9:38-41

The Apostles explained what it means to bear Christ’s name. I.e., a person is to be called a Christian, a title that Jesus’ true followers should be proud of and boast in:

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you… yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God.” 1 Peter 4:14, 16

“And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time you think to make me a Christian!’ And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’” Acts 26:28-29

Hence, the true path and religion before God is not Muhammadanism, but Christianity. Salvation doesn’t come from following Muhammad, who is an antichrist, but rather by loving, confessing and worshiping God’s only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18

“because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, ‘every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13

Quranic citations taken from the Hilali-Khan version.

All scriptural references taken from Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE).

FURTHER READING

The Deification of Muhammad

Did God want Christ’s followers to be called Christians?

MUHAMMAD: THE OBJECT OF CREATION & PRAYERS