I know what the Bible says about the death of Christ, and I am also aware that the Qur'an says (of Jesus) that "he was not killed, neither was he crucified" or something like that.
Does anyone know what the Baha'i Faith says about the death of Jesus?
Death of Christ
Hello,
The following explain the reconciliation:
The following explain the reconciliation:
"The crucifixion as recounted in the New Testament is correct. The meaning of the Qur'anic version is that the spirit of Christ was not crucified. There is no conflict between the two."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 14, 1943; in Lights of Guidance, no. 1646)
"Regarding your question relative to Surih 4, 156 of the 'Qur'an' in which Muhammad says that the Jews did not crucify Jesus, the Christ, but one like Him; what is meant by this passage is that although the Jews succeeded in destroying the physical body of Jesus, yet they were impotent to destroy the divine reality in Him."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, March 19, 1938; in Lights of Guidance, no. 1669)
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Allah Is The Truth
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The context is very important to the verse in the Qur'an that says "They killed him not". This verse was not addressed to Christians, and pointing out the error of their ways of believing that he was killed, but it was to Jews of Medina who were insulting Jesus by saying that they killed him. Then this verse was revealed.
Say: He is Allah, the One!
Allah, the ternally Besought of all!
He begetteth not nor was begotten.
And there is none comparable unto him.
Sura 112 (al-ikhlas) of the Noble Qur'an.
Allah, the ternally Besought of all!
He begetteth not nor was begotten.
And there is none comparable unto him.
Sura 112 (al-ikhlas) of the Noble Qur'an.
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David in Arizona
The sacrifice of Jesus the Christ
The Baha'i writings say this:
"The divine Prophets came to establish the unity of the Kingdom in human hearts. All of them proclaimed the glad tidings of the divine bestowals to the world of mankind. All brought the same message of divine love to the world. Jesus Christ gave His life upon the cross for the unity of mankind. Those who believed in Him likewise sacrificed life, honor, possessions, family, everything, that this human world might be released from the hell of discord, enmity and strife.
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 5)
From this we see that the measure of love and devotion of Jesus was His real gift to humanity. He did not come to die, but to bring life. His message was the living blood that would vivify our spirits. Many, thinking only of the Hebrew tradition of sacrifice on the Temple alter, developed the material concept of physical redemption of "original sin" later. This belief would logically indicate that Jesus would have failed in His mission were the people to have believed in Him, followed Him, and not killed Him. This belief in His physical sacrifice as His intended purpose is obviously absurd.
Jesus was a spiritual being. The Quran indicates this when it says that they did not kill Jesus but a likeness of Jesus. Again, people are concerned with the physical, when Jesus and Muhammad both came to "save" our souls, not our bodies. Neither Jesus, Muhammad or Baha'u'llah were enshrined in their bodies; they are Spiritual Manifestations of which their body was merely a brief token by which they could communicate to us. When the body was gone it did not affect the Manifestation a bit. The Manifestation cannot be killed.
The Divine Manifestation of any era, in my understanding as a Baha'i, is the Master of the Universe, The King of Names, The Alpha and the Omega, the Standard by which all other things and ideas are measured. Their messages differed only in accordance with humanity's ability to comprehend their Spiritual Message.
Regards,
David
"The divine Prophets came to establish the unity of the Kingdom in human hearts. All of them proclaimed the glad tidings of the divine bestowals to the world of mankind. All brought the same message of divine love to the world. Jesus Christ gave His life upon the cross for the unity of mankind. Those who believed in Him likewise sacrificed life, honor, possessions, family, everything, that this human world might be released from the hell of discord, enmity and strife.
(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 5)
From this we see that the measure of love and devotion of Jesus was His real gift to humanity. He did not come to die, but to bring life. His message was the living blood that would vivify our spirits. Many, thinking only of the Hebrew tradition of sacrifice on the Temple alter, developed the material concept of physical redemption of "original sin" later. This belief would logically indicate that Jesus would have failed in His mission were the people to have believed in Him, followed Him, and not killed Him. This belief in His physical sacrifice as His intended purpose is obviously absurd.
Jesus was a spiritual being. The Quran indicates this when it says that they did not kill Jesus but a likeness of Jesus. Again, people are concerned with the physical, when Jesus and Muhammad both came to "save" our souls, not our bodies. Neither Jesus, Muhammad or Baha'u'llah were enshrined in their bodies; they are Spiritual Manifestations of which their body was merely a brief token by which they could communicate to us. When the body was gone it did not affect the Manifestation a bit. The Manifestation cannot be killed.
The Divine Manifestation of any era, in my understanding as a Baha'i, is the Master of the Universe, The King of Names, The Alpha and the Omega, the Standard by which all other things and ideas are measured. Their messages differed only in accordance with humanity's ability to comprehend their Spiritual Message.
Regards,
David