Jesus; Son of Mary or Son of God?

Jesus, the prophet of Christians around the world or the Son of God? The date, place, and manner of his birth are subjects of dispute, a historical contention among Christians, Muslims, and Jews. In this week's taboo, Soroush Dabagh, a researcher in religion and philosophy, and Mansour Borji, a Christian priest residing in Britain, address these questions. Let's start the discussion with Mr. Borji and the question of the time of Jesus Christ's birth, where there are differing opinions; Muslim narratives differ, Catholics say one thing, and the Orthodox Church has another view. Where do these differences come from, and can each have a specific meaning? Mansour Borji: The truth is that there are no direct references in the Gospels regarding the year of Jesus Christ's birth. As the Gospels indicate, there is no precise date for the birth of Jesus Christ, but most biblical scholars and historians mention the birth date of Jesus Christ as between four to six years before the Common Era. There have also been disagreements about the day of birth, which is why you see especially Armenians in our country and [Armenians] in Armenia usually celebrate on January 6, while most Western countries celebrate on December 25, which corresponds to our fourth of Dey. After the schism between the Western Roman Church and Byzantium, these two days are celebrated differently. Mr. Dabagh, as a religious intellectual working in the field of Islamic mysticism, can we start with the Quran and how the Quran's narrative of Jesus Christ's birth differs from what is presented in Christian narratives? Soroush Dabagh: In Christianity, there are various narratives regarding the time of Christ's birth, but in Islam, the Quran does not provide a specific explanation about the time of Jesus' birth. However, regarding the manner of Jesus' birth and his death or ascension, there are significant and notable differences between Islamic and Christian teachings. In the story of how Jesus was born to Mary; in the third book of Masnavi, Rumi elaborates on how Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit or how the Holy Spirit appeared to Mary in human form, which aligns with the verses in Surah Maryam. The difference is that Mary became pregnant by the Spirit of God: 'So she took a veil from them, and We sent Our Spirit to her, and he appeared to her as a well-proportioned man.' Mary said, 'I seek refuge with the Most Merciful from you, if you are righteous.' The Spirit said, 'I am only a messenger of your Lord to give you a pure boy.' She said, 'How can I have a boy when no man has touched me?' There are further explanations in the verses that Mary becomes pregnant with Jesus and seeks refuge in a remote place with him... Mr. Dabagh, I apologize. However, there are other narratives that say Mary had a husband and other children. How is this explained in the Islamic perspective? Soroush Dabagh: In the Quran, the narrative is that Mary became pregnant by a spirit, and Jesus was her son. When she came among her people, because this was very strange and unlikely, she was told that if anyone asked her, she should say that she had taken a fast and would not speak to any human today. When she returned to her people, they said to her, 'What have you done?' According to what is stated in the Quran, Mary pointed to Jesus and said to them, 'Ask him.' She was worried and distressed about this unusual event and expressed her wish that she had died before this and had been completely forgotten because of this unusual occurrence. This narrative is found in the Islamic tradition, specifically based on the sacred text of Muslims, the Quran. Let’s return to Mr. Borji. Mr. Borji, you heard Mr. Dabagh's remarks. Could you explain a bit about the historical ambiguity that Mary had a husband and Joseph the carpenter was her husband? Do you have any explanation for these points raised? Mansour Borji: Yes, first of all, while there are similarities, there are also differences between the Christian and Quranic narratives regarding Mary's virginity. Interestingly, one of the first people to encounter this issue with ambiguity and questions was Mary herself, who physiologically found it completely impossible to have a child. Therefore, when she hears the announcement in the Gospel that she is chosen by God and will bear a child, her response is, 'How can this be?' In the Gospel of Luke, chapter one, this topic is addressed. The answer given by the angel in the scripture does not help much to clarify the matter for Mary or for us as contemporary readers of this text. It states that the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, and therefore the holy offspring will be called the Son of God. For me, as a contemporary reader, these questions raise more issues than they resolve. It seems that neither God, nor the angel, nor the scripture attempts to solve this physiological mystery for me. Their goal is more to inspire faith in the reader, but Mary's reaction seems very telling and may be your answer and that of the listeners. After hearing this seemingly ambiguous explanation, she responds, 'I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.' This is the reaction of faith. For me, as a Christian believer, it is much easier to accept that God could cause a virgin to give birth. I can even believe that God can create existence from nothing, but I do not have enough faith to believe that matter and energy and pure chance could create this universe with all its precision and complexity. Therefore, my explanation is that God and the authors of the scripture were not trying to provide an explanation in the realm of empirical science and modern exact sciences. One of the other contentious points or perhaps I should say another question that arises regarding Jesus Christ is his birthplace. Some say that 'Jesus of Nazareth' was born in 'Nazareth,' while there are extensive discussions that he was born in 'Bethlehem.' Mr. Dabagh, I want to know what the significance of Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem is. Do you think it has historical, philosophical, or even ideological importance? Soroush Dabagh: Certainly, from a religious and historical perspective, it can be significant for Christians and followers of this faith to know where their prophet was born. Most prophets of the Abrahamic religions have arisen from this region, namely in present-day Palestine and this part of the Middle East, and of course, Arabia, from where the Prophet of Islam emerged. This geographical area has been the birthplace of Abrahamic religions, which are referred to in the literature of the philosophy of religion. In any case, it is an issue of its own and has been specifically addressed by some, especially among Christians. You mentioned Islam and Islamic mysticism, which has been a point of discussion in that context. Mr. Borji, do you have any comments on the disagreement over the birthplace of Jesus Christ? Mr. Dabagh mentioned that in Islamic narratives, this issue is not particularly contentious. Mansour Borji: Yes, in fact, especially in the Gospels, you see that the place is sensitive. When it is mentioned in the scripture, especially in the Gospel of Matthew, which has one of the detailed narratives about Jesus' birth, there is a special reference to the birthplace of Jesus and the city of 'Bethlehem.' In the Gospel of Matthew, it is repeatedly mentioned that this city of Bethlehem is significant because, according to the prophecies in the scripture, especially in the book of the prophet Micah, the child who was to be born in this city and of the lineage of the prophet David was to be the 'Messiah' or Christ or the promised savior that the Jewish people were waiting for. Therefore, the authors of the Gospels go to the trouble of explaining why Christ's parents, who were residents of Nazareth in the province of Galilee, had to make their way to Bethlehem to say that this child is indeed the promised Messiah that the Jews were waiting for and is supposed to perform the tasks that the prophets had promised. This is why a figure much greater than a prophet was born there. Jews mockingly deny the birthplace of Jesus and say that these are the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, the one from the city of Nazareth. Some believe that this term 'Nasara,' which is also used in Islamic texts for Christians, comes from this. It may not be clear to many Muslim friends where this word comes from, but the Jewish reference at least to the Nazareth origin of Jesus is a hint that he cannot be the promised Messiah because he is from Nazareth, and we know his parents were from there. In fact, the explanation you provided, Mr. Borji, leads me to the next question about whether Jesus is the Messiah or not, which Jews reject. However, in Christianity, it seems that he is a central figure around whom a religion is formed, and he does not claim to be a prophet—if I am mistaken, please correct me—but in Islam, he is officially considered one of the divine prophets who brought the Gospel and performed miracles. Mr. Dabagh, I ask you, what reasons do Muslims have to consider Jesus a prophet, which are more valid in the Quran than anywhere else? Soroush Dabagh: It is stated in the Quran. If you ask Muslims, that is, those who believe in Islam, it is specifically mentioned in the Quran that Jesus said, 'I am the prophet of God,' and in this sense, they call him a prophet. It can be understood that even in the context and time when the sacred text of Muslims was being formed, there was a kind of theological confrontation and difference with Christian teachings. For example, the same verse 30 of Surah Maryam states, 'He said, I am a servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.' The fact that God has made me a prophet indicates a clear stance against Christian positions here. It states that God should not take a son; He is exalted in this regard. Moreover, if you look at Surah Tawhid, which most Muslims recite in their daily prayers, it begins with: 'Say, He is Allah, the One, Allah, the Eternal, He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.' From this, 'He neither begets nor is born,' it can be understood that it stands in opposition to the Christian teachings. Thus, in contrast to the concept of the Son of God, which is part of orthodox Christian theology, the concept of prophethood in Islam is used to explain the status of Jesus, and the story of God having a son is clearly subjected to criticism. However, I would like to ask Mr. Borji as well. Mr. Borji, the issue of Jesus being a prophet in Christianity is not as prominent. Where does this difference come from? Mansour Borji: You see, there is a difference in what is assumed in Christianity and Judaism about the prophet and his function and mission compared to what is defined in Islam. In the scripture and specifically in the Gospel, Jesus Christ is also called a prophet, but being a prophet alone is not a characteristic of Jesus. He is considered to be more than a prophet, and his divine aspects outweigh his prophetic aspects. The scripture has been called the history of salvation. The story of the scripture is that these prophets are like beads on a string, fulfilling or completing this plan of salvation that reaches its peak in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we do not elevate Jesus to the status of a prophet. God, according to the promises He made, emptied Himself at the appointed time. He says He took on the form of a servant, became like men, and dwelt among men. His claims about himself, the attributes and titles He assumes, the things He does, such as forgiving someone's sins. The Jews who were there rebel against him and say, 'What audacity you have! Who but God can forgive sins?' His response is convincing to them that Jesus is claiming divinity or when they ask why he heals on the Sabbath, which is a holy day for Jews and described as God's day in the Old Testament, he says, 'So you may know that the Son of God is also the Lord of the Sabbath.' This means he is directly claiming divinity, which is more than a prophetic status. However, Mr. Dabagh raised a point that leads me towards the confrontation between Islam and Judaism. Mr. Dabagh, now that we are talking about the prophethood of Jesus, is it possible that Islam positions Jesus against Judaism and emphasizes not only his prophethood but also his miracles from this perspective? Because Jews deny Jesus' prophethood. Soroush Dabagh: What I mentioned was more based on the fact that both Islam and Judaism are ritualistic, meaning they are based on rituals and practices compared to Christianity, where rituals are quite limited.