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== References ==
== References ==
<references />
== Historical Jesus Practice ==
The Qur'an contains verses relating to [[Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ)|Jesus (named Isa)]] , whom it affirms was a prophet of Allah and 'the messiah', though it is unclear what this means exactly, with many different Islam interpretations. [1] (see Isa page for a theological discussion).
He is said to have preached 'the gospel/Injeel', given by God, similarly to how Moses was given the Torah (<nowiki>{{Quran|5|46}}</nowiki> and Muhammad the Qur'an, which the dominant Islamic position is that the New Testament (which contains 4 'gospels') is a corrupted/changed document that does not match his original teachings.[2] Therefore Muslims disregard the Christian Jesus as essentially an altered version of the real one, who allegedly was not actually crucified <nowiki>{{Quran|4|157}}</nowiki>[14]  nor ever claimed to be the son of God (e.g. <nowiki>{{Quran|17|111}}</nowiki> <nowiki>{{Quran|2|116}}</nowiki>), which ~600 years later was clarified
However while Muslims may reject the biblical Jesus on theological/faith-based grounds alone, there has been much secular scholarship for more than 200 years seeking to reconstruct the real historical Jesus (independently from Islamic studies) from historical-critical methods rather than Christian theological/faith-based one's, which does not lead to an image similar to the Qur'anic one in many key ways.
'''Imminent Apocalyptic Preacher'''
Analysis of the sources had made it a consensus view that Jesus believed the 'apocalypse',  i.e. judgment day in Islam; the end of history where the forces of evil would be destroyed and the righteous would enter the kingdom of heaven would happen within his lifetime ?or at least very soon after?.
As biblical scholar Albert Schweitzer famously pointed out in his seminal 1906 work 'The Quest of the Historical Jesus', Jesus’s failed prophecy was not an aberrant remark but at the core of his message.[3] Only in later writings did this message begin to be subverted for a metaphorical kingdom of Earth of those who join Jesus's followers believing in salvation and the resurrection [4]
I.e. only later Gospel writers, beginning with Luke (or John), began to reinterpret these apocalyptic messages as the expected return of Jesus didn’t materialize, suggesting a more spiritual interpretation of the "Kingdom of God." This reinterpretation is seen as an attempt to reconcile early Christian beliefs with the reality that the world didn't end as expected. []
Jesus was estimated have lived between (source) The books that make up the New Testament, documenting Jesus's life and teachings, (and believed by Christians to be divinely inspired writings to cover his teachings, death and salvation) are again consensus to be written in order of seven authentic letters of Paul followed the first Gospel, Mark (~C. 70 C.E), two more inauthentic (source) letters from Paul, followed by The Gospel of Matthew and then The Gospel of Luke, (both~ 80-90 C.E.), five more inauthentic letters attributed to Paul (ibid), followed by The Gospel of John (~90-100 C.E.), with the Book of Revelations and several more inauthentic letters attributed to Paul after that.[5] The books/letters and their dates are as follows:[5]
Date Approximated Dating 1 Thessalonians (Pauls letter) C. 49 C.E. Galatians C. 49-51 C.E. 1 Corinthians C. 54-55 C.E. 2 Corinthians C. 55-56 C.E. Romans C. 56-57 C.E. Philemon 55 C.E. or 61-63 C.E. Philippians C. 59-62 C.E. The Gospel of Mark C. 70 C.E. 2 Thessalonians 70-90 C.E. 1 Peter 70-110 C.E. The Gospel of Matthew 80-90 C.E. The Gospel of Luke 80-90 C.E. The Acts of the Apostles 80-90 C.E. Colossians 80-100 C.E. Ephesians 80-100 C.E. The Epistle to the Hebrews 80-100 C.E. The Epistle to James 80-100 C.E. The Gospel of John 90-100 C.E. The Epistle of Jude 90-100 C.E. The Book of Revelation C. 96 C.E. 1, 2, and 3 John C. 100 C.E. 1 and 2 Timothy 90-120 C.E. Titus 90-120 C.E. 2 Peter 110-140 C.E.
{| class="wikitable"
|Date
|Approximated Dating
|-
|1 Thessalonians (Pauls letter)
|C. 49 C.E.
|-
|Galatians
|C. 49-51 C.E.
|-
|1 Corinthians
|C. 54-55 C.E.
|-
|2 Corinthians
|C. 55-56 C.E.
|-
|Romans
|C. 56-57 C.E.
|-
|Philemon
|55 C.E. or 61-63 C.E.
|-
|Philippians
|C. 59-62 C.E.
|-
|The Gospel of Mark
|C. 70 C.E.
|-
|2 Thessalonians
|70-90 C.E.
|-
|1 Peter
|70-110 C.E.
|-
|The Gospel of Matthew
|80-90 C.E.
|-
|The Gospel of Luke
|80-90 C.E.
|-
|The Acts of the Apostles
|80-90 C.E.
|-
|Colossians
|80-100 C.E.
|-
|Ephesians
|80-100 C.E.
|-
|The Epistle to the Hebrews
|80-100 C.E.
|-
|The Epistle to James
|80-100 C.E.
|-
|The Gospel of John
|90-100 C.E.
|-
|The Epistle of Jude
|90-100 C.E.
|-
|The Book of Revelation
|C. 96 C.E.
|-
|1, 2, and 3 John
|C. 100 C.E.
|-
|1 and 2 Timothy
|90-120 C.E.
|-
|Titus
|90-120 C.E.
|-
|2 Peter
|110-140 C.E.
|}
New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman notes that the majority of scholars hypothesis there was also an earlier but lost Gospel known in scholarship 'Q' to have existed, based off shared stories between the gospels of Luke and Matthew which do not come from the earliest Gospel of Mark, which may shared sayings appear to come from. It is believed they used Mark as a key source too.[6]
As Bart Ehrman (year) notes, through careful examination of the earliest and most likely authentic material (e.g. multiply and independently attested, dissimilar[15] and matching the context), we can see early Christians believed and saved the beliefs and saying of Jesus's imminent apocalyptic sayings [9]
Beginning with the earliest writings on Jesus, the authentic letters of Paul, (explain what Paul's letters are) we see some explicit references
* 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (~C.    49 C.E.): Paul writes, "According to the Lord’s word, we tell you    that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,    will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord    himself will come down from heaven... And the dead in Christ will rise    first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up    together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." Paul    includes himself and his contemporaries in the group who will be alive at    Christ's return.
* 1 Corinthians 7:29-31  (~C. 54-55 C.E.): Paul advises,    "What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From    now on those who have wives should live as if they do not... For this    world in its present form is passing away." This sense of urgency    indicates Paul believed the end was near.
This is continued in the Gospels, in fact, the very first words Jesus utters in the first gospel to be written are,
“The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).
(Mark 13:3-31) …after describing what will happen in the apocalypse… 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[d] is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you
And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
(Mark 9:1)
“Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of that one will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.… Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power” (Mark 8:38–9:1).
The in the next Gospel Matthew
(Matthew 10:23) When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
(the Son of man was a cosmic judge for the hour[8])
(Matthew 16:28) “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
(Matthew 24:3-34)  31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[e] is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
(Matthew 3:2-10) 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.. ..10 Even now the axe of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
In Luke we continue to see early apocalyptic traditions, however as Bart Ehrman notes, we begin to see a 'de-apocolyting' of the message in Luke, [10] who edits earlier traditions from Mark and Q so that it is the next generation that it will arrive.[11]
(Luke 21:7-33)
…29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
(Luke 9:27) 27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 12:40) 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
(you must be ready - even though it's an unexpected hour?)
Very unlikely to be added by Christians after the fact, as it didn't happen.
John the Baptist whom Jesus closely preached with and is mentioned many times in the NT, and is incidentally is mentioned in the Quran,  was also an apocolyptic pracher  (Matthew 3:2-10)
The Q source gives further information, for here John preaches a clear message of apocalyptic judgment to the crowds that have come out to see him: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.… Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:7–9). Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 138). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
The Gospel of John writing X years later after the first and second generations passing away,  de-apocalypses much further [12]
Later apocraphyla written after John denies it further, and explicitly condemn the view [13]
Interestingly, the imminent apocalyptic message is completely absent in John, written 10-20 years later as it beocme more apparent it isn't happening, and so 'kingdom of heaven only now becomes a metaphor.
'''Ethical teachings and their apocalyptic context'''
(not to save money)
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21, NRSV)
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 19). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(Don’t worry about basic human needs)
...do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (Matthew 6:25-26, NRSV) Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 20). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(don't worry about clothing)
Jesus taught his followers to be encouraged by how God “clothes” the lilies of the field. And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matthew 6:28-30, NRSV)
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 23). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(never say no to a borrower)
Just in case you still don’t think Jesus taught his followers to be financially irresponsible, here’s another thing Christians certainly wish he hadn’t said. ...do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42, NRSV)
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 25). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(complete pacifism - believes god will destroy all follower sin their lifetime - and very different to Islamic jihad quote self-defence and offensive warfare verses)
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, ‘Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42, NRSV)
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 26). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(give away all your possession - very impractical unless worl ending and soon will have no need for them
So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions. (Luke 14:33 NRSV)
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (pp. 34-35). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
(will receive 100 fold in 'this' life)
Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30, NRSV) We can’t test the promise of eternal life since none of us reading this book have died, but we know that the hundredfold reimbursement in this life makes no sense whatever. I guess televangelists with private jets can make a case that the hundredfold reward Jesus promised in this life works for them,
Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 36). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition.
Further than direct references, Jesus's prediction of an imminent apocalypse underpins many of his teachings, such as advising not to worry about the future  “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34), which make little sense outside of this apocalyptic context.
See: Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (pp. 78-79). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition. For additions to Luke on apocalypticism.
=== References ===
[1] Durie, Mark. The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion (pp. 321-322). Lexington Books.
The difficulty of analyzing Arabic masīḥ opened the door to much speculation by Muslim exegetes about its interpretation. Lane’s entry for masīḥ states that the major lexicographer al-Fīrūzabādī reported that 50 different meanings had been proposed.
[2] What Do Muslims Think about the Gospels? IslamQA. 2023. <nowiki>https://islamqa.info/en/answers/47516/what-do-muslims-think-about-the-gospels</nowiki>
[3]  Schweitzer, Albert. The Quest of the Historical Jesus (E.g. see pp. 358-368). Jovian Press.
[4]
[5] Bible in Chronological Order (Every Book Ordered by Date Written). Marko Marina, Ph.D. 2024. Bart Ehram.com.  <nowiki>https://www.bartehrman.com/bible-in-chronological-order/</nowiki>
[6] And then there was Q. Bart Ehmran blog. 2017. <nowiki>https://ehrmanblog.org/and-then-there-was-q/</nowiki>
Matthew and Luke obviously share a number of stories with Mark, but they also share with each other a number of passages not found in Mark.  Most of these passages (all but two of them) involve sayings of Jesus — for example, the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer.  Since they didn’t get these passages from Mark, where did they get them?  Since the 19th century scholars have argued that Matthew did not get them from Luke or Luke from Matthew (for reasons I’ll suggest below); that probably means they got them from some other source, a document that no longer survives.
[7]
[8] At Last. Jesus and the Son of Man. Bart Ehrman Blog. 2020. <nowiki>https://ehrmanblog.org/at-last-jesus-and-the-son-of-man/</nowiki>
[9] Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 128). Oxford University Press.
Throughout the earliest accounts of Jesus’ words are found predictions of a Kingdom of God that is soon to appear, in which God will rule. This will be an actual kingdom here on earth. When it comes, the forces of evil will be overthrown, along with everyone who has sided with them, and only those who repent and follow Jesus’ teachings will be allowed to enter. Judgment on all others will be brought by the Son of Man, a cosmic figure who may arrive from heaven at any time.
[10] Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 130). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
The earliest sources record Jesus as propounding an apocalyptic message. But, interestingly enough, some of the most clearly apocalyptic traditions come to be “toned down” as we move further away from Jesus’ life in the 20s to Gospel materials produced near the end of the first century. Let me give one example. I’ve already pointed out that Mark was our earliest Gospel and was used as a source for the Gospel of Luke (along with Q and L). It’s a relatively simple business, then, to see how the earlier traditions of Mark fared later in the hands of Luke. Interestingly, some of the earlier apocalyptic emphases begin to be muted. In Mark 9:1, for example, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, there are some who are standing here who will not taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.” Luke takes over this verse—but it is worth noting what he does with it. He leaves out the last few words, so that now Jesus simply says: “Truly I tell you, there are some who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:27). The difference might seem slight, but in fact it’s huge: for now Jesus does not predict the imminent arrival of the Kingdom in power, but simply says that the disciples (in some sense) will see the Kingdom. And strikingly, in Luke (but not in our earlier source, Mark), the disciples do see the Kingdom—but not its coming in power. For according to Luke, the Kingdom has already “come to you” in Jesus own ministry (Luke 11:20, not in Mark), and it is said to “be among you” in the person of Jesus himself (Luke 17:21, also not in Mark).
[11]
Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 130-131). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
Let me stress that Luke continues to think that the end of the age is going to come in his own lifetime. But he does not seem to think that it was supposed to come in the lifetime of Jesus’ companions. Why not? Evidently because he was writing after they had died, and he knew that in fact the end had
not come. To deal with the “delay of the end,” he made the appropriate changes in Jesus’ predictions. This is evident as well near the end of the Gospel. At Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus boldly states to the high priest, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62). That is, the end would come and the high priest would see it. Luke, writing many years later, after the high priest was long dead and buried, changes the saying: “from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:69). No longer does Jesus predict that the high priest himself will be alive when the end comes.
[12] Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 131). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
Here, then, is a later source that appears to have modified the earlier apocalyptic sayings of Jesus. You can see the same tendency in the Gospel of John, the last of our canonical accounts to be written. In this account, rather than speaking about
[13]
Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 131). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
This “de-apocalypticizing” of Jesus’ message continues into the second century. In the Gospel of Thomas, for example, written somewhat later than John, there is a clear attack on anyone who believes in a future Kingdom here on earth. In some sayings, for example, Jesus denies that the Kingdom involves an actual place but “is within
&
Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 134). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
Before moving on to a consideration of the specific criteria that historians use with the Gospel traditions, let me stress again here, in conclusion, my simple point about our rules of thumb. The earliest sources that we have consistently ascribe an apocalyptic message to Jesus. This message begins to be
muted by the end of the first century (e.g., in Luke), until it virtually disappears (e.g., in John), and begins, then, to be explicitly rejected and spurned (e.g., in Thomas). It appears that when the end never did arrive, Christians had to take stock of the fact that Jesus said it would and changed his message accordingly. You can hardly blame them.
[14] See commentaries on this verse 4|157 for an explanation <nowiki>https://quranx.com/tafsirs/4.157</nowiki> of mainstream view. <nowiki>https://journal.rts.edu/article/it-was-made-to-appear-like-that-to-them-islams-denial-of-jesus-crucifixion-in-the-quran-and-dogmatic-tradition/</nowiki> for problems with it and alt explanations
[15] Ehrman, Bart D.. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium (p. 92). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.
“Dissimilar” traditions, that is, those that do not support a clear Christian agenda, or that appear to work against it, are difficult to explain unless they are authentic. They are therefore more likely to be historical.
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