The Seventh Proof
The seventh indication that disproves the notion that Jesus is God is the fact that according to the biblical sources, Jesus himself said that he was a Prophet. If Jesus were truly God, it would not make sense to be a Prophet at the same time; whose prophet would he be then?
Jesus always reminded his disciples that he was a Prophet from God to them, that he was a teacher, and that only God was God; he was merely a Prophet to the Children of Israel, sent by God to teach them about their religion. Here we will quote nearly twenty texts to support this from the Gospels that the Christians believe in:
[1]     Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and illness among the people. [Matthew 4:23]
[2]    From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [Matthew 4:17]
The fact that Jesus said, “Repent” indicates that he was a prophet who was urging the people to repent from their sins.
[3]    Jesus said to his disciples:
“…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven…’” [Matthew 6:8-10]
From this text, we also learn that:
*    Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. Therefore, he was a prophet, because the role of the prophets is to teach. This is the point.
*    God is in heaven, because Jesus said, “Our Father in heaven.” This indicates that God has an essence, which is in heaven, whilst the Messiah has a different essence on Earth, and that they are not mixed or united (in one essence).
*    The word “Father” in this text means one who cares for or looks after a person; it does not mean a father in the sense of a progenitor. If it meant a progenitor, then God would be the father of all people, because he said “Our Father” and not say “My Father.”
Conclusion: This common prayer clearly refutes those who say that God is the father of Christ in the sense of being the progenitor, and that this is a counterpart to Mary being the mother of Christ. This is a grave error, because what is meant by being a father here is taking care of or being in charge of a person’s affairs. Based on that, God is the father of all people, in this sense.
[4]    Here is a clear statement that Jesus was a Prophet who proclaimed the good news (also known as preaching the gospel)  and taught the people goodness:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming 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](ESV).
From this text, we also learn that:
*    the Messiah was a prophet, because he proclaimed the Gospel of God and instructed the people to repent to God, which is the role of the prophets; he also instructed them to believe in the Gospel that he brought.
*    the essence of God is not the same as the essence of Jesus, because Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” If Jesus were God, he would have said, “My kingdom is at hand.”
*    Jesus instructed his disciples to believe in the Gospel of God. If Jesus were God, he would have said to them, “Repent and believe in my Gospel.”
*    The true revelation from God to Jesus (Gospel of God) is not one of the four well-known Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), because Jesus called it the “Gospel of God”, whereas the four Gospels are known by the names of their authors.
[5]    Here is a very clear statement on the part of Jesus that he was a Prophet:
“Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.” [Luke 4:31-32]
Then he said to the people, who wanted him to stay with them:
“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. [Luke 4:43-44]
His words “I was sent” indicate that he was a prophet, as do his words “proclaim the good news” and Luke’s words “preaching.” All these phrases indicate that he was a Prophet sent by God to teach people the good news (or Gospel).
[6]    Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. At the end of the story, the townspeople said:
“A great prophet has appeared among us”.[Luke 7:16-17]
This text clearly indicates that the Messiah was a great prophet, not God or son of God.
[7]    Another text clearly indicates that the Messiah was a Prophet; it says that Jesus prayed to his Lord and said:
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” [John 17:3]
[8]    There is the testimony of a large crowd of the Children of Israel calling Jesus a prophet:
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” [Matthew 21:10-11]
What proof for the prophethood of Jesus could be clearer than this?
[9]    Jesus consoled his disciples, urging them to bear with patience the persecution they faced at the hands of the Jews:
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”[Matthew 5:11-12]
The words “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” indicate that the one who will grant recompense and reward is God, who is in heaven, not Jesus. If Jesus were God, he would have said to them: “because great is your reward from me.”
The words “for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” refer to the Jews, for they persecuted the prophets who were before him.
The words “the prophets” indicate that he was one of these prophets who faced persecution. If the Messiah were not a prophet, these words of his would have no meaning – far be it from him to speak in such a manner.
This biblical text indicates that Jesus was not God or son of God; rather he was a prophet, because he was subject to persecution at the hands of the Jews, as were other prophets. If Jesus were God or the son of God, he would never have been persecuted because humans cannot cause suffering to God, Who created everything and is stronger than everything in His creation.
Gustave Le Bon writes, “Jesus believed that he was a prophet and a successor to the prophets who had appeared before him.”
[10]    Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 5:17-19]
The words of Jesus – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them” – clearly indicate that he was a prophet, before whom other prophets had come, and that he was one of them, because the one who came to fulfil the Law that came before him – namely the Torah, the Law of Moses – and fulfil what Moses and the prophets before him had established, could only be a prophet like them.
This is confirmed in the Qur’an, where God tells us that the Messiah said to his people:
“And [I have come] to affirm that which came before me of the Torah, and to make lawful to you some of the things which had been forbidden to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me. Verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”[Al ‘Imran 3:50-51]
So Jesus was no more than a prophet whom God sent to follow the Law of Moses; to make permissible some of that which God had forbidden to the Children of Israel; to call the Children of Israel to worship God alone, with no partner; to revive what had been lost of their religion; and to spread among them the light of faith that had been extinguished due to their wrongdoing, stubbornness, and distortion of the words of God.
Undoubtedly, Jesus is no more than a link in a chain of prophets; he was not, as the Christians believed, God.
[11]    Jesus said:
“And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,” [John 5:37]
This text clearly states that Jesus was a Prophet, because he said “[He] sent me.”
[12]    To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
“If you were Abraham’s children” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God…’
…I have not come on my own; God sent me.” [John 8:31-32, 39-40, 42]
In this text, there are three proofs that Jesus was a human Prophet sent by God, and he was not divine:
The phrase “my disciples” could not be applicable to Jesus unless he was a teacher and a Prophet.
The words “[I am] a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God” are clear words that Jesus was human, sent by God.
The words “God sent me” is a clear statement that Jesus was a prophet from God.
These biblical texts clearly state that Jesus is not God or the son of God; rather, he was a human whom God created, and a prophet from God. This is what is dictated by logic, reasoning, and sound understanding. These texts do not need a scholar or a specialist in theology to explain them; rather a child or an ordinary person can easily understand them.
[13]    There is a statement that God sent the Messiah as a Prophet and teacher:
“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’”[John 3:1-2]
The words of this Jewish leader to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,” are an affirmation that Jesus was sent by God to the Jews as a prophet and teacher, because the prophet teaches people the knowledge with which God sent him, and it is well-known that Jesus taught the people the revelation he was brought with, guided them to goodness and warned them against evil.
Here, the reader may note that the Jewish leader did not say to Jesus that he had come as a redeemer or savior, or that he was the son of God, or that he was God, or any of the other statements that are prevalent among the Christian masses. Rather, he said to him that he had come as a teacher, and Jesus confirmed what this Jewish man had said. He did not tell him, “No, you are wrong.” If that Jewish man had been wrong, Jesus would not have approved of his words; he would have objected and corrected him because that was his role as a teacher; otherwise, he would not really be a teacher.
We may also note another, subtle implicit meaning in what this Jewish leader said to Jesus: “For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” This proves that Jesus was a prophet, because God does not support anyone with signs and miracles except the prophets, so that they can offer tangible proof of their prophethood to the people, so that they will believe in him. That is because when the people saw the prophets doing extraordinary feats that no one but God could do, they would realize that God had caused these things to happen at their hands so that the people would know that they were prophets. For example, Jesus revived the dead, healed the lepers and the blind, and told people what they ate and what food they stored in their houses. He did all of that with God's permission; the Messiah had no independent ability or knowledge because he was human, no more and no less.
[14]    Another incident which proves that Jesus was a Prophet from God is when he went to the temple during the annual Feast of Tabernacles, and taught the people.
The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” [John 7:15-18]
The Jews were amazed at the beauty of the teachings that Jesus was spreading among the people, and they were impressed by them. Jesus explained to them that they came from God Who had sent him; he received these teachings from Him through the greatest of the angels, namely Gabriel, and he conveyed them to the people. This was his role as a Prophet; those teachings were not something that he made up by himself. If Jesus were God, he would have said, “These teachings come from me, ” instead of, “They come from God.” Based on that, Jesus was not God or the son of God.
[15]    Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” [John 7:28-29]
[16]    Jesus told his people that he was a Prophet:
The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.
Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me...” [John 7:32-33]
[17]    “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life...”[John 5:24]
[18]    Here is a statement that is as clear as day that Jesus was a teacher:
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
“I have spoken openly to the world”, Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.” [John 18:19-20]
This indicates that Jesus was a teacher who had disciples or students; this is a characteristic of the prophets.
[19]    The final proof from the Gospels which proves that God sent Jesus as a Prophet is this text in which Jesus said:
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24]
What proof could be clearer than this?
To sum up: Jesus was a prophet from God, and this is in accordance with the verse in the Qur’an in which God says:
“The Messiah son of Mary was no more than a Prophet, and [other] prophets passed away before him. His mother was a woman strong and true in faith, and they both ate food. See how We make Our signs clear to them, then see how they are diverted [from the truth]!”[al-Ma'idah 5:75]
What this verse means is that Jesus , the son of Mary, was no more than a prophet like those prophets who came before him, and his mother was a woman who was strong and true in faith, meaning that she believed with certainty in the word of her Lord. That is reflected in her knowledge and righteousness. Both the Messiah and his mother were like any other human beings in that they needed food. The one who needs food in order to live cannot be God.
Then God says, addressing His Prophet Muhammad, “See how We make Our signs clear to them.” That is: reflect, O Prophet, upon the condition of these people, how We explained to them the falseness of their claim that the Messiah was the son of God, yet despite that they drifted away from the truth that We told them to follow, then see how they were diverted from the truth after it had been made clear to them.