JanatAllah
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Hi Free,
Nice to know that you are studying Islam and I hope you will discover that it's a wonderful religion.
I think it's important that when you read the Bible or Quran you read it either with an open mind, open heart or faith. If you are missing any of those things there's a good chance that you may misunderstand the message. When I read your quotes I did so with an open mind, while remembering that Prophet Isa (PBUH) is also loved in Islam. However, some of your quotes didn't strike me as proof that Isa claimed to be God or even equal to him. Of course different people can read the same text and come to varying conclusions, added to the fact that the Bible and Quran should be read in context. One verse alone can say something different to when read with the previous and following verse for example. In addition, with the Quran for example, if you read it with hadith you may even find you understand differently again! Some parts of Quran are clear, but some parts can reach out to varying levels of understanding, so that from an illiterate to a scholar can understand the beauty of Allah (subhana wa ta3ala) and his message.
I'm not going to try and trash the Bible because although we Muslims believe some of it has been corrupted, I don't personally know which parts and as a Muslim I believe in all of Allah's books. I wouldn't want to inadvertently question the real words of Allah, but I would like to show you how some verses can be understood in different ways.
"I DID NOT COME TO JUDGE THE WORLD, BUT TO SAVE IT." JOHN 12:47
This in itself says to me that Jesus acknowledges it is not for him to judge, but soley for God. Saving the world doesn't mean to me that he is the one with the power in his hands to do so. Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) also came to save us from our erroneous ways, but he did so by bringing a message from Allah who is the all powerful and all knowing.
Added to that I checked the King James version of the bible for this verse and found that verse 48 -49 says:
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Reading the verses following, give better understanding of what he was saying.
"ANYONE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER." JOHN 14:9
"BELIEVE IN ME WHEN I SAY THAT I AM IN THE FATHER AND THE FATHER IS IN ME." JOHN 14:11
This part of the Chapter John surrounds a situation where Prophet Isa was being questioned as to the truth of his message and he was asked to to show them God. He stated that seeing him was seeing the Father. However does this have to mean that he IS God or like God? Or can it not mean that he is bringing God's message and because of how blessed he was with the ability to spread God's message this is a proof of God's existence? There are verses in Quran when Prophet Mohamed had been asked the same, however Allah uses his creation as a proof that he exists. For example:
Surah 21 Verse 30-32
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?
And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance.
And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)!
This doesn't mean that His creation is Him, but that his creation proves he exists!
"YOU STUDY THE SCRIPTURES BECAUSE YOU THINK BY THEM YOU POSSESS ETERNAL LIFE. THEY TESTIFY ABOUT ME YET YOU REFUSE TO COME TO ME." (V39-40)
I don't know about in the Bible, but I know that in the Quran there are numerous places where Allah tells Prophet Mohamed to "Say" followed by Allah's words. If misunderstood or read out of context people could also try to say that Prophet Mohamed was equating himself to Allah which he clearly never did. This is also where translation from the original language comes into play. I, unfortunately, can only understand the words of the Quran in English translation, however I have seen different translations of the same verses which to me mean completely different things depending on how you look at them! Some translators add words in brackets for clarity which to my mind depends on their own interpretation of the verses. Do you think maybe that if you were able to read the Bible in it's original language you would find a different meaning? Do you think that you might find where words had been added (for clarity) or taken away thus changing its meaning? Added to that, the fact that I know Arabic is such a rich language for which English can not fully convey it's meanings, couldn't the same be said of the original Bible language, which has been translated from a number of different languages. Choosing the nearest translated word is down to man who is able to, as I said before, ascribe his own interpretation especially of one suits him more than another!
Reading, intrepreting and understanding any religious book (Bible & Quran) is no easy task and in some cases could take a lifetime of learning. My advice to you regarding reading any Holy book is to read it in context, understand the reasoning and circumstances surrounding each verse, try to understand the history relating to the period the verse was set in and also understanding the history behind the person/s who have written the translation of the religious book you're reading! My first translation of the Quran that I purchased was translated by a Jewish man - he would conveniently leave out verses of the Quran which an unsuspecting newbie as myself did not pick up on straight away! I had no idea he was Jewish until I checked out why this Quran sounded somewhat different to the one given to me in the Mosque!
Good Luck and there are some really knowledgeable people on this forum. I hope you find all the answers to your questions
