The symbols { } are used to enhance more clarity of content.
So if this is true, then it can be demonstrated.
There are many puzzles in life and one of them concerns the actions of Judas Iscariot. Not too long ago after the finding of a pseudo gospel called the Gospel of Judas, some Christian (intellectuals) scholars were again taking the four Gospels found in the New Testament to task. They laid down a claim of the progression of vilification of Judas according to the order (by date) of the production of the Gospels. Mark saying virtually no bad words against Judas while the lastly written Gospel by date (John) made Judas out to be a ‘devil incarnate’.
The whole idea was to imply that the current Gospels are basically estimations about Jesus (pbh) with a lot of ‘fictional narratives’ thrown in to provide color. This is translated to ‘documents that are more fiction than fact’.
As for me, I don’t deny that these four Gospels have certain deficiencies plus added color that has been put in them. However, they are what they are and what they have become for a definite purpose not understood by man. Most importantly, the Quran doesn’t declare the current New Testament as being useless for that particular faith or Ummah. In fact, like any Holy Book, it takes a great deal of ‘honest’ study to appreciate its many meanings which very few people actually do.
Who really was Judas Iscariot? The Quran gives us a real good insight into this man. No, the Quran doesn’t mention him by name but the way the Quran deals with this ‘concept’ is quite miraculous in that in a few words, it covers the basics and tells the truth!
According to the Quran:
When Jesus found Unbelief on their part {the part of his Disciples} he said: “Who will be my helpers to (do the work of) ALLAH?” Said the Disciples: “We are ALLAH’s helpers: We believe in ALLAH, and do you bear witness that we are Muslims.
Our LORD! We believe in what YOU have revealed, and we follow the Messenger {that YOU have given us – Jesus}; then write us down among those who bear witness.” (Al-Imran 52-53)
Judas was a true Disciple of Jesus (pbh) and like the rest of the ‘others’, he saw and experienced firsthand the wondrous miracles and things accomplished by Jesus that convinced him as well as the others to avow their belief in the ONE GOD and acknowledge the truth that Jesus (pbh) was indeed a true messenger sent by ALLAH to the nation of Israel.
However, like many people today who swear their so-called ‘love for GOD’, but operate on their own pathways, any swearing or meanings can be corrupted if the soul’s ‘secret’ intention is corrupt! (By turning the people to their own dispositions). Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition but your LORD knows best who it is that is best guided on the WAY.” Q (17: 84)
The concept or prophecy of the Messiah was NOT an easy one to grasp pre the coming of the baby Jesus and it contained two difficult parts to discern: the man (Messiah) BEFORE transformation and the man (Messiah) AFTER the transformation. As we now know, that transformation will basically consist of Jesus (pbh) as appearing on this Earth twice or two thousand plus years apart.
It was natural for any real Jew to hate the Roman Empire and all other ‘stains’ against the religion of Moses (pbh) and to wish them death and destruction as swiftly as could happen. Also, the joys of having their ‘perfect’ kingdom separated from the dross of humanity (non-Jews), a veritable paradise on Earth, had a nice ring to it.
The sin of Judas was arrogantly to decide to ‘stimulate’ Jesus into action and thus do GOD a favor. That is a good definition of ARROGANCE and for that he was displaced as a true and loyal servant of Jesus (pbh).
The idea of turning in Jesus (pbh) for 30 pieces of silver was just a ploy set forth to ‘cheapen’ the destruction of those Jews and Romans who remained pals with one another. Or ‘see how low they will sink to destroy themselves type of idea’.
So the Gospels do actually give a ‘fair’ representation of historical fact but it depends on how one views these facts.
Another piece of startling information, one which many people will not like but one which supports this writer’s contention as he has used various scriptures is as follows:
You DID NOT choose me, but I CHOSE YOU and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15: 16)
Most people do not understand this significant verse but it does coordinate well with what has been said before about the Christ-soul and his historical role in religion. This mystical verse implies that a man called Jesus is telling the Companions who he is rounding up that he knew them beforehand as to who they were and their characters but they did NOT remember him.
That sentiment, however, would be written post Resurrection as it would not be known or fully grasped until Jesus (pbh) explained ‘certain things’ at the end of his mission.
The number of Disciples, being 12, is highly significant and this is also fortified when the Disciples were tasked with replacing Judas with another to make again the 12. This goes along with the ‘strange gifts’ of that particular Ummah as shown by their ‘evidences’ in laying of hands, speaking in tongues etc. Also, by taking the hadith concerning ‘Umar and one of his qualities that mirrored a ‘former Ummah’ one might see the contention that different Ummahs show different traits.
Anyway, 3 were appointed to ask for the inspiration of naming the newest member of the 11 so that the number 12 could maintain its integrity including the remembrance of the 12 tribes of Israel. Know that we are still discussing the ‘Children of Israel’ and not Christianity which DID NOT exist at that time.
Care must be taken when trying to understand any past Ummah so as not to suggest every Ummah is a carbon copy of every other Ummah. The religion is one but the times, languages, customs and approaches may not necessarily be exactly the same.
ALLAH gave to Jesus (pbh) this remembrance but not yet to the Disciples. However, it is clear that they will become enlightened as to who they were in relationship to the Christ-soul due to this post crucifixion encounter:
And he took it {the food} and ate {the food} in their presence {for a very good reason}.
Then he said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you {as the non-transformed Jesus – otherwise his speech doesn’t make any sense since he is still with them}, that ALL THINGS must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.”
And he OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING, that they might comprehend the Scriptures {of old}.
And YOU {THE DISCIPLES} ARE A WITNESS of these things {that NOW you know the TRUTH and GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IF YOU HEED MY INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS GREAT IS YOUR DESTRUCTION IF YOU IGNORE MY WARNINGS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNFALL OF WHAT I HAVE BROUGHT (MY GOSPEL) FROM ON HIGH}. Luke (24: 43-45 and 48)
The warning as to how to approach future propagation of the faith in brief:
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them {twist the meanings} under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces {destroy what is holy and sacred i.e. the truth – in this case certain distinct knowledge that if twisted will aid in destroying the TRUE TEACHINGS OF JESUS} Matthew (7: 6)
Well, what we have here after a few days of the crucifixion scenario, in a very capsulated form, is the idea of ‘showing’ his total humanity by eating food. Hence, his wondrous appearance after the so-called 3 days and nights, after being taken by the Roman soldiers, Jesus (pbh) is showing that he is no ghost but totally a human being by eating the food.
Following this, he ‘opened up’ their knowledge of the deeper or inner aspects of what had been taking place and ‘PROOFS’ FOR THAT found in the various scriptures including their own not so illustrious past in relationship to himself. And of course, Jesus (pbh) would have declared WHO WAS REALLY ON THE CROSS OR THE ONE WHO TOOK HIS PLACE AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS AND PRESUMABLY THE REASON FOR THIS DECEPTION.
Importantly, he would put the brakes on such fantastic knowledge and give the reasons for that action also. So, he gave warnings concerning the ‘instructions’ to be given to the people and this, believe it or not, is reflected in one of Paul’s sayings as well as the writer of Hebrews* whereby he wishes he could talk plainly but is held back due to their natures and the nature of the topic as well. See how well this idea fits together?
All of this stuff fits into a nicely explainable capsulation of what truly happened.
However, back then the time was NOT right to enter into those things as the Christ coming would be delayed for a time! The relevance of Jesus’ teachings were to prepare the ‘chosen’ for the doings of rightful living NOT mystical comprehension. Hence, the responsible person would pursue ‘rightful living’ which was opposed to the worldly view of gross indulgence and other perversions.
Eventually, as the decades past by, as most of us can imagine, the wheels fell off the wagon and ‘the true teachings’ of Jesus became subverted to what best can be called ‘THE CULT OF CRUCIFIED CHRIST’. However, the prophecy of the Spirit of truth coming to actually re-establish the truth, i.e. to put it into the proper framework of what is essential for mankind’s knowledge and to debunk the falsehoods set forth by unscrupulous types of people is important to remember like the following:
As far as the New Testament is concerned it is a book made up of mainly discussions (Epistles) of the Presbyters to the ‘initiates’ (their followers) into the ‘realities of the new faith’ meaning the proofs and wonders of a man (Jesus) who overcame the world to become that ‘Christ’ in the EYES of his LORD. Presumably, the ‘learners’ would be instructed in RIGHTFUL and LAWFUL PRACTICES EXPLAINED BY THE MASTER HIMSELF and loyally passed on by the 12 and their immediate followers (the Presbyters) who were going to teach the initiates into this religious remembrance.
Some of these so-called initiates went on the truthful pathway and some went forward (or backward) in inventing their own religious brand. Hence, more and more nonsense was allowed to be spread by those ‘who were with us BUT WENT OUT FROM US’ as the letters of John declared.
They went out from us, but they were not of us {in respect for the truth}; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John (2: 19)
In these letters John also refers to these ‘people’ as anti-christs meaning ‘turncoats’ against the truth as they will start up competing factions of the faith brought by Jesus (pbh) thus mudding up the true facts surrounding the personage of Jesus the Christ (pbh).
Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition but your LORD knows best who it is that is best on the WAY.” Q (17: 84)
Why activate the past now? Why? Because the times we are living in shows us why now! The onion gets pealed when the pot is ready for boiling!
How does this affect one? It depends on who the one is. For the Christian or Jew it should cause one to ponder about things especially the lofty positon of Islam in the sight of their LORD and then realize that they are on trial. They have their own scriptures if they want to study them with understanding.
Secondly, as to the ‘greats’ found on TV explaining the ‘core’ of the Faith, Islamic or otherwise, let them continue with what is comfortable to them. That is, leave well enough alone if one is not in the positon to comprehend the relevance of these things hereby written but rather concentrate on that which is easily provable.
Well, the way things have turned our served a grand purpose as readers of the Quran should know. WOW! Such a well-planned out strategy from the very beginning is so mind boggling that man can hardly conceive of it! This speaks volumes and volumes about the DOMINANCE, VAST KNOWLEDGE and POWER of the ONE GOD. It also brings forth the great ignorance, foolishness and mental-spiritual rot of those who rejoice in trying to make partners (of the fleshy or non-fleshy kind) with THE MAGNONIMUS and ALL-GLORIOUS CREATOR LORD.
Since the LORD knows what is before, behind and on both sides of man (Quran), HE in HIS OWN WISDOM prepared the specific, specialized and exact pathways for each individual to follow or to corrupt. That is the WOW that was mentioned above. And each Ummah had its own particular and individual approach to enlightening man to the uniformity of truth. So, in retrospect, one cannot compare the makeup of the Quran and the New Testament, for example, as to how each Book should read or look like.
*I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able
For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere {worldly} men? 1Cor (3: 2-3)
Called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”
Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews (5: 10-12)
After my recent heart attack, I am slowly recovering and returning hopefully to normal to complete this series.
