Continuing
with Shabir Ally’s book as intended. Addressing
arguments not addressed in the previous post:
Mark 6:5,6- Jesus was not God because He had some limitations in his
hometown.
Well, these
were the limitations that the Father had given Him, Shabir. Limitations that only those that the Father chooses will come to the Son (John 17:6). Limitations that the Son of God eagerly took on. Yet, the Son did heal the few sick people that the Father gave Him in His
hometown.
However, there were not as many miracles for them as there might have been- since their hearts were hard towards Him. Indeed, not as many miracles since His hometown was scandalized (ἐσκανδαλίζοντο) by Him.
Mark
8:22-26- Jesus is not the all-powerful
God because his first healing failed.
No, the
first healing actually brought about sight.
Sight of men being as dull as "walking trees". A terse and witty aphorism. Spit does that.
And the second healing brought about clear (τηλαυγῶς) sight. Distant sight. Sight beyond sight.
An excellent illustration of a people “seeing
yet not seeing” of a few verses previous.
And a repeat of a dual-stage healing from the previous chapter.
A repeat of a dual-stage healing for a dichotomous people. For people both dull
of heart and dull of mind.
Mark 13:32- Jesus is not all-knowing God.
Now, rather
than appealing to the standard dual-nature explanation which Shabir is scandalized
by- let’s try another tack.
Let’s
consider the consequences of Jesus knowing everything. Let’s consider how little Jesus would have
empathized with us if He had actually known everything. Consider how
Jesus provided a finer human example for us by not actually knowing everything.
Let's consider
how Jesus had faith in ‘the promise’... and that we should have similar faith in
things unseen. The faith by which
Jesus was also approved (Hebrews 11:2) by the Father.
Consider
also, that the Holy Spirit is not included in that all-knowing circle either. That the Holy Spirit is partly out of that that all-knowing circle. An aspect that does not appear to scandalize
Christ or Christians either.
Does not scandalize Christians who believe that
the Holy Spirit is also God. Does not scandalize Christ or Christians because of their faith in an extraordinarily functional Godhead here. An extraordinarily intimate Godhead. As scandalous as this Godhead may appear to others.
Proverbs
8:22- Jesus was created.
Tricky one
Shabir.
But here we have a peculiar
textual variant in the Septuagint. Check
out the informative textual note on that verse in the highlighted hyperlink
above.
And good ol’
Grudem has a great comment on this passage as well- in his chapter on The
Trinity (Systematic Theology- ch. 14):
‘That even if this translation
does refer to the actual person of Jesus rather than to personifications of
Wisdom (which are clearly made in this chapter and the next)… then this
Septuagint translation should be far more consistent in its obscure translation
of the Hebrew qänänî in other places as well. And that the
other Greek translations (texts of Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotian) of this
passage do not translate the Hebrew in this peculiar way.’
Mark 5:30- Jesus was unaware and out of control.
Mark
suggests that Jesus was unaware of who touched Him and couldn’t control His
healing power… if you actually take Marks words at ‘plain value’. Yet not all things are to be taken at ‘plain
value’.
It seems to me
that Jesus is actually being facetious here, since He knew "immediately" when power
had proceeded from Him (Luke 8:46). And
that it would have been rather dull of Jesus not to have anticipated such a procession
of power… with so many “pressing against Him”.
After all, many people need healing of one form or another. And Jesus didn't heal all people that touched Him... or even that kissed Him.
So when Jesus requested confession of the barest-of-contact with
Him [fringe of His cloak]- it was for illustration purposes for the multitude
following Him. To illustrate a constant
theme of His. To illustrate that the
barest-of-faith in Him [not faith plus works, Shabir] will make you “well”.
And notably, Jesus uses a word here that implies some sort of
salvation (σέσωκέν). The same word that Jesus used of the woman
washing His feet with her hair (Luke 7:50).
A sinful woman who was somehow saved of her sin. Not saved by her hair… but merely
by her faith in Him.
Yes, here in
Mark we have a marvelous illustration of the sufficiency of faith. An illustration of a woman believing, “If only…” (Matt. 9:21). Not about believing ‘if this plus this, then this’ but… “If only this I will be well”. About even a minimal faith in Christ making
you “well”.
A minimal
faith and a minimal Christ that is missing in Islam.
A faith
and a Christ that is fatally missing in the religion of Islam... contrary to their contentions.
Contentions that I hope
to address in our next post… before we continue with more misunderstandings in Shabir’s book.
