Page 53 - Demo

Muhammad in the Bible David Benjamin KeldaniEdited & Annotated by: Prof. Dawud M. R. Alhanbali & Prof, Dr. Kaseb A. Albadran ( 53 )IThe Baptism of John and Jesus(pbuh)only a type of the “Sibghatu'llah atullah” 12tis a great pity that the Evangelists have notleft us a complete and detailed account of the sermon of John the Baptist(pbuh); and assuming they ever did, it is nothing short of a crime on the part of the Church not to have preserved its text. For it is impossible to imagine the mysterious and enigmatic words of the Baptist in their present shape could have been understood even by the most erudite among his audience. We know that the Jewish doctors and lawyers asked him to explain himself upon various points and to make his declarations more explicit and plain (John i. 19-23 and v. 33). There is no doubtthat he elucidated those vital pointsto his hearers, and did notleave them in obscurity; for he was “a burning and enlightening candle,” who “gave witness concerning the truth” (John v. 33, 35). What wasthis witness, and what was the nature of the truth about which that witness was given? Moreover, whatmakesitstill more obscure isthe factthat each Evangelist does notreportthe same pointsin identicalterms. There is no precision about the character of the truth; wasit about the person12 Qurán 2: 138. (Our religion) Takes its hue from Allah. And who can give a better huethan Allah It is He Whom we worship. (Editors).