By Editorial Staff
Controversy rages between Christians and
non-Christians, including Muslims and the followers of the other
faiths, and among Christians themselves over the issues of monotheism
and the Trinity.
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The Holy Trinity never existed in Jesus’ lifetime
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The Holy Trinity never existed in Jesus’ lifetime
Though the Trinity has become a
prevalent Christian doctrine recently and the monotheists have become a
minority compared to the other Christian denominations, history tells us
that the doctrine of the Trinity was not the prevalent Christian
doctrine in the past, but it was rather such a doctrine which found
favor with the idolatrous Roman Empire which newly converted to
Christianity.
Pure monotheism had been and remained
the very basis of the Christian creed until it was overshadowed by the
doctrine of the Trinity which was supported by the idolatrous authority.
However, monotheism continued to exist and be professed by considerable
fellowship until Prophet Muhammad came up with the final monotheistic
message of Islam and asserted monotheism as the doctrine explicitly
preached by Jesus, and disowned all forms of Trinity, polytheism, and
paganism which were introduced into the genuine Christian faith.
Therefore, monotheistic Christians
embraced Islam for they found out that it is exactly identical to the
previous divine messages of both Moses and Jesus as well as the
revelations sent down to them.
Monotheism during Jesus’ Prophetic Mission
The Qur’an often harmonizes with the Bible, especially the New
Testament, over the reported statements and acts of Jesus, as well as
the incidents which took place, the quotations which were cited and the
controversy which broke out during the period of time Jesus was sent.
The Qur’an tells us that the disciples
believed in God as the Deity, as well as in the revelation He sent down
and in Jesus as the prophet and messenger of God. For example, God says:
But
when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief from them, he said, “Who are
my supporters for [the cause of] God?” The disciples said,” We are
supporters for God. We have believed in God and testify that we are
Muslims [submitting to Him].
Our
Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the
messenger [Jesus], so register us among the witnesses [to truth].”(Aal `Imran 3:52-53)
God also says:
And
[remember] when I inspired to the disciples, “Believe in Me and in My
messenger [Jesus].” They said, “We have believed, so bear witness that
indeed we are Muslims [in submission to God].” (Al-Ma’idah 5:111)
The verses of the New Testament concur
with those of the Qur’an in this regard. Jesus is unequivocally
described as “God’s messenger” in the New Testament. We read: “And so,
dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those
called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be
God’s messenger and High Priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.” (Hebrews 3:1-2)
The Qur’an quotes Jesus as asserting
that God is his lord and God and as commanding the worship of God alone.
For example, we read:
They
have certainly disbelieved who say, “God is the Messiah, the son of
Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel, worship God, my
Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who associates others with God – God
has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are
not for the wrongdoers any helpers. (Al-Ma’idah 5:72)
The verses of the New Testament also
concur with those of the Qur’an in this regard. There are several
positions in the New Testament quoting Jesus as asserting that God is
his God and as commanding the worship of God alone.
For example, in the New Testament, we
read: Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to
the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to
my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” (John 20:17)
We also read: “And about the ninth hour
Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that
is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
We further read: “Then saith Jesus unto
him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10)
According to the above verses from the
Qur’an and the Bible, it becomes crystal clear that Jesus admitted that
God is his God and he commanded His worship and that the followers of
Jesus believed in God as the Lord and the Deity and in Jesus as a
prophet and messenger of God.
That is the pure monotheism which
Muslims have professed up to date. That is to say, the message of Jesus
was preaching monotheism like all other messages conveyed by all other
prophets and messengers of God.
Ascension of Jesus & Its Impact on Monotheism
Someone may wonder: Where have the
divinity and worship of Jesus along with God come from? Where has the
alleged Trinity come from? What are its historical origins?
It is quite safe to say that the
Ascension of Jesus was not less controversial than his miraculous birth.
Just as people disagreed over his birth, they also disagreed over his
Ascension. The verses of both the Qur’an and the Bible indicate how
considerable and bitter was the controversy over the Ascension of Jesus
and consequently his very nature.
For example, in the Qur’an, we read:
That
is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in
dispute. It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He!
When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is. [Jesus
said], “And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That
is a straight path.” Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved – from the scene of a tremendous Day. (Maryam 19:34-37)
The Bible conveys to us the disagreement
over the Ascension of Jesus and highlights the state of doubt and
uncertainty which prevailed among even his disciples following his
Ascension. In the Gospel of Mark, we read: “Later Jesus appeared to the
Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and
their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had
risen.” (Mark 16:14)
In the Gospel of Luke, we read: As they
were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and
said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and
thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled,
and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that
it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and
bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them
his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and
were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” (Luke
24:36-41)
In the Gospel of John, we read: Now
Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus
came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he
said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and
place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his
side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were
inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he
said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out
your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
(John 20:24-27)
Thus, it has become quite evident now
that the Ascension, not to mention the miraculous birth of Jesus, led to
bitter controversy over his very nature. Therefore, history proves to
us that the few centuries following the Ascension of Jesus marked an
atmosphere of deep and sharp division in the Christian circles between
monotheists who believed in God as the Only One God, polytheists who
believed in Jesus as God and worshiped him along with God and other
factions that were somewhere in between.
First Council of Nicaea & Establishment of the Doctrine of Trinity
The above-mentioned division lasted even
after the Roman Emperor Constantine’s conversion to and profession of
Christianity as the official faith of the Roman Empire.
Such division impelled Emperor
Constantine to convene the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. to
discuss the disagreements within the Church of Alexandria, settle
dogmatic differences and unify the Christian creed. This was the first
ecumenical council.
This council was attended by about 318
bishops, including 16 bishops supporting Bishop Arius and 22 bishops
supporting St. Alexander of Alexandria. The other bishops had not made
up their mind yet.
Presbyter Arius argued for the supremacy
of God, the Father, and maintained that the Son of God was created as
an act of the Father’s will, and therefore, that the Son was a creature
made by God.
It is noteworthy that when Arius got up
to explain his belief, loud noise was made and a deaf ear was turned so
that his argument would not be heard.
It is also reported that Emperor
Constantine allowed Athanasius, the 25-year-old assistant of Bishop
Alexander of Alexandria, to speak, though he was not entitled to do. He
was just a young deacon at the time.
It is also reported that reaching a
resolution by the Council was not something easy, but rather required
considerable effort. At the conclusion, the Council formulated the
(Nicene) Creed from: “We believe in one God” to “and his kingdom will
have no end”.
At the same council, the feast of Easter
was set to a Sunday in the lunar month of Nisan. The Easter computation
was separated from the Jewish calendar.
The attending bishops pronounced
clerical judgment by excommunicating Arius and his followers from the
Church. Seeing the threat of continued unrest, Constantine also
pronounced civil judgment, banishing Arius and his followers into exile.
The works of Arius were ordered to be
confiscated and consigned to the flames while all persons found
possessing them were to be executed. Nevertheless, the controversy
continued in various parts of the Empire.
Bishop Alexander had already convened a
synod of about a hundred Egyptian and Libyan bishops at Alexandria,
which excommunicated and defrocked Arius and his followers.
Questions
How did Emperor Constantine profess
Christianity though he could not ascertain the nature of Jesus and if he
was a just prophet or God? How can there be difference within a certain
faith among the clergy over the nature of God Himself, Who He should be
and if He is only one or three?
How can any such difference last without
resolution for more than three centuries? If the Council of Nicaea was
actually attended by 318 bishops, how could there be difference between
16 bishops on the one hand and 22 bishops on the other hand? How come
“the other bishops had not made up their mind yet?”
Were they (numbering 318-38=280)
ignorant of their faith and their God and if Jesus was a prophet or God?
If the clergy were so ignorant like that, what about the public at the
time?
Was there not a sort of equilibrium
between the two sides: 16 vs 22 though the latter included the bishop of
Alexandria himself? Is it not logical that the supporters of the bishop
of Alexandria should have been much larger in the face of an ordinary
bishop who was excommunicated and defrocked like Arius? Did the
attending bishops wait to know the side which the Emperor would choose
and then they joined it?
All of those questions need convincing answers!
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