Followers of Jesus Prevailed (61:14 & 3:55)

Christian polemicists who support the doctrine of the Trinity often attempt to use two specific verses from the Quran to assert the validity of their theology. They argue that because the Trinitarian doctrine ultimately prevailed over other Christian doctrines, this either indicates that the Quran supports their doctrine as correct or suggests that the Quran made a claim that did not come to fruition. As we will see, both these claims are erroneous, but let’s first look at the two verses in question.

[61:14] O you who believe, be GOD’s supporters, like the disciples of Jesus, son of Mary. When he said to them, “Who are my supporters towards GOD,” they said, “We are GOD’s supporters.” Thus, a group from the Children of Israel believed, and another group disbelieved. We helped those who believed against their enemy, until they won.

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرِينَ

[3:55] Thus, GOD said, “O Jesus, I am terminating your life, raising you to Me, and ridding you of the disbelievers. I will exalt those who follow you above those who disbelieve, till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is the ultimate destiny of all of you, then I will judge among you regarding your disputes.

 إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

Factions Opposing Jesus and His Followers

During Jesus’s life, several factions among the Children of Israel opposed Jesus and his teachings. The most notable were the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their strict adherence to the Torah and oral traditions. They appear to be the group closest to the laws of the Torah, yet acted in hypocrisy (Matthew 23). Jesus called them out for adhering to their tradition over the Torah or attempting to find loopholes in the law to fulfill their desires and thus neglecting the law’s spirit (Mark 7 & Matthew 15).

On the other hand, the Sadducees were a priestly sect closely associated with the Temple in Jerusalem. They held significant political power and were known for denying the resurrection, angels, and spirits. These two groups were the primary groups among the Children of Israel that opposed Jesus and his followers.

The Herodians were another group mentioned in the Bible among the Children of Israel. The Herodians were a political group that supported the Herodian dynasty and their collaboration with the Roman authorities. The New Testament depicts the Herodians as allies of the Pharisees in their opposition to Jesus. Despite the Pharisees and Herodians having different primary concerns (the Pharisees were religious leaders focused on Jewish law, while the Herodians were a political group loyal to Herod and Rome), they found common ground in their desire to challenge (Mark 12:13, Matthew 22:15-16) and ultimately eliminate Jesus (Mark 3:6).

The Jewish Revolt

Judea had been under Roman rule since 63 BCE, which led to increasing tensions between the Jewish population and their Roman overlords. High taxes, Roman interference in religious practices, and general disrespect for Jewish customs fueled resentment. Then, after years of mounting tension, the First Jewish-Roman War, or the Great Revolt, began in 66 CE. The immediate cause was a revolt against Roman taxation and administrative corruption. Jewish rebels initially captured Jerusalem and expelled the Roman garrison. In response, the Roman general Vespasian was sent to suppress the rebellion. He methodically reconquered the region, leaving Jerusalem for last. In 70 CE, Vespasian’s son, Titus, laid siege to Jerusalem. The city was divided by internal factions, further weakening its defense. The Romans breached Jerusalem’s walls and destroyed the Second Temple, marking the end of a significant center of worship and national identity for the Jewish people.

Jewish Christians

Historical evidence suggests that many Jewish Christians, also known as the Nazarenes, left Jerusalem before the outbreak of the First Jewish-Roman War and the subsequent destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. The early Christian historian Eusebius of Caesarea, writing in the 4th century, recorded that the Jewish Christians fled to Pella in the region of the Decapolis (modern-day Jordan). According to Eusebius, they received a divine warning to leave Jerusalem before the Romans besieged the city. In his “Ecclesiastical History” (Book III, Chapter 5), Eusebius wrote, “The people of the church in Jerusalem were commanded by an oracle given by revelation before the war to those in the city who were worthy of it to depart and dwell in one of the cities of Perea which they called Pella. To it, those who believed in Christ traveled from Jerusalem.”

Another early church historian, Epiphanius of Salamis, also mentioned the migration of the Jewish Christians to Pella before the war. Early Christian sources suggest that the Jewish Christians received prophetic warnings, which they believed were from God, instructing them to flee the city. Additionally, Jewish Christians faced increasing tension with both the Roman authorities and the broader Jewish community. Their belief in Jesus as the Messiah set them apart from mainstream Jewish practices, leading to persecution and social ostracism.

It is worth mentioning that these Jewish Christians were not Trinitarians, nor did they consider Jesus divine. The Nazarenes were an early Christian group, often considered to be one of the Jewish Christian movements. The Nazoreans were Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah but continued to observe Jewish law and traditions.

By leaving Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians likely avoided the catastrophic destruction and loss of life that occurred during the Roman siege and the subsequent destruction of the Temple. Historical records indicate that the death toll for the Jews during the siege and the fall of Jerusalem was immense. According to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who was an eyewitness to the events, over one million Jews were killed in the conflict, and nearly 97,000 were taken captive.

The outcome of the Other Jewish Groups

Interestingly, none of the dominant Jewish groups during the life of Jesus and his immediate followers survived much longer after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The Sadducees lost all influence after the destruction of the temple and disappeared. The Herodian dynasty’s power declined after the death of Agrippa I in 44 CE. Their influence diminished further after the Jewish-Roman wars and the eventual Roman direct rule over Judea. Even the Pharisees fell into obscurity after the temple’s destruction until the founding of Rabbinical Judaism, which took shape in the 6th century.

[61:14] O you who believe, be GOD’s supporters, like the disciples of Jesus, son of Mary. When he said to them, “Who are my supporters towards GOD,” they said, “We are GOD’s supporters.” Thus, a group from the Children of Israel believed, and another group disbelieved. We helped those who believed against their enemy, until they won.

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوٓا۟ أَنصَارَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ فَـَٔامَنَت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَكَفَرَت طَّآئِفَةٌ فَأَيَّدْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرِينَ

Additionally, it is worth pointing out that 61:14 only concerns the Children of Israel and not the Gentiles, who were later converts to the Pauline version of Christianity and the ones who concocted the doctrine of the Trinity.

A Note Regarding Rabbinical Jews

The only link between the Pharisees and Rabbinical Judaism is their adherence to Oral Law, yet the foundations of Rabbinical Judaism did not come to fruition until several centuries after the demise of the Pharisees. This is because the central text of Rabbinical Judaism is based on the Talmud which contains a comprehensive collection of Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It consists of two main parts: the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah, was compiled around 200 CE, is the first written version of the Oral Torah and provides a systematic collection of Jewish laws and teachings that were previously transmitted orally. It serves as the foundational text for the Talmud. The Gemara was developed over the next few centuries after that, and is a detailed commentary and discussion on the Mishnah, elaborating on its laws and exploring various interpretations and applications. Together, the Mishnah and Gemara form the Talmud, which has two versions: the Jerusalem Talmud and the more widely studied Babylonian Talmud. So for all intents and purposes Rabbinical Judaism is a different group than the Pharisees.

Ironically, Rabbis today would agree with Jesus’ teachings against the hypocrisy he accused the Pharisees when they attempted to find loopholes around God’s laws and thus neglected the spirit of the law. They would also agree that with Jesus that Jews should adhere to all the laws that the scribes and Pharisees say, but to do them better than they do.

Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

So despite Rabbis today not accepting Jesus, it seems like they did take his words to heart.

Matthew 21:28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

Victory of Martyrdom

Yet, there is one other faction that many Christians do not consider when interpreting the verses of the Quran: what does God mean by victory or having one group prevail over the other. The Quran informs us that while God can grant victory to those He chooses in this life, the real triumph is being redeemed back to God’s kingdom.

If we look at the historical outcome of Jesus’ disciples mentioned in the Bible, we see that all but one were martyred, not including Judas, who, according to the Bible, has two contradictory accounts for his death.

1. Peter (Simon Peter)

• Fate: Peter is traditionally believed to have been martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero. He was crucified upside down at his own request because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.
• Timeline: Peter is thought to have been martyred around 64-68 CE, before the destruction of the Second Temple.

2. Andrew

• Fate: Andrew, Peter’s brother, is said to have been martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece.
• Timeline: Andrew’s martyrdom is believed to have occurred around 60-70 CE.

3. James the Greater (son of Zebedee)

• Fate: James the Greater was the first of the apostles to be martyred. He was executed by beheading on the orders of King Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem.
• Timeline: James was martyred around 44 CE.

4. John (son of Zebedee)

• Fate: John is traditionally believed to have been the only apostle to die of natural causes. He is said to have lived to an old age and spent his later years in Ephesus. He was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation.
• Timeline: John is believed to have lived until around 100 CE, thus surviving the destruction of the Second Temple.

5. Philip

• Fate: Philip is believed to have been martyred in Hierapolis (modern-day Turkey) by crucifixion.
• Timeline: The date of Philip’s martyrdom is uncertain, but it is generally believed to have occurred before the destruction of the Second Temple.

6. Bartholomew (also known as Nathanael)

• Fate: Bartholomew is traditionally believed to have been martyred by being flayed alive and then beheaded in Armenia.
• Timeline: The exact date of Bartholomew’s martyrdom is unclear, but it is thought to have been before the destruction of the Second Temple.

7. Matthew (Levi)

• Fate: Matthew is believed to have been martyred, possibly in Ethiopia or Persia. Accounts of his death vary, with some suggesting he was stabbed to death.
• Timeline: The date of Matthew’s martyrdom is uncertain, but it is thought to have occurred before the destruction of the Second Temple.

8. Thomas (also known as Didymus)

• Fate: Thomas is traditionally believed to have been martyred in India, where he was speared to death.
• Timeline: Thomas’s martyrdom is thought to have occurred around 72 CE, shortly after the destruction of the Second Temple.

9. James the Less (son of Alphaeus)

• Fate: James the Less is believed to have been martyred in Jerusalem by being thrown from the pinnacle of the Temple and then beaten to death with a club.
• Timeline: The exact date of James the Less’s martyrdom is uncertain, but it is believed to have occurred before the destruction of the Second Temple.

10. Thaddaeus (also known as Judas, son of James, or Lebbaeus)

• Fate: Thaddaeus is believed to have been martyred, possibly in Persia, where he was clubbed to death.
• Timeline: The date of Thaddaeus’s martyrdom is uncertain, but it is thought to have occurred before the destruction of the Second Temple.

11. Simon the Zealot

• Fate: Simon the Zealot is traditionally believed to have been martyred, possibly in Persia, where he was sawn in half.
• Timeline: The date of Simon the Zealot’s martyrdom is uncertain, but it is believed to have occurred before the destruction of the Second Temple.

12. Judas Iscariot

• Fate: Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, has two different contradictory accounts according to how he died.

Matthew 27: 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.

Acts 1:15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” 18 With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

Quran and Martyrdom

The Quran informs us that those who are killed in the cause of God are in the best company and admitted to Paradise, which is the highest honor anyone could ask for.

[4:69] Those who obey GOD and the messenger belong with those blessed by GOD—the prophets, the saints, the martyrs, and the righteous. These are the best company.

 وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًا

[9:52] Say, “You can only expect for us one of two good things (victory or martyrdom), while we expect for you condemnation from GOD and retribution from Him, or at our hands. Therefore, wait, and we will wait along with you.”

 قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْدَى ٱلْحُسْنَيَيْنِ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦٓ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا فَتَرَبَّصُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ

[57:19] Those who believed in GOD and His messengers are the saints and martyrs. Reserved for them at their Lord are their rewards and their light. As for those who disbelieved and rejected our revelations, they have incurred Hell.

 وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلصِّدِّيقُونَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءُ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

The Real Victory is In the Hereafter

Being redeemed by having our sins forgiven and admitted to God’s Paradise is the greatest victory anyone can achieve.

[28:83] We reserve the abode of the Hereafter for those who do not seek exaltation on earth, nor corruption. The ultimate victory belongs to the righteous.

 تِلْكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

[32:28] They challenge: “Where is that victory, if you are truthful?”
[32:29] Say, “The day such a victory comes, believing will not benefit those who did not believe before that, nor will they be given another chance.”

(٢٨) وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْفَتْحُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
(٢٩) قُلْ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَتْحِ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنُهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ

This also corresponds with what we find in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels:

John 5:24: Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Matthew 16:25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Mark 8:35: For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Jesus Preached Strict Monotheism

Jesus’ message in the Bible was to worship God alone, which he indicated was necessary for redemption.

Mark 12:28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

God Exalts Believers over Disbelievers

It has always been God’s system that those who worship God alone and do not pollute their faith with idol worship will be exalted over those who do.

[3:55] Thus, GOD said, “O Jesus, I am terminating your life, raising you to Me, and ridding you of the disbelievers. I will exalt those who follow you above those who disbelieve, till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is the ultimate destiny of all of you, then I will judge among you regarding your disputes.

 إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

[5:72] Pagans indeed are those who say that GOD is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, “O Children of Israel, you shall worship GOD; my Lord and your Lord.” Anyone who sets up any idol beside GOD, GOD has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers.

 لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ

[3:64] Say, “O followers of the scripture, let us come to a logical agreement between us and you: that we shall not worship except GOD; that we never set up any idols besides Him, nor set up any human beings as lords beside GOD.” If they turn away, say, “Bear witness that we are submitters.”

 قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ