Introduction
A widespread contemporary belief is that all religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different. The resulting cry for unity, for getting together and worshipping “the same God in different ways” is steadily increasing, and certainly there are arguments which can be put forward to support this worldview. However the arguments against it have to be addressed as well by those who value truth and consistency more than convenience and wishful thinking. Before moving on to the main theme of the project this introduction of the Cross in the Torah (abbreviated “tCitT”) has the purpose of pointing out similarities and differences between three major world religions based on the Torah [1]. While the Jews call the Torah “The Law“, Christians also value the Torah as part of their Old Testament. For Muslims the Torah is important as well: In the Quran Muhammad repeatedly upheld the importance of the Torah as an inspired, preserved and authoritative revelation from God (e.g. Surah 3:3-4; 5:42-68; 7:157; 10:94; 18:27). A very practical dimension is added to this theoretical knowledge when we realize that Muslims even conduct religious celebrations based on stories in the Torah: Eid al-Adha for example, one of Islam’s holiest celebrations, is rooted in a story which Jews and Christians knew from Genesis 22 hundreds of years before the Quran (Surah 37) was written.
Given this similarity in the form of the Torah, the statement “We are not praying to and we are not worshipping the same God!” seems to be controversial at least. Going further: Given this similarity in the form of the Torah, the statement “Those beliefs, especially Islam and Christianity, cannot possibly be true at the same time!” sounds even wrong and in combination with an absolute truth claim rather arrogant. However a multitude of persuasive arguments supporting those bold statements can be put forward. This introduction of tCitT will only focus on two of the major ones:
- nature and character of God
The God of the Bible (YHWH) is described as one divine being with three distinct persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. The Quran on the other hand talks about God (Allah) with the explicit claim that he has no son (e.g. Surah 17:111). The Holy Spirit as a person is also not mentioned. Furthermore the God of the Bible and the God of the Quran are very different in their characteristic attributes.
- Jesus and the Cross
Central to the Christian faith is the divinity of Jesus, his death on the Cross, and his resurrection from the dead. On the Cross Jesus was able to atone for our sins since he lived the perfect, sinless life we ought to have lived. By taking our sins upon himself voluntarily, imputing to us his righteousness, he opened up the way for a relationship with God again (1. Corinthians 15:3-6). This is an essential part of the faith which according to the Bible saves us from God’s righteous judgement. Jesus also claimed that he is the only way to God, the Father (e.g. John 14:6-7). The Quran on the other hand denies Jesus’ divinity (e.g. Surah 4:171), and that he was killed by crucifixion (Surah 4:155-158). Therefore he did not rise from the dead either.
Those two differences which are not reconcilable ought to be strong enough to convince anyone on the search for truth that those two beliefs are incompatible; that they are not two sides of the same coin. Either Islam is true … or Christianity is true … or both Islam and Christianity are false … but they cannot both be true!
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[1] Torah: Collection of five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) written by the prophet Moses
The content of the project tCitT
When we look into the gospel [2] we see Jesus claiming multiple times that he is already mentioned in the Torah: Examples can be found in John 5:37-40 and Luke 24:25-27. However when we search for the name “Jesus” in the Torah we discover that it is not mentioned there. The question naturally arises: Did Jesus lie? The answer to this questions has huge implications: If Jesus did lie – even only in this one instance – then he would have broken God’s law. He would be a liar, a sinner (Exodus 20:16). Therefore the foundation of the Christian faith, the gospel, would be undermined. It would be undermined since it is based on the principle of atonement, of somebody (Jesus) paying the price for somebody else’s sins. In front of a holy and righteous judge – as the God of the Bible describes himself multiple times in his word – only a perfect sacrifice would atone for the sins of the world.
The claim of this project is that Jesus did not lie. tCitT will lead you through every book of the Torah pointing out examples where Jesus, the Messiah, is prophesied. Before doing so the “shadow-principle” based on Colossians 2:16-17 has to be introduced and explained: Imagine a person with the intention of traveling to a foreign country for a certain period of time and a certain purpose. This person would probably have to apply for a visa, for a permit from that country to enter and stay. To obtain this visa the amount of information which needs to be provided varies depending on the country the person is applying to. However it is common to all applications that the questions do not stop with the name. Key information are usually required which make a person unmistakable and unique:
- date and place of birth
- name of mother and father
- nationality and gender
- profession
- countries visited before
- criminal records, etc.
If this profiling is done to a certain degree the name almost becomes irrelevant: The person is described so well that he or she is unmistakable. The “shadow-principal” does exactly this: Jesus as person is only mentioned by name in the four gospels and in the book of Acts. On the other hand his shadow comprised out of many key details concerning his person, his nature, and his death on the Cross can already be seen in the prophets and in the Torah. It points towards him as the substance of that shadow, the person who would come much later (in the case of Genesis 22 about 2,000 years later).
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[2] gospel: Four accounts written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John describe the “Good News” about God reconciling humanity back to himself through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
Target Groups
Since the project tCitT developed in an Islamic context [3] it is of course primarily angled towards Muslims. The usage of art/drawings to transport the message reflects this probably the most: Looking at mosques and Persian carpets we can clearly see that many Muslims love art, especially patterns, and that they also have extraordinary good artists. Hopefully this language of art will help Muslims to see who Jesus (Yeshua) really is: More than just a prophet, more than just a good teacher, more than just the Messiah, but also God himself who chose to enter his creation to save humanity from sin and its consequences by conquering death and sending us his Holy Spirit.
The second target group is – of course – Jews, or more precisely: Jews who have not yet accepted Yeshua from Nazareth as their expected Messiah. The Jewish Bible, the Tanach, paints a vivid picture of the Messiah. Jesus, also called the Christ, who lived 2,000 years ago is the only candidate – past, present, and future – to fulfill the direct prophecies and the foreshadowings of the Messiah which can be found in the Torah, the prophets, and the writings.
The third target group is Christians. For once tCitT is supposed to serve as a tool to share the gospel with Muslims and Jews. In the download section of this website you will find everything you need for “the street”. Furthermore tCitT is supposed to be a wake-up call: The word “Christian” has to a certain degree lost its original meaning over the centuries due to professing Christians not living up to what it means to follow Christ (Acts 11:26). tCitT will address issues which God has on his heart for the church. As a general rule: Test everything and keep the good (1. Thessalonians 5:21).
In case you cannot find yourself in those three target groups it is highly appreciated that you have taken the time to read this far. You are more than welcome to stay along for the upcoming chapters. However make sure to know that certain things which are normal for Muslims, Jews, and Christians might strike you as odd, and since this project is not angled in your direction some questions might remain unanswered. God says in his word that if you seek Him with all your heart you will not search in vain; He will reward your efforts (Hebrews 11:6). Be encouraged to use the sources pointed out in tCitT to start your own personal search for the truth.
God bless you!
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[3] more about the background in the introduction video listed at the top of this page
