Page 285 - History of The Quranic Text | Kalamullah.Com

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

EARLY HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY: A BRIEF LOOK

The Trinitarian believes a virgin to be the mother of a son who is her
maker.'

Proving the existence of a historicalJesus is almost impossible; there are
Christian theologians who are now content with a Jesus based on faith
rather than an actual historical figure." So I will start this chapter with the
question, didJesus exist? And if so, what evidence do we have from non-
Christian sources (the same 'revisionist' criterion that is invoked byJudeo-
Christian scholars against Islam)? What do some of the Christians say
aboutjesus? This will shed considerable light on how little is known about
him and on the confusion that reigned in early Christian circles.Also, what
was his original message? Was it irretrievably lost in its early stages or was
it preserved intact in an inspired book? These are some of the questions
and topics I hope to cover in this chapter.

1. DidJesus Exist?

The first fundamental issue we must pose is whetherJesus truly was a real-
life figure. Muslims unequivocally believe inJesus' existence, of his birth
from the Virgin Mary and his role as one of the most sublime prophets to
theJewish people. Some Christian scholars though are much more hesitant
ofJesus' historicity.

During the past thirty years theologians have come increasingly to
admit that it is no longer possible to write a biography of (Jesus], since
documents earlier than the gospels tell us next to nothing of his life,while
the gospels present the 'Kerygma' or proclamation of faith, not theJcsus
of history. 3

! B. Montagu (ed.), The H70rks of Francis Bacon, William Pickering, London, 1831,
vii:4-10.
2 Bultmann as quoted by G.A.Wells, DidJesus exist?, 2nd edition, Pemberton, London,
1986, p. 9.
3 G.A. Wells,DUlJesus exist?, p. 1.