Objections Handling - MidEast. Objection Three

OBJECTION 3: “Jesus didn’t really die.” / “Jesus was replaced by Judas.” 

There are many different verses you can use with this. We have chosen Luke 18:31-34 because there Jesus says that He is fulfilling prophecy, which connects to the More than a Prophet story track. Matthew 16:13-23 and John 10:7-21 are also great. The general idea is to look at one of the many places where Jesus himself says that he will die. Then, the goal would be to shift from there to the question of why Jesus would die, which Jesus also answers. 


Steps: 

  1. Say, “This is a common thing that is believed by many Muslims. But can I share with you what Jesus himself said about these things?” 

  2. Share Sura 19:33: “[Jesus said] Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised back to life!”

  3. Say, “So even the Quran says that Jesus would die—he would not be hidden away or simply be taken up to heaven. And in the Injil, Jesus was even more clear about this.”

  4. Share Luke 18:31-34. (If you have time, you can read Matthew 16:13-23 together as well, pointing out that Jesus accepts the title “Son of God,” He says it’s a truth revealed by God, and He rebukes someone who says He would not die.)

  5. Ask, “So Jesus promised that He would die, but He also promised that He would rise from the grave on the third day. But why would he do this?” 

  6. Discuss their answers, then transition to, “Jesus himself explained in the Injil that He was laying down His life for the sake of His followers.” 

  7. Share John 10:11, 18. 

  8. Ask, “This introduces many more questions. Jesus said that He would die to fulfill the words of the prophets. We can look to those prophets to help us find an answer. Would you want to study together some of the prophets that Jesus is referring to, to see what they said about Him?” 

  9. If they say yes, find a time to start the More than a Prophet story track with them.

Objection 3 Example Dialogue


YOU: 

“This is a common thing that is believed by many Muslims. But can I share with you what Jesus himself said about these things?”


FRIEND:
“Sure.”


YOU:
“Even the Quran says that Jesus said, ‘Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised back to life’ (Sura 19:33). Jesus knew that he would die—not be hidden away or simply taken up to heaven. And in the Injil, Jesus was even more clear about this. Can I share one of those passages with you?”


FRIEND:
“Yes, we can look at it.”


YOU:

(Open to Luke 18:31-34 and ask them to read it; or, share the simple version below. If you have time, read Matthew 16:13-23 as well.) 

“Jesus took his twelve closest followers and explained his plan to them. He said, ‘Look, we’re going to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will be accomplished. He will be given to the rulers and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, even spit on. And after they whip him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise from the dead.’ But they understood none of these things.” 


FRIEND: 

“But God would never allow His prophet to suffer like that.”


YOU:

“Jesus actually said that his death was God’s will, and that he was giving up His life on purpose.” (Open to John 10:11, 17-18  and ask them to read it; or, share the simple version below. If you have time, read all of John 10:7-21.) 

“Jesus said, ‘I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. I know my sheep and they know me. The Father loves me because I give up my life for my sheep. No one takes my life away from me—actually, I am laying my life down out of my own free will, and I will pick it back up again.” 


YOU: 

“So according to this, why does Jesus say He will give up His life?”


FRIEND: 

“It says he does it for the sake of his sheep.”


YOU:
“Right. And he says clearly that no one is taking his life from him. He is giving his life for his sheep from his own free will. And, he promises he will pick his life back up again in resurrection! Can I share with you the rest of the story about why this was God’s plan to deliver us from shame, evil, and death so that we could have new life with Him?” (If they say yes, share the “More than a Prophet” gospel story with them.)