Who was that prophet John 1:19-21

WHO WAS THAT PROPHET? John 1:19-21

In New Testament, we find that the Jews were expecting the fulfilment of the prophecy “ONE LIKE MOSES” in Deuteronomy 18:18.

When Jesus (pbuh) claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews, the Jews began to enquire as to where was Elias? The Jews had a parallel prophecy that before the coming of the Messiah, Elias must come first in his second coming. Jesus (pbuh) confirmed this Jewish belief:

11. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Matthew 17:11-13

In the above stated verses, Jesus Christ claimed John the Baptist to be Elias while John the Baptist denied being what Jesus ascribe him to be:

And they asked him, What then? ART THOU ELIAS? And he saith, I am not. John 1:21

one of the two (Jesus or John) ‘God forbid’ is definitely not speaking the truth.

We Muslims know John the Baptist to be Hazrut Yahaha (Alai-his-salaam). Jesus Christ is known to us as Isah (Alai-his-salaam). How can we impute lies to either of them.
We leave this problem between Jesus and John for the Christians to solve.

WHO ARE THE EXPECTED PROPHETS

We realise that the Jewish elite (who included experts in the Torah) believed there were three SEPARATE individuals to come, namely Elijah, Christ and “the Prophet”.

Nowhere in the Gospel of John we find any statement negating the view of the Jewish elite, no quote from John the Baptist, Jesus or even the narrator of the Gospel.

The Christian scholars sometimes present the Christ and “the Prophet” to be the same person. This is not in the Biblical text at all and thus becomes an unauthorised addition on their part.

The Jewish elite question John the Baptist, he tells them that he is not the Christ and they proceed to ask him whether he was Elijah or “the Prophet”. What we glean from this text is that the Christ, Elijah and the Prophet are three SEPARATE people and thus the Jews who were questioning John the Baptist were expecting the arrival of three distinct figures in the future; Elijah, the Christ and the Prophet.

It should also be noted that John the Baptist did not question the Jews concerning “the Prophet” and nor did he seem perplexed once questioned about “the Prophet” which suggests he (John the Baptist), like the Jews, was aware of a Prophet to come who is not Jesus (the Christ).

In their investigations they underwent intense difficulties in other to find their true Messiah

The Christian scholars methodology of exegesis was, they seemed bent on manipulating the Bible rather than allowing the passage to speak for itself. Of course if we allow it to speak for itself we realise that “the Prophet” is distinct from the Christ and this leads to the question; who is “the Prophet”?

But the learned Christians somehow only see two questions implied here. To make clear that the Jews definitely had THREE separate prophecies in their minds when they were interrogating John the Baptist (pbuh). let us read the following verses:

19. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, WHO ART THOU?

20. And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I AM NOT THE CHRIST.

21. And they asked him, What then? ART THOU ELIAS? And he saith, I am not. ART THOU THA PROPHET? And he answered, No.

John 1:19:21 KJV

Three questions!
Please note that three different and distinct questions were posed to John the Baptist (pbuh) and to which he gave three emphatic “NO’S” as answers.
To recapitulate
(1) ART THOU THE CHRIST?
(2)ART THOU ELIAS?
(3)ART THOU THAT PROPHET?

Read more here

The Muslim suggests that the Prophet is Muhammed and not the Christ (Jesus). This is a reasonable suggestion so far as “the Prophet” is distinct and independent from the Christ. “That prophet” that occurred in John 1:19-21 refers to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and Deuteronomy 18:18. And that “that prophet”- the prophet like Moses “LIKE UNTO THEE” is prophet Mohammad (pbuh)

Let take look at another verse from the Gospel of acts
20. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.

21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

22. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

24. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

Acts 3:20-24

Now in explaining this, it says Jesus would be taken up but would still be in heaven awaiting his second coming when the time of restitution would occur. Restitution means correction or the act of restoring something to its original state.
Islam is the religion that brings people who have diverted from God’s path back to Allah.

According to acts 3:23 every soul must believe “that prophet” And any soul that failed to believe “that prophet” shall be destroyed. This is a stern warning for the Christians only if they reason.
Peter who is said to have the holy spirit in him said, it would be at this time of restitution that the prophet prophesied by Moses would come

So the question is who in the entire History of this earth after the depature of Jesus till date is like Moses?

Only Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) fits into this picture.

BELOW ARE SOME SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MOSES, MOHAMMAD AND JESUS (peace be upon them)

These similarities and differences proved the fact that, Jesus is not the prophet prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18, and Jesus is not “THAT PROPHET” in John 1:19-21

BIRTH

Moses and Mohammad were given birth to naturally while Christ was given birth to miraculously which against the natural birth of Moses and Mohammad (peace be upon them). This clearly depict Jesus is not like Moses.

JESUS WAS REJECTED BY HIS PEOPLE.

Moses and Mohammad were accepted by their people in their life time, no doubt the Jews gave endless trouble to Moses and they murmured in the wilderness, as a nation they later accept him to be a prophet of God sent to them.
The Arabians too made mohammad life impossible but later accept him to be a messenger of Allah before his demise.
According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was rejected by his people. We read in the book of St John

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

John 1:11

Even today after two thousand years his people (the Jews) have rejected him.

MARRIAGE TIES

Moses and Mohammad married and begat children. Jesus remained bachelor through out his life on earth (peace be upon them)

DEATH

Moses and Mohammad died and they were buried. But Jesus was raised up alive. (Peace be upon them)

NO NEW LAWS

Moses and Mohammad brought laws and regulations to their people, Moses did not only gave the ten commandments but he brought a ceremonial laws as a guidance for his people.

Mohammad comes to a people steeped in barbarism and ignorance, they buried their daughters alive, idolatry, adultery, drunkenness and gambling were the order of the day. Mohammad brought laws and regulations that elevated his people from darkness to light.

In regards Jesus, when the Jews felt suspicious of Jesus that he might be an imposter with design to pervert their teachings, Jesus took time to assure them that he had not come with a new religion, new laws and new regulations:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:17

In other words he had not come to introduce new religion, new rules and new regulations. He had come to fulfil the old laws.

HOW THEY DEPARTED

Moses and mohammad died natural death, but according to Christianity Jesus was violently killed on the cross.

PARENTS

Moses had father and mother, mohammad had father and mother but Jesus had only mother and no human-father.

through the above proved and overwhelming evidences, we have come to the conclusion that “THAT PROPHET” was prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)

Bashir Habeeb @knowislam.com.ng