The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (PBUH) is one of the tenets of Christianity. Christians promote that the crucifixion of Jesus was not only prophesied in the Old Testament, but that it was a part of God's plan from the very beginning of the birth of Jesus and without the crucifixion of Jesus, humanity would still be in sin. According to the Christian narrative, Jesus died on the cross and after a few days he resurrected and appeared to his disciples in human flesh.
The Qur'an on the other hand states:
"And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise."
- The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 4 (Al-Nisa), Verses 157-158
This opposition to the Christian narrative has led Christians to think that the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) was the first to reject the belief that Jesus died on the cross. However, this is far from the case, Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) was not the first person to claim that Jesus (PBUH) was not crucified.
The truth of this matter is when Jesus fell and Simon of Cyrene was commanded to carry the cross for Jesus, an exchange occurred in which the soul of Jesus went into the body of Simon of Cyrene and the soul of Simon went into the body of Jesus. Therefore, it was the physical body of Jesus who hung on the cross, but with the soul of Simon. This concept is better known as transmigration.
Now, some might say, 'How is it possible that the soul of Jesus can enter another body without death?' Well if we look into the Gospels, we will find that on three occasions, the disciples could not recognize Jesus when he was with them.
Let us investigate how often Jesus met with his disciples after the crucifixion.
According to the Book of Matthew chapter 28:
1. Jesus meets Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in verses 8-10.
2. He meets the eleven disciples in verses 16-20.
According to the Book of Mark chapter 16:
1. Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene.
2. Then he appeared to two of the disciples.
3. Finally, he appeared to eleven of the disciples.
According to the Book of Luke chapter 24:
1. Jesus appeared to two disciples, but they could not recognize him.
2. Then he appeared to the other eleven disciples.
According to the Book of John chapter 20:
1. Jesus appeared to Mary.
2. Then he appeared to the disciples excluding Thomas.
3. Finally he appeared to Thomas.
However, in chapter 21, Jesus appeared to at least 7 disciples including Thomas and Simon Peter by the Sea of Galilee, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus.
Therefore, Jesus was not recognizable to his disciples on three different occasions:
1. With Mary Magdalene in John chapter 20 verses 11-18.
2. With two disciples in Luke chapter 24 verses 13-35.
3. With at least 7 of the disciples in John chapter 21 verses 1-14.
What is strange is that in John chapter 20 verses 24-29, Jesus met Thomas. Yet in the next chapter, Thomas could not recognize him. This applies to other disciples as well.
We must ask ourselves, "How can the disciples not be able to recognize Jesus?"
We cannot say that Jesus appeared to them as a spirit and not in human form because, in Luke chapter 24 verses 42-43, Jesus ate broiled fish in front of the disciples. We can not say that Jesus changed his clothes or trimmed his hair because you can still recognize someone even if that is the case. Plus we are talking about disciples whom have known Jesus for several years. Therefore, there is no way the disciples were not able to recognize Jesus unless Jesus appeared in different bodies at each encounter.
And this is such in the gospels of the Bible, if we look at the Gnostic gospels, we will find much more evidence of Jesus appearing in different bodies while the disciples were not able to recognize him.
Therefore, since we have proven that Jesus had the ability to appear in different bodies without any of the disciples being able to recognize him, there ought to be no contradiction when we say that Jesus was in the body of Simon of Cyrene before the crucifixion, and the biggest proof is that when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene as a gardener, at first she thought that she was speaking to a man, but it was only at that moment when Jesus said to her 'Mary' that she was able to realize that it was Jesus and that was due to her faith.
Therefore, if Mary and the other disciples were not able to recognize that the soul of Jesus went to another and thus they were no longer crucifying Jesus, but someone else, how can the Roman soldiers and Jewish priests realize that they were no longer crucifying Jesus?
We must remember that according to the perspective of the disciples, Roman soldiers, the Jewish priests, and everyone that was present during the crucifixion, since they say the physical body of Jesus was whipped, beaten, and hung on the cross, they, therefore, believed that it was Jesus who died on the cross, however, this was not the case at all.
Did Jesus Really Die on the Cross?
Another proof that exists to show that Jesus did not die are the two thieves that was crucified beside Jesus.
"But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
- The Holy Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter 24, Verses 40-43
The last sentence is the most important. Again it says, Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Christians use this as proof that Jesus indeed died on the cross. However, there is one problem with this notion. When Jesus met Mary Magdalene after the crucifixion.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”
- The Holy Bible, Book of John, Chapter 20, Verse 17
If Jesus indeed died on the cross and went to Paradise according to Luke chapter 24 verse 43, then why did Jesus say to Mary Magdalene, 'for I have not yet ascended to the Father'?
Note: Many Christians believe that when Jesus died, his Spirit went to the Father in heaven, and then returned to be clothed in the resurrection body, in which he appeared to the disciples for 40 days before the ascension. But if this is the case, again, why would Jesus say, 'for I have not yet ascended to the Father'?
There is one issue that we must cover and that is the reason why prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane.
“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.”
- The Holy Bible, Book of Matthew, Chapter 26, Verses 36-43
Many Biblical scholars have interpreted the phrase, 'may this cup be taken from me' as the torture and agony he would have to face until he would be crucified. God answers the prayer of his preferred ones, and Jesus has the ability to lay down his life or take it up.
"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
- The Holy Bible, Book of John, Chapter 10, Verses 17-18
We must realize one important aspect of Jesus' mission. We all know that Jesus is indeed the Messiah (excluding the Jews) and that the main goal of the Messiah is that he must rule the world and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth. However, Jesus' ministry only lasted approximately 3 years and since his disciples were not able to properly protect him, his ministry was cut short and for this reason, Jesus asked God that he be not crucified.
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth from the Nag Hammadi collection. In this manuscript, Jesus (PBUH) says:
And the plan which they devised about me to release their Error and their senselessness - I did not succumb to them as they had planned. But I was not afflicted at all. Those who were there punished me. And I did not die in reality but in appearance, lest I be put to shame by them because these are my kinsfolk. I removed the shame from me and I did not become fainthearted in the face of what happened to me at their hands. I was about to succumb to fear, and I (suffered) according to their sight and thought, in order that they may never find any word to speak about them. For my death, which they think happened, (happened) to them in their error and blindness, since they nailed their man unto their death. For their Ennoias did not see me, for they were deaf and blind. But in doing these things, they condemn themselves. Yes, they saw me; they punished me. It was another, their father, who drank the gall and the vinegar; it was not I. They struck me with the reed; it was another, Simon, who bore the cross on his shoulder. I[t] was another upon Whom they placed the crown of thorns.
- The Second Treatise of the Great Seth, The Nag Hammadi Collection
And in The Second Treatise of the Great Seth, it also states:
‘And I subjected all their powers. For as I came downward, no one saw me. For I was altering my shapes, changing from form to form. And therefore, when I was at their gates, I assumed their likeness. For I passed them by quietly, and I was viewing the places, and I was not afraid nor ashamed, for I was undefiled. And I was speaking with them, mingling with them through those who are mine, and trampling on those who are harsh to them with zeal, and quenching the flame. And I was doing all these things because of my desire to accomplish what I desired by the will of the Father above.’
- The Second Treatise of the Great Seth, The Nag Hammadi Collection
We read in the Goal of the Wise,
In the Gospel of Basilides, Saint Irenaeus reports that Basilides taught that Jesus (PBUH) did not die on the cross; but that the person crucified was, in fact, Simon of Cyrene. Irenaeus quotes Basilides: “He appeared on Earth as a man and performed miracles. Thus he himself did not suffer. Rather, a certain Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry his cross for him. It was he who was ignorantly and erroneously crucified, being transfigured by him, so that he might be thought to be Jesus. Moreover, Jesus assumed the form of Simon, and stood by laughing at them.” - Adversus haereses (Against Heresies), Saint Irenaeus, p. 82
Simon of Cyrene, who was honored in the Bible as being the only man who carried the cross of Jesus, was from the city of Cyrene. Cyrene is a city in modern-day Libya but was a part of Egypt before Cyrene and the Egyptian empire fell to the Romans. So Simon came out of Egypt and travelled all the way to Jerusalem. The soul of Joseph descended into this Egyptian man who helped Jesus carry his cross. Then Jesus and Joseph switched bodies, the soul of Jesus went into Simon, and the soul of Joseph, the substitute, went into the body of Jesus. The body of Jesus was crucified with the soul of Joseph in him. Jesus escaped the scene through the body of Simon. The look-alike of Jesus was the Companion of Egypt, Joseph.
- The Goal of the Wise, Door 12 (The Reality of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ), p. 169
For more information, refer to the Goal of the Wise, Door 12 (The Reality of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ) and Goal of the Wise, Door 13 (The Resurrection of Jesus Christ) and the episodes from the School of Divine Mysteries.
The Truth Behind The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ | الحقيقة وراء قيامة عيسى المسيح
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Judaism Christianity Islam صلب المسيح في اليهودية المسيحية والإسلام