The Quran with Christian Commentary by Gordon D. Nickel

Author:Gordon D. Nickel [Nickel, Gordon D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Published: 2020-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

Notes

19.2 – A remembrance of the mercy of your Lord (to) His servant Zachariah

With the name of Zachariah (Zakariyya; spelled “Zechariah” in the English New Testament), this sūra begins an extended and important passage on Zachariah, John, Mary, and ‘Īsā, the quranic Jesus. This is the third of the Quran’s three longer passages on ‘Īsā (see also 3.33–60; 5.109–20).

First, verses 2–15 tell a story about Zachariah, his unnamed wife, and the birth of John (the Baptist, Yaḥyā).

19.15 – Peace (be) upon him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he is raised up alive

The wording of this verse is significant in view of the fact that the same three verbs used here are also used about ‘Īsā in verse 33 (see below). The Quran describes John in a strikingly positive way (vv. 12–14).

19.17 – We sent to her Our spirit, and it took for her the form of a human being exactly

The way that Allah made Mary pregnant with ‘Īsā is described in a couple of different ways in the Quran. Here Allah’s spirit appears in a human form and simply says he will grant Mary a son (v. 19). At 21.91 and 66.12, the Quran says, “We breathed into her some of Our spirit.” For an analysis of “the spirit” (rūḥ) in the Quran, see the comments at 97.4 (p. 639).

19.18 – Surely I take refuge with the Merciful from you

Here Mary speaks of God as “the Merciful” (al-raḥmān), and this name for God is used throughout the sūra.

19.19 – (sent) to grant you a boy (who is) pure

The Arabic word describing ‘Īsā (zakīy), translated here as “pure,” is also commonly rendered “faultless,” “blameless,” or “sinless.” This particular adjective is only used with ‘Īsā in the Quran.

19.21 – Your Lord has said, “It is easy for Me. . . .”

The answer of the “messenger” sent by Allah to Mary’s question, “How can I have a boy . . . ?” is different from the parallel speech of the angels at 3.47. Here there is no mention of Allah creating ‘Īsā in Mary’s womb. However, the same statement that Allah “simply says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is” appears later at verse 35. Muslim commentators have interpreted this to mean that Allah created ‘Īsā.

The Quran offers two stories of the encounter between Mary and heavenly beings, here called “Our spirit” (v. 17) and in Sūra 3 called “angels” (3.42–46). When we compare these stories to the Gospel accounts in Matthew 1 and Luke 1–2, we find two striking omissions and an influential addition. Gabriel in Luke 1 announced the birth of the “Son of God” (see discussion at Q 9.35 below); and Gabriel, as well as the angel in Matthew 1, specified that Mary name her child “Jesus” (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:20–21). This omission may not seem significant, but in the Gospel accounts, the angel also gave a reason: “because he will save his people from their sins.” The Hebrew meaning of Yēshūa‘ or

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