Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

70 Jesus, Prophet of Islam

It appears that Paul rationalised his actions by holding that there
was no link between the period in which Jesus had lived and the
period in which he himself now lived. Times had changed and the
conditions which now prevailed were such that the teaching of Je­
sus was out of date and could no longer be applied. It had there­
fore become necessary to find a new basis for human ethics and
behaviour. Paul took stock of the conditions which existed at the
time and taught what they seemed to require him to believe:

AlIthings are lawful untome, but1 will not be brought

under the power of any. (1Corinthians 6: 12).

Thus Paul not only rejeeted the divine law which both Moses and
Jesus had followed in all humility, peace be on them, but also he
asserted that he was a law to himself. The followers of Moses and
Jesus, obviously, could not accept this. Paul responded by daim­
ing that God does not measure a person's righteousness by look­
ing at how much he or she follows and obeys the commandments
of God by following HisProphetsandMessengers-butbywhether
or not a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ:

Wewhoare Jews bybirthand not'Gentilesinners'know

that a man is not [ustified by observing the law, but by

faith in Jesus Christ. 50 we, too, have put our faith in

Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ

and not by observing the law, because by observing the

law no-one will be justified. (Galatians 2: 15-16).

Thus, argued Paul:

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the

supervision of the law. (Galatians 3: 25).

From this anarchistic statement, it appears that the basis of Paul's

arguments was the implied -and never expressly stated -daim

that out of all of the [ews and Christians in the Holy Land at the

time, Paul alone knew what was most pleasing to God:

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart

from observing the law. (Romans 3: 28).

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