UK Apologetics Library
Introduction
A common objection posed by Muslim apologists in their attempt to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ is: “Can God have a God?” This is often based on Jesus’ words in John 20:17, where He says, “I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” At first glance, this may seem to suggest that Jesus cannot be divine because He refers to God as His God. However, this interpretation fails to account for key aspects of Christian theology, such as the Incarnation and Trinitarian doctrine. More importantly, when examined through the lens of both the Bible and the Qur’an, this objection becomes not only flawed but self-refuting. This article will unpack the theological misunderstandings behind this objection, examine the relevant scriptural teachings, and explore how Islamic sources themselves expose critical flaws in the Muslim argument.
1. Misunderstanding the Incarnation: Jesus as Fully God and Fully Man
Muslim apologists like Ahmed Deedat frequently cite John 20:17 to argue that Jesus cannot be God because He refers to the Father as His God. They fail to recognize that this argument ignores the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation — the belief that Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
Refutation:
- In Philippians 2:6–8, the Apostle Paul explains that though Jesus existed in the form of God, He humbled Himself by taking on human nature. The Incarnation teaches that Jesus, in His humanity, voluntarily submitted Himself to the Father, and this submission is consistent with His role as the God-man who came to fulfill the will of the Father for our salvation.
- John 1:1 affirms the eternal deity of Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
- John 1:14 states that “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”
Therefore, when Jesus refers to God as His Father and God, He is speaking from His human nature. In His divine nature, He is one with the Father (cf. John 10:30), and as fully God, He possesses the same divine essence as the Father and the Holy Spirit. The act of submitting to God the Father does not undermine Jesus’ divinity but reflects His role as the obedient Son in the divine plan of salvation.
To reject Jesus’ divinity based on His statement in John 20:17 is to misunderstand the mystery of the Incarnation, where the Son of God takes on human flesh and experiences the fullness of human existence, including submission to the Father’s will (cf. Matthew 26:39).
2. The Trinity: Unity of Essence, Not Polytheism
Another common Muslim objection is the claim that the doctrine of the Trinity implies three gods. They assert that since Christians worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Christianity is inherently polytheistic.
Refutation:
The doctrine of the Trinity is not a belief in three gods, but rather one God in three co-eternal Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While it is a complex theological concept, it is consistent with the Bible’s portrayal of God as a singular, unified Being, while simultaneously being revealed in three distinct Persons.
- Matthew 28:19 speaks of baptism in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, indicating a unity of essence.
- John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”
- Isaiah 9:6 foretells the Messiah as “Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” thus acknowledging the divinity of the coming Messiah.
To claim that the Trinity involves three gods is a misunderstanding of the biblical teaching of one God who exists in three persons. The Bible consistently affirms that there is only one God (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:6), and the Trinity does not contradict this truth but rather expands our understanding of the nature of God.
3. The Qur’an Affirms the Authority of the Bible
Muslim apologists often claim that the Bible has been corrupted over time. However, the Qur’an itself affirms the authority of the Torah and the Gospel as revealed scriptures.
- Surah 5:47: “Let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein…” This command implies that the Gospel was available in Muhammad’s time and was to be trusted as a source of guidance.
- Surah 10:94: “If you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who read the Book before you.” This verse encourages Muslims to consult the Jewish and Christian scriptures for clarification, further implying their reliability.
If the Bible had been corrupted, it would be unreasonable for the Qur’an to suggest that Muslims should turn to these texts for guidance.
4. The Qur’an Does Not Say the Bible Is Corrupted
Many Muslims claim the Bible was corrupted, yet the Qur’an itself never states this explicitly. Instead, it mentions that some people misinterpret or misuse the scriptures (Surah 2:79, 3:78), but not that they have been entirely altered or erased.
- Surah 3:78 speaks of those who distort the Scriptures, but this refers to their misinterpretation, not the deliberate alteration of the text itself.
- Surah 2:79 condemns those who write the Scriptures with their own hands and then claim it is from God, but again, it does not imply that the entire Bible has been corrupted.
Furthermore, at the time of Muhammad, the Bible had already been translated into Syriac, Greek, and Latin, and was widely disseminated across the Mediterranean world. It would have been logistically impossible for all these versions to be corrupted in such a short time frame.
5. Corruption Within Islamic Sources
While Muslim scholars claim the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved, evidence from within Islamic sources themselves reveals significant textual issues. Sunni orthodoxy accepts the following issues:
A. Missing Verses
- Sunan Ibn Majah 1944 records a statement by Caliph Umar admitting that a verse about stoning for adultery was once part of the Qur’an but is now missing:
“The verse of stoning was revealed… we recited it and memorised it… and we carried out its punishment.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 1944)
The disappearance of such a crucial verse casts doubt on the claim of perfect preservation.
B. The Satanic Verses
- Surah 22:52 acknowledges that Satan interfered with the message of previous prophets, which includes introducing false teachings into their revelations: “Never did We send a messenger or a prophet before you, but when he desired, Satan threw [something] into his desires…”
- Early historians such as al-Tabari and Ibn Sa’d report that Muhammad once recited verses acknowledging pagan goddesses but later retracted them, claiming they were inspired by Satan. This incident is known as the Satanic Verses. (**Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat al-Kubra).
C. Variant Codices and Disagreements
- Ibn Mas‘ud, one of Muhammad’s closest companions, is recorded to have rejected Surahs 1, 113, and 114 as not part of the Qur’an. (**Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Masahif).
- Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, another early reciter of the Qur’an, is said to have had additional surahs that were not included in the standard codex, including Surah al-Khal‘ and Surah al-Hafd. These early discrepancies suggest the existence of different Qur’anic versions before the standardization process occurred. (**Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Masahif).
D. Hadith Fabrication
- Imam Bukhari, the compiler of one of the most respected collections of hadith, reportedly sifted through over 600,000 hadiths, accepting only about 7,000. This implies that a staggering 98% of hadiths were considered to be fabricated or unreliable. (Sahih Bukhari).
- Al-Ghazali, one of the most prominent Islamic scholars, admitted that many hadiths were fabricated to serve political, theological, and sectarian agendas. (Ihya’ Ulum al-Din).
E. Internal Qur’anic Contradictions
- Surah 4:157 denies the crucifixion of Jesus, yet Surah 3:55 implies He died and was taken up to Allah.
- Surah 6:101 questions how God could have a son without a consort, which misrepresents the Christian doctrine of sonship as a spiritual, eternal relationship, not a biological one.
Conclusion: The Islamic Argument Collapses
The question, “Can God have a God?” misunderstands the nature of Jesus’ Incarnation. Jesus, as the God-man, submits to the Father in His human role, but shares the same divine essence as the Father and the Holy Spirit. The biblical doctrine of the Trinity teaches that there is one God in three co-eternal Persons, and Jesus is fully God and fully man, as revealed through both His words and actions.
Furthermore, while the Qur’an affirms the authority of the Bible and does not claim its corruption, the Islamic tradition itself is filled with evidence of textual corruption, omissions, and contradictions, undermining the very foundation of its claims. The Qur’an’s internal inconsistencies and the flaws within Islamic sources expose the fragile nature of the Muslim argument against Christian teachings.
Thus, the Muslim critique of the divinity of Jesus fails, both biblically and historically. It is self-refuting and collapses under scrutiny of both the Christian and Islamic textual traditions.
Bibliography
- The Bible: John 1, John 10, Matthew 28, Isaiah 9, Philippians 2
- The Qur’an: Surah 2:79, 3:55, 3:78, 4:157, 5:47, 6:101, 10:94, 22:52
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hudud
- Sunan Ibn Majah 1944
- Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Masahif
- Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
- Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat al-Kubra
- Imam al-Ghazali, Ihya’ Ulum al-Din
- Arthur Jeffery, Materials for the History of the Text of the Qur’an
- Joseph Schacht, The Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence
- Dan Brubaker, Corrections in Early Qur’anic Manuscripts
- Ignaz Goldziher, Muslim Studies
- F. E. Peters, The Monotheists: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Conflict and Competition
- Shabir Ally, Public Debates