REFUTING ISLAMIC INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 5:7

One of the prevalent  arguments among Muslims against the death of Christ is their gross misinterpretations of Hebrews 5:7

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared…

One Muslim wrote the following to me concerning the the text above, I have left his comment as it was originally written:

Micheal according your bible Jesus wasn’t die nor crucified,

Hebrew 5:7-8 confirmed that God had answered jesus’s prayer! Who in the day of his flesh he upper of a prayer with cries and tears to who was able to save him from death and he was heard becouse of his godly fear. Did God answer his prayer or not? If God did answer his prayer therefore he didn’t die. (end qoute)

Notice how he has interjected his own or should I say, his Muslim teachers own thoughts about the text. Hebrews 5 :7-8 does not say that Jesus did not die but that he prayed to God who was able to save from death and was heard.

Jesus was heard and though he was God’s Son, he learned obedience by the THINGS HE SUFFERED, and being made perfect he became the AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION to all who OBEY HIM.

Notice that Jesus is the “Author of Eternal Salvation to all who OBEY HIM.”

The sufferings mentioned in Hebrews 5:7 is a reference to his death. Jesus was made perfect (as our great High priest) through the things he suffered.

Being heard does not mean that God delivered Jesus from the cross  for it was the will of God for Jesus to give his life as the ransom for our sins. Jesus’ prayer did not result in his being delivered from the cross. It resulted in his being given the grace and strength to endure the cross.

This is understood from both Hebrews and the rest of the New Testament. It truly is amazing how some Muslims can take one or two verses out of its contextual setting while the book of Hebrews completely destroys the argument they are making with those verses.

The book of Hebrews expounds on the High Priestly ministry of Jesus who was enthroned at the right hand of God after his death and resurrection.

In 1:3, the writer of Hebrews tells us that after he had purged our sins, Jesus sat down on the right hand of God. In 2:9, he tells us “by the grace of God, he tasted death for every man.” In 2:14 he says, “through death, Jesus destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil.”

The author expounds on Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant which was established through his shed blood (Hebrews 8-9) and tells us of redemption through the blood of Christ (9:11-14) because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

In 10:10 he tells us that we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ who died for us, and in 10:19 gives us the invitation to come boldly into God’s presence through the blood of Jesus.

In 10:29 ; 12:22; and 13:20 he refers to the blood of Jesus as the blood of the covenant.  

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and we are exhorted to look to him for he endured the cross for us.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:2-3)