JESUS IN THE ISLAMIC CONTEXT OF INDONESIA

Jesus in Islamic Context of Indonesia

Stanley R. Rambitan




Introduction

The saying of Jesus, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20) is commonly used by many Christians as the basis of their missionary activities. According to this “command” the main mission that should be carried out by the Christians is to spread the Gospel, the teachings and values that Jesus had taught and practiced during His life time. It is no doubt to say that Jesus (his name, titles and teachings) is the centre of Christian belief. The perception of Jesus has been a very important issue in any effort of the Christians in spreading the Gospel to the world. How Jesus is portrayed and introduced into a certain context of community will play an effective role in attracting people to come to him. In relation to this, two important and inter-connected issues to be discussed are the images of Jesus as found in the Bible and in Christian traditions, and the context of the community in which the Christians are living and to which Jesus is communicated. The context here contains, particularly in this concern, the religious backgrounds, including, if any, the perception of Christianity or particularly of Jesus. The knowledge of the text or the Biblical teachings of Jesus and the perception of the Christian community on the one hand, and the context on the other hand, will have a very much influence in carrying out the Christian contextual theology.

The context that will specifically be analysed in this writing is Indonesian Islamic society, and more particularly the Qur’anic and Indonesian Muslim perception of Jesus. As we might have known that Indonesia is a country that has the largest Muslim population in the world. About eighty five percent of its population (out of two hundreds and ten million people) are Muslims. The Christians, the Protestant and the Catholic and other Christian denominations, contain about ten percent of the population. The rests are Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians and adherent of tribal religions. Thus generally speaking, in terms of religion, Indonesian landscape is dominated by Islamic colours. The Indonesian Christians are living side by side with the Muslims and in a predominated Islamic environment. In this environment, the Christians have to carry out their religious duty, that is to spread the Gospel or the teaching of Jesus, both among themselves and to the people of other religion. The question to the Christians is: how to carry out their mission, particularly in introducing and communicating Jesus in such Indonesian Islamic context?

To answer that question, below we will discuss three main subjects. First, the images of Jesus as portrayed in the Bible and as understood and highlighted in the Indonesian Christian community; second, the perception of Jesus in the Qur’an and in Indonesian Muslim scholars; and finally, the conclusive notes on the ways the Christian need to take in communicating Jesus in Indonesian environment, both for the purpose of religious teaching for Christian community themselves, and for the purpose of Christian-Muslim dialogue. The Islamic perception of Jesus will be elaborated for the purpose of highlighting the Indonesian Islamic background.

Jesus in Christianity


The Bible is the most authoritative source of any Christian theological thinking. Its portrays of Jesus, particularly in the New Testament, are no doubt being the most acceptable references of formulating perceptions embraced by the Christians. It is therefore, one will always need (or even obliged) to refer to the Bible if he or she will analyse the perception of Jesus in Christianity. Each book and epistle of the Bible has its own background that influence the writing of a story of Jesus, including the terminology used by the writer to express his thoughts on Jesus. That is why we not only find different versions on the story of Jesus, particularly in the New Testament, but also the variety of the images of Jesus. Particularly on the status and role of Jesus, we will find many titles and attributes given or attached to him.

The name of Jesus is many times followed by the attribute ”Christ” or “Messiah” which means the king of Saviour. This attribute had already given to Jesus since he was born (Matt. 1:1, 18; 11:2, 27:17,22, Mark 1:1, Luke 2:11, 23:2, John 1:41, etc.). Besides that, Jesus is also called with many titles. They are the Son of Man (Matt. 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; Mark 2:10, 28; 8:31; Luke 5:24;6:5; John 1:51,54; Acts 7:56, etc), the son of Joseph (John 1:45), the son of Mary (Mark 6:3), the Son of David (Matt. 21:19), Rabi or Teacher (John 1:49), the Prophet (Matt. 13:57; 16:14), the King of Israel (John 1:49), the Servant (Matt. 12:18; 4:27, 30; Phil. 2:7), the Sign of God (Luke 2:34), the Spirit of God (Matt. 1:21; 3:22), the Word - become Flesh (John 1:14), the Son of God (Matt. 3:17; 4:3,6; Mark 1:1, 11; 3:11; Luke 3:22; 4:3, 9; John 1:34, 49; 3:16-18; 5:25; Acts 8:37; 9:20; Rome 8:3, etc), and the Lord (Matt. 17:4,5; Luke 2:11; 17:5; 19:8; John 11:3, 21; 14: 5, 8, 22; 21:21; Rome 1:3; 4: 24; 6:23, etc.).

From those attributes and titles, there are two different presentations of Jesus that we may find explicitly. The first identifies Jesus as a real human being. They are the Christ, the Son of Man, the son of Joseph, the son of Mary, the son of David, the Teacher, the King of Israel, the Prophet and the Servant of God. The second identifies Jesus as the one who has both human and divine natures. They are the Spirit of God, the Word become Flesh, the Son of God, and the Lord. In the stories of Jesus found in the four Gospels, the image of Jesus as human being is much more dominant than the divine one. Jesus so often called and recognised himself as an ordinary man. This can be proved among others by the use of the term “the Son of Man” that can be found many times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:20; 9:6; 10:23, etc.).

The second reference to search the ideas of Jesus in Christianity is the traditional teachings as accepted in Christian community. In the Christian community, particularly in Indonesia, Jesus as a divine being is commonly highlighted. The portrait of Jesus that has been shown in both the Christian circles and even in the public sphere (meaning to the people of other religions), is coloured by his divinity. The titles that are mostly used to call Jesus are the Son of God, the Saviour who descended from Heaven, the living Word, and the Lord. The title Lord is one that used mostly by the Christian. This title is commonly understood as identical with God. In Indonesian language, the term Lord Jesus and Lord God are identical, that both refer to a divine being. By calling Jesus “Lord”, it means that he is a divine. And this perspective is commonly accepted by most of Indonesian Christian. By highlighting the divine image, the human nature of Jesus is being minimized so people can hardly see that Jesus is an ordinary man as well.


Jesus in Islam and in the Indonesian Muslim Perception

Since the formative period of Islamic theological thinking, i.e., between the end of six century and the half part of seven century AC as recorded in the Qur’an and Hadith, the issue concerning Jesus has been the most highlighted one. Among the non-Christian sacred books, the Qur’an is the only book in which Jesus is mentioned very widely. In the Qur’an for instance, there are 15 surahs and 93 verses (out of 6339 verses) in which the story of Jesus can be found, or at least the name of Jesus is mentioned. There are two surahs in which we can find a more detailed story of Jesus and his family, i.e. surah 3 and surah 19. Surahs that have more statements or ideas on Jesus are surah 43, 23, 21, 42, 6, 2, 57, 61, 4, 33, 66, 99, 76, and surah 5. In the Qur’an and in Islamic religious belief, Jesus is recognised as one of the main prophets.


Jesus in the Qur’an

The name of Jesus used in the Qur'an is Isa. It occurred 25 times. The name of Isa is mostly followed by ibn Maryam (son of Mary). (In the Bible the designation of son of Mary only occurs once, i.e. in Mark 6:3). The Qur'an gives a very special attention and honour to Mary. Even one of the surahs is named after her, namely surah 19. Another designation of Jesus is Al-Masih (the Messiah or the Christ). Some other titles are also given to Jesus according to his work or function. They are nabi (prophet) (2:13; 3:84; 4:163, etc.), rasul (apostle) (2:87; 2:253; 3:48, etc), abdi (servant of God) (4:172; 19:30; 43:59-61), kalimah (word of God) (3:39,45; 4:171; 19:34), ruh (spirit of God) (2:87,253; 4:171; 5:110; 19:17; 21:91; 66:12), ayat (Sign) (19:21; 21:91; 23:50; 29:21), and rahma (blessing) (19:21).

In spite of the many Qur'anic verses describing on Jesus, the Qur'an obviously speaks about Jesus not as a retelling story of the historical Jesus, but mostly only as reference of a subject being discussed. Thus, the Qur’an has its own objective in including Jesus and other prophets in a discussion, that is as a basic of argumentation used to criticise particularly the attitude of the Jews and the belief of the Christians. The Jews were criticised particularly because they rejected the prophethood of Muhammad, and that they claimed they had successfully killed Jesus. While the Christians were criticised for their belief (particularly about the Trinity) that is considered an idolatry. Such objective of the Qur’an is understandable if we look at the status and role of the statement on Jesus in the Qur’an. Most of the statement or paragraphs on Jesus (and other previous prophets) as mentioned above, are placed in the framework of a polemic between Muhammad and the Jews and the Christians.


The Perception of Jesus in Indonesian Muslim Scholars

In the Indonesian theological Islamic discourse, particularly in relation to Christian-Muslim relation, the issue of Jesus has been one of the most attractive subjects. Both in the commentaries of the Qur’an and in monographs, the issue of Jesus always get attention. Besides the commentaries, there has been a number of books written concerning Jesus (See for instances, Bakry, Nabi Isa dalam Al-Qur’an; Arifin, Maria, Yesus and Muhammad; Syamsu, Isa Al Masih di Venus). Besides that, in the practical life of the Muslims, there was also a Fatwa or formal statement issued by Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) or the Council of Indonesian Muslim Scholars, in March 1981, dealing with the Christmas celebration. In this Fatwa, the Muslims were forbidden to take part in Christmas celebration (as they were used to do). The reason is that this celebration is based on the idea that Jesus is divine and the son of God, the idea or the belief that the Qur’an and the Muslim totally reject. Thus, attending this celebration could means that the Muslims accepted such Christian belief, and that they join the worship to Jesus as a divine and the son of God. The relevant question to be answered here is how the images of Jesus are presented in the Qur’an and in the Indonesian Muslim interpretation.

Here I will present example of the perception of Jesus as interpreted by Quraish Shihab. Shihab is one of the most prominent Muslim scholars in the contemporary Indonesian Muslim community. He was once being the Rector of the State Institute of Islam Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta (now: the Islamic University of Jakarta), the former Minister of Religion of Indonesia during the last period of Suharto Government, and who is now the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt. He has written many books, particularly concerning the Qur’an, and his latest publication is a commentary of the Qur’an (not completed yet). In terms of theological discourse, he is a moderate one. I consider Shihab’s interpretation a representative of the general understanding of Jesus within Indonesian Muslims community.

Jesus and the Word of God

Surah 3:45
When the angels said, “O Mary, God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, highly honoured in this world and the next, and one of those brought near to God.

Shihab identifies the words “a word from Him” (Arabic: kalimah) with the imperative word “be” (Arabic: kun) , which is especially used in the creation of Jesus. According to him, the creation of Jesus through a word (of God) kun means that Jesus was created in an extraordinary way, i.e. by just saying “be”. It is not the kalimah itself that became or changed to be Jesus. He understands that the use of the word kun by God was meant only to show how easy for him to create something that he will. According to Shihab, the word kun is only a metaphor symbolising the ability of God to create something in a very easy and quick way. God does not even need to say a word to create something. However, he adds, the creation of Jesus did not happen quickly. He had to go through a natural process that is the pregnancy of Mary. Here Shihab does not mentions any idea concerning incarnation, or accepting the biblical expression, “the word became flesh”. Thus, Jesus is not a word of God.

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Surah 2:87
We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers; We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a Messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? – Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!

Shihab explains the words Holy Spirit (Arabic: ruhul-qudus) as both the angel Gabriel and an enormous power. This power is, with God’s will, able to perform extraordinary things. According to Shihab, the support of this Holy Spirit to Jesus had already been undergone before and during he was in her mother’s womb, then during his childhood and his whole life. Toward this opinion, a further discussion can be pursued particularly concerning the question whether or not Jesus had already existed before he was in the womb of Mary; and if the answer is “Yes”, in what form was the existence of him. However, we will not go further to discuss those questions as Shihab does not elaborate this matter. He only mentions that Holy Spirit in a sense of enormous power was also given to all other prophets. The difference between Jesus and other prophets is on the accentuation. To Jesus, the support of the Holy Spirit (the enormous power) was more accentuated. As a power given to the prophets, the Holly Spirit is not the Spirit of God. In relation to this, Jesus does not have with him the Spirit of God, but only a power given by God. Thus Jesus does not contain a personal divine spirit.

Jesus, his Death and Ascension

Surah 3:55
Behold! Allah said, “O Jesus, I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme;...”.

Shihab views this verse as a deceit of God against the evil deceit of the Jews. He understands God's action to take and to lift Jesus up to Him, and purify him from the hands of the unbelievers as a righteous deceit towards the unbelievers. God saved Jesus from the attempt of murder planned by the Jews. Shihab clarifies the meaning of the words “to take thee” (Arabic: mutawaffika) as "to cause to die" or "to sleep". In the Qur'an the meaning of the words “to die” and “to sleep” are similar, namely a state of unconsciousness. People who are sleeping or dead have no consciousness. Beside this definition, the word also means "to take the whole part" (Ind. mengambil secara sempurna). According to Shihab, the variety of meaning of the word have caused Muslim scholars to have different interpretation one another.

Moreover, Shihab continues, there are differences in the interpretation of a normal death and a murder. Shihab questiones: does someone who died because of murder have reached the perfect age planned by God, or the murderer who make the age of the dead perfect? Shihab presents the opinion of the Mu'tazilah (with Zamakhsyari as a reference) on one side, and on the other side, the other scholars (with Asy-Sya'rawi as a reference). Mu'tazilah claimed that it was the murderer who complete the age of the murdered, in a sense that the time of death come before one reached the age planned by God. But this does not mean that his soul or spirit disappeared. He is not really dead. Shihab mentions Az-Zamakhsyari who interpreted the word mutawaffika as God would make Jesus' age completed, and he would not be killed by the unbelievers. Jesus would live until the age defined by God, not less or more. It does not matter his death is caused by an act of murder or by a nature. Here the word mutawaffika is understood as an initial act of God to save Jesus so that he would not be harmed and wounded, let alone be killed. The way that God used to save Jesus is raffi'uka, that is to lift him up to him. God took Jesus, his body and soul, away and placed him by his side. Thus, the latter opinion rejects the death of Jesus.

Concerning the issue of the death and ascension of Jesus, Shihab does not confirm his own opinion. He only says that either Jesus is now living in heaven and will come back to the earth one day, or he has died by natural causes and will not be back to the earth, it is not a matter that relates to the principle teaching of religion. He says, whether one chooses the first or the second opinion, it will not increase or reduce one's religiosity. The most important thing concerning Jesus, according to Shihab, is that God purified him from the unbelievers, and He places the followers of Jesus above the unbelievers until the end of the day. Eventually, Shihab says, the ascension of Christ, either in his soul and body or only soul, shows that whatever great the power of creation, and how sophisticated their plan to vanish the truth and its people, its results will always be in the side of the truth. Jesus Christ, whatever belief people have in him, for sure that he has reached the top of his greatness. Isn't it, scientist, war leader and states' leader respect and obey him, whereas he did not use weapon or his physical power? So does God protects the prophets and the protectors of the truth.


Jesus: Human or Divine

Surah 5:17and 72
17.Unbelievers are those who say: “Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.” Say: “Who could prevent Allah, if He wished, from destroying the Messiah, son of Mary, and his mother too, together with all those on the face of the earth?”…
72. Those who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary, are unbelievers. The Messiah said: “O children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely, he who associates other gods with Allah, Allah forbids him access to Paradise and his dwelling is Hell. The evil doers have no supporters!


Quraish Shihab begins his interpretation of verse 17 by saying that the main ignorance or heresy (Ind. kesesatan) of the Ahl-Kitab (the Jews and the Christians), more particularly the Christians, lays on their belief in God and Jesus. They identified Jesus with God, and vice versa. The Qur’an and the prophet Muhammad criticised and corrected this mistake. According to Shihab, Qur’anic identification of Jesus as the son of Mary is a proof that he is not God. It is also proved by the statement of this verse saying that nobody is able to prevent God if He wants to cause Jesus, his mother and whoever living on earth to die. It is interesting that Shihab further mentions the perception of the Christian concerning the Qur’an or the prophet Muhammad. He says, the Christians understand that the Qur’an and the prophet are incorrect in their understanding of Christian belief of God. The apology of the Christians is that, they do not identify Jesus with God. However Shihab goes further by saying that the teaching of the Christians on God and Jesus is in fact varied. There are people who disagree with the identification of Jesus with God, but there may be some who does. Shihab presents a Christians’ discourse on Jesus (his status, essence and attribute) that proves the variety ideas of Jesus. He says, there are people who consider Jesus and Mary as two separated gods. Some people believe that Jesus and God are like the fire and its flames. God is the source of fire and Jesus is the flame. There are also people who consider Jesus a prophet, and some regarded him as the son of and at the same time the creation of God. Thus until now, the idea of the status of Jesus is still debatable in Christian community.

However, Shihab refers to the belief of the Christian that God is the Christ and vice versa. This belief should be understood in a framework of Christian teaching of the nature of Jesus. In the person of Jesus, there are divine elements, or, the divine elements have transformed into the person Jesus. According to Shihab, this understanding brings one to an acceptance that Jesus is God. In response to this idea, Shihab explains the meaning of the Arabic word kafirun or the infidels. The initial meaning of this word, according to him, is “to close” Thus the infidels are people who close their eyes and mind against the fact that God is One only. They are those who make association between God and His creations. In relation to this, Shihab criticises the concept of the Trinity. God is not one or part of the three persons. God does not contain several persons or parts. He is only One, namely the God. Base on this argumentation, Shihab says hat the Qur’an in this sense abrogate the idea of Trinity. By accepting the abrogation, here Shihab has indirectly accepted the disqualification of the idea of the divinity of Jesus.

From the perception of Shihab above, we can say that Jesus is considered a human being with special status, gifts and role. However, he is not a divine. He is not the son of God let alone God himself. Generally speaking, the issue of Jesus (and also of Christianity), as discussed in Indonesian Muslim community and in its relation to its Christian counterpart, is mostly polemic and apologetic. It is common that most of the interpretation of the Quránic verses on Jesus and Christianity are under the umbrella of a traditional and general Qur’anic conclusions which are generally anti-Christian, that Jesus is not divine and the son of God, and that Jesus did not die on the cross.



Conclusive Remarks
Communicating Jesus in Indonesian Islamic Environment

Looking at the perception of Jesus both in Christianity and in Islam above, it is necessary now to find an effective way to introduce and communicate Jesus in Indonesian Christian and Muslim community. As mentioned above, in Christianity, there are two qualification of Jesus, namely the divine and the human being. However, they cannot be regarded as an absolute division of the personality of Jesus since both are within one person. There is to be understood that such different identifications are based on the way of looking applied by the people, the disciples or the writers of the Bible. Here, hermeneutic or exegesis plays a very important role of the judgment. In hermeneutic, the text and its backgrounds, and the interpreter himself and his backgrounds, including the context of society in which the interpreter is living and to which he will present his perception, become the very influential considerations. From these considerations (which cannot be discussed here for a certain limitations) we know why Jesus was called the Son of Man, the Prophet, the Messiah, the Saviour, the Word, the Spirit, and the Lord.

We know that the context of the Bible or the early Christian communities, particularly its way of thinking, philosophical and religious-theological discourse and terminology that were used at that times is different from those of this contemporary modern times. In this regard, the Christians in Indonesia need to reconsider the images of Jesus that have been accepted in and spread out so far to the Christian themselves and to the people of other religions, whether or not they are still relevant and effective. It is necessary also for the Christian to rethink which suitable terminology concerning the images of Jesus that are going to be highlighted and communicated to the people, both Christian and non-Christian. Is the articulation on the divine nature of Jesus still relevant and necessary or not?

Within Christian community, there will be no any significant objections if we speak and highlight the divine nature of Jesus since it has been traditionally and commonly accepted. However, in relation to people of other religions, particularly the Muslims, the Christians will in any circumstances surely meet great difficulties in communicating Jesus. As we have seen above, in Islamic community (in the Qur’an and in the perception of Muslim scholars) the idea of Jesus as a divine being is totally rejected. Thus, when the Christians start talking about Jesus as a divine one, the door for a dialogue will soon be closed.

Based on the experiences having a dialogue with our Muslim partners on Christological issues, I suggest that we, the Christians, should make use the two titles of Jesus that highlight his humanity. The first title that may be better used is a Prophet of God. A Prophet or a Messenger is one sent by God to bring His Words, Commands or Law to the World. In this function, Jesus presents the divine or God’s Will. By this authority, Jesus was during his lifetimes, able to perform miracles carried out on God’s Will. Here, we may be able to see the divine function of Jesus. Secondly, we need to talk about and highlight Jesus as the Servant of God, the one that was chosen by God to serve Him or to do His work in this world. As a Servant, Jesus is in a position of being very close to God. Here we may speak about God and Jesus having a very close and intimate relationship. This closeness makes Jesus knows God very well. He knows what God Will. This closeness can also bring Jesus to a spiritual relationship with God in which God’s spirit is transformed to Jesus and become his spirit too.

A Prophet and a Servant of God are totally human being. However, those status and role have made Jesus become an extra ordinary human being. This titles and perceptions of Jesus that show him as a human being can be regarded as a meeting and starting point to effectively introduce and communicate Jesus to the people, particularly the Muslims, in Islamic environment. When the door of communicating Jesus has opened, the duty of the Christian to spread the Gospel to the world can be proceeded and on God’s Will bell be successful.

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*Tulisan ini telah diterbitkan dalam Majalah Reformed Ecumenical Council, Grand Rapids-Michigan, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2003.