Jesus' Great Commandments: The Bridge?

Here's my thought. I'll try to make it simple as possible.

One thing that both Muslims and Christians agree on is this: Jesus (Nabi Issa) is a prophet of God who is "divinely chosen to spread God's message."

Basically both Christians and Muslims venerate Jesus as a messenger of God who reveals truth from God.

Next...

Both Christians and Muslims venerate the Torah. From this article...

"No true Muslim of the world can even think of any blasphemous act against the Bible.

According to a tradition of Abu-Dawud, once the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, went to settle a dispute within a Jewish tribe and a special mat was set for the Prophet to sit upon, but when the book of Torah was brought by the people, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, stood up in respect of the Torah and placed the book on the mat which was placed for him and he himself sat on the ground."

Both Christians and Muslims are "people of the Book" in this way, reverencing the Torah as divine truth.

Now...Matthew 22:34-40...

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. �Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?� And he said to him, �You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.�

Here, Jesus is quoting two things from...well, now...the Torah. Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18.

So, you have a divinely-called prophet of God who reiterates two commandments spoken in the Torah...and saying that "on these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Hmm...

Now, if this is the case, doesn't this mean that both Christians AND Muslims would hold the Great Commandments to be RELIGIOUSLY BINDING upon them because they have the SAME PROPHET communicating the SAME TRUTH from the SAME SOURCE in both religious contexts? Neither Muslims nor Christians would say that the Prophet Jesus who speaks for God should be ignored or disobeyed...especially when He is a Prophet who is specifically referencing the Torah.

Bottom line: It would seem that the importance and priority of Great Commandments spoken by the Prophet of God, Jesus, would be an ESSENTIAL COMMON GROUND between Islam and Christianity. Neither Christians NOR Muslims can ignore Jesus' re-emphasis of Torah commandments WITHOUT implicitly denying his authority as divine prophet.

So...if we were to get a Muslim imam and a Eastern Orthodox bishop...and talk about Jesus (Issa) emphasizing the Torah-based commandments of loving God with all of oneself and loving the neighbor as oneself...there really couldn't be that much difference on THAT issue. They would BOTH have to say that those commandments are AUTHORITATIVE to guide their lives.

Does that make sense?

This is what I think is the essential message of the Prophet Jesus:

Human beings are to express singular worship of and submission to the One Uncreated Creator by works of loving-kindness and compassion to ourselves and others...and thanksgiving, adoration and glorification to the Creator. In this, we are also to consecrate ourselves and be holy, compassionate, merciful, and loving because our Creator is holy, compassionate, merciful and loving.

Any and all thoughts welcome!

Edited by YieldedOne - 06 February 2011 at 9:15am

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YieldedOne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 February 2011 Status: Offline Points: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote YieldedOne Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2011 at 5:10pm
	Is all this ok, moderators and admins? I hope so...

YieldedOne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 February 2011 Status: Offline Points: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote YieldedOne Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2011 at 5:15am
	The idea above is not necessarily new. Check it out. A Common Word Between Us and You Edited by YieldedOne - 06 February 2011 at 5:16am

YieldedOne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 February 2011 Status: Offline Points: 29	Post Options Post Reply Quote YieldedOne Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 February 2011 at 8:01pm
	Here's my thought. I'll try to make it simple as possible. One thing that both Muslims and Christians agree on is this: Jesus (Nabi Issa) is a prophet of God who is "divinely chosen to spread God's message." Basically both Christians and Muslims venerate Jesus as a messenger of God who reveals truth from God. Next... Both Christians and Muslims venerate the Torah. From this article... "No true Muslim of the world can even think of any blasphemous act against the Bible. According to a tradition of Abu-Dawud, once the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, went to settle a dispute within a Jewish tribe and a special mat was set for the Prophet to sit upon, but when the book of Torah was brought by the people, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, stood up in respect of the Torah and placed the book on the mat which was placed for him and he himself sat on the ground." Both Christians and Muslims are "people of the Book" in this way, reverencing the Torah as divine truth. Now...Matthew 22:34-40... But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. �Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?� And he said to him, �You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.� Here, Jesus is quoting two things from...well, now...the Torah. Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18. So, you have a divinely-called prophet of God who reiterates two commandments spoken in the Torah...and saying that "on these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Hmm... Now, if this is the case, doesn't this mean that both Christians AND Muslims would hold the Great Commandments to be RELIGIOUSLY BINDING upon them because they have the SAME PROPHET communicating the SAME TRUTH from the SAME SOURCE in both religious contexts? Neither Muslims nor Christians would say that the Prophet Jesus who speaks for God should be ignored or disobeyed...especially when He is a Prophet who is specifically referencing the Torah. Bottom line: It would seem that the importance and priority of Great Commandments spoken by the Prophet of God, Jesus, would be an ESSENTIAL COMMON GROUND between Islam and Christianity. Neither Christians NOR Muslims can ignore Jesus' re-emphasis of Torah commandments WITHOUT implicitly denying his authority as divine prophet. So...if we were to get a Muslim imam and a Eastern Orthodox bishop...and talk about Jesus (Issa) emphasizing the Torah-based commandments of loving God with all of oneself and loving the neighbor as oneself...there really couldn't be that much difference on THAT issue. They would BOTH have to say that those commandments are AUTHORITATIVE to guide their lives. Does that make sense? This is what I think is the essential message of the Prophet Jesus: Human beings are to express singular worship of and submission to the One Uncreated Creator by works of loving-kindness and compassion to ourselves and others...and thanksgiving, adoration and glorification to the Creator. In this, we are also to consecrate ourselves and be holy, compassionate, merciful, and loving because our Creator is holy, compassionate, merciful and loving. Any and all thoughts welcome! Edited by YieldedOne - 06 February 2011 at 9:15am