Are You That Prophet? [John 1:21]
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you THAT Prophet?” [John 1:19-21]
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That Prophet refers to Prophet Muhammad PBUH as we will see further.
Arrival Of Muhammad mentioned 32 times In Bible
When the chief priests and Levites asked John the Baptist who he was, they asked him in a very strange way. First they questioned him as to whether or not he was the anticipated “Messiah” [Christ in Koine Greek]. He was not the “Messiah” that had hoped for. Next they asked if he was the prophet Elijah and again he tells them, “No.” Now comes the really strange part. Finally, they asked him if he is “That Prophet?”
Are you Christ? – [No]
Are you Elijah? – [No]
Are you THAT Prophet? – [No]
What did they mean by “That Prophet?” We of course, know who the “Christ” is. After all, Christians should know that “Christ” is merely a shortened form of the Koine Greek word “christos,” intended to mean the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Thus we also see The Christ was not the Prophet they were asking about but a different one.
Notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist:
“Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21).
If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the words “the Prophet” occur in John 1:21, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15and 18:18 [2]. We conclude from this that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
The cross refrences in NIV bible tells us “That Prophet” refers to the one predicted in Deut 18:18, thus he was not the Jesus the Messiah as they [Messiah and That Prophet] are two different persons. Thus Jesus is not the Prophet. Going back to Deut 18:18 we read
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers [i.e. Ishmaelites] ; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” [Deuteronomy 18:18-19]
Here we read the Prophet i.e. That Prophet would come from Ishmaelites i.e. from Arab nations and Prophet Muhammad was one of the a descendant of Ishmael, and was indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad
Thus we conclude
– The Jews and John both know the Messiah was not that Prophet
– Messiah and That Prophet were two different persons
– That Prophet was Prophet Muhammad PBUH the last Prophet came after Prophet Jesus
“O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah {Almighty God} (sent) to you, confirming the Law (Torah or Old Testament) before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” [Holy Quran 61:6]
Arrival Of Muhammad mentioned 32 times In Bible
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[2] See the marginal notes in The NIV Study Bible, New International Version on verse 1:21, p. 1594.