Part 1: Introduction and Old Testament Authenticity
On the Uncorrupted Nature and Authenticity of the Holy Scripture of the Bible.
Between 1947 and 1956, archaeological excavations were conducted in the caves of Qumran, the caves of Wadi Murabba’at (south of Qumran), Khirbet Mird (southwest of Qumran), as well as in several other caves in the Judean Desert and at Masada. During these excavations, manuscripts from the time of the Old Testament were found (the so-called Qumran manuscripts, or Dead Sea Scrolls). Further research established that the content of these manuscripts corresponds to the content of the Pentateuch of Moses that has come down to us. Therefore, we can speak with full confidence about the authenticity of these books. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls were found the Book of Genesis (24 finds), the Psalter (39 finds), the Book of Deuteronomy (33 finds), the Book of Exodus (18 finds), the Book of Leviticus (17 finds), the Book of Numbers (11 finds), and the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (22 finds), which contains prophecies about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see: Is. 53:1–12), His virgin birth (see: Is. 7:14), and His Divinity (see: Is. 9:6–7), as well as all other books of the Old Testament except Esther and Nehemiah.
Part 2: New Testament Authenticity and External Evidence
The authenticity of the New Testament books is proven by archaeological finds of ancient manuscripts, as well as by the works of ancient historians, bishops, and even enemies of Christianity, who referenced all four Gospels and quoted from them. This is discussed in great detail in B.I. Gladkov’s book « Interpretation of the Gospel » in the « Introduction » chapter. Retelling everything written there would take a very long time, but here is one excerpt from this book:
« If Celsus (a Roman philosopher and supporter of the persecution of Christians in the mid-second century), the heretics (125-160 AD) – (Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides), and other enemies of Christ had doubted the authenticity of the Gospels, they would certainly have tried to prove the validity of their doubts. But since their works contain not even a hint of such attempts, we must conclude that they were forced to reject all doubts and recognize the authenticity of the Gospels. They were forced to do this, of course, not out of frivolity, but through comprehensive research. And if they could have guessed that many centuries later there would be people who would deny the authenticity of our Gospels, they would hardly have referred to the Gospels in their writings as the indisputable Scriptures of the disciples of Jesus Christ, they would hardly have made verbatim borrowings from them, they would hardly have left such a weapon against the unbelievers! »
Another excerpt from the same book speaks about the reliability of the Gospel narratives:
« Pilate reported to the Roman Emperor Tiberius that Christ was crucified and rose from the dead, that this event was known to everyone in Palestine, that many revered Him as God, and that Pilate himself had heard of His miracles. Tiberius, receiving this report, ordered the Roman Senate to include Jesus Christ among the gods. This is attested by Tertullian and Eusebius. Moreover, Tertullian, in his ‘Apology,’ addressing the rulers of Rome, refers to documents kept in their archives to confirm his words: ‘Consult your annals!’ It should be noted that Tertullian wrote at a time when Christianity was considered a harmful sect, and therefore he would hardly have so boldly referred to Roman documents if Pilate’s report were not recorded there. ‘Consult your annals,’ he said, ‘and you will see that I speak the truth!’ And that he indeed spoke the truth about Pilate’s report is confirmed by the impression this report made on Emperor Tiberius: agreeing to recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ, Tiberius did not persecute Christians, and during his reign, Christianity spread unhindered within the Roman Empire. »
Pliny the Younger, a contemporary of Tacitus, in his letter to Emperor Trajan, testifies to the rapid spread of Christianity in Asia Minor, the moral purity and steadfastness of Christians despite cruel persecutions, and their worship of Christ as God.
The Talmud, a collection of Jewish oral traditions and rabbinic explanations of the law, in its second part called the Gemara (compiled in Palestine around 390 AD), states that Jesus Christ performed miracles, but the Talmud attributes those miracles to the work of an evil spirit. The Talmud is generally extremely hostile to Jesus Christ, using expressions like: « May His name be blotted out and may the memory of Him perish! » Despite this clear bias, which deprives the Talmud of value as reliable historical research, its testimony that Christ performed miracles is important for us. If the compilers of the Talmud, the sworn enemies of Christ, did not dare to deny the fact that He performed miracles, but only attributed them to satan, then we must conclude that the performance of miracles by Jesus Christ is beyond any doubt.
Josephus, a Jewish historian born in 37 AD, in his work « Jewish Antiquities » (Book 18, Chapter 3, Section 3), speaks of Jesus Christ as follows:
« About this time lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one should call Him a man. For He was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of those who gladly receive the truth. He won over many Jews and many Greeks. He was the Messiah (Christ). When Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, condemned Him to the cross, those who had first loved Him did not cease. He appeared to them alive again on the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from Him, has not disappeared to this day. »
The above testimony of Josephus about Jesus Christ is found in all manuscripts of his work and is quoted by the historian Eusebius (Book 1, Chapter 11) without any doubt as to its authenticity, as unquestionably belonging to Josephus.
Part 3: Other Ancient Manuscripts
Besides the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are other ancient manuscripts proving the authenticity of both the Old and New Testaments:
- The Codex Alexandrinus. This volume, written in the 5th century AD, contains the entire Bible except for a few lost leaves from the New Testament (namely: Matthew 1:1–25:6, John 6:50–8:52, and 2 Corinthians 4:13–12:6). It includes nothing that is not part of the modern Bible. The manuscript is kept in the British Museum in London.
- The Codex Sinaiticus. This is a very ancient manuscript dating from the end of the 4th century. It contains the entire New Testament and a significant part of the Old Testament. For centuries, it was kept in the St. Petersburg Imperial Library and was sold to the British government for one hundred thousand pounds. Currently, it is also in the British Museum.
- The Masoretic Texts. Ancient biblical manuscripts belong not only to Christians but also to Jews, who revere the Old Testament as the only Scripture given to them. These are texts written in Hebrew – the original language of the Old Testament – and they are at least a thousand years old. They are known as the Masoretic Texts.
- The Septuagint. The Septuagint is the name of the first translation of the Old Testament into Greek. It was transcribed in the 2nd century BC and contains all the major prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, the affirmation that He is the Son of God (see: Ps. 2:7; 1 Chron. 17:11–14), and some details of His suffering and redemptive death (see: Ps. 22, 69). The early Church widely used the Septuagint.
- Fragments of the Greek New Testament. There are many fragments of the original Greek text of the New Testament preserved from the 2nd century AD onwards. All of them, when collected together, constitute the content of the New Testament as we know it. Truly, there are no other literary works from the same era that have as many manuscript witnesses as the Greek text of the New Testament.
Part 4: Prophet David on the Lord Jesus Christ (Psalm 109)
So, having established the proof of the authenticity and reliability of the biblical Scripture, let us not delay in understanding what the holy prophets, whom Muslims also revere (but, unfortunately, with a distorted understanding of them), say about Jesus Christ.
Prophet David on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us take the book beloved by all Orthodox Christians, the Psalter. The Psalter is a book included in the biblical collection.
The first thing to note is how Prophet David speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ: « The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool » (Psalm 110:1 – numbering in KJV; original cites Psalm 109:1).
In this context, the word « right hand » does not mean physically on the right side of God, since God is incorporeal and has neither a right nor a left side. Rather, it signifies the equality and consubstantiality of God the Father and the Son. If we do not observe this condition – equality and consubstantiality – but understand it literally as a physical location, it would mean God the Father is on the left side of Christ (the Messiah), which is unworthy of God the Father, and even more unworthy if instead of the Pre-Eternal Lord Jesus Christ – the Only Begotten Son – there was some ordinary man.
Similarly, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ identifies His consubstantiality with the Heavenly Father:
« While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions » (Matthew 22:41-46).
And the first martyr, Deacon Stephen, while being stoned, testified that he saw Jesus « standing on the right hand of God » (Acts 7:55). He prayed and said, « Lord Jesus, receive my spirit » (Acts 7:59) – addressing Jesus as God, not as a man, for no one but God can decide to receive a human soul into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Furthermore, in verse 3 of Psalm 109 (110), it is written: « …from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth » (Psalm 110:3). Many know who « the morning star » (lucifer) is – a fallen angel who was initially among the other angels but fell away from God and became satan. « From the womb of the morning » means that the birth of the Son was before the creation of angels (« And he said unto them, I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven » – Luke 10:18). As known from Genesis, man was created later than angels, in the final days of creation. From this, it follows that the nature of the Messiah is not human but divine, for He is not created but begotten of the Father (« The LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee » – Psalm 2:7). « The generation of the Son is an act of nature. Creation, on the contrary, is an act of will and intention, » says St. John of Damascus without deceit. A man does not beget an ant, but a man; likewise, from God, a creature is not begotten, but the Consubstantial Son, the Coeternal and Co-Without-Beginning.
Part 5: Other Old Testament Prophecies of Christ’s Divinity and Eternity
Besides Psalm 109 (110), the prophet mentions both the Father and the Son together in another place: « Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows » (Psalm 45:7; original cites Ps. 44:8).
In Psalm 2:2, the Anointed of the Lord is set alongside the Father against the earthly kings: « The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed » (Psalm 2:2), which echoes Christ’s words that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The eternal nature, not temporary human nature, is spoken of by the Jewish people: « The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever » (John 12:34). The Law speaks of this in verses like:
Sabaoth, in literal Hebrew translation, means « Lord of Hosts, » so this name is equally applied to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Trinity as a whole (« Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts » – Isaiah 6:3). Another name of God used in Jewish tradition is Yahweh, which literally means « The Existing One » or « I AM. » Recall that the Gospel says: « Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning » (John 8:25 – KJV; more literally: « I am the Beginning, who also speaks to you »). Also, Christ said to Moses: « And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM » (Exodus 3:14).
God Sabaoth, who sent His messenger to prepare the way before Him, according to Malachi 3:1, is identified with Jesus; and the messenger is identified with John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).
John the Theologian, in the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10), identifies God with Jesus Christ – « Though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him » (John 12:37) and « He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them » (John 12:40).
Also, in the prophecies of Isaiah 35:5-6 and 61:1, where God Sabaoth speaks (« For I the LORD love judgment » – Isaiah 61:8), announcing: « The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me » (Isaiah 61:1), we see Jesus (Luke 7:19-22).
From these few quotes from the Law, it follows that the true Messiah has the Pre-Eternal Divine nature of the Lawgiver, which the Lord of the Sabbath had (Mark 2:28).
Part 6: Critique of Islamic Views on God and Polygamy
Muslims, however, reject the existence of a Son of God and reject the existence of the Lord Himself in three hypostases: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In doing so, they make God not a great and almighty Sovereign with inherent free will (for as God wills, so He acts, and He can appear both in three hypostases and personally), but rather a convenient, pocket-sized idol, saying, in effect, ‘let God look the way I understand Him.’ Such people find it very convenient when an idol indulges their passions, allowing, for example, polygamy. Such people find it very convenient to groundlessly reject the authenticity of the Holy Scripture, in which Jesus Christ speaks of the impossibility of such adulterous cohabitation. This is spoken of in both the New and Old Testaments. They find it very convenient not to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord, and therefore not to recognize His commands. All this speaks not of the divine nature of « Allah, » but of the nature of human hands, just as many idols were merely artificial creations for the indulgence of human passions.
It should be admitted that some men in the Old Testament sinned with polygamy. Or more precisely, with legalized adulterous cohabitation, for if adultery is elevated to the rank of law, the adulterer does not cease to be an adulterer. God gave Adam one wife, not two or four; likewise, God gave Eve one husband, not several.
The Law states: « And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh » (Genesis 2:21-24). From Scripture, we see that the Lord took ONE rib from Adam, not four or thirty, therefore Scripture says that TWO shall be one flesh, not five or thirty-one.
The same words were repeated by the Existing One, Christ: « And Pharisees came to him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so » (Matthew 19:5-8). Likewise, some men of the Old Testament took multiple wives due to their hardness of heart, but it was not so from the beginning.
Prophet Moses speaks of a future king: « Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away » (Deuteronomy 17:17). The Muslim opinion that Moses had two wives is false.
Passions and vices often cloud a person’s reason; such a person does not want to understand the Law and the Prophets. Therefore, John the Baptist, before speaking of Christ, calls: « Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand » (Matthew 3:2). He who does not rid himself of the power of passions and vices will not want to know the Truth: « Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God » (John 3:5). That is why Christ sent an angel to prepare the way before Him: « Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me » (Malachi 3:1).
In this sense, Muhammad did not fulfill the Law. The Quran allows a husband to have four wives (4:3). Muhammad himself had more wives than the number he established in the Quran… (examples of Aisha’s young age and Zaynab given). Compared to Muhammad, even an ‘old man’ (OT righteous) appears holy. Unlike Muslims, Christians do not believe that for failing to keep the Law a person must necessarily go to heaven or be ‘exalted to the seventh heaven,’ but to hell, where the prophets and even the righteous were until their sins were atoned for by the death of Christ, the Savior of the world, for it was not the weight of personal transgressions that closed the gates of Paradise, but the very corruption of human nature itself. If even David cries out: 'No one living shall be justified before You' (Ps. 142:2), — then it is all the more meaningless to appeal to Muhammad's 'fulfillment of the law.' Salvation lies not in the observance of external norms, but in the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
Part 7: Fulfillment of Prophecies and the Holy Spirit
The fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament righteous is an action of the Holy Spirit (« Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness » – Psalm 143:10, Brenton). The Holy Spirit is a witness of the Living God, not a soulless idol. And the Holy Spirit does not act in Islam – « Can one be spiritual without the Spirit? Is he who does not honor the Spirit partaker of the Spirit? Does he who is baptized into a creature and fellow servant honor the Spirit? » said St. Gregory the Theologian against the Arians. Jews and Muslims, rejecting Christ God and the Holy Spirit, turn their scripture into dead scripture. « If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned » (John 15:6), says Christ.
Part 8: Prophet David on the Miracles of Jesus
The words of Prophet David were fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ: « Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger » (Psalm 8:2; original cites Ps. 8:3) – Gospel of Matthew: « And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? » (Matthew 21:14-16).
Unlike Jesus Christ, the so-called prophet Muhammad was not distinguished by earning the respect of infants and young children. The pagans demanded signs from Muhammad… (story about Quraysh asking for signs and the response of Muslims that Muhammad was not a sorcerer, poet, or soothsayer).
Part 9: Prophet David on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
In Psalm 16 (original cites Ps. 15), verses 8-11, Prophet David prophesies about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter refers to this passage when he says: « Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost » (Acts 2:24-38).
Also in Psalm 30 (original cites Ps. 29), Prophet David speaks of the resurrection of the Savior: « I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit » (Psalm 30:1-3).
Muslims reject the fact of Christ’s death on the cross, and therefore His resurrection (which is groundless, as we have previously proven the authenticity and reliability of the Gospels and other biblical books), but Prophet David in Psalm 22 (original cites Ps. 21) foretells the sufferings of Christ: « My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? » (Psalm 22:1) and « My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture » (Psalm 22:15-18). All this was fulfilled according to Scripture (Matthew 27:46; John 19:23-24).
Part 10: Prophet David on the Acceptable Sacrifice to God
It is known that on the Muslim holiday of Kurban Bayram, Muslims sacrifice rams. According to Muslim belief, a Muslim will ride into paradise on the ram he sacrifices. The spectacle of a massive public slaughter of rams seems completely wild to modern people. Similarly, the Jews turned the temple of the Lord into a slaughterhouse rather than a house of prayer. Therefore, Jesus Christ drove out of God’s temple all those who participated in such acts, those who sold and bought lambs and doves for sacrifice, as if for purification from sin. And Christ said to them: « It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves » (Matthew 21:13).
Muslims might object, saying they do not do this in a mosque. But is God’s will to establish a ‘den of thieves’ outside the temple? In Psalm 40 (original cites Ps. 39), Prophet David says of the Lord: « Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire » (Psalm 40:6) and also « For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise » (Psalm 51:16-17). The sacrifice pleasing to God is a contrite heart and genuine repentance, not a ritualistic, ostentatious slaughter.
Part 11: Prophet David on the Betrayal of Jesus Christ
In Psalm 41 (original cites Ps. 40), Prophet David prophesies about the betrayal of Judas: « Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me » (Psalm 41:9). And Christ speaks of this, pointing out that He is the Messiah and Lord of whom the prophets spoke: « I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me » (John 13:18-20).
From Scripture, we see that Christ does not hide behind others but accepts the will of Him who sent Him. But how hard it is to bear the betrayal of people from one’s innermost circle; these torments are no less terrible than the torture of the body. Therefore, by the betrayal of Judas, not only Christ’s body was crucified, but God Himself. And Christ endured this as well. And this crucifixion the demons of Islam cannot possibly deny. For their cunning is only for hard-hearted people, who only clean the outside of the cup and are unable to see the grief of another person.
The merciful Messiah endured everything with humility, which cannot be said of Muhammad. In this man, there was not only no humility, but he himself betrayed his friends. (Story about Muhammad asking a friend to cover him while he escaped, and about the friend killed by the sword).
I do not know if anyone needs such friends who follow the path of the Sunnah, i.e., do everything Muhammad did. I do not, thank you. My Good Shepherd is Christ, who did not set me up like Muhammad but died for me on the cross.
Part 12: Prophet David Honors the Living God
Regarding the Holy Spirit, Prophet David says in Psalm 51: « Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me » (Psalm 51:11). And also: « Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? » (Psalm 139:7); « Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness » (Psalm 143:10). Here Prophet David once again testifies of our God as a living God, not a soulless idol.
In 2 Samuel 23:2, David points to the testimony of the Holy Spirit speaking of the future incarnation of the Word of God – Jesus Christ: « The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue » (2 Samuel 23:2).
In Psalm 138 (original cites Ps. 137), Prophet David points out that the « Word of the Lord » is not only the word spoken by God but indicates that the « Word of God » (Revelation 19:13) is also His name: « …for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name » (Psalm 138:2). This is similar to how in Jewish and Christian tradition, the name of God is Sabaoth. As we mentioned earlier, the name « Sabaoth » literally translates from Hebrew as « Lord of Hosts, » so this name is equally applied to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to the Holy Trinity as a whole (« Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts » – Isaiah 6:3). Another name of God used in Jewish tradition is Yahweh, which literally means « The Existing One. » Recall that the Gospel says: « Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning » (John 8:25 – KJV), and Christ also said to Moses: « And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM » (Exodus 3:14).
Centuries later, the Holy Apostle John testifies of the incarnate Word of God: « And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God » (Revelation 19:13). « In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made » (John 1:1-3). « And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth » (John 1:14).
In any language, « Only Begotten Son » means the uniquely born Son. Begotten, not created, and moreover unique, not like us who are sons of God by our humanity – He is the unique Only Begotten! The Old Testament also says that the Son of God has a divine nature (Isaiah 9:6-7). Also in another place, Christ is called the Word of God (1 John 1:1-3). The Apostle John speaks of the unity of the testimony of the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit in his first epistle: « For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son » (1 John 5:7-9).
Anti-Trinitarians typically attack verse 1 John 5:7, putting it under false suspicion of inauthenticity, as it is one of the most direct testimonies of the unity of the Holy Trinity. But today we have evidence affirming its indisputable authenticity and indisputable belonging to Scripture, which is about 200 years older than the alleged evidence against the verse. Thus, St. Cyprian of Carthage (between 200 and 258 AD) indicates the existence of this verse in the Bible at the dawn of Christianity, quoting it: « He who breaks the peace and the law of Christ is against Christ; he who gathers elsewhere outside the Church scatters the Church of Christ. The Lord says: ‘I and the Father are one;’ and it is written of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: ‘And these three are one.’ »
Part 13: The Quran and the Divinity of Christ
At this point, we remind our respected Muslims that the Quran commands to follow the Scripture of Christians. Even the Quran says that Jesus Christ is the Word of Allah: « The Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, was only a messenger of Allah and His word which He conveyed to Maryam, and a spirit from Him » (An-Nisa 4:171). As we see, there is also mention of the Holy Spirit here. A « faithful » Muslim will say that this is not about the Holy Spirit but about the spirit of the prophets… Then from whom does this spirit originate, and who sends it, from Allah or from Muhammad himself? If this comes from Muhammad, then it is a blasphemous reduction of the Spirit to a created being and turns Muhammad into an idol. But if the Holy Spirit is not the Life-Giving Godhead, but merely a created power, then how are we to account for the fact that Scripture calls Him the 'breath of life' (Gen. 2:7)? For it is the Spirit Himself who gives life (John 6:63). By denying His Deity, Muslims do not merely distort the teaching on the Trinity — they inadvertently deprive Allah Himself of the Life-Giving Principle, without which He proves to be not the Source of being and life, but a breathless, abstract, and lifeless idol. As St. Basil the Great states: "The Spirit is that through which the Divine Life flows from the Father into creation. If the Spirit is removed, then the Godhead appears not as the "Fountain of Life," but as a frozen, unknowable nothing."
Similarly, in another passage St. Basil the Great says: "If it is said that God dwells in us through the Spirit, is it not manifest impiety to affirm that the Spirit Himself has no share in the Divine?"
The words of Scripture about the Holy Spirit cannot be untrue, as given to the Apostles by God: « But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me » (John 15:26). All this indicates that Muhammad or whoever wrote the Quran was familiar with the Gospel of John, the Revelation of John the Theologian, and even his First Epistle. And since the writer of the Quran was familiar with these books, there is no doubt about the authority of these Scriptures at the very time the Quran was written. The authority of Scripture also implies that these books were the basis of liturgical books, as they were in the second century AD, at the dawn of Christianity, as we previously discussed in detail. And since one of the main messages of Biblical Scripture is that Jesus Christ is the Word of God, which existed from the creation of the world, before Abraham was – « In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God » (John 1:1) – and this message has not changed to this day, all this collectively further testifies to the groundlessness of the Muslim opinion that the Bible was distorted.
A reasonable and God-fearing person will accept the baptism of the Living God and confess the Lord Jesus Christ according to the words of the Psalmist: « In God will I praise his word » (Psalm 56:10).
Part 14: Who is this King of Glory? (Psalm 24)
We said that in the Quran, Jesus is called the Word of God, but also the Messiah: « The Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, was only a messenger of Allah and His word… » (An-Nisa 4:171). There is another verse in the Quran that says Jesus is the Messiah: « O Maryam, indeed Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Isa, son of Maryam, highly honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to Allah) » (Quran 3:45). But Muslims do not recognize the Messiah as God.
What does Prophet David say about the Messiah? Who should the Messiah be – a man with his passions, weaknesses, and sins, or God who founded the earth upon the seas? « Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? » (Psalm 24:3) – asks the prophet – « He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation » (Psalm 24:4-5).
In Jewish tradition, it was believed that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem through these gates. But the Jews mistakenly identified the Messiah as a conquering human king who would subjugate all nations to them. According to Christian understanding, the one who will enter through the Golden Gates in the future will be the false Messiah, the antichrist, for Christ already entered Jerusalem through the Golden Gates. Muslims, fearing the coming of the one whom the Jews consider the Messiah, and according to their beliefs, walled up the gates. Thus, Muslims, without realizing it, are a blind instrument of the Living God, fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel: « Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut » (Ezekiel 44:2).
Do you see how Prophet Ezekiel speaks: « the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it »? Prophet David also answers the question of who the Messiah is and who the King of Glory is:
« Who is this King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of Glory » (Psalm 24:8-10).
Thus, the prophets speak of the Messiah as God, not as a man, which indicates the incorrect beliefs of Jews, Muslims, and some other sectarian movements who blasphemously think that Jesus Christ is not God but a creation.
Part 15: The Messiah is God of All Nations
Muslims or Jews might ask: « But how is it that Prophet Ezekiel speaks of the God of Israel, not of the God Jesus Christ – the God of many nations? » The answer to this question becomes obvious when we turn to Psalms 65, 66, 85, and 137 (original citations) of Prophet David, which foretell the conversion of the Gentiles to the Holy God. Before the coming of Christ the Savior, only the Jews themselves could call upon God.
« O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard » (Psalm 66:8) – says the prophet – « Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth » (Psalm 67:3-4). « All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name » (Psalm 86:9). « All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD » (Psalm 138:4-5). The truth is also testified by the fact that God sent the prophet Jonah to prophesy not to the Jews, who considered themselves God’s exclusive chosen people, but to the Gentiles in Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian kingdom. As a result, the Ninevites repented before the Holy God of their sins. Jesus Christ also points to this in response to the cunning of the Jewish high priests, speaking of His future resurrection three days after the crucifixion, just as the prophet Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and then prophesied in Nineveh: « But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here » (Matthew 12:39-41). Therefore, in Jesus Christ, the God of all people of the earth who come to Him with repentance was incarnated.
Part 16: The Second Coming and Judgment (Psalm 68)
Prophet David speaks not only of the coming of God into the world and the conversion of nations to Him but also of His Second Coming – the Last Judgment, when sinners will stand before the Face of the Lord and be condemned to eternal torment together with the devil and his servants, while the righteous will inherit the earth: « Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice » (Psalm 68:1-3). Moses also prophesied, saying: « Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee » (Numbers 10:35). Moses did not speak like Muslims playing a broken telephone, that at the end of ages, a certain person who was only a prophet named Isa (Jesus) will rise and destroy all crosses, as done by terrorist organizations like ISIS, banned in Russia, or as done in Turkey when the Islamic government turned many ancient Orthodox churches into mosques and thus defiled them. But Moses said: « Rise up, LORD » (Numbers 10:35). God will judge each person without partiality, for deeds of heresy, unmercifulness, and any other sin.
Part 17: Christ the Captivator of Captivity (Psalm 68:18)
In the same Psalm 68, Prophet David speaks of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and His victorious resurrection: « Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them » (Psalm 68:18). How accurately the prophet speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ: « Thou hast led captivity captive » – He did not destroy it yet, but led it captive. From the time God ascended on high, sin no longer has power over man; it is captured but not destroyed, because God endowed man with free choice between God and the devil. God needs man’s free love, not the binary programmed code of a robot. Robots and zombies are needed by satan, and the invented idol in the Quran says: « I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me » (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, verse 56). Free choice gives us the opportunity to wash away original sin through baptism and repent before the Lord Jesus Christ of our committed sins.
Some may wonder about the meaning of the continuation of the prophet David’s phrase: « thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them » (Psalm 68:18). To understand this, it is enough to recall that Orthodox Christians often submit notes for the repose of the departed in church. When prayers are read for these people (which are the gifts for men that God receives), particles of the prosphora are taken out during the liturgy and washed with wine, and by the grace of Christ’s Blood, the Lord forgives some of the sins committed by these people. This Orthodox rite reflects the love for neighbors that breathes in the Gospel story of how friends lowered a paralytic man through a dismantled roof to Jesus Christ because there was no other way to approach Him due to the crowd. And the Lord healed him, saying to him – « thy sins be forgiven thee » (Matthew 9:2). Likewise, Orthodox Christians give alms to the poor for the departed and do good deeds for neighbors during memorials. All this is pleasing to God and beneficial for the departed.
But the heretical views of Roman Catholics, Protestants, and other derivative heresies do not consider it possible that God can have mercy on the departed through the good deeds of their neighbors performed for them, through the prayers of the Church and the saints. Therefore, they do not acknowledge that God receives gifts for men, so that even from the rebellious they might dwell with the Lord God (Psalm 68:18). Therefore, to avoid having condemnation for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit with them at the hour of judgment, baptism must be in the canonical Orthodox Church.
Part 18: The Poor in Spirit of Prophet David (Psalm 69)
« If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you » (John 15:18-19). In Psalm 69 (original cites Ps. 68), Prophet David repents before the Lord of his sins, repenting not just in words but in his deeds and actions. For this, in his striving not to sin, he endures reproach from other people and thus becomes like Christ, who endured reproach without guilt: « But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause » (John 15:25), says the Lord. The prophet, before the incarnation of Christ, through his true repentance became a confessor of Christ – « I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them » (Psalm 69:3-11).
And as a reward, the prophet earned a crown when, for the forgiveness of sins, God fulfilled the words of the prophet: « They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink » (Psalm 69:21) – fulfillment – « After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost » (John 19:28-30).
This passage of the Gospel reflects precisely that God fulfilled the words of the prophet, not that they were fulfilled by the power of the prophet. Nothing can be fulfilled by the power of a prophet, nor by the power of any other man. But God fulfilled the words of the prophet as a sign of forgiveness of his sins, because he repented without hypocrisy. And God can change both the future of each specific person and their past, just as God changed the past and future of Prophet David. He changed the past by forgiving him his sins, and the future when He suffered death as a sacrifice for human sins, descended into hell, and led David out of hell. So we, the sinful, in our true repentance, must ask the Lord to change our coming eternal torment.
Now let us ask ourselves: was the so-called « prophet » Muhammad a true prophet? Did he have a poor spirit (a spirit of repentance) like Prophet David, or did he have a spirit of vengeance (the spirit of antichrist)? (Story about Muhammad remembering a fight from age six and ordering the man’s death, and about his false prophecy before the Battle of Uhud). Concerning such false prophets, the Lord says: « The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart » (Jeremiah 14:14).
Part 19: David’s Mercy vs. Muhammad’s Curses
Also, do not forget to mention how David did not keep the law of an eye for an eye (Leviticus 24:19-20), even though the Old Testament laws were still in effect, when he did not kill his enemy and pursuer Saul, who chased him to kill him (« And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept, and said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day » – 1 Samuel 24:16-19). God legalized this old law not so that they would do this, but so that they would not do it, because the fear of suffering the same would prevent them from doing it. Although David was forced in some cases to observe the letter of the old law, his heart abstained from evil – « Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness » (Psalm 51:1) – David cried out. And now Christ, with the authority of God, forbids doing this not out of fear but out of love: « But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you » (Matthew 5:44).
We can judge the heart of Muhammad by his curses (citing Quran 2:88, 2:10, 2:156, 9:30, 9:127, 63:11, 111:1).
Part 20: God is Not Deceitful; Allah as a Character
In Psalm 101 (original cites Ps. 100), verse 7, the Lord speaks through the prophet: « He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight » (Psalm 101:7). The true Living God does not tolerate lies and deceit, for « The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works » (Psalm 145:17). Why would He need to be deceitful if He is the creator and ruler of the destinies of everything? But Muhammad, in his wickedness, went so far as to blasphemously call God a liar: « And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed, and Allah is the best of schemers » (Surah 3:54; Surah 8:30). The true father of lies is not God, but the evil one, who tempted Adam and Eve to sin. We are once again convinced that Allah in the Quran is nothing more than a fictional character, not the Living God.
My dear ones, seek the Holy God, who will not deceive you or betray you. Christ says: « I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep » (John 10:11-13).
Part 21: A Priest Forever After the Order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14, Hebrews 7)
… « But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year » (Genesis 17:21).
There is an opinion in some public circles that Islam is an Abrahamic religion. This is because Muslims call themselves heirs of Abraham through the line of Ishmael, Abraham’s illegitimate son from the concubine Hagar. An ordinary person, without going into details, might take this Islamic postulate at face value. But let us try to understand if this is really so.
Let us start with the fact that the biblical Scripture does mention Abraham’s illegitimate son, Ishmael. It must be said that Muslims themselves consider the Pentateuch of Moses (the very books that speak of Ishmael) to be distorted, yet they still refer to biblical sources, and even the Quran itself references biblical sources. Thus, they contradict themselves, which does not bother them in the least. This clearly shows a suppression of the human personality and free will. Islam itself does not presuppose faith as understood in Christianity; a more accurate definition of Islam is submission to the social processes and foundations that exist in Islamic society. Islam translates to « submission. » Moreover, it is not crucial how this « submission » is achieved in Islam; it depends on the degree of radicalization of Islamic societies.
As for the authenticity of the Pentateuch of Moses, we have already drawn attention to this at the beginning of the article.
So, the Bible does speak of Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael and his legitimate son Isaac: « And God said unto Abraham… for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed » (Genesis 21:12-13). It should be noted that pulling this phrase out of its biblical context is also a reason for the cunning one to suggest that Islam is an Abrahamic religion. But let us examine what else God said regarding Isaac and Ishmael: « And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. »; « And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year » (Genesis 17:15-16, 19-21). It should be noted here that it is through Isaac that God will establish the Covenant and give the promise of the Holy Spirit, through whom all the nations of the earth will turn to God, but out of God’s mercy, He will multiply the descendants of Ishmael like the descendants of Isaac. Therefore, the laws of promise given by God to Abraham do not apply to Ishmael: « And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed » (Genesis 12:3). Do you see how God says « in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed » – not just the nation of Israel, but all nations – this is beyond the laws of the flesh.
On Ishmael, however, other laws remain – the laws of the flesh – « And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed » (Genesis 21:13). Actually, this same law applies to pagans as well. Look how many Hindus were born – over a billion; look how many Chinese were born – over a billion; every sixth inhabitant of the earth is a descendant of the bloodthirsty Genghis Khan, who raised mountains from the heads of slain people. But over all of them, God commands the sun to rise and sends rain (Matthew 5:45), so God grows their descendants, who will later turn to Christ the Savior. See how absurdly Muslims take God’s love and mercy for their own exclusivity.
Can Islam then be called an Abrahamic religion if among the descendants of Ishmael there are Orthodox Christians, pagans, and Muslims? Moreover, what is there to say, even among the descendants of Muhammad, Orthodox Christians might be found. One could still assert, with great strain, and only from the point of view of the law of the flesh (similar to how Judaism is inherited among Jews), that Islam is an Abrahamic religion if the heirs of Ishmael inherited Islam, but this is not the case. From Ishmael to Muhammad is over 1000 years. If some descendants of Ishmael were fire-worshippers, then fire-worship would also be called an Abrahamic religion.
The true Abrahamic religion is that on which the promise given by God to Abraham operates, and which was transmitted by God to Isaac. This true and only Abrahamic religion is Orthodox Christianity – the original faith of the Holy Apostles. Because it is in Orthodoxy that we observe the action of the Holy Spirit, which is the promise to Abraham, « and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed » (Genesis 12:3).
It is also interesting to learn how faith in the God Jesus Christ became that very faith according to the promise of Abraham given by THE SAME God.
Part 22: The Scepter of Judah and the Priesthood of Melchizedek
It is known that in Old Testament times, the Jewish people were divided into several tribes, including the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Levi. The high priests and Pharisees came from the tribe of Levi, forming the basis of the religious Jewish society. It is known that Jesus Christ was a descendant of King David, who came from the tribe of Judah – « Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise » (Genesis 49:8). The Book of Genesis is a prophetic book, and the Jews expected their Messiah precisely at the time when Jesus Christ was to come: « The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be » (Genesis 49:10). That is, precisely when the Jewish people became subject to the Roman conquerors. And then Shiloh (the Reconciler) came, and the sceptre departed from Judah. Do you see, Scripture says « Reconciler, » not a warrior or conqueror who would conquer all nations, as expected by the Jewish high priests and Pharisees who crucified Christ.
Also, it is worth noting again how Prophet David speaks of the Messiah. « The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool » (Psalm 110:1) – and also: « The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek » (Psalm 110:4). « Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek » – see what the Lord says about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son. What does it mean, a priest after the order of Melchizedek? For this, we must again go back to the time of Abraham and remember that even before the birth of Ishmael and Isaac: « And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all » (Genesis 14:18-20). See how it says « he brought forth bread and wine, » which in the New Testament is miraculously transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. It should be noted again that only the Holy Conciliar Apostolic Church preserves the succession from the faith of the Holy Apostles, which they received from the Lord Jesus Christ, and only she communes the faithful with the Body and Blood of Christ, transformed from bread and wine. This further proves that Orthodox Christianity is the true and only Abrahamic religion, and also that Catholics, Protestants, and other sectarians cannot be called Christians.
This is also what the Apostle Paul says in his Epistle to the Hebrews: « For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him » (Hebrews 7:1-10).
Do you see how great is the One to whom even Levi himself, while still in the loins of Abraham, paid tithes? Do you see how great is the One to whom Isaac, Ishmael, and all their descendants, while still in the loins of Abraham, paid tithes? (The significance of this prophecy is also explained in other patristic interpretations). This also indicates that the so-called « prophet » of Muslims, Muhammad, who did not possess the grace of the Holy Spirit (for he did not have true repentance and the fruits of the Spirit), could not be a priest after the order of Melchizedek, nor a true prophet, nor the Messiah. Therefore, all the claims of Muslims to be the heirs of Abraham, and that their religion is Abrahamic, are false and groundless. The true heirs of Abraham are Orthodox Christians, who by faith in Christ the Savior receive the promise of the Holy Spirit and become children of Abraham not according to the flesh, but according to the promise. And as the Apostle Paul says: « Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham » (Galatians 3:7). And further: « And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise » (Galatians 3:29). This is the true faith, the true Abrahamic religion – Holy Orthodoxy. And may the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the King of Glory, the Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, help us to remain in this truth until the end of our days. Amen.