Why Did the Jews Call Jesus "Messiah" If They Didn't Believe in Him? The Quranic Answer Explained
It is not new for the Jews, the killers of prophets and messengers, to kill Christ, peace be upon him, even if they do not believe in him. Their lack of faith does not mean that they do not believe inside that he is indeed a messenger from God. Rather, their hatred always drives them to deny and falsify the facts. So what prevents the Jews from killing Christ and denying his prophethood?
Back to our topic and regarding the noble verse, the response is always easy for the sheep that should enter the Guinness Group because there are sheep that bark and howl. The interpretation of the Jews’ saying that Christ is “the Messenger of God” is that he was a Jew, as a way of mocking and ridiculing. What is your evidence, O lightning bolt of Islam?
Imam Ibn Kathir: That is, we killed the one who claimed this position for himself, and this was done by them out of mockery and ridicule.
Imam Al-Razi: If it is said: The Jews were disbelievers in Jesus, enemies of him, and intended to kill him, calling him the sorcerer, the son of a sorcerer, and the perpetrator, the son of the perpetrator. So how did they say: We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God? The answer to this is from two aspects: The first: They said it in a mocking manner.
Imam Al-Baydawi: According to their claim, and it is possible that they said it in mockery, and similar to it is that your messenger who was sent to you is crazy, and that it is a renewal from God Almighty with His praise, or a replacement of the good mention in place of their bad mention.
That is, the Jews said it as mockery and derision. Would a Christian deny such a truth in his own book?
“And they twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” — Matthew 27:29
“And they put up over his head his accusation written: ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’” — Matthew 27:37
“And there was an inscription written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: ‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’” — Luke 23:38
Did the Jews and Romans believe that Jesus was really the King of the Jews, or was it just a mockery? This is an addition that confirms what is said — that it is proven that the Jews are sarcastic, as in these texts.
“And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘Alas, you who destroy the temple and build it in three days! Save yourself and come down from the cross!’ And the chief priests also mocked him among themselves with the scribes, saying, ‘He saved others; himself he cannot save! Let Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.’ And those who were crucified with him reviled him.” — Mark 15:29–32
“And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ And likewise the chief priests also, mocking him with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the king of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he is willing, for he said, I am the Son of God.’” — Matthew 27:39–43
From the previous texts it is clear that the mockers are: first, the passersby — whether common Jews, Roman soldiers, or both; and second, as stated in Mark 15:31 and Matthew 27:41, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders — all of whom are Jews. Since the mockery and ridicule were proven before the crucifixion — describing Christ as the Son of God and the King of the Jews while not believing in that — it is more appropriate and stronger that the same mockery occurred after. If the Christians say that this saying of the Jews was not proven in their books, we say to them: Have you read all the books of the Jews and not found this? Then the verse says “and she said,” and saying includes utterance and may include writing.
Tadros Yacoub Malti — Matthew 27 Commentary (The Crucified King): Saint Cyril of Jerusalem comments on the words of the chief priests and elders to Judas: “What is that to us? You see better,” and their saying about the silver thrown into the temple: “It is not lawful to put it into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.” Saying: “How strange! The murderers say: What is it to us? And they ask the one who accepted the price of the crime to see himself, but they who killed him do not have to see… They say to themselves: It is not lawful to throw it into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. What you have said is what condemns you! For if putting the price of blood into the treasury is considered a sin, how much more is the shedding of blood?! And if you see an excuse for the crucifixion of Christ, why do you refuse to accept the price?”
From the previous interpretation, Cyril of Jerusalem describes the chief priests and elders — the Jews — as “killing him,” saying “they killed him” because they were the reason for killing the crucified one. Since the Christians themselves describe the Jews as having killed Christ, it is more appropriate for the Jews themselves to boast that they are the killers of Christ and say this — whether because they do not know that he is a messenger, or because they deny that as well. These texts confirm that it was known at this time that the Jews killed Christ and that they believed that.
“Who killed the Lord Jesus and their prophets, and persecuted us. And they are displeasing to God and are hostile to all men.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:15
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man you took, being delivered by the deliberate plan and foreknowledge of God, and by the hands of wicked men you crucified and killed.”
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
When they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse generation.” And they gladly received his word and were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added that day. — Acts 2:22–23, 36–41
From the previous texts, when Peter said to the Israelites (Jews), “You have crucified and killed Him by the hands of wicked men,” they said to him and to the apostles, “What shall we do?” Peter said, “Repent and be baptized.” They accepted his words with joy and were baptized — meaning that they repented of what they believed and acknowledged that they had killed Christ. These texts confirm that it was known at this time that the Jews fought Christ and that the Jews themselves believed that. So the way they repented would be like this: “We have repented. Indeed, we killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of God.”