Conclusion: Jesus was raised from the dead

To summarise, we note that the comparison between Adam and Jesus in Al-i Imran 3:59

concerns their existence 'before Godʼ. According to the Qur'an, both men find themselves at certain instances during their existence in a place 'before Godʼ: Adam was originally 'created before Godʼ, and Jesus was exalted ʻto Godʼ after his departure from this earth. Jesus' sojourn after his removal from earth and exaltation to God certainly corresponds to the description of ʻbefore Godʼ. Jesus' birth, on the other hand, did not take place explicitly ʻbefore Godʼ but certainly on earth with an enormous distance to God that needed to be bridged by angels. The context (Al-i Imran 3:55) and the choice of words ʻbefore Godʼ clearly indicate that the comparison between Adam and Jesus in Al-i İmran 3:59 is about Jesus' state after his departure from earth and exaltation to God. Let us summarise our argument and draw the logical conclusion:

(1) When the words ''Be' and it was!' are used in comparisons with the first creation - here the creation of Adam - the Qur'an is usually talking about the new creation of human beings on the day of resurrection. The argument runs along the following lines: just as God was able to create the world and its inhabitants at the beginning, so God will bring back to life humans again on the day of resurrection; (2) The words ʻ"Be!" (kun), and he was (fe-yekûn(u))!ʼ in Al-i Imran 3:59 refer first and foremost to Adam, not to Jesus. The similar choice of words in connection with Jesus' birth (Al-i Imran 3:47) is therefore not a sufficient argument for identifying Jesus' state 'before God' with his birth. We rather look for a time in Jesus' existence that resembles the situation of Adam's state at the time of his creation. Even if we accept that the experience of God's active bringing about a new existance as expressed in the term '"Be!" and he was' must also be determinative for Jesus' state 'before God', that does not necessarily imply that this must be his 'C-B'. Because in the Qur'an the resurrection of human beings is also described with the same expression '"Be!" and he was', it must be determined from the context which stage of Jesus' life - his 'C-B' or his resurrection - is being referred to in 3:59; (3) Jesus, after departing from the earth and being elevated to God, is definitely in the geographical as well as positional and perceived sense ʻbefore Godʼ. This cannot really be claimed for Jesusʼ 'C-Bʼ which in contrary takes place at a great distance from God, a distance so far that it has to be briged by angels; (4) Hence, the context (see Al-i İmran 3:55) of Al-i İmran 3:59 clearly points to Jesus' existence after his departure from earth and exaltation to God rather than to his birth. Verse 59 follows on seamlessly from Jesus' movement ʻto Godʼ. On the other hand, a reference to Jesus' ʻC-Bʼ is not justified by the immediate context.

Based on these considerations, it makes much more sense in my opinion to understand the comparison in Al-i İmran 3:59 as being between Adamʼs state immediatly after his creation and Jesusʼ state after his removal from the earth and exaltation to God. The verse thus assumes that Jesus at his departure from earth experienced something similar to what Adam experienced at the time of his creation. This experience, based on the usage of the words ʻ"Be!" (kun), and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ in the Qur'an in general as well as the reference to the First Creation (Adam) in Al-i Imran 3:59, can be best understood as the resurrection of humans in connection with their return to God:

‘To Him will be your return - of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a penalty grievous, because they did reject Him.ʼ (Yunus 10:4).

These words from Surah Yunus describe exactly what Jesus experiences at his departure from the earth: (i) Return to God through his exaltation to God. (ii) Rewarding ('to repay justiceʼ) expressed as his purification from the accusations of his enemies thanks to his exaltation to God (Al-i Imran 3:55).

Because of the choice of words 'before God' (v. 59) and the context 'exaltation to God' (v. 55) as well as the description of the state as comparable to the first creation (ʻ"Be!" (kun), and he was (fe-yekûn(u))!ʼ), Al-i Imran 3:59 should most naturally be understood as an explicit statement about Jesus' resurrection: Jesus' state after his exaltation to God, that is, his state before God, corresponds to a kind of 'second creation' as promised by God for all humans at the time of the day of resurrection. Hence, God initiates this second creation of humankind at the time of Jesus' departure from earth. Based on Al-i Imran 3:55+59 read in the light of Yunus 10:4 Jesus departure from the earth coincides with his resurrection into an existence in the hereafter. Jesus' state after his departure and exaltation to God, understood as resurrection, corresponds to Adam's state at his creation: both assume the role of forefathers in respect to humankind - only in a different orders of creation.

We conclude: the most natural reading of Al-i Imran 3:59 within its immediate context leads us to the conclusion that the Quran claims that Jesus was resurrected at the time of his departure from earth. Jesus' resurrection state is then compared with Adam's state at the time of his creation at the beginning of history.

If our reasoning above is correct, Jesus' resurrection does not take place on the Last Day, the Day of Judgement, like that of all other people, but was already realised prematurely, within the history known to us - around the year 30 according to the Christian calendar. If true, this is a most challenging conclusion.

Of course, it still needs to be clarified how such a statement about Jesus' resurrection within the history known to us fits into the overall Quranic testimony. We will explore this question in the next blog.