Is the Prophet Foretold in Deuteronomy Muhammad or Jesus?

 Title: Is the Prophet Foretold in Deuteronomy Muhammad or Jesus? An Examination of Biblical and Historical Evidence

Author: Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Institution: Shimba Theological Institute

---

Introduction
Muslims frequently pose the question: Is the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:17–18, 33:1–2, and 34:10–11 referring to Muhammad or Jesus? This article endeavors to provide a clear, biblical, and historical response to this inquiry.

Deuteronomy 18:15-18 and the Prophet Like Moses
Deuteronomy 18:15-18 states that God would raise up a prophet like Moses from among the Israelites’ own brethren, and the people were commanded to listen to him. The primary considerations are:

• Was Jesus a prophet?

• Did most Jews hear Jesus?

• Was Jesus one of the Israelites?

The biblical record affirms that Jesus was indeed a prophet (Luke 24:19), that He was heard by many (John 7:46; Matthew 7:28-29), and that He was a Jew from the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:1-17; Hebrews 7:14). Historically, early Christian scholars affirmed that this prophecy more appropriately describes Jesus rather than Muhammad.

Historical Testimony
As a historical note, long before the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), Archelaus (262–278 AD) affirmed that Deuteronomy 18:15 could refer to no other person than Jesus Christ, as recorded in Disputation with Manes, chapter 43, p. 219.

Further Considerations:

a. Deuteronomy 33:1-2 mentions “the Lord” coming with ten thousand of saints. Muslims do not call Muhammad their Lord. While some minor sects like the Alawites and other Ghulat sects have deified Muhammad, this is not mainstream Islamic belief.

b. Deuteronomy 34:10 records, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses.” This description, likely written by Joshua long before Jesus' advent, was still ultimately fulfilled in Jesus according to Christian testimony.

c. Deuteronomy 34:10 also emphasizes Moses’ unique communication with God “face to face.” Muhammad did not claim direct communication with God but rather via the angel Gabriel (Qur’an 2:97). In contrast, Jesus directly communicated with God the Father (John 1:18).

d. Deuteronomy 34:11 highlights Moses' mighty signs and wonders. Muhammad, according to the Qur’an (17:90–93), did not perform miracles of this magnitude, whereas Jesus performed numerous miraculous signs (John 20:30-31).

e. Qur’anic Confirmation
Qur’an 29:27 affirms that prophecy was bestowed through Isaac and Jacob, Abraham’s descendants. The Yusuf Ali translation states, “And We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and ordained among his progeny Prophethood and Revelation.” Interestingly, the Arabic text does not include the word "Abraham," but Yusuf Ali inserted it for clarity. This implies that Muhammad, being a descendant of Ishmael and not Isaac, falls outside this prophetic lineage according to the Qur’an itself.

f. Apostolic Witness
The Apostle Peter declared in Acts 3:22–26 that this prophecy in Deuteronomy was fulfilled in Jesus. Either:

1. Jesus erred by allowing Peter to mislead people for nearly 2,000 years without divine correction,

2. Jesus deliberately appointed Peter, knowing he spoke truthfully,

3. Or Peter never made such claims, and the book of Acts was corrupted before external textual evidence from as early as 138 AD could affirm the opposite.

Patristic Testimony
Early church fathers consistently identified Jesus as the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 18:15-18:

• Justin Martyr (114–165 AD), First Apology

• Irenaeus (182–188 AD)

• Tertullian (c. 220 AD)

• Origen (225–254 AD)

• John Chrysostom (407 AD)

Justin Martyr, writing between 138 and 165 AD, evidently engaged with this prophecy before composing his works.

Textual Integrity of the New Testament
A Muslim might argue that Justin Martyr was mistaken, and all New Testament manuscripts misquoted Peter. However, early translations and manuscript traditions, independently transmitted across regions (Africa, Asia, Europe), consistently preserve Peter's declaration concerning Jesus in Acts 3:22–26.

For Further Reading:

• Geisler, N. L., & Rhodes, R. (1997). When Cultists Ask. Baker Books.

• Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. (1992). When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Victor Books.

Conclusion
A thorough examination of biblical prophecy, historical testimony, Qur’anic claims, apostolic witness, and patristic writings indicates that the prophet foretold in Deuteronomy 18:15-18 refers to Jesus Christ, not Muhammad. The cumulative evidence, both scriptural and historical, robustly affirms this conclusion.

Bibliography

• The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)

• The Qur’an, translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali

• Archelaus. (262–278 AD). Disputation with Manes

• Geisler, N. L., & Rhodes, R. (1997). When Cultists Ask. Baker Books.

• Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. (1992). When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Victor Books.

• Justin Martyr. (138–165 AD). First Apology.

• Irenaeus. (182–188 AD). Against Heresies.

• Tertullian. (c. 220 AD). Apologeticus.

• Origen. (225–254 AD). Contra Celsum.

• Chrysostom, J. (407 AD). Homilies on the Gospel of John.