The Apostolic Witness to the Divinity of Christ: A Theological Response to Islamic Criticism

The Apostolic Witness to the Divinity of Christ: A Theological Response to Islamic Criticism

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

A recurring criticism from Islamic apologists is the accusation that the Apostle Paul fabricated the divinity of Jesus Christ. However, a careful exegetical study of the New Testament reveals that the doctrine of Christ’s deity was not a Pauline innovation but a consistent testimony affirmed by multiple apostolic witnesses prior to Paul’s conversion. The Gospel writers—John, Matthew, and Peter—bear independent witness to Jesus’ divine nature long before Paul’s missionary activity began.

In the Gospel of John, the apostle opens with an explicit declaration: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Similarly, the Apostle Peter identifies Jesus as “our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1), while Matthew records that Jesus would be called Emmanuel, meaning “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). These testimonies clearly demonstrate that belief in Jesus’ divinity was foundational to early Christian confession and not a later doctrinal development introduced by Paul.

In contrast, the Islamic portrayal of Jesus as merely a prophet diverges sharply from the apostolic tradition rooted in firsthand experience of His divine works, resurrection, and moral perfection. The apostles lived exemplary lives characterized by sacrifice, humility, and steadfast devotion to truth, many sealing their witness with martyrdom. Their integrity and consistency lend historical and moral credibility to their message.

By comparison, the prophetic model presented in early Islamic tradition reflects significant moral and theological discontinuities when evaluated against biblical standards of holiness and revelation. The historical accounts of Muhammad’s life, as preserved in Islamic sources such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sirat Ibn Ishaq, include episodes that raise legitimate moral and ethical questions concerning his conduct and claims to prophethood. These factors contribute to the Christian rejection of Muhammad’s message—not out of hostility, but from theological discernment and moral evaluation based on Scripture.

Christianity’s foundation rests upon the revelation of Jesus Christ, affirmed by multiple witnesses and corroborated through His resurrection. Islam’s later reinterpretation of this revelation lacks apostolic continuity and diverges from the moral and theological coherence established by the early Church. Therefore, the claim that Paul “invented” the divinity of Christ is both historically and theologically unsustainable. Even without Pauline authorship, the New Testament stands as an enduring testimony to the eternal truth that Jesus Christ is God incarnate.

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References

• The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV): John 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Matthew 1:23.

• Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Eerdmans, 1977.

• Hurtado, Larry W. Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Eerdmans, 2003.

• Ibn Ishaq. Sirat Rasul Allah. Trans. A. Guillaume. Oxford University Press, 1955.

• Al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari. Hadith Collections.

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