What I have believed since I first read that many years ago in 1981, long before Islam was a very well recognized religion here in the States, was that Muhammad's understanding of Christianity was what he was exposed to at the time, applying his perspective to what it was teaching. This is no different than any other person of another religion trying to understand a religion from the outside, then and today, like a Christian trying to understand Hinduism and getting most of it wrong. People's outsider perspective will naturally bring in errors of what that other religion actually believes from the insider perspective.
I don't think that translates into me saying he was "clueless". Misunderstanding, yes. Clueless, no. That's too harsh.
So then I have to ask, if this is not about the Triune formulation of Christianity, why does the passage create this imagined dialog between Allah and Jesus about his followers believing that Jesus and Mary were two gods in addition to Allah, that there are three gods in effect in the minds of Jesus' followers that he, Allah, needs to clear up with Jesus. "Did you teach them that? That you and Mary are two gods along with Allah?"
That's the context that I'm hearing. It's about the perceived beliefs of Christians that needs to be corrected by Muhammad, that Jesus has to say, "No, there is no God but one God! Mary and I are not co-equal gods.". It's about correcting Christian belief. What other Christian belief about Jesus being God is there besides the Trinity doctrine? He recognized they were claiming he was God, and this seems to be trying to correct that belief. And them mistakenly adding Mary in as the third deity in the Trinity was simply a misperception of Christian theology as an outsider to the religion, like the Christian getting stuff wrong about Hinduism does today.
That's how I read it then, and still do now. I certainly could be wrong, but the context of that comment, correcting Christian beliefs, stands out strongly to me. Is there another context I'm unaware of, that would necessitate a conversation with Jesus and Allah to set the record straight? What other than the Trinity doctrine, are they trying to correct here? Is there some belief that Jesus and Mary were gods other than the connection to the Trinity that I am unaware of? As I said, I could be wrong, as I'm no expert on Islam.
Such as including a verse to correct Christians in believing Jesus was God? It seems to me, that verse was very much about correct where they had gone astray. I'm not being cruel here. It's just being rational about it. I don't know how else to read that rationally. What was the context? He clearly believed Christians had gone astray with the Trinity.
And this is a common misunderstanding of what the Trinity is you see again and again by those who are outsiders. To take the Trinity as three gods, or two gods besides the Father, or Allah, is a common misperception. My only point is, Muhammad reflected that same misconception in his dialog between Allah and Jesus. With the information I have, that's what stands out to me logically. Christians had gone astray, and Muhammad needed to have Jesus saying to Muhammad's followers that Jesus did not condone that error. It was to protect his followers, to give them an answer from their prophet ahead of time when they hear Christians speak of the divinity of the Christ.
Why is that verse addressing the divinity of Jesus, that Jesus needs to correct Christians about, if it's not about the Trinity?
It would be a bit of a sideline for me to discuss at length my thoughts about this here, but if you're interested in how I approach this question about the justice of God expressed in religious thoughts, I'll direct you to my thread I started here:
How to Read the Bible, and Still be a Christian
According to Christian teachings there is a distinction. Muhammed wanted his followers to believe Christians got it wrong, and he had the authority to override what they believed and correct it for them. Yes? While they pay honor to him, it is a version of Jesus that Christians did not recognize.
I resent the implication that I've "made up my mind". I am a very open minded person, not closed minded. I do however have an expectation that things have to fit the data critically when it comes to something like this. This is a reference to historical information. Did Christians believe Jesus and Mary were gods alongside God? Clearly Muhammad believed they did. Rationally, the only explanation I can see at this point is the one I've stated, and my supporting reasons for what I provisionally conclude what I am. If I can see a possible valid other reason, that can be defended reasonably well, I can and would change my mind.
Don't mistake my expecting reasonable answers, with an a priori dismissal on religious grounds. That's cynicism. I am not a cynic. And to try to cast me as one, is uncalled for.
