Did Jews crucify and killed the Messiah Yeshua?
The verse about the crucifixion is very interesting and deserves a detailed analysis through the context and the Arabic language, using the Qur'an as a primary source and Lane's Lexicon for a deeper understanding of the etymology of key terms.
1. Who is speaking in verse 4:157?
In this verse, the context clearly points to the claim of the Jews:
"We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of God."
The key part here is the identification of the subject - the Jews claim to have carried out both the murder and the crucifixion. In response to this claim, the Qur'an says:
"They did not kill him nor did they crucify him."
What is important to note is that this answer does not necessarily deny the act of crucifixion or death as such, but only their participation in those events. The phrase "they did not kill him" and "they did not crucify him" can be interpreted as denying their responsibility, while not necessarily implying that these events did not happen in some other form.
2. "It seemed to them like that" (شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ)
The phrase "شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ" comes from the root sh-b-h, which according to Lane's Lexicon means "to make something look like something" or "to present something in a way that deceives the perception". So this phrase may refer to their perception of the murder or crucifixion - they thought they had killed him, but that was not the reality.
This may imply that the Jews believed they had killed Yeshua, but were actually misled by an illusion. The phrase "but it happened to them" may indicate a misunderstanding regarding the actual fate of Yeshua, thus opening up the possibility of various possibilities, including the possibility of his resurrection or physical ascension.
3. "They did not kill him with certainty" (وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا)
The phrase "وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا" further clarifies the lack of certainty in their knowledge. The use of the word "يقينًا" plays an important role here, as it denotes absolute certainty, suggesting that the Jews did not have final knowledge of what actually happened with Yeshua.
This uncertainty opens the door to interpretations that involve God's intervention in saving or resurrecting Yeshya.
4. Raising Yeshua (verse 4:158)
Ayat 4:158 which says "Rather, Ellah raised him to Himself" (بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ) immediately follows the refutation of their claims. Using the root ر-ف-ع (r-f-ʿ), which basically means "ascent" in a physical or metaphysical sense, this verse may suggest several possibilities. According to Lane's Lexicon, this root is used to denote both physical elevation, but also elevation in status or spirituality. If we consider the ascension of Jesus in the context of the earlier report in Gospels, we can interpret that Ellah did not allow Yeshua to die or be killed in the way that his enemies planned. This ascension may involve either saving him from death or even resurrecting him before he is ascended to Ellah.
5. The context of verse 3:55 and the meaning of "taking the soul"
Verse 3:55: Translation:
"When Ellah said: 'O Yeshua, I will take your soul, and I will raise you to Myself, and I will purify you from those who do not believe. And those who follow you I will raise above those who do not believe, until the Day of Judgment. Then you will return to Me, and I will judge between you about what you differed about.'"
Verse 3:55 is key to understanding Yeshua' destiny. The phrase "mutawaffīka" (إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ) comes from the root و-ف-ى (w-f-y), which according to Lane's Lexicon means "to take something completely". This root can refer to the taking of a soul in the context of death, but it is also used to denote something that is completed, such as the completion of a task or the end of a life.
"رَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ"
(rāfiʿuka ilayya): "I will raise you up to Myself."
The word رَافِعُكَ comes from the root ر-ف-ع (r-f-ʿ), which means "to raise, raise up." According to Lane's Lexicon, this root can refer to physical elevation or elevation in status. In the context of this verse, it is clearly stated that Ellah will raise up Yeshua "to Himself", implying some kind of divine intervention.
And it is interesting that returning to Ellah always points to the world to come which always includes resurrection. Context of the phrase: Ellah says that He will take Yeshya' soul and raise it up to Himself, which may suggest that Yeshua was protected from death in the way his enemies imagined, or that he was resurrected after his supposed death, since the previous books speak of his resurrection, the second option is much more stable.
This verse can be crucial in the interpretation that the raising of Jesus is related to his resurrection, because Ellah clearly states that he will be taken and raised to Himself, which can imply a physical rescue, or a return to life.
The conclusion is that the Qur'an emphasizes that they (the Jews) were unsuccessful in their plan to kill Yeshua, and that Ellah intervened to save him by raising him to Himself.."