Part (a) Spirit doesn’t mean prophet, it means spirit from the Greek word pneuma . Yes the passage is referring to prophets but it is talking about the Spirit that the prophet is been inspired by. This is indeed a test to verify that the prophet is being led by the Holy Spirit but it is not the only test. Even in this passage we get a further test because verse 6 says “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” So in other words, John is from God and anyone to who belongs to God will listen to him and if they are not, they won’t listen. Then he adds that this is an additional way to know whether it is the Spirit of truth or spirit of falsehood that that person is listening to and following.

 

Since Deedat has brought up the subject of false prophets, let us look deeper at some of the biblical ways of testing a prophet. In Deuteronomy 18:22 says “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” But that is not the end of it because In chapter 13 verses 1 to 3 says “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer.”

So how does Deedat’s prophet stand up against these tests?

 

 

Part (b) It is amusing that Deedat tells us that the Bible is corrupted and yet is happy to quote it when he feels it suits his purposes. Unfortunately for him this example doesn’t suit his purposes either.

The Hebrew word used in Song of Songs is Machmad which can be translated as lovely or desirable. In fact Machmad is used many times in the Old Testament and is always translated that as lovely or desirable, simply because that is the meaning. One example is found in Ezekiel 24:16 where God tells Ezekiel that he is going to take away his wife “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.” The word translated delight is the word Machmad. Is Deedat saying that Muhammad is Ezekiel’s wife? I don’t think so.

Another issue is that the example in Song of Songs is that the word Machmad is plural (Machmadim). Deedat tries to say that it plural is used out of respect in the Hebrew. Well it isn’t. We do not see plural terms used for any of the kings or prophets and we do not see it used for God’s name Yahweh. So what Deedat is saying is that the subject of the Song has many Muhammads. Speaking of the subject, even a brief reading of the passage shows that the subject is a female lover of King Solomon and she is speaking about how wonderful he is. After listing all his wonderful attributes she then sums it up with the plural of lovely because she has just listed plural attributes. This is not done in the English grammar.

What Deedat is doing here is something known as a phonic fallacy (or a false friend in languages) which is to say if a word sounds like a word in another language, then it must have the same meaning. I wonder if Deedat knew that Akbar in Hebrew means a mouse. If we apply the same principle to Allahu Akbar (God is great), we are saying Allah is a mouse.

 

 

 

Part (c) Muslim apologists love to quote this passage from John and try to make out that Jesus was prophesying for the coming of Muhammad. Of course, as with all these apologetic claims, a reading of the context in John’s gospel removes any such claim. The Greek word used here is parakletos and can be translated as helper, comforter, councillor or advocate (that is someone who draws along side to help and stand with).

Reading the passage in context we find these facts. This “helper” will live inside of you (Jn 14:17). He will be sent by Jesus (Jn 14:16). It is the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that actually lives inside us (Jn14:23). Jesus tells us that the helper is the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26). John 15:26 reaffirms that the helper is sent from the Father by Jesus. All through John 14 to 16 when Jesus speaks of the helper, he is comforting his disciples that Jesus has to go back to his and their Father but not to be concerned because he will send his helper (the Holy Spirit) to be with them. This would make no sense if Jesus was referring to Muhammad because he did not come for 14 hundred years.