Dreaming of a Nation Governed by the 10 Commandments? / Sīrat or Gospel?

Good evening from sunny England!

Vicki and I are enjoying the sun, taking care of family matters, and thinking through the rest of 2025—trying to be strategic. We truly want our work to be pleasing to the Lord, and this requires a lot of counsel, prayer, and discussion. Thank you for your part in this ministry—whatever it is.

This weekend we will be in Edinburgh (where I’ll preach the Palm Sunday sermon). After that we head to Durham, where I’ll spend a few hours with astrophysicist and theologian David Wilkinson.

Today’s offerings:

• A thought-provoking article from Australian teacher Andrew Kitchen.

• The conclusion of my interview with British minister Malcolm Cox. Scroll down for part 3, or click HERE for the entire interview.

• Part 9 of our study of the oldest biography of Muḥammad (8th century), Sīrat Rasūl Allāh. We’ll see how the Sīrat stacks up against the four gospels.

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DREAMING OF A NATION GOVERNED BY THE 10 COMMANDMENTS?

Long-time friend and colleague in the teaching ministry Andrew Kitchen has penned a thoughtful article shedding light on a common discussion. Click anywhere in the section below.

INTERVIEW WITH MALCOLM—CONCLUSION

MC: Tell me a little about the ministries you’ve led.

DJ: Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of leading ministries in London, Birmingham, Sydney, Stockholm, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Indianapolis. We headed up ministries at a dozen colleges, too. We’ve also ministered extensively in the Atlanta area. From 2004 till the end of 2024, I headed up the Athens Institute of Ministry—biblical training. A couple of memorable experiences: leading a Bible study aboard the U.S.S. Mullinix in Boston, and another group in the Pentagon. Thanks to my friend and New Testament scholar, Mike Licona, I occasionally lead the weekly Bible study for the senior staff of the Atlanta Braves.

MC: Are you thinking of retiring anytime soon? Or do you see yourself continuing for a while yet?

MC: Ever had a brush with fame? Have you met anyone well-known?

DJ: Every now and again I’ve crossed paths with someone famous, but more often I meet someone connected to a well-known person. For example, my uncle and aunt were next-door neighbors of golfing giant Arnold Palmer. My own brushes with fame include meeting Francis Collins (his team sequences the human genome), the President of India, the US president’s Chief of Staff, many theologians (N. T. Wright, Scott McKnight, Ben Witherington, and many more), a handful of famous athletes, Mother Teresa, and even a notorious serial killer.

MC: Have you interacted much with followers of other faiths, like Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists? What have those conversations been like?

We cultivated a relationship of mutual respect—even admiration—through shared meals and frank discussions. Each of us was hoping to convert the other. I’ve shared my faith with all sorts of people. Some come to faith in Christ. But even if they don’t change their minds, I still try to remain respectful. We can plant seeds that way.

MC: Do you see a path to salvation in other religions? Especially when thinking about Hindus and Buddhists—what are your thoughts on that?

DJ: The Lord is the Judge—not my call—yet I doubt that sincerity can substitute for a saving relationship with Christ. Think about it: in Hinduism our destiny (once the reincarnations have ended) is to become one with the world soul, like a drop of water being added to the ocean. In other words, there are no personal relationships at all. It’s an ultimately impersonal world. I once asked a Hindu priest if he believed we used to be plants or insects. He said yes, we may go through hundreds of thousands of reincarnations. “But you don’t want to come back as a god,” he cautioned me. “They’re not very nice.” I appreciated his frankness.

The Buddha’s central teaching was that we have no soul at all! At the end of the day, it’s Hinduism: all = 1. Buddhism: all = 0. Both these religions hold that the material world is unreal—even though the world has always existed. This is in opposition to the findings of science: not only is there a physical world, but it has a beginning in time—it’s not infinitely old.

While we might like to believe there are multiple pathways to God, such a view contradicts the Bible. I deeply believe God is fair, and that he tells us the truth, so I trust what Jesus said when he proclaimed “I am the way… No one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6).

MC: Got any debates coming up? What’s next for you on that front?

DJ: Nothing planned at the moment, though I’m always interested. I’ve had debates with atheists and agnostics, and a number with prominent Muslim and Jewish figures. Who knows when the next one will be?

MC: Do you have a favorite Bible translation? Is there one that resonates with you more than others?

DJ: Among the English versions, I especially like the NET, ESV, and CSB.

MC: But you prefer to read Scripture in the original languages?

DJ: Right. I read the Greek New Testament every day. I’m also working to improve my Hebrew. (I took two years of Hebrew at Harvard, and would like to go further.)

MC: In your view, what’s the biggest challenge our fellowship is facing right now? Where do we need to focus our energy and prayers?

DJ: That’s a great question. How about arrogance? We seem unwilling to learn from the past (church history, and even our own history). There’s the temptation to think we have arrived, or to identify God’s kingdom with a single denomination. (Not good.)

Perhaps it’s confusion about the gospel message. Through the years, my understanding has changed. I believe many of us Christian leaders have been too hard and too soft on our churches. Too hard: expecting people to jump through hoops and live like Spirit-filled Christians before conversion. This goes beyond Scripture and probably causes many to give up. After all, Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Too soft: On the other hand, good deeds are required after baptism, and without them we won’t be saved at the Last Day. Romans is often viewed as a book about grace, discouraging us from relying on our performance. While there’s some truth to this, it’s not quite right. Paul insists that Jewish Christians were not justified through the Law of Moses. Law means Torah, not obedience to God’s commandments! In fact, Romans mentions obedience more than any other N.T. letter. Discipleship is a serious matter.

I might also spotlight the false belief that we need professional clergy in order to be a real church. Church buildings and paid staff, at least in most locations, are luxuries, especially where Christianity is illegal, or there isn’t freedom of religion. Who knows how many are meeting in small groups (house churches)? Actually, when I was asked this question [the biggest challenge] during a teaching day in Boston back in 1998, my answer was materialism. This sin—which numbed the Laodiceans (Rev 3) and distracted those growing in the “third soil” (Luke 8)—is alive and well.

MC: What level of theological education do you think is needed for someone leading a church? What’s the minimum standard you'd recommend?

DJ: I can’t make a rule here, but would suggest degree in Bible (MA) or ministry (MDiv). Youth and campus leaders especially need training in biblical interpretation and apologetics (evidences). Don’t fall for thinking that says education is optional. Peter and John may not have had the education of the apostle Paul, but they did sit at Jesus’ feet for several years. He trained them, and their learning made a deep impression on the religious authorities (Acts 4:12-13).  

MC: What do you make of the trend in the evangelical world to move away from the Old Testament? Does it concern you?

DJ: Very much! People are giving up way too easily. The OT is the foundation of the NT, in addition to constituting the first three quarters of Scripture. We won’t understand many parts of the NT without a grasp of OT essentials. These days, many skeptics and critics of our faith deride “the God of the Old Testament.” There are good answers to their objections and concerns, if we will put in the effort to learn them. The world has no right to pressure believers to distance themselves from the OT.

MC: How do you stay grounded in your convictions while interacting with people from different Christian traditions? What helps you remain anchored in your faith?

DJ: I keep studying the Word. And sharing it with others.

MC: On a different note, what kind of music do you enjoy? What’s on your playlist these days?

DJ: No playlist, believe it or not, even on my phone. Classical, classic rock, and a lot more. Usually I just tell Alexa, “Play Debussy,” or “Play Bluegrass.” Sometimes she doesn’t understand me. (It gets really interesting when I’m teaching online and all of a sudden Alexa or Siri, inadvertently summoned, chimes in!) Vicki and I both enjoy classical music, and a lot of modern music.

MUḤAMMAD’S BIOGRAPHY, IX
Sīrat vs. the Gospels

We have been examining the oldest biography of Muḥammad. Muslims have never regarded the Sīrat as scripture, and some reject its authenticity altogether. Exactly how useful is this ancient source? The Qur’an frequently mentions Jesus and the injil (gospel). Do Christians have better reasons for trusting what has been written about Jesus than Muslims do for trusting the Sīrat?

The Sīrat, along with the Hadith, paints a picture of the prophet of Islam much more vividly than does the Qur’an itself. It is therefore right to focus here. So is this biography on the same level as the gospels, which tell us about the life and ministry of Jesus?

Realism

“They rejected the scripture and called Muḥammad liar / But God makes the religion of every apostle victorious…” (526). Yet I suggest that we should challenge the assumption that those who speak the truth or speak prophetically will always prevail. Moreover, a spirit of triumphalism does not prove the conquerors right. The gospels are much more realistic. We will not find such a notion in the OT! Nor in the NT! (Matt 23:29ff, Luke 6:22-23, 26). A prophet isn’t always welcome in his home town (Matt 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4.44). By the reasoning of the Sīrat, when Jesus fled from his persecutors—as he did on several occasions—this proved he was not of God (406)!

Glorying in Violence

Whereas Jesus lived a life of gentleness, many early Muslims led lives of violence:

• Attacking caravans in the name of God.

• Coerced faith – economic, military, and political motives

• Cult hero — as opposed to Lord and friend

• Worldly notions of power and success

Back to the Hadith?

Since there’s little reason to trust the accuracy of much of the Sīrat, might the Hadith prove any better?

• Recall that, whereas the Sīrat dates to some 120 years after Muḥammad’s life, the Hadith, which relay his the words and deeds, date from some 250 years later. That is, there was even more time for legends to be spun.

• The work of Bukhari, the most respected Hadith collection, resulted from his distillation of 600,000 items down to the paltry 7000 he considered plausible! And even, we find an Adam was 60 cubits (90 feet) tall (Had. Bukh. 3326). And a Moses who laid his clothes on a stone while he was bathing. The rock runs away with his clothes. He catches the rock and beats it, and the marks are still visible today (Al-Ahzab 69.1). Really?

Conclusion

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written far closer to the lifetime of Jesus than the Sīrat was to the lifetime of Muḥammad. Legends tend not to proliferate in the presence of eyewitnesses. In the Sīrat numerous events are recounted which are simply not credible, despite the many “chains” of testimony, many of which seem to have been concocted. In addition to the chronological advantage afforded by the gospels, there is the issue of realism. The Sīrat is full of legendary material. It’s loaded with miracles, unlike the Qur’an (in which Muḥammad never performs a miracle), and laden with triumphalist rhetoric. The four gospels, however, mesh perfectly with what we know of Jesus in dozens of other ancient documents, early church history, and even our own experience of faith. Furthermore, the early Islamic writings consistently promote a culture of coercion and violence not worthy of the God of Peace or his Son, the Prince of Peace. These are just a few reasons I don’t find the Sīrat credible.

Yet even if the Sīrat isn’t strictly historical, or is only partially historical, it is still valuable. I say this because this biography highlights what the early Muslims esteemed. And this helps us to make sense of the convictions of many followers of Islam in our own day.

Please consider watching the following videos (from Stand to Reason). They are excellently done and well worth your time.

• Are You Ready to Talk to a Muslim About Jesus? (10 mins) 

• Do You Understand How Muhammad’s Words Were Passed Down? (10 mins)

• Are You Prepared to Defend the Cross? (4 mins)

Next: the final installment of this series, Who is the Ideal Human, Muḥammad or Jesus?

Q2 EVENTS

Apr: Resiliency training launch
Apr: Edinburgh—Palm Sunday
Apr: Durham, UK—fellowship visit
Apr: Ukrainian consultation
May: Geneva, Switzerland—teaching weekend
May: Private online Q&A (also Aug, Oct, and Nov)
Jun: Izmir, Turkey—Global Smyrna Meeting
Jun: Istanbul, Turkey—Conference on Council of Nicaea