The Bacilidans believed that someone else was crucified in his place. The Docetae held that Jesus never had a real physical or natural body, but only an apparent body, and that his cricifixion was apparent, not real. The Marcionite Gospel (about 138 A.D.) denied that Jesus was born, and merely said that he appeared in human form. The Gospel of Saint Barnabas – of which there is an English translation in the State Library of Vienna and an Arabic version in the Arab world-supports the theory of substitution on the Cross As regards the end of Jesus, the Muslim is quite at ease as he is with regard to his beginning. The Muslim believes that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified, but God raised him up to Himself in honor and grace. The mind of the Muslim is clear as far as the whole matter is concerned. The Qur’an has settled the disputes for him once and for all. The belief that Jesus was crucified raises a number of unavoidable inquiries. Some of these may be presented here.

1. Does the crucifixion of Jesus as conceived by the Christian churches befit the Justice, the Mercy, the Power, and the Wisdom of God?

2. Is it just on God’s part, or anybody’s part for that matter, to make someone repent for the sins or wrongs of others, the sins to which the repenter is no party?

3. Is it consistent with God’s Mercy and Wisdom to believe that Jesus was humiliated and murdered the way he is said to have been?

4. Is it a fulfillment of God’s promise ( to defend His allies and protect His beloved ones) that Jesus was so deserted that he became an easy prey to God’s enemies? Is this to be taken as a way of fulfilling one’s obligations or as a precedence in honoring one’s word?

5. Is it justifiable and proper to believe that God, the Most Forgiving, was unable to forgive Adam and his children for the Original Sin, and that He held them in suspense or bewilderment until Jesus came to make the atonement with his own blood?

6. Does the belief of crucifixion and blood sacrifice appear in any religion apart from the pagan creeds of the early Greeks, Romans, Indians, Persians, and the like?

7. Is there any parallel to Jesus in human history besides the fictitious figures of Bacchus, Apollo, Adonis, Horus and other Virgin-born gods?

8. Does it not give new insight to compare the words attributed to Jesus with those of Bacchus, who said that he was the Alpha and Omega of the world, and had came to redeem humanity by his blood? Could the similarity of these words to those ascribed to Jesus in later years stimulate a new zeal to search for the whole truth of the matter?