Page 176 - New English Book L

175

that of the Fourth Gospel (John i), where it is stated that the
Baptist, on seeing Jesus (pbuh) , exclaimed “Behold the Lamb
of God that taken away [or bears] the sin of the world!” The
fourth Evangelist knows nothing of the cruel martyrdom of
John (Matt. xiv; Mark vi. 14-29).

From Muslim unitarian point of belief, it is a moral
impossibility that a Prophet like the Baptist, whom
the Holy Quran describes, Sayyidan, wa Hasuran wa
Nabiyyan mina’s-Salihina,” should use such a paganish
expression about Jesus Christ (pbuh) The very nature and
essence of John’s mission was to preach penance - that
is to say, every man is responsible for his sin and must
bear it, or take it away himself by repentance. The
baptism was only an outward ablution or washing as a
sign of the remission of sins, but it is the contribution,
the confession (to God, and to him who is injured by that
sin - if necessary) and the promise not to repeat it, that
can take it away. If Jesus (pbuh) were the “Lamb of God,”
to take away the sin of the world, then John’s preaching
would be -God forbid- ridiculous and meaningless!
Besides. John better than anyone else knew that such
words from his lips would have caused -as has been
the case- an irreparable error, which would entirely
disfigure and deform the Church of Christ. The root of
the error that has soiled the religion of the Churches is to
be sought and found out in this silly “vicarious sacrifice”
business! Has the “Lamb of God” taken away the sin
of the world? The dark pages of the “Ecclesiastical
History” of any of the numerous hostile and “heretical”
Churches will answer with a big No! The “lambs” in the
confessional-boxes can tell you by their groanings under
the tremendous weight of the multi-coloured sins loaded
upon their shoulders that the Christian, notwithstanding
their science and civilization, commit more horrible
sins, murders thefts, intemperances, adulteries, wars,