Why do Muslims say that the Lord Jesus Christ was not self-sufficient? What does that mean?
In my dealings with the Muslims, I have never heard them say those exact words. But they do teach that “Jesus is NOT God,” so in saying those words they are teaching that “Jesus was not self-sufficient,” for only God is self-sufficient. The simplest definition of self-sufficient is: “needing no outside help in satisfying one’s basic needs.” God is the only One of whom it can be said that “He needs no outside help from anyone for anything.” The Muslim’s view of God (who they call Allah) implies this in the Koran in Surah 3:2, “Allah, the Ever-living, the Self-Subsisting, who sustains the entire order of the universe—there is no God but He.” In these words, they are declaring that God is “eternal, self-supportive (i.e., self-sufficient), and the One who supports all of creation.” We agree with these words, but we do NOT agree that God’s name is Allah, nor do we agree that Jesus Christ is not God.
The Bible clearly teaches that God is ETERNAL. Moses prayed the following words to God, “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, You are God” (Psalm 90:1-2….NKJV). The Bible also teaches that God is “one God who subsists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This truth is taught clearly in Matthew 28:19 where Jesus told His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” There is no mention of the name “Allah” for God’s NAME is found in these three Persons who make up the Triune (three-in-one) God. All three Persons share the same attributes of being ETERNAL (see John 1:1 and Acts 5:3-4) and all three Persons are OMNIPOTENT (Genesis 18:14; Hebrews 1:3; Luke 1:35), OMNISCIENT (1st John 3:20; John 16:30; 1st Corinthians 2:10-11) and OMNIPRESENT (Jeremiah 23:23-24), Matthew 28:20; Psalm 139:7).
The Bible clearly teaches that God is SELF-SUFFICIENT. Because He is eternal, He has “supported Himself” throughout all eternity, before anyone else even existed. In John 8:53 the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead. And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus went on to say, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (verse 58). In these few words Jesus was declaring that HE WAS GOD, the Great I AM (please read Exodus 3:14 where God told Moses at the burning bush to tell the Israelites that “I AM has sent me to you”). How did the Jews respond to His claim of being God? Verse 59 says, “Then they took up stones to throw at Him.” If you compare that with John 5:16-18 and 10:22-33 you will see that they knew He was claiming to be “equal with God.” He was claiming to be the eternal, self-existing and SELF-SUFFICIENT God!
The Bible clearly teaches that God is the One who SUSTAINS all His creation. We need only read through Genesis chapter one and throughout the entire Old Testament to see this marvelous truth. And if Jesus is God, then He too SUSTAINS all creation and thus all creation SUBSISTS through His power. We have two passages in Scripture which teach this. In Colossians 1:15-17 we read, “He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him ALL THINGS CONSIST.” These three verses teach that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the CREATOR and SUSTAINER of all creation. The word “consist” means “held together” so it can read, “in Him all things HOLD TOGETHER.” We have that same thought in Hebrews 1:3 where in speaking of the Son (Jesus Christ) it says that He “UPHOLDS ALL THINGS by the word of His power.”
We have seen that Jesus Christ is indeed the ETERNAL God who is SELF-SUFFICIENT and who has the power to SUSTAIN all things. Muslims deny this in the Koran where it says, “O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, WAS BUT A MESSENGER…so believe in Allah and His messengers” (Surah 4, Ayat 171). To the devout Muslim Jesus “was but a messenger.” They put Him on the same level as other prophets. To them Jesus is NOT GOD, and He is NOT THE SON OF GOD. And were we to go on to expose more of their teachings we would see that in their mind Jesus did NOT BECOME A MAN in order to be the Savior of the world by dying on the cross. They are the of the “spirit of antichrist” by denying Who He is (please read 1st John 2:18, 22-23; 4:1-3 and 2nd John 9-11). (DO) (565.1)