The same language is used neither of Muhammad nor of any one else. Why is this, except because Christ is superior to all other prophets?

118. M. He is a servant of God and an apostle, but no more.

C. He is that, but also much more. In Isa. liii. 11 He is styled God's servant, but the expression is "My righteous servant," because He was the only one of the prophets who was without sin, as the Qur'an acknowledges. In Phil. ii. 6, 7, we are told that He was much more than this originally, but "took upon Him the form of a servant" for your salvation and for mine. The Qur'an agrees with the Bible in stating that He was much more than a servant of God and an apostle of God, for in Surah IV., An Nisa, 169, He is called "An apostle of God and His Word (كلمتُهُ ) which He conveyed into Mary, and a spirit from Himself"; and in Surah III., Al 'Imran, 40 we read, "When the angel said, 'O Mary, verily God announceth to thee the Word from Him: His name shall be Messiah, Jesus the Son of Mary, illustrious (وجيهاً ) in this world and in the next, and one of those who have near access to God (من المقرّبين )'." Here Christ is called "His Word," and "the Word from Him," and "a spirit from Him." These titles must have some meaning, and they are applied to no other than to Christ. No other prophet has such lofty¹ titles given him by God.

119. M. Ar Razi and Jalalain well explain this by saying that Jesus is called the Word of God because He was created by God's command, born without a father.

C. If we assume this explanation to be sufficient, we still see that He was superior to all other prophets in that very particular. But the explanation is wrong, for Adam was created without either father or mother by God's command, but is not called God's Word. We shall consider the full meaning of this title when treating of the doctrine of the Trinity¹. Meanwhile, is not God's Word or "a spirit from Him" greater than any apostle² or messenger can be? Moreover, Jesus is said to be "illustrious in this world and in the next," which is not said of any other prophet.

120. M. In Surah XXXIII., Al Ahzab, 69 it is said of Moses that "with God he was illustrious" (كان عند الله وجيهاً kana 'inda 'llahi wajihan).

C. Yes, but not that he was "illustrious in this world and in the next." Ar Razi explains the "illustriousness" (وجاهة wajahah) of Moses as consisting in his "knowledge" of God (المعرفة al ma'rifah): whereas Zamakshari in his Al Kashshaf explains that of Jesus as "The office of prophet