" Suffering isn’t a sign of God’s absence. In Scripture, it’s often the doorway to His greatest work."

Would God Let a Prophet Suffer the Cross? Why Jesus’ Suffering Was Not a Defeat but the Plan

One of the strongest objections Muslims raise about Christianity is this: “God would never allow a prophet like Jesus to suffer the disgrace of the cross.”

At first glance, it sounds noble. It sounds protective. But it’s built on a misunderstanding—not only of who Jesus is, but of how God works throughout Scripture.

The cross wasn’t a scandal God failed to stop.
The cross was the centerpiece of God’s redemptive plan.

And the moment you understand that, the entire objection collapses.

The Bible Never Hides a Hard Truth: Suffering Is Often the Path to Redemption

From Genesis to Revelation, suffering is not a sign of God’s absence. It’s often the doorway to His greatest work.

The Israelites didn’t reach the Promised Land without the furnace of affliction.
Job didn’t receive restoration without unthinkable loss.
Jeremiah didn’t carry God’s message without tears, rejection, and pain.

Your chapter puts it plainly:

“Suffering leading to redemption is deeply embedded in biblical theology.”

When Jesus suffered, He wasn’t experiencing failure. He was fulfilling the pattern God had already established—suffering that leads to salvation.

This theme isn’t a back-story. It’s the heartbeat of Scripture. Real redemption always costs something. Real deliverance always requires sacrifice.

And Jesus didn’t run from that cost. He embraced it.

Jesus’ Suffering Was Not Shame—It Was Strategy

Islam views the cross as humiliation.
God views the cross as honor.

Your chapter highlights this beautifully:

“Christ’s sacrifice illustrates that something beautiful and redemptive can emerge through enduring pain and hardship.”

In the world’s eyes, crucifixion was the lowest form of disgrace. It was Rome’s way of mocking, silencing, and erasing a person.

But Jesus flipped the symbol.
He took a weapon of shame and turned it into the sign of salvation.

True honor in God’s kingdom isn’t about power, prestige, or avoiding pain.
True honor is self-giving love—love that lays itself down for others.

That’s why Jesus said:

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

A prophet who suffers doesn’t dishonor God.
A Savior who suffers reveals Him.

Prophecy Didn’t Avoid the Cross — It Pointed Straight to It

If the cross were a divine embarrassment, Scripture would hide it. Instead, the Old Testament announces it in detail centuries before Jesus arrived.

Your chapter highlights two of the clearest prophecies:

Psalm 22

• “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

• Pierced hands and feet

• Mocking crowds

• Casting lots for clothing

These are not poetic coincidences. They are prophetic fingerprints.

Isaiah 53

• “He was pierced for our offenses”

• “The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all”

• “By His wounds we are healed”

Chapter 7 reminds us:

“These prophecies point to the notion that Jesus’ suffering… was a testimony to God’s overarching plan of redemption.”

The cross wasn’t an interruption.
The cross was the script.

The Cross Creates What Nothing Else Can

The world says suffering is meaningless.
God says suffering is often miraculous.

The chapter lays out what the cross accomplishes:

1. Victory Over Death

Paul says,

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Jesus didn’t avoid suffering—He defeated it.

2. Peace with God

“Through Jesus’ blood, we are brought near… creating peace and unity between God and mankind.”

The cross doesn’t just forgive—
it reconciles, restores, and brings us home.

3. Full Atonement and Complete Forgiveness

You wrote:

“Through Jesus’ death, the penalty for sin is paid in full.”

This isn’t partial mercy or conditional forgiveness.
This is grace that runs deeper than sin.

4. Adoption Into God’s Family

Galatians 4:4–5 says the cross doesn’t just redeem us—it adopts us.
We don’t merely escape judgment.
We gain a Father.

The World Sees Shame. God Sees Salvation.

Your chapter puts this clearly:

“The crucifixion transformed what was seen as a symbol of shame… into a beacon of salvation and hope.”

From Rome’s perspective, the cross was a tool of terror.
From God’s perspective, it was a throne of triumph.

This tension—between worldly shame and divine purpose—is the same tension believers face today.
We often interpret suffering through a human lens, not a heavenly one.

But Scripture confronts us with this truth:
God’s greatest work often begins where human dignity seems to end.

How to Talk About This With Muslims

Your chapter offers practical guidance:

• Acknowledge the tension — Yes, a crucified Savior is a paradox.

• Highlight historical evidence — Tacitus, Josephus, and other sources confirm the event.

• Explain divine justice and mercy — The cross is where both meet perfectly.

• Use stories of sacrificial love — People understand redemption through sacrifice.

• Live it before you explain it — Humility, forgiveness, service, compassion.

When Muslims see Christians carrying their own crosses—loving sacrificially, forgiving radically—they begin to understand the One who carried His.

Your Next Step

If you want to speak confidently about why Jesus had to suffer, and why the cross is the center of God’s plan, this is your moment.

📘 Get the book:
Engaging Islam: Biblical Answers to 10 Common Islamic Objections
https://www.amazon.com/Engaging-Islam-Biblical-Answers-Objections/dp/B0DB691LMF

▶️ Watch the full message:
Would God Let a Prophet Suffer the Cross?
https://youtu.be/VWRTAfgyFnY

Final Word

Jesus’ suffering wasn’t an accident.
It wasn’t dishonor.
It wasn’t defeat.

It was love.
It was victory.
It was the plan.

And it still is.

The cross is the clearest picture of God’s heart the world has ever known.
Don’t shy away from it.
Stand on it. Live from it.
And let it shape how you carry your own.