thought that "the prophet" (Deut. xviii, 18) was the Messiah (cf. John vi.
14); others did not (cf. John vii. 40-41), thinking him to be one of the Messiah's forerunners.
The whole passage (John i. 19-28), shows that what the questioners wanted to find out was
whether John was the Messiah or one of his forerunners. There would have been no
sense in asking whether he was a supposed prophet who was to come after the
Messiah, since the Messiah had not yet manifested Himself as such. (Vide Godet on John i.
21.)
232. M. John iv. 21 is a prophecy that Jerusalem would no longer be the Holy
City and the Qiblah, but that when Muhammad came Mecca should take its place.
C. In verses 23, 24 Christ Himself explains verse 21.
[233. M. In 1 John iv. 2, 3 Muhammad is spoken of as the Spirit of God, because
he taught that Jesus Christ had "come in the flesh," i.e. that He was man and
not God.
C. The title "Spirit of God" is neither in the Qur'an nor in the
Traditions given to Muhammad, nor do any true Muslims give him such a blasphemous title
now. These verses are in refutation of the Docetic heresy. Your views about Jesus are
refuted in very plain language in 1 John v. 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, ii. 22, 23.]
[234. M. In Jude 14, 15 "the Lord" who was to come is Muhammad, the
apostle with the sword.
