God's Son
“I am God’s Son” John 10:36.

Amenzu and Ziri were Berber musicians who traveled from village to village in Algeria. Two months ago, after playing bagpipe and oboe music for a wedding, the groom had secretly handed them an unusual gift--the New Testament Gospels. On the title page, the groom had written:
“As you value our traditional Berber music,
so may you value our traditional religion.”

Almost every evening since, the musicians had secretively read the book and discussed its contents. Tonight, after Ziri read John 10:31-39 by dim lamplight, Amenzu whispered, “The Jews wanted to stone the prophet Jesus. They accused him of claiming to be God.”

Ziri nodded, “And most astoundingly, Jesus didn’t deny the charge. In fact, He called Himself God’s Son.”

“Blasphemy!” Amenzu tugged on his beard violently. “Why aren’t you burning this book?”

“Do you want me to burn it?” Ziri asked, cradling the book protectively to his chest.

“Like any Muslim, I am repelled by the blasphemous idea that Allah would have intercourse with a woman. But in the stories of Jesus’ conception and birth, we found no disgusting details, only a divine miracle resulting in Jesus being born of a virgin. Yet, here in this story Jesus accepts the offensive title ‘Son of God.’” Amenzu paused uncertainly and then sighed. “What Jesus SAYS is so difficult, but I love everything He DOES.”

Ziri looked at the book again. “Maybe that is why Jesus says,
‘Do not believe me
unless I do what my Father does.
But if I do it,
even though you do not believe me,
believe the miracles,
that you may know and understand
that the Father is in me,
and I in the Father’ (v. 37-38).

“We Muslims,” Ziri added, “have focused on what a son IS, but Jesus calls us to take note of what a son DOES.”

“Especially a first-born son,” Amenzu added thoughtfully. Suddenly his eyes widened. “My name is Amenzu, meaning the first one, the oldest. My duty as first-born son is to be the family’s kinsman-redeemer. I am to protect family members from all danger and disgrace. To rescue my brothers and sisters, I am expected to assume any debt and endure any shame.”

“In our Berber culture there is no greater duty than that of a kinsman-redeemer,” agreed Ziri, “but what does that have to do with Jesus?”

“Three times, in the books called Matthew, Mark and Luke, we have read about Jesus dying on a cross for the disobedience and debts of the people. Isn’t this exactly what a first-born kinsman-redeemer is called to do?”

“And,” Ziri said, “all three times it says that God raised Him from the dead. Isn’t that exactly what a divine Father would do for His Son?”

1. How can the concept of Jesus as kinsman-redeemer help legitimize for Muslims the concept of Jesus as Son of God? See Lev. 25:47-49; Ruth 4; Ps. 130:7-8; Luke 1:68; Rom. 3:23-24; Gal. 3:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-21.
2. In John 10:34-39, is Jesus claiming to be THE Son of God, or just A son of God? Take special note of v. 36. Can such words apply to a mere human being? See also Heb. 1:1-3, Col. 1:15-20.
3. Before the 8th century Arab conquest of North Africa, the Berber people were Christian. In light of this, reread what the groom wrote in the book he gave to Ziri and Amenzu.