How can God be a mortal and die?

The Bible teaches that God, in His divine essence, is eternal and cannot die (1 Timothy 1:17, ESV: “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever”). However, Christianity holds that God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ—becoming fully God and fully man. This is called the Incarnation. Here’s how this addresses your question:

The Incarnation: In John 1:14, ESV, it says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” The eternal Word (Jesus) took on a human nature, making Him capable of experiencing human realities like hunger, fatigue, and death, while remaining fully divine.

Jesus’ Death as a Human: Jesus, in His human nature, experienced death on the cross (Mark 15:37, ESV: “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last”). His divine nature did not die—God cannot cease to exist—but His human nature underwent death. The Bible explains this as a voluntary act of sacrifice for humanity’s sins (Philippians 2:8, ESV: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”).

The Resurrection: Jesus’ death was not the end. He rose from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:6-7, ESV: “He is not here, but has risen”), demonstrating His power over death and affirming His divine identity. This shows that while Jesus’ human body died, His divine nature remained eternal, and He conquered death.

Purpose of His Death: The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death was necessary to atone for humanity’s sins (1 John 2:2, ESV: “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world”). As God, His sacrifice has infinite value; as man, He could die in humanity’s place.

Quranic and Hadith Perspective

From an Islamic perspective, you might find the idea of God dying fundamentally incompatible with Allah’s nature, and the Quran denies that Jesus (Isa, peace be upon him) died on the cross. Let’s explore this view:

Allah’s Nature in Islam: The Quran emphasizes Allah’s transcendence and eternality, with no capacity for mortality. Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4 states, “Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’” The idea of God becoming mortal or dying contradicts this absolute oneness and immutability.

Denial of Jesus’ Crucifixion: The Quran asserts that Jesus was not crucified or killed. Surah An-Nisa 4:157-158 says, “And [for] their saying, ‘Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.’ And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. … Rather, Allah raised him to Himself.” Many Islamic scholars interpret this to mean that Allah raised Jesus to heaven, and someone else (often suggested to be Judas) was crucified in his place.

Hadith Context: Hadiths like Sahih Bukhari, Book 55, Hadith 650, affirm Jesus’ return at the end of times, supporting the view that he did not die but was taken up by Allah. This aligns with the Islamic rejection of God or a divine figure dying, as it would contradict Allah’s eternal nature.

From their perspective, the Christian claim that God became mortal and died might seem illogical or blasphemous, as Allah is beyond human limitations, and the Quran denies Jesus’ crucifixion.

Apologetic Response

I acknowledge the Islamic view that Allah cannot die and that Jesus was not crucified, as presented in the Quran and Hadith. However, the Bible offers a framework to understand how Jesus, as God incarnate, could die in His human nature while remaining divine:

Dual Nature of Christ: Christianity teaches that Jesus has two natures—divine and human—in one person (the hypostatic union). His divine nature is eternal and cannot die, but His human nature, which He took on in the Incarnation, could experience death. This is not a contradiction but a mystery of the Incarnation. Hebrews 2:14, ESV, explains, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death.”

Historical Evidence of the Crucifixion: The crucifixion of Jesus is one of the most well-attested events in ancient history, recorded not only in the Bible (Matthew 27:50, ESV) but also by non-Christian sources like the Roman historian Tacitus (Annals 15.44, circa 116 AD) and the Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities 18.3.3, circa 93 AD). This challenges the Quranic claim that Jesus was not crucified, as early historical records, closer to the event, confirm His death.

Theological Necessity: The Bible explains that Jesus’ death was necessary for the redemption “‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”). His death fulfilled Old Testament prophecies like Isaiah 53:5, ESV: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.”

Resurrection as Vindication: Jesus’ resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, ESV) demonstrates that death could not hold Him, affirming His divine power. If Jesus were merely human, He would have remained dead; His resurrection validates His claim to be God incarnate.

Addressing Skepticism

They might argue that the Bible was corrupted (tahrif), altering the true story of Jesus’ life. However, early New Testament manuscripts (e.g., Papyrus 52, dated to around 125 AD) and writings of early church fathers like Ignatius (circa 110 AD) consistently describe Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, suggesting these accounts date back to the 1st century, long before the Quran’s revelation in the 7th century.

The Quran honors Jesus as a prophet and miracle-worker (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:110), but its rejection of His crucifixion contrasts with historical evidence. The Christian view sees Jesus’ death not as a diminishment of God’s nature but as a profound act of love, where God, in His human nature, bridges the gap between humanity and divinity.