[2] One version was popularised by University of Oxford literary scholar and writer C. S. Lewis in a BBC radio talk and in his writings.
This argument is very popular with Christian apologists, although some theologians and biblical scholars[3] do not view Jesus as having claimed to be God.
[12] New Testament scholar N. T. Wright criticises Lewis for failing to recognise the significance of Jesus' Jewish identity and setting—an oversight which "at best, drastically short-circuits the argument" and which lays Lewis open to criticism that his argument "doesn't work as history, and it backfires dangerously when historical critics question his reading of the gospels", although he believes this "doesn't undermine the eventual claim".
[citation needed] William Lane Craig, another advocate of this last argument, includes in the list of facts:[14] In light of these, he goes on to say the best explanation is that God raised Jesus from the dead.
And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.According to some Muslim traditions, Jesus was replaced by a double; others suggest it was Simon of Cyrene, or one of the disciples such as Judas Iscariot.
A minority of commentaries of Ismaili or rationalist (falāsifa) leaning affirmed the crucifixion by arguing that Jesus' body had been crucified, but his spirit had ascended.
However, this interpretation was generally rejected, and according to the Encyclopedia of Islam, there was unanimous agreement among the scholars in denying the crucifixion,[17] despite famous Muslim apologist Shabir Ally have demonstrated that it is possible that Jesus was not crucified at all.