"And for their saying: We have killed the Messiah, Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam"—(the word Masih is derived from) blessing. "But they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it appeared so unto them." Qatadah said: It was mentioned to us that Isa said to his companions: "Who among you will take on my resemblance and be killed?" A man from his companions said: "I, O Messenger of Allah." So that man was killed, and Allah protected His Prophet and raised him unto Himself. "And indeed, those who differ therein are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it"—some said: These are the Christians, who differed about him and became three sects.
Allah says: "They have no knowledge of it except the pursuit of conjecture, and they did not kill him with certainty" (meaning: they did not kill their conjecture with certainty). "Rather, Allah raised him to Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Might, All-Wise."
﴿وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْن مَرْيَم﴾ (مسح) بِالْبركَةِ. ﴿وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صلبوه وَلَكِن شبه لَهُم﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَة: ذكر لنا أَن عِيسَى قَالَ لأَصْحَابه: أَيّكُم يقذف عَلَيْهِ شبهي؛ فَإِنَّهُ مقتول؟ قَالَ رجل من أَصْحَابه: أَنَا يَا رَسُول الله. فَقتل ذَلِكَ الرجل، وَمنع الله نبيه (وَرَفعه إِلَيْهِ). ﴿وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ من علم﴾ كَانَ بَعضهم يَقُولُ: هم النَّصَارَى، اخْتلفُوا فِيهِ فصاروا ثَلَاث فرق.
قَالَ الله: ﴿مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينا﴾ (أَي: مَا قتلوا ظنهم يَقِينا) ﴿بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا﴾
