God said to the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace): 'They did not strike it for you except as a dispute.' He revealed concerning Jesus, his mother, and the angels: 'Indeed, those for whom the good (reward) has preceded from Us, they are kept away from it.'
The interpretation of this has already passed.
Muhammad said: His saying 'except as a dispute' means: seeking to argue. It is said: 'Jadula al-rajulu jadalan' (a man argued in a dispute), thus he is a person of dispute.
'He is not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor' with prophethood; meaning: Jesus. 'And We made him a sign' meaning: an example 'for the Children of Israel.' Mujahid's interpretation: God made him an example for them through what he used to perform of those miracles, such as healing the blind and the leper, and what God taught him.
قَالَ اللَّه للنَّبِي ﷺ ﴿مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جدلا﴾ وَأنزل فِي عِيسَى وَأمه وَالْمَلَائِكَة ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِنَّا الْحسنى أُولَئِكَ عَنْهَا مبعدون﴾.
وَقد مضى تَفْسِير هَذَا.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: قَوْله ﴿إِلَّا جدلا﴾ أَي: طلبا للمجادلة، يُقَال: جَدِلَ الرجل جَدَلًا فَهُوَ صَاحب جَدَلٍ.
﴿إِنْ هُوَ إِلا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ﴾ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ؛ يَعْنِي: عِيسَى ﴿وَجَعَلْنَاهُ مَثَلا﴾ يَعْنِي: عِبْرَة ﴿لبني إِسْرَائِيل﴾ تَفْسِير مُجَاهِد: جعله الله عِبْرَة لَهُم بِمَا كَانَ يصنع من تِلْكَ الْآيَات، مِمَّا يبرىء الأكمه والأبرص وَمِمَّا علمه الله.
