Was Jesus a liar, a lunatic, or Lord? This is the famous “trilemma” that Christian apologists have used for decades to argue for the divinity of Jesus. In this compelling episode of The Deen Show, Dr. Gerald Dirks — a former Christian minister, Deacon, and Harvard Divinity School graduate — dismantles this argument by presenting the fourth option that is conveniently left out: none of the above. Jesus, peace be upon him, was a truthful, sane, and mighty messenger of God who called people to worship the One Creator alone.
The Fourth Option: A Mighty Messenger of God
Dr. Dirks explains that the “liar, lunatic, or Lord” argument creates a false choice. Jesus was not a liar, because he truthfully conveyed the message of God. He was not a lunatic, because his teachings reflect the highest wisdom and moral guidance. And he was not “Lord” in the sense of being divine, because he repeatedly directed worship to the Father alone. The Quran confirms what the earliest Jewish-Christian groups, including the Church of Jerusalem under James the Righteous, always believed: that Jesus was human, not divine.
“We certainly respect Jesus. We accept him as one of the messengers of God bringing revelation from God to us. But we do not accept him as being God or being divine himself.”
What the Earliest Christians Actually Believed
- The earliest followers of Jesus were Jews who considered themselves Jews — the term “Christian” came later as a derogatory label
- Jewish-Christian groups that flourished in the early centuries denied the divinity of Jesus and affirmed pure monotheism
- The Bible itself contains titles for Jesus like “Rabbi” (teacher) and “Messiah” (anointed one), neither of which implies divinity
- No Muslim is a Muslim unless he believes in Jesus as a mighty messenger of God — Islam honors Jesus more than many realize
“The word ‘Lord’ can mean master or teacher, and we Muslims have no objection to Jesus being referred to that way. But as a divine Son of God? That is where we draw the line.”
Dr. Dirks, whose books and lectures are available at dirksonlinebooks.com, invites everyone to examine this question with an open heart and mind. The evidence from the Bible itself, from early church history, and from the Quran all point to the same conclusion: Jesus was a noble prophet who taught pure monotheism, not a member of a Trinity that was only formalized centuries after his mission. Islam calls all people to worship the same One God that Jesus worshipped, and to honor him as one of the greatest messengers ever sent to humanity.
