3:54 They plotted and schemed, but so did GOD, and GOD is the best schemer.
3:55 Thus, GOD said, “O Jesus, I am terminating your life, raising you to Me, and ridding you of the disbelievers. I will exalt those who follow you above those who disbelieve, till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is the ultimate destiny of all of you, then I will judge among you regarding your disputes.
*3:54-55 We learn that Jesus’ soul, the real person, was raised, i.e., Jesus’ life on earth was terminated, prior to the arrest, torture, and crucifixion of his empty, soulless, physiologically living body (See the details in Appendix 22).
3:56 “As for those who disbelieve, I will commit them to painful retribution in this world, and in the Hereafter. They will have no helpers.”
3:57 As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, He will fully recompense them. GOD does not love the unjust.
3:58 These are the revelations that we recite to you, providing a message full of wisdom.
This has been the single most controversial subject in the world. The Quran’s miraculous mathematical code has now provided the final answer to this topic:
Jesus’ soul was raised, i.e., he was put to death prior to the arrest and crucifixion of his body. Thus, his persecutors arrested, tortured, and crucified an empty body – Jesus was already gone to the world of souls (3:55, 4:157).
Mercifully, God has given our generation a living example of a person whose soul departed this world, but his body continued to live for 19 months. On November 25, 1984, doctors at the Humana Hospital of Louisville, Kentucky removed the diseased heart of Mr. William Schroeder and replaced it with a plastic and metal pump (THE NEW YORK TIMES, Monday, November 26, 1984).
On the 19th day after this historic operation – Thursday, December 13, 1984 – Mr. Schroeder, the soul, the real person, departed this world. Mr. Schroeder died. But his body continued to function with the artificial heart implanted in his body. The world was told that he “probably suffered a stroke” (THE NEW YORK TIMES, December 14, 1984). Significantly, only one day before Mr. Schroeder’s departure, he talked with President Ronald Reagan on national TV, and demanded that the Social Security Administration send his overdue check. He was perfectly alert. From the moment “he suffered a stroke,” he did not recognize the day or time, nor his family members. In fact, Mr. Scroeder was no longer in this world.
The Gospels state clearly that the arrested body of Jesus was oblivious to the events surrounding it:
The chief priests, meanwhile,
brought many accusations against Jesus.
Pilate interrogated him again:
“Surely you have some answer?
See how many accusations
they are leveling against you.”
But greatly to Pilate’s surprise,
Jesus made no further response.
[ Mark 15:3-5]
Herod was extremely pleased to see Jesus. From the reports about him he had wanted for a long time to see him, and he was hoping to see him work some miracles. He questioned Jesus at considerable length, but Jesus made no response. The chief priests and scribes were at hand to accuse him vehemently. Herod and his guards then treated him with contempt and insult. [ Luke 23:8-11]
The Savior said to me, “He whom you saw on the tree, glad and laughing, this is the living Jesus. But this one into whose hands and feet they drive the nails is the fleshly part. [Apocalypse of Peter, VII, 3, 81] from THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY (Harper & Row, 1977, James M. Robinson, ed, Page 339).
The facts that (1) Mr. Schroeder’s soul departed on the 19th day after the operation, and (2) his body survived for 19 months, are uncanny reminders that God wanted the world to know the parallel between Schroeder’s situation, and the proven account of Jesus’ departure prior to the arrest, torture, and crucifixion of his soulless body.