Hi Gary...
Indeed context is very important....and lends additional credence to this ayah, and whole sura (for that matter) as pertaining to Jesus Christ.
Here is the exegetical reasoning for my rendering of 86.7...
Summary of 86.7:
• In the Gospel according to John, we are told the geographic location in which Jesus was crucified
• The knoll, near Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified upon the cross (stauros), is described as being a rocky place where large stones have been rolled
• John relays his eyewitness account as to the physical location in which Jesus’ body was pierced while upon the Cross
• John records that a soldier’s spear pierced (nusso) Jesus’ side (pleura)
• As confirmation that Jesus died upon the cross, we are told that the soldiers spear pierced Jesus, on His side, through the rib
• John also records that Jesus was wrapped in grave clothes and was placed in a grave, further confirming His death upon the Cross
• John also details to us that Jesus’ grave was later found to be empty, and that scripture had forecast His Resurrection
• We are told in the Gospel according to John:
• That Jesus was crucified upon the Cross until dead
• The geographical location where Jesus was crucified
• That Jesus was pierced with a spear
• The physical location on Jesus’ body in which He was pierced (i.e. the ribs, the side)
• That blood and water poured from His side after He was confirmed dead
• That Jesus was Resurrected
• Following on the heals of 86.6, which informs us that Jesus Christ (i.e. the Morning Star) was crucified until death upon the Cross, and that the inner man was created from this crucifixion event; 86.7 continues with the masculine, singular, imperfect tense “yakhrujuâ€Â, meaning “He emergesâ€Â
• Surveying all twenty Koranic locations of “yakhruju†& “wayakhruju†demonstrates that this term is overwhelmingly used in reference to, and describes an action by, Koranic deity
• Most notable of its contextual usage is the fact that it references the entering into the earth (death & burial), and the subsequent emerging from it (masculine singular representing Jesus’ Resurrection), and then the ascending and descending in a cloud – identical to the Biblical Jesus Christ
• The repeated contextual usage of “yakhrujuâ€Â, relating to ascension/descending in a cloud, further solidifies The Second Coming of Jesus theme of sura 86, as evidenced all the way through the sura
• These ayahs have also provided for us numerous attributes that apply to Jesus, such as:
• The First & the Last
• The Ever Merciful
• The Most Protecting One
• The root “kharaja†gives us greater insight by informing us that, “He departed†signifying that He was in the grave but no longer is
• Further, this root is also stated to be a name for the day of Resurrection
• “Yakhruju†is referring to Jesus’ singular Resurrection from the grave, and imputes deity to Him
• The next term is “minâ€Â, and, just as in 86.6, “min†is a preposition signifying origin, composition, explanation, commencement, and has been rendered “fromâ€Â
• Thus, we are about to be informed from where He (Jesus), emerges from
• The juxtaposed term, “bayniâ€Â, tells us that the emerging is from between two things, per the classic definition: Denotes intervention in the interval between two things, or the middle, or midst, of two things, or the middle of a collective number; thus it signifies between, and amidst, and among. A man, or thing bearing evidence of a quality that he, or it, possesses.
• It is interesting that the classic definition also states that it applies to a man bearing evidence of a quality that he possesses
• The root “bana†also indicates something that is made apparent, evident, or clear
• “Sulbi†is the next very revealing term, as it is a genitive case, singular, masculine noun – which means that it is in possession of another adjacent noun
• “Sulbi†carries with it the following definition: A rugged, stony place: a rugged, extending place of earth or ground; a hard part of the earth or ground
• Comparing to the Gospel of John, this correlates to the Hebrew term “Golgothaâ€Â, and refers to the geographical location in which Jesus Christ was crucified
• “Sulbi†gives us a physical location on the human body (i.e. the backbone)
• “Sulbi†also gives us a weapon (i.e. a sharpened spear)
• “Alssulbi†is rendered as ‘The Cross’, and carries with it the following classic definitions: “To cause to be crucified. Signifies also ichor, or watery humor, mixed with blood, that flows from the dead. A cross; a certain thing pertaining to Christians, which they take as an object to which to direct the face in prayer. A posture forbidden by the prophet because resembling that of a man when he is crucified, the arms of the man in this case being extended upon the timber.â€Â
• “Alssulbi†is therefore referencing a very specific thing:
• A CRUCIFIXION
• Further, “alssulbi’s†root “salaba†carries with it the meaning “to crucify; he crucified him; to put to death by crucificationâ€Â
• Outside of sura 86, the root derivatives of “salaba†occur only seven times (4.23, 4.157, 5.33, 7.124, 12.41, 20.71, 26.49)
• In six of these seven occurrences, it directly references the complete certainty of death through crucifixion
• The seventh ayah refers to a physical location upon the human body
• Honorable mention goes out to ayah 4.157
• 4.157 is the quintessential Islamic ayah used by Muslims in an attempt to thwart Jesus’ crucifixion, until death, upon the Cross
• This ayah has been misinterpreted and promoted as a crucifixion denial, when, in fact, it is a Biblical confirmation that Jesus’ crucifixion, and death, upon the Cross, actually did take place
• Rendering 4.157 as a crucifixion denial, forces the Koran into contradiction with itself
• 4.157 contains a plethora of positive affirmations, including “wamaâ€Â, and leaves no doubt in the mind of the reader that Jesus was killed upon the Cross
• Further, the root “khahafa†gives us deeper insight via the classic meaning “he came after, followed, succeeded, or remained after another or another that had perished or died.†And…take the place of, be the agent, substitute of. A substitute
• Here we have a confirmation that Jesus indeed died on the Cross, as the root confirms that His followers remained after He died on the Cross
• Further, the root also confirms to us that Jesus was the sin substitution for mankind
• Additionally, the root “shakkaâ€Â, imparts the meaning “I pierced, or transpierced him, or it, with a spear.â€Â
• Confirming that Jesus was pierced in the side – same as declared in the Holy Bible.
• We are told an enormous amount of information from “alssulbiâ€Â, its root, its derivatives, and its Koranic context
• The final noun in this ayah is “waalttara-ibiâ€Â
• “Waalttara-ibi†means “rib bones or four ribs of the right side of the chest and four of the left thereofâ€Â
• This word also refers to the part of a camel in which it is stabbed, or stuck
• Further, this word also refers to “a man’s graveâ€Â
• Reading each Koranic root derivative of “taribaâ€Â, in context, demonstrates the overwhelming usage in direct reference to a resurrection and salvation event.
• Additionally, four of these ayahs have already been identified as pertaining to the fluid-based creation passages (i.e. water/blood and water) as covered in the 86.6 exegesis (i.e. 18.37, 22.5, 35.11, & 40.67)
• Honorable mention goes to ayah 3.59 which also shares a root derivative which directly involves Jesus Christ and mandates that the physical man is created through Jesus Christ
• Since “alssulbi†is genitive, this means that it holds “waalttara-ibi†in possession…i.e. the Cross has possession over the grave
• By Koranic context alone, the evidence is overwhelming in favor of 86.7 directly referencing a crucifixion event that resulted in certain death, by referencing a physical location on the human body (i.e. Jesus’ body…i.e. the Morning Star)
• We are told point blank in 86.7:
• That Jesus was crucified upon the Cross until dead
• The geographical location where Jesus was crucified
• That Jesus was pierced with a spear
• The physical location on Jesus’ body in which He was pierced (i.e. between the backbone and the ribs)
• That blood and water poured from His side after He was confirmed dead
• That Jesus was Resurrected
• Observe that two equally valid alternate renderings can be gleaned from 86.7:
1) 86.7 He emerges from amidst the Cross and the grave
Or
2) 86.7 He emerges from between the backbone and the rib
• Both renderings can only be referring to Jesus Christ
• The first rendering signifying Jesus’ singular Resurrection from death upon the Cross
• The second rendering signifying the physical location upon Jesus’ body in which the blood and water flowed forth confirming His death upon the Cross
• Either rendering has Jesus Christ (i.e. the Morning Star; the title of this sura) as the singular One overcoming
