Eschatology in the New Testament

In the New Testament eschatology, Jesus had a very important and prominent. Jesus is not just one sign of the coming end of time (as understood by Muslims), but by and in him that the end times happen. Talk of NT eschatology in general is associated with the second coming of Jesus, commonly called the parousia.

Excessive emphasis on the events of Jesus' second coming times, often bringing Christians to a tendency to count and determine when exactly the incident. From the very beginning there are some groups of Christians who try to give the exact date on the day of the second coming of Jesus. Early example of this trend is Montanism movement in Asia Minor, in the second century. Montanus, with two of his female followers: Priscilla and Maximilla, stating that the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus has come in them. To assure this, they began to speak in tongues, even ecstasy. This movement demanded that his followers do the holy life, abstain from worldly pleasures, for Jesus' second coming is near.

In subsequent periods, groups emerged, which emphasizes Jesus' parousia to extremes, such as the Adventist group. The founder of this sect, namely William Miller predicted the second coming of Jesus will occur in 1843, after researching the Book of Daniel and Revelation. What happened was the disappointment of his followers because there is no any event in that year. Similarly, in groups of Pentecost, the tendency to match the events that occurred in the present with biblical prophecy about Jesus' parousia, as practiced by Gordon Lindsay. There are other groups similar, also do the same thing that is predicted the coming of Jesus' second coming, as recently happened.

Human efforts to calculate exactly when Jesus returns the second time, in any form will also end in failure, because contrary to the mandate of the Bible itself, αυτοι γαρ ακριβως οιδατε οτι η ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης εν νυκτι ουτως ερχεται for you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2) περι δε της ημερας εκεινης και ωρας ουδεις οιδεν ουδε οι αγγελοι των ουρανων ουδε ο υιος ει μη ο πατηρ μονος "No one knows when that day or hour will come-not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mat 24:36)

Feast of Tabernacles in Jesus' time

On the 14th of the seventh month (Tishrei), in the Holy Land, the grape harvest had just ended. Everyone rejoiced even though the body feels tired after work, because at night the Feast of Tabernacles begins. Feast of Tabernacles (Hag hassukot) is held annually on 15-21, the Hebrew calendar month of Tishri (approximately September / October in the Gregorian calendar), to commemorate the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness, when out of the Land of Egypt (Leviticus 23:34; Numbers 29 :12-38). Spiritual feast lasted for seven days in an atmosphere of the sacrifices of sheep, dancing and singing procession to the temple (not in the temple). During the week everyone has to live outside their homes, by building a simple tents that covered the foliage alone.

The city of Jerusalem became so crowded because so many many people from outside who came to Jerusalem. Hagigah or 3 great celebration was attended not only Jews in the Holy Land, but also the Jewish diaspora communities (overseas) who live in other countries (cf. John 7:35, Acts 2:5). In the Gospels, it is recorded that Jesus had also attended hag hassukot, which is celebrated on a large scale in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

The Gospel of John 7: 37-39 noted that on the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have rivers of living water flowing from his heart. " These words were spoken by Jesus at the height of the feast of Tabernacles, the eighth day, called Shemini Atseret or in the seventh day called Hoshana Rabbah (הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּא Great Hoshana), because in contrast to the previous day's rites on Hoshana Rabbah, in which all the liturgical readings are spoken as much as 7 times while circling the altar. When pilgrims around the altar (Muslims also carry out such a procession during the Haj pilgrimage, called the Tawaaf) as much as seven times, the faithful recites Hoshanot: hoshi'ahna (Aramaic: hoshana) as much as seven times. Each "hoshana" is done in honor of a patriarch (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David). The seven circuits correspond to the seven words in the verse Erhatz benikayon kappay, va'asovevah et mizbahakha Hashem "I wash my hands in innocence; And I walk around Your altar, O יהוה," (Psalms 26:6) אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי; וַאֲסֹבְבָה אֶת-מִזְבַּחֲךָ יְהוָה -.

Jesus' words, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!", is pronounced in the context of a series of rites of Nisuh ha-Mayim (outpouring of the water), which is done before the procession around the altar. After the Levites took the water in the pool of Siloam, then they take vases of water to the Temple of God, after all the people enter the courtyard of the temple, the Chief Priest walk to the main altar and then pour the water in the vessel, accompanied by the prayer of the faithful: "May God send His spirit upon us!".

In the Jewish interpretation, ritual Nisuh ha-Mayim, which is actually to commemorate the refreshing stream which had come forth miraculously out of the rock at Meribah, i.e. events when Moses struck the rock with his rod and then the water spurting out from that rock hill, then soteriologicly associated with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruah ha-Qodesh). In the description of the Talmud (Sukkah 9), called Nisuh hammayim because "will be poured out upon us the Holy Spirit, as written in the book of the Prophet Isaiah: "And with joy you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation." (Isaiah 12:3)

In the Christian understanding, the outpouring of the water and the hope of the descent of the Holy Spirit has been fulfilled. In the last supper Jesus said, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins." The water of life that has been poured for the blood of the Redeemer has been shed. The Holy Spirit, went down after the Messiah be glorified (John 7: 30), once through the Via Dolorosa, Crucifixion, death and resurrection, and Ascension to heaven, only then the spirit of God was sent to perfect the work of Messiah (Jn. 16: 7-10), and poured on the day of Pentecost. If we look in the book of Zechariah 14 then shall we find that the rites in the feast of Tabernacles is so filled with the hope of the figure of the outcoming Messiah.

THE HAG

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Hag ha-Shavuot or the Feast of Pentecost which was held 50 days after Passover, which the people of Israel is commemorated as the day of harvest and thanksgiving to God, Christianity interpreted as the day grateful for the descent of the Holy Spirit to the apostles that marks the harvest of God for the salvation of Jesus Christ with the establishment of the early church in Jerusalem. (Acts 2:1-2)

If all hope of Jews through the feasts have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, is there any meaning Christians to make pilgrimages to the Holy Land (especially Jerusalem)? Did not Jesus also explicitly says to the Samaritan woman whom he met, “believe Me that the hour cometh when neither in this mountain, nor at Urishlem, you shall worship the Father”?

Everything is true, have all been fulfilled. Only, make pilgrimages to the Holy Land of Palestine-Israel is not the same as the pilgrimage at other places. For those of you who have visited the Vatican, Lourdes, Mount Athos, or other places of pilgrimage, you may feel the spiritual experiences, but you will feel something different when it comes to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, especially if the pilgrimage at Easter. 'Aliyah to the Holy Land, especially with the ritual of the Cross (Tariq al-'Alam) stations for the stations, we would feel like to walk with the Messiah, retrace one by one, step by step of the great salvation of God, in misery the World Savior (Mukhalish al-'Alam).

Through a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, we are invited to enter and immerse yourself in the Bible times. We see close cultural treasures of a people that through this people, God acts to save mankind. Like the words of Jesus, “for salvation is from the Jihudoyee (the Jews)”. Our hearts will be touched when heard the Psalmist sang שִׁיר הַֽמַּעֲלֹות shiyr hammaaloth (Song of Pilgrimage) filled with a yearning for the divine salvation that will come, once commonly sung at the 'aliyah to the Holy City of Yerushalayim.
Psalm 122:1-4
שִׁיר הַֽמַּעֲלֹות לְדָוִד מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִים לִי בֵּית יְהוָה נֵלֵֽךְ׃
עֹמְדֹות הָיוּ רַגְלֵינוּ בִּשְׁעָרַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
יְרוּשָׁלִַם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־לָּהּ יַחְדָּֽו׃
שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי־יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהֹדֹות לְשֵׁם יְהוָֽה׃

From the Holy City of Jerusalem, feel how melodious ballad 'Id al-Fashha in joy:
المسيح قام من بين الاموات. ووطظيء الاموت با لموت وهب لحياة للذين في القبور
Al-Masih qama min bainal amwat. Wa wathi’ al-mauta bil maut, wa wahabal hayyata lilladzina fil qubuur.
Christ is risen from the dead. By His death He has trampled death and given life for everyone who was in the grave.

THE HAG

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. (John 4::21, NIV)

A pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the verb in Hebrew is called with עליה 'aliyah, meaning "ascension" (from the base עלה 'alah: to ascend or mount upwards). By Muslims, a phrase like this also arise when they say "go up pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Mecca and Medina)." In the Bible the pilgrims are called מעלה mă'alah (plural: מעלות ma'ăloth).

In the Book of Exodus 23:14 states that God's people are commanded to carry out the celebration / Hags to the Lord three times a year, ie hag ha-Pesah, hag ha-Shavuot, hag ha-Sukkot. שָׁלֹ֣שׁ רְגָלִ֔ים תָּחֹ֥ג לִ֖י בַּשָּׁנָֽה׃ shalosh regalim ta chog li bashanah Three times in the year you shall make a feast to Me.

From the standpoint of Christianity, the rite of Hags has been fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah promised by God. For Christians it has become clear, “Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food and drink or with respect to a festival, a new moon, or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to Christ.” (Col 2:16-17, ISV) Christ is the fulfillment of all Jewish rites they perform in the context of the coming of the Messiah will hold.

Because Christ is the fulfillment of all Jewish expectation, based on the Bible and Jewish tradition, the framework of Christian worship was still built on the foundation of Jewish terminology. As a ritual meal in the "sacrifice of the Passover lamb" (Exodus 12:23-28, 43-51), in which the people of Israel to commemorate the event "passed the houses of Israel" so that escape from the death of firstborn children, because there are signs of sheep blood on the doors of the house of Israel.

Christianity interpret the blood of "The Great Sacrifice" that has been spilled already missed, not only of Israel (בני ישׂראל bene Yisra’el) but all of humanity (בני ובאדם bene Adam), from eternal destruction. The Jewish Passover meal taken by Christianity in the form of Qidmat al-Quddus, the Lord's Supper which brings the mystery of God's presence.

To be continued ....

The claimant of the Paraclete

The words of Jesus in John's Gospel about the coming of another comforter (αλλον παρακλητον allon paraklēton) seems to be an interesting thing for people to claim themselves as "The Another comforter", over time. From the writing and circulation of the Gospel of John for the early Christians, have emerged of people claiming to be another Helper that has been prophesied by Jesus. Let us look at some people who claim to (or believed by his followers) as allon paraklēton promised by Jesus Christ.

- MONTANUS
Montanus was a forerunner of Montanism movement, which is a charismatic and apocalyptic movements at the end of the 2nd century. He is a former priest of pagan religion in Phrygia in Asia Minor who later embraced Christianity. Montanism movement in terms of dogmatic quite difficult for disabled, since it is a movement based on mystical inspiration to revolt against the existing authorities like the Bible and the Church hierarchy. Montanus claimed was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he regards himself as the Paraclete promised by Jesus to renew the Church, as he announced the end of the world and the need to prepare ourselves for the end times with a pure moral practices.

According to Montanus, the Comforter demanded holy behavior, that is not doing a second marriage, even as a marriage was considered a low thing; fasting; set of dry food without meat (xerophagia), may not escape in times of persecution, and ask ourselves offerings to God in martyrdom.

In its development, two women (prophetess), Maximilla and Priscilla, joined Montanus. The two of them is called Montanus as the first fruits of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32). According to their testimony, the blood of martyrdom is the key of the Kingdom of Heaven. They refuse to forgive major sins such as murder, apostasy, adultery. They reject any form of ecclesiastical authority by stating that churches and their leaders that are spiritually dead and surrendered unconditionally to the new prophets, that through these new prophets, the Spirit speaks. He declared himself as the spokesman of God to bring "New Revelation" and "New Prophecy", he is "The Mouth of the Holy Spirit.”

Montanism fragmented into many small sects, then in the 4th century began to be fought by the Roman Empire (although criticism of the doctrine of Montanus has started since the beginning of its existence) and was successfully removed in the 7th century. But the character and spirit Montanism never really disappear until these modern times. Charismatic-apocalyptic movements like Montanism become a common sight today.

- MANICHAEUS
Manichaeus, born in the village Mardinû, in the desert Nahr Kuta, Southern Babylonia, 14 April 216. At the age of 24 years, Manichaeus received a mission from the Angel al-Taum, to proclaim the peak of the divine revelation of Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus. Manichaeus teachings that are syncretic and dualistic, then called Manichaeism. According Manichaeus, the Church has misunderstood the teachings of Jesus who promised to send the Holy Comforter. Because the Holy Comforter was not the Holy Spirit, but is Manichaeus.

Manichaeus has the objective to establish a new religion, where all other religions must base themselves at him. He says that all holy books, wisdom, revelation, metaphor and Psalms of previous religions, gathered in the teachings Manichaeus and in policies which he revealed.

Manichaeus recognize Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus; they are "brothers" of Manichaeus, the interpreter of the same wisdom. But there are drawbacks to all three figures by Manichaeus, that although all three preached and spread the teachings, but none of those who wrote scripture. This is why religion Manichaeism consider superior to the religions of the three figures because Manichaeus wrote his book himself (he produced a book, called Artang, which he said had been sent down to him from heaven and contained the final revelation to men). The strange, in each of the letters he wrote, Manichaeus always referred to himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Manichaeus occupy important positions in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Shapur I (240-273). At the time of King Shapur I declare war against Rome in 241, the teachings Manichaeism also spread to the West. His teachings spread to the East to China and to the west to Spain. Manichaeus asserted, “I have come from the land of Babel to make my cry heard throughout the whole world.” He claimed to be the last and greatest of the prophets "the Ambassador of Light," which he identified with the Deity. He was impaled by the command of Bahram I, of Persia, about 276 A. D. In 302, Emperor Diocletian declared war against the teachings of Manichaeism. And in the period and other regions, Manichaeism also combated by the Buddhists and Muslims.

- MUHAMMAD
Muhammad ibn Abdullah born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the year 570, although there were some disagreements over the actual date. His father was Abdullah, while his mother was Aminah. Muhammad came from the Quraysh tribe, an influential tribe in Mecca, being the Custodians of the Ka'ba, but Muhammad's family was poor. Tradition asserts that Muhammad's father died a couple of weeks before he was born and his mother died when he was six. After Aminah's death when he was six, he was taken care of by his grandfather, `Abdul Muttalib. After `Abdul Muttalib's death when Muhammad was eight years old, his uncle, Abu Talib, became his guardian.

Muhammad later entered the services of a widow called Khadija. After a successful mercantile trip to Syria, Khadija proposed to Muhammad, and he accepted the marriage proposal. Muhammad was 25 while Khadija was 40. At the age of 40, Muhammad claimed that he was receiving revelations from the angel Gabriel when he was in the Hira cave. Angel Gabriel told him to recite in the name of the Lord. This is the first verse of the Qur’an received by Muhammad (Surah al-‘Alaq). Khadija was the first to believe in him.

Muhammad started preaching in the family and its close relatives in the city of Mecca. Nevertheless these early efforts seem less bring significant results even begin to get resistance from the people of Quraysh, including his uncles such as Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl, even the uncle who guards him when he was a child, Abu Talib, was not a adherents of Islam. Muhammad then moved to the city of Yathrib (later called Medina), where he gained the trust of the population of the city to settle disputes between tribes. Muhammad began to receive widespread support and then after a series of battles with the leaders of Quraysh, Muhammad managed to go back to the city of Mecca in triumph. And since then, the doctrine that brought by Muhammad then spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, extending to India, China, and North Africa, Spain and all over the world to become the second largest religion in the world today.

What do Muhammad with 'another comforter' (αλλον παρακλητον allon paraklēton)? Muhammad did not like Montanus and Manichaeus who admitted openly as another comforter that Jesus promised. Only one verse in the Qur'an that are associated with this matter, namely Surah as-Saff verse 6, “And remember Jesus the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he came to them with Clear Signs they said “This is evident sorcery!” This is the only verse that says that the coming of Muhammad was prophesied by Jesus, although not specifically lead to allon paraklēton that Jesus promised in John's Gospel. Almost certain that Muhammad never read the Gospel of John, either because he was illiterate or because it was translation of the Gospel of John in Arabic is not available at that time. The story that Jesus prophesied the coming of a prophet after him is very likely derived from the stories of the people around him who have heard or received little teaching of Christian monks in the Arabian Peninsula. The picture of Christianity which the Qur'an presents to us shows us what conception of it Muhammad had formed from his own limited experience. Stories about Waraqa, monk Bahira, Mary the Copt, Zaid and Bilal (a former slave who was born in Christian homes) make us better understand how Muhammad got a description of Christianity which is too faint, so Muhammad was never linked him as another Comforter, but the new prophet sent after Jesus’ prophethood.

The attempts to link the prophecy of Jesus about allon paraklēton with the prophet promised, only done by the interpreters of Islam after the era of the Caliph. Ibn Ishaq was the first to associate the word Paraclete in the Gospel of John with Muhammad by taking the similarity of the word Paraclete in the Syriac translation of Munahhemana with the word Muhammad. Interpreters of Islam after Ibn Ishaq despite using the same idea about the prophecy of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14 and 16, they charged that the word for Comforter should not be Paraclete (or Paracletos), but have been changed from the original Periklutos, meaning "Praised One". This is because the word “Ahmad” said in Surah As-Saff verse 6 means "Praised One" instead of "Comforter or Advocate". However, it is only after the middle of the 2nd century AH that Muslims begin to say that the word "Paracletos" should be "Periklutos", and this has been the favorite argument since then.

In these modern times, some followers of Muhammad even claimed that the coming of Muhammad was also predicted by Zarathustra (Zoroastrianism) and Gautama Buddha as the Buddha Maitreya.

There are many other people who claim to be allon paraklēton that Jesus promised (many people like Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Sathya Sai Baba, Imam Ahmed al-Hassan of the Shia Islam sect, etc.), there is a direct claim to be new Paraclete, there also taking the term as a prophet after Jesus, there are even claiming to be Jesus Christ who came for the second time (second coming of Jesus Christ). You believe one of them?

HOLY FIRE

In the middle of the night before Passover, always held an Easter Liturgy worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. In the middle of building , there is a small chapel-shaped building where there is empty space with a stretch of rock where Jesus was laid when he was buried. This building has a door, which on the eve of Passover is closed and sealed.

Thousands of Orthodox congregation gathered in the evening to look forward to a miracle that happens only on the eve of Easter, that is miraculous appearance of "Holy Fire", which is believed to be a kind of fire that fell from the sky at the time of the Prophet Elijah in a fight with the priests worshipers God Baal (1 Kings 18:38, Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.), or "tongues like flames of fire" perched on top of the head of the apostles of Christ on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3).

Orthodox Patriarch was standing at the front door of the tomb, just after midnight he went into the tomb with a candle that is still new. Suddenly the fire out of the expanse of stone from the tomb (or sometimes come from unpredicted places), the fire was grabbed candles that brought the patriarch. The candles are lit by itself. When the sacred fire was burning and burning the bodies of some people in attendance, they do not feel the heat of a fire or burn. However ± 10 minutes later the fire was a normal fire, and from this fire, then they lit their own Easter candles.

Holy Fire, which must be distinguished from the "Purgatory" in the Roman Catholic Church, becoming an integral part in the Easter celebration of the Orthodox congregation. Orthodox Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried at the site where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands, and that a flame appears spontaneously from his tomb on the day before Easter to show he has not forgotten his followers. It’s a matter of faith.

Happy Easter.

Gospel in Islam

وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُم بالْكِتَابِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues; (as they read) so that you would think it is a part of the Book but it is no part of the Book; and they say “That is from Allah” but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! (Surah 3 (Al-Imran) verse 78, Yusuf Ali Translation)

One time in the land of Egypt, 'Umar ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas al-Ash'ari as 'Amir al-Jazirah ordered to Yuhana Abu Sedra II, Patriarch of the Church of Syria, to do the translation the gospel, into Arabic. Along with the translation command, the emir ordered the Patriarch to delete the entire paragraph that contains the teachings of Jesus' divinity (as Kalimatullah, the Word of God) and the paragraph describing the story of the crucifixion of Jesus.

The Patriarch of the refined sentence but firmly demand the Emir replied: "I will not be waived, even one letter, from the Gospel of my Lord, even though the whole arrow of Mr. Emir armies will penetrate my chest." The emir was stunned for a moment to hear the rejection of the Patriarch, and said: "Keep, and write as you know.”

The story above is only one of many examples of the encounter of Christians in the Middle East with Muslims. In the course of the spread of Islam in the Arab region, the Arab Prophet (Muhammad) meets and interacts with the various religious communities in his time. Muhammad interacted with Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, the Hunafa (who were seen to have rejected Shirk (polytheism) and retained some or all of the tenets of the monotheist religion of Ibrahim (Abraham), which is Islam in its purest form) and of course the Arab pagans.

In the encounter with Jews and Christians, Muhammad knew that the two communities have the Bible for guidance in their daily lives (though very doubtful about the existence of a complete Arabic translation of the Torah or the Gospel, at the time of Muhammad). When viewed more closely, it can be concluded shortly, that in theology, Muhammad received a very large influence of the Jews with some adjustments. Pure monotheistic Jewish teachings received and retained, thus rejected the teachings of the Christian Trinity. Unfortunately rejection of the Trinity doctrine is not based on complete and correct information. This can be seen from Sura 5 (Al-Ma'idah) paragraph 116, “And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.” (Yusuf Ali Translation) In orthodox Christianity is certain that Mary mother of Jesus is not part of the Trinity, and even the Roman Catholic Church was not, although there is a tendency hyperdulia (excessive veneration) for the figure of Mary but not until towards Mariolatry (the worship of Mary).

One very controversial in the Islamic relations with the People of the Book (People of the Book: Jews and Christian) is the claim of Muhammad that he had been prophesied by the Torah and the Gospel. In the Quran Surah As-Saff verse 6 says,
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنَّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدَّقًا لَّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشَّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِالْبَيَّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“And remember Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he came to them with Clear Signs they said, “This is evident sorcery!” (Yusuf Ali Translation)

The above verse comes from the Medina period, no doubt that the Arab prophet himself understood as news of his arrival. But in the course of "prophetic", the forecast was never again mentioned or contemplated in the Qur'an. The modern Muslim commentators associate this verse with the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, which they converted from Periklutos words (in Arabic called frqlyt without vowels, which can be fariqlyt which means: Ahmed or the Praised One, but we know that unlike the languages in the Semitic family, the Greek New Testament uses the vowels, so that the interpretation by tweaking vowels like that is not justified.) Ibn Ishaq in The Life of Muhammad (Guillaume's translation), stating that the word "comforter" in Syria called Munahhemana, that is Muhammad. Below is part of the quote from “The Life of Muhammad”, pages 103, 104:

Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary stated in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted from what John the Apostle set down for them when he wrote the Gospel for them from the Testament of Jesus Son of Mary: ...”But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord’s presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone forth form the Lord’s presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken unto you about this that ye should not be in doubt.” The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad: in Greek he is the paraclete.

Guillaume provide notes on that matter,

“The passage quoted is John 15:23ff. It is interesting to note that the citation comes from the Palestinian Syriac Lectionary and not from the ordinary Bible of the Syriac-speaking Churches. …The most interesting word is that rendered “Comforter” which we find in the Palestinian Lectionary, but all other Syriac versions render “paraclete”, following the Greek. This word was well established in the Hebrew and Aramaic speaking world. The menahhemana in Syriac means the lifegiver and especially one who raises from the dead. Obviously such a meaning is out of place here and what is meant is one who consoles and comforts people for the loss of one dear to them. This is the meaning in the Talmud and Targum. It ought to be pointed out that by the omission of the words “that is written” before “in the law” quite another meaning is given to the prophecy. The natural rendering would be “the word that concerns the Namus must be fulfilled”.

As Guillaume pointed, Muhammad hardly fits the description of one who raises the dead, nor is he a life-giver. When the Syriac Christians applied that title to Jesus, it is perfectly within his authority to give life and raise the dead, as he had demonstrated. What we need to know is, that the Syriac Christians in general use the term ܦ݁ܰܪܰܩܠܺܛܳܐ Paraqlito which means "the Redeemer" or "One who ends the "curse", with an explanation: By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our fallen nature has been redeemed from the curse of Adam. In the understanding of Syriac Christianity, the word 'paraqlito' is not like the Greek word Paraclete, which originated from the word παρα ('to the side of') and καλεω ('to summon') which means the one who is called to another's side to aid him, as an advocate in a court of justice (it is to be noted that Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit is represented as Paraclete); but the Aramaic construct PRQL+A is derived from two Aramaic roots: PRQ (‘to end’, ‘to finish’ or ‘to save’) L+A (‘the curse’, cf. Mark 11:21, Matthew 5:44). It was recorded in the Peshitta / Peshitto who became their reference book, while Ibn Ishaq using Palestinian Syriac Lectionary. In the Gospel of Luke says that the angels give glad tidings to the shepherds in the field of Ephrata that the Messiah had just been born in the city of David. If we use the Peshitta as a reference then Luke 2:11 is as follows:
ܐܶܬ݂ܺܝܠܶܕ݂ ܠܟ݂ܽܘܢ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܝܰܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܦ݁ܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ ܕ݁ܺܐܝܬ݂ܰܘܗ݈ܝ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܒ݁ܰܡܕ݂ܺܝܢ݈ܬ݁ܶܗ ܕ݁ܕ݂ܰܘܺܝܕ݂ ܀
‘Itiled lekon ge’ir yaumana Paruqa, di tauhi Marya Mashiha ba m’dintah d’Dawid.
for there is born for you today the Redeemer, who is the Lord the Meshicha, in the city of David.
We can see that the Peshitta, used the word Paruqa, as a translation of the word σωτηρ Soter (the Redeemer), a word which became the root of the word 'Paraqlito'.

The apologetic Muslims in the later days, connecting the word 'Paraclete' with the word 'Periklutos', with the accusation that Christians have changed the Gospel. But it should be viewed carefully, even Ibn Ishaq was not linking the Paraclete in the Gospel of John with the word 'Ahmad' in Surat As-Saff verse 6. Ibn Ishaq does not say that the word "Paraclete" is "Periklutos". In fact, he confirmed that the word in Greek is Paraclete. He also used Comforter when translating that word. In order to apply the verse to Muhammad, Ibn Ishaq identifies the Syriac word Munahhemana to Muhammad.

Any effort to impose the Paraclete was Ahmad, it will make the position of the Arab Prophet to be down in rank. Example:
- John 14:16-17 (LITV)
And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.
- John 14:26
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.
- John 15:26
And when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, that One will witness concerning Me.
- John 16:14
That One will glorify Me, for He will receive from Mine and will announce to you.

Jesus never spoke about the coming of a man, anyone and from anywhere, as his successor in the future. All these prophetic verses, impede their fulfillment in the human body, except if the promised prophet, is a supernatural being. Don't we know that Prophet Muhammad is truly a man, even he is believed by Muslims as the most perfect man Allah ever created?. Anyway, Is a Muslim does not feel insulted if the great prophet, the Seal of the prophets, heavenly intercessors, only a prophet sent by Jesus (messenger of Jesus) and come in the name of Jesus? How can a Muslim is not offended if the Prophet of Seventh Heaven is just a prophet that would glorify Jesus, because he will preach to the people what he receives from Jesus, the Prophet of Third Heaven?