“It took me eight months to find a Bible. I went to every bookstore I could find, asking for one. I went to every library. Finally, to my surprise, I reconnected with a retired colleague of mine from the seminary. I learned that he had been given a Bible in a comparative religion class in college in England during the days of the Shah. I told him I needed it for a research project I was doing, and he told me I could have it; he had no use for it.”
Dr. Birjandi leaned forward in his chair, drawing David in closer as well. “David,” he continued, “I had never been more excited in my life. My hands trembled as my colleague set that book in them, and I came back to my home and realized I had a problem. I obviously couldn’t read the Bible myself, not being able to see it. And I was scared to death to tell my wife what was happening with me. So I lied a little.”
“You lied?”
“Yes, and I still feel terrible about it. But I didn’t know what else to do.”
“What did you say?”
“I told Souri that the seminary wanted me to consider writing a chapter for a book they were going to publish about the fallacies in Jewish and Christian eschatology, and that this intrigued me,” Birjandi said. “To my relief, it intrigued her, too. So we locked ourselves in this study for several weeks and read and studied the Bible for ourselves from morning to night, from the first verse of Genesis-the first book of the Bible-to the last chapter of the last book, Revelation. We studied it. We discussed it. We filled up whole books with notes, and when our notebooks were full, Souri went out to get more, and we filled those up too. And as we did, I have to say, I was amazed by the life and teachings of Jesus. I fell in love with the Sermon on the Mount, for example. Have you ever read it?”
“No, I haven’t,” David admitted. None of this was clearing up his questions. He wondered how much more of this, no matter how interesting it was, he would need to listen to before he got the information he’d come for.
The old man leaned back in his chair, tilted his head against the faded cushion, and smiled. A look of restful delight crossed his face. He pressed his hands together at his chest and recited in a steady, melodic voice, “‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’
“In all my life, I had never read more powerful words. I knew they were not the words of men. They were the words of God. And then we began to study Jesus’ warnings.”
“Warnings?” David asked.
“Throughout the New Testament, Jesus warned again and again of false teachers and false messiahs who would come to deceive the world after His death and resurrection. ‘Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves,’ Jesus warned His disciples in Matthew chapter 7. ‘You will know them by their fruits,’ He said. ‘Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.’
“I thought long and hard about such verses and many others like them. And I thought about the fruit of Muhammad’s life, about the violence. Muhammad lived by the sword and taught others to, while Jesus taught the exact opposite.”
Birjandi then asked David to go to the bookshelf to his left and pull out the first and second books on the right-hand side of the top shelf; behind them he would find a copy of the Injil-the New Testament-in Farsi. David did as he was told and found it immediately.
“Turn to the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 24,” Birjandi said. “Matthew is the first book in the Injil, so it won’t be difficult to find.”
David did so.
“Okay, let’s begin in verse 3,” Birjandi said, beginning to recite the Scriptures aloud from memory as David followed along silently in the text. “‘As He’-Jesus-‘was sitting on the Mount of Olives’-that’s near Jerusalem-‘the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”’ You see, Jesus’ disciples wanted to understand when their Lord was coming back to earth to set up His kingdom and reign upon the earth. They wanted one sign, just one, that would indicate when His return was close at hand. But Jesus didn’t give them just one sign. He gave them many. Earthquakes. Famines. Natural disasters. Wars. Rumors of wars. Apostasy. Persecution of the believers. The spread of the Christian gospel message all over the world. All that will happen in the last days, Jesus warned, just before He returns.”
“That’s all happening right now,” David said.
“That’s true,” Birjandi said. “But look at the first sign Jesus warned His disciples about, beginning in verse 4. ‘And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will mislead many.”’”
David read the verse for himself. Birjandi was right.
“Now look at verse 11,” Birjandi said. “What does it say?”
“‘Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many,’” David read, curious at why Jesus was repeating Himself.
“Did Jesus say false messiahs and false prophets might arise in the last days?” Birjandi asked.
“No,” David said. “He said they will arise.”
“Did He say they might mislead many?” Birjandi pressed.
“No, He said they will mislead many.”
“Okay, now read verses 23 through 27.”
David turned the page and continued reading. “‘Then if anyone says to you, “Behold, here is the Messiah,” or “There He is,” do not believe him. For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, “Behold, He is in the wilderness,” do not go out, or, “Behold, He is in the inner rooms,” do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.’
“That’s the third time in the same chapter that Jesus is warning about false prophets and false messiahs,” David observed.
“That’s right,” Birjandi said. “And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my life’s work was built on lies.”
78
“So let me get this straight,” David said. “You’re not a Muslim anymore?”
“No, I’m not.”
“What are you, then?”
“I am a follower of Jesus.”
“You don’t believe that Muhammad is a prophet?”
“No.”
“You don’t believe the Twelfth Imam is the messiah?”
“No.”
“How long ago did this happen?” David asked, dumbfounded.
“About eighteen months ago.”
“Did you tell your wife?”
“I was going to,” Birjandi said.