ABSTRACT
The doctrine of divine incarnation in Jesus Christ is both logically possible, since it need not be interpreted as a contradiction in terms, and necessary, in the sense of being ‘morally and religiously compelling’. God does not become compassionate with the incarnation, nor does he express his compassion exclusively in this way. The psalmist knew all about the compassion of God without knowing about the incarnation in Jesus, and every sura of the Quran starts by calling God ‘the merciful and the compassionate.’ The analogy can indeed be applied to the loving fellowship which Jesus displayed towards the Father, since this reveals to us the perfect fellowship with God on which God desires us to pattern our lives. But then the fellowship which Jesus displays towards the Father manifests his perfect humanity rather than his divinity.
