– We followed up with Jesus, son of Mary
The Quran pictures ‘Īsā following in the line of earlier messengers (see also 5.46; cf. 61.5–6). The three longest passages about ‘Īsā are in the third, fifth, and nineteenth sūras, and the fourth and fifth sūras contain several very important short passages. After 57.27 in the canonical progression, the name ‘Īsā only appears twice (at 61.6, 14).
The portrayal of ‘Īsā in the Quran is of great interest to Christians. The Quran devotes some ninety verses to ‘Īsā, sixty-four of these about the birth of ‘Īsā in Sūras 3 and 19. The remaining twenty-six verses contain significant repetition, reducing the basic material on ‘Īsā’s adult life and ministry. For example, two verses contain similar content about ‘Īsā’s miracles (3.49; 5.110). For an analysis of these miracle verses, see 5.110.
For an explanation of the name ‘Īsā, see the comment at 2.87. Like the Quran’s alteration of the name of Jesus, much of the most important content on ‘Īsā is a matter of confusion or denial of the identity of Jesus in the New Testament. For analyses and responses to verses denying the deity of ‘Īsā, see 43.59 and 64.
The controversy sparked by quranic denials may cause readers to lose sight of the many serious gaps in the Quran’s description of ‘Īsā. The Quran tells nothing about the suffering of Jesus, a major theme in the Gospel accounts. There is nothing about the teachings of Jesus – including material on response to conflict that could profitably interact with the Quran’s commands to fight and kill. No narrative context is provided for the miracle verses that could show the compassionate behavior of Jesus with the individuals involved. No hint is given of Jesus’ polemical encounters with religious authorities, the hatred and enmity that his personal claims provoked, or the trial before the “chief priests and teachers of the law” that declared Jesus worthy of death. The Quran calls ‘Īsā “Messiah,” but never explains the meaning of this crucial name (see the comment at 3.45).
57.27 – and gave him the Gospel
This verse says that Allah gives ‘Īsā the Gospel (injīl), repeating the statement at 5.46 (cf. 19.30). The Quran also says that Allah teaches ‘Īsā the Gospel (3.48; 5.110) or “sends down” the Gospel (3.3, 65).
The Quran’s twelve references to the Gospel certainly show an awareness of the existence of the Christian scripture. The references also include exhortations to the People of the Book to observe the Torah and Gospel (5.66, 68) and claims for what the Gospel contains (7.157; 9.111; 48.29).
All the passages in which the Quran names the Gospel are uniformly positive and respectful. However, much of what the Quran says about the Gospel is false. The Gospel was not given to Jesus (or taught or revealed), but rather the Gospel is the good news about Jesus. As David Shenk writes in his Journeys of the Muslim Nation and the Christian Church, Jesus left not a book but a community. The Gospel does not contain a mention of Islam’s messenger, as claimed in 7.157. The Gospel contains neither a promise that “believers” shall “fight in the way of Allah and they kill and are killed” (9.111), nor a suggestion that Jesus and his disciples fight against their enemies (61.14; cf. 3.52). Quite the opposite. These falsehoods contribute toward a very different portrayal of the New Testament Jesus by the quranic ‘Īsā.

57.27 – and placed in the hearts of those who followed him kindness and mercy
This verse describes the followers of ‘Īsā in a positive and generous way, as having “compassion (ra’fa) and mercy (raḥma)” in their hearts. The expression brings to mind another verse that describes Christians as closest in affection (mawadda) to the “believers” and not proud (5.82). May Christians today act toward Muslims (and all others) with kindness, humility, and affection!
The Quran is not against monks (ruhbān, 5.82), but it opposes taking them as lords (9.31) and here in 57.27 criticizes monasticism (rahbāniyya) as an invention that Christians in any case do not observe properly.