📜 Revelation as the Voice of God: John 16:13 and the Qur’an in Comparative Perspective

Introduction

Revelation in the Abrahamic traditions is not only about doctrines, laws, or narratives, but about the divine voice itself. The essence of revelation lies in God’s self-disclosure—whether through prophets, scripture, or Spirit. While the Hebrew Bible often portrays God speaking directly in the first person (“I am the LORD your God…”), the New Testament Gospel of John looks forward to the Spirit’s role in continuing divine speech. The Qur’an, meanwhile, embodies this reality in a text where God consistently addresses humanity in the first person.

This article explores how John 16:13 can be read as anticipating the Qur’anic model of revelation, highlighting a profound continuity across the scriptures.

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✡️ The Hebrew Bible: The Voice of the LORD

The Old Testament is filled with moments where God speaks directly:

• “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 20:2).

• “I will be your God, and you will be my people” (Leviticus 26:12).

Here, revelation is framed as God Himself addressing Israel. Prophets do not claim originality; they are vessels relaying the divine word. Thus, the Hebrew Bible establishes the precedent that true revelation is God’s own voice communicated to His people.

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✝️ John 16:13 and the Spirit of Truth

In the New Testament, Jesus promises his disciples that revelation will continue:

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.” (John 16:13, NIV)

Two features stand out:

1. Dependence on God: The Spirit does not speak independently but transmits what is heard from God.

2. Continuity of Revelation: Divine communication is not concluded with Jesus but promised as an ongoing reality.

This verse preserves the principle that authentic revelation originates in God’s voice, not human speculation.

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☪️ The Qur’an: God’s Immediate First-Person Voice

The Qur’an intensifies this model by speaking in God’s direct voice:

• “Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me…” (Qur’an 20:14).

• “We sent down the Reminder, and We will preserve it” (Qur’an 15:9).

• “I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me” (Qur’an 2:186).

Most strikingly, the Qur’an explains its own mode of delivery:

“Indeed, it is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The trustworthy Spirit has brought it down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], that you may be of the warners.” (Qur’an 26:192–194)

Here, divine speech flows directly from God, through the Spirit (Rūḥ al-Amīn), to the Prophet’s heart. The Qur’an thus enacts what John 16:13 anticipates—a Spirit who does not speak from himself, but faithfully transmits God’s word.

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✡️✝️☪️ Comparative Insight: A Continuity of Voice

Placing these texts side by side reveals a striking continuity:

• Hebrew Bible (✡️): God speaks directly, setting the model of revelation.

• John 16:13 (✝️): Jesus promises that the Spirit will continue transmitting divine words, not his own.

• Qur’an (☪️): This vision is realized in a scripture where God speaks in the first person, delivered through the trustworthy Spirit.

In all three traditions, revelation is affirmed as the faithful transmission of God’s voice—not the invention of prophets or interpreters.

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Conclusion

The Abrahamic scriptures converge on a profound truth: revelation is God’s own self-expression. The Hebrew Bible introduces it, John 16:13 anticipates its continuation, and the Qur’an embodies it most fully. Taken together, they testify that divine revelation is not human speculation about God, but the voice of God delivered faithfully to humanity.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology