Comparison of God's Attributes in Quran and Bible
The biblical understanding of God emphasizes His incomparable nature, asserting that there is nothing and no one to whom He can be compared [1]. This concept is foundational to the attributes ascribed to God in the Bible. The Hebrew terms for God, such as 'El, 'Eloah, and 'Elohim, convey strength and are used throughout the Bible, with 'Elohim being the more common plural form [2]. Another significant name, Jehovah, is consistently rendered as "LORD" in English translations [2]. The Bible does not argue for God's existence but takes it as a given [2].
A key attribute of God in the Bible is His role as Creator. He is depicted as the one who created all living things, including animals, whose creation demonstrates His power [3]. All creation is said to exist for the praise and glory of God [3, 5]. This creative power extends to humanity, who were given dominion over the animals [3].
God's character is often contrasted with human limitations and idolatry. For instance, the Lord's name and character are presented in direct opposition to idols [9]. While humans are described as being "a little lower than the angels" in their created state, possessing heavenly, spiritual, and incorporeal natures in an inferior form, God's nature is supreme [7]. Moses' humility is highlighted as a godly character trait, contrasting with human jealousy, and is presented as a truth from God's perspective [4].
The Bible also describes God's glory and excellency. Isaiah speaks of the "glory of Lebanon" and the "excellency of Carmel" as earthly beauties that will be given to the wilderness, but ultimately, all glory and excellency are ascribed to the Lord [5]. The church is referred to as the "hill of God," an excellent and prominent place where God dwells, compared to the fertile hill of Bashan [8].
In the Jewish tradition, the name of the Lord is understood to encompass both angels and humans, those above and those below, signifying His dominion over all spirits and bodies [10]. Abraham Ibn Ezra explains that when God "descended" or "passed by," it could refer to a cloud or even angels, but the essence is God's presence and attributes [6]. The thirteen attributes of God are a significant theological concept in Jewish thought [10].
The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as unique and beyond human comparison. Isaiah 40:18 directly challenges the idea of finding a likeness for God: "Whom then is God like, in your opinion? or what will you put forward as a comparison with him?" [1]. This rhetorical question underscores the biblical emphasis on God's singular and transcendent nature.
Sources
- Isaiah “Isaiah 40:18 (BBE) — Whom then is God like, in your opinion? or what will you put forward as a comparison with him?”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
- Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 12:3: 12:3 Moses’ incomparable humility contrasts his godly character (see also Prov 3:34; Matt 5:5) with Miriam and Aaron’s jealousy. • This parenthetical comment, a simple statement of the truth from God’s perspective, could be the words of Moses or of a later editor.”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 35:2: glory of Lebanon--its ornament, namely, its cedars (Isa 10:34). excellency of Carmel--namely, its beauty. Sharon--famed for its fertility. see . . . glory of the Lord . . . excellency-- (Isa 40:5, Isa 40:9). While the wilderness which had neither "glory" nor "excellency" shall have both "given to it," the Lord shall have all the "glory" and "excellency" ascribed to Him, not to the transformed wilderness (Mat 5:16).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 34:5: AND THE LORD DESCENDED. Some say that and stood refers to the cloud, 21 Rather than to the Lord. for God was passing by. 22 As is indicated in verse 6. Note that the mountain symbolizes 23 Hebrew, himshil (he compared). Others render, he gave dominion. See Meijler and Krinsky. the celestial angels who are on a higher level than human beings, as the mountain is higher than the ground. 24 Weiser.”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 2:7: a little--not as BENGEL, "a little time." than the angels--Hebrew, "than God," "Elohim," that is, the abstract qualities of God, such as angels possess in an inferior form; namely, heavenly, spiritual, incorporeal natures. Man, in his original creation, was set next beneath them. So the man Jesus, though Lord of angels, when He emptied Himself of the externals of His Divinity (see on Phi 2:6-7), was in His human nature "a little lower than the angels"; though this is not the primary reference here, but man in general. crownedst him with glory and h”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 68:15: The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan,.... The church is the hill of God, an excellent and supereminent one, and in which he dwells, as is said in Psa 68:16; called an hill for its visibility, and especially as it will be in the latter day, when it will be established and exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms of this world, Isa 2:2; this is compared to the hill of Bashan for fertility and fruitfulness; hence we read of the kine and bulls, the rams and lambs, and fatlings of Bashan, and of the oaks thereof, Deu 32:14, Isa 2:13; the ordinances of the c”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 135:13: 135:13-18 The Lord’s name and character stand in contrast to idols.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 34:6: [THE LORD.] 72 After listing the 13 attributes I.E. goes on to explain them. The name of the Lord, when an adjective, includes angels 73 Literally, the glorious ones. and humans, those above and those below. 74 This may be taken to mean that the meaning of Lord is: Lord over the spirits and the bodies, Lord of those above and those below. However, see I.E. on Gen. 1:16: God is one. He is the creator of all. He is all.”