Tafsir for verse: 43:59
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبۡدٌ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ مَثَلٗا لِّبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٥٩ ﴿59
59He (‘Īsā) is no more than a servant (of Allah) whom We favoured and made an example for the children of Isrā’īl.
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Commentary

And when this implies that he is not humiliated, he stated it in a way that confines it to the heart of one who claims that it is limited to divinity. He said: "Indeed, he is nothing but a servant" and he is not a god. "We have bestowed" means with what we have of greatness and kindness "upon him" meaning with prophethood and the ability to perform miracles. "And We made him" by what we caused to break the norm in his birth and other signs of his "an example" meaning a remarkable matter. Despite its clarity, there is obscurity and a place of doubt in it, as We made him from a female only without a male intermediary, to mislead those who stand with the tangible. We have demonstrated the truth in it by what we granted him of miracles, purity of morals, and good character, bringing happiness to those whom We elevated with the light of his heart and the clarity of his mind to improve their understanding of the meanings "for the Children of Israel" who are the most knowledgeable people about him, some by observation and some by close transmission. So when he came to them in that clear state, being true by what was in his hands and in the hands of his mother from the miracles, those whom Allah guided to the truth of his matter believed in him by what was in it of miracles. And whenever he saw a man among them following his path in his actions and miracles, he was guided to the truth of his matter. And he said: "This is his example, Jesus, blessings and peace be upon him." So he benefited from the Prophet and those who followed him with goodness, thus attaining the pleasure of Allah. He also said: "This successful one is insightful regarding the matter of Jesus, blessings and peace be upon him: his example in that is like that of his father Adam, blessings and peace be upon him, in his creation from a female without a male. Rather, Adam, blessings and peace be upon him, is more astonishing. And like his cousin Yahya, whom his grandfather Ishaq, blessings be upon them both, brought forth, each of them being due to a cause that is in the utmost weakness. These are his good examples. And he said: Whoever Allah intends for him misguidance among them, other than that is impossible. So when they made for him examples of evil, Allah struck upon them humiliation and poverty. And Ibn Burjan said: He specifically mentioned them - meaning the Children of Israel - because they are the ones who are deceived by the false messiah, rushing towards him. Then he said: The example in that is when the false messiah comes with those signs, calling to himself, opposing what Jesus, blessings and peace be upon him, brings of reviving the dead and supporting him with the Holy Spirit, meaning he misleads those whom Allah intends to test - and it has ended. And it is better that the meaning of his being an example is that he made his matter very clear, such that he represents it and it becomes clarifying for others, and he does not need an example to clarify it for those who have even the slightest insight.

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