(One of the Muftis from The Jamiat ul Ulama Gauteng participated in the Wits Dawah week. He was asked a question about Jesus which he referred to me. The answer is rather brief)
Question:
One interesting question I have to continue the conversation is this:
According to Jesus himself, why did God send Jesus? What did Jesus say his purpose and mission was?
Answer:
The purpose of Jesus
As per Islam (which we accept is from God so is true and conveys to us the words of Jesus in many cases)
1. He was sent as a messenger to the children of Israel(3:49). Being a messenger entails that you call the people to repent and reform their ways. He also emphasized monotheism(5:72) and keeping the Mosaic law in its true essence(3:50)
2. The Jews had strayed(5:13) and so he came to correct their false notions and bring them back to the truth, clear up certain differences(43:63) they had and ease the law of Moses(3:50)
3. He gave glad tidings of a messenger to come after him. (61:6)
According to the Gospels (Which are 4 separate accounts that are written by men who err and often contradict each other)
1. Came as a prophet(6:4), and a man with miracles.
2. Called people to repentance (13:5) and joined them with the father(God)(Luke 19:10)(John 6:38)
3. Told people that a new prophet was coming(Mathew 21:33-41)
4. Preached monotheism (John 17:3)
5. As for the two places in Mark where it says he came to die for the sins of many. There are multiple issues with that. The first is that Luke, who copies from Mark verbatim and has it in from of him as he is writing his gospel, omits those parts. So he is clearly against that idea. Luke and likewise acts do not preach that Jesus died in lieu of sins but rather that by his sacrifice people may recognize the truth (See James Tabor). In addition to this, nowhere in the gospels does Jesus teach anyone to believe in his death and resurrection in order to be saved. Rather he tells them to keep the commandments. And also that the most important commandment is hear o Israel, the lord thy god is one god.