In any bona fide literary work consistency must be observed. Validity and honesty demand that the text be in consistent agreement with itself and with other authenticated sources of information.

A. Is The Gospel of Barnabas consistent with itself?

This work has many inconsistencies. The most glaring inconsistency and self-contradiction is immediately seen in the author’s title. The real Barnabas, native of Cyprus with Greek as his lifelong tongue, would certainly know that Christ (Greek) is the equivalent of Messiah (Hebrew). As a Cypriot Jew he would have known both languages and would not title Jesus as Christ at the beginning and then proceed throughout his ‘Gospel’ to deny that Jesus is Messiah (GB Title, 42,82 & others). He errs again (GB 16) by having Christ Jesus born in Bethlehem and giving the title of Messiah to Muhammad who was born in Mecca.

Not only is there confusion regarding Jesus’ title at birth but also concerning his death. Jesus alludes to his ‘Lazarus-like’ death and resurrection (GB 195). Jesus also says (GB 213): ‘Blessed be thy holy name, O Lord, because thou has not separated me from the number of thy servants that have been persecuted by the world and slain.’ Then the death of Jesus is elsewhere denied (GB 215 & throughout the book).

B. Is the Gospel of Barnabas consistent with the Bible and the Qur’an?

Following are only some of its contradictions of one or of both:

1. Muhammad is referred to as the Messiah (GB 42). To be the Messiah, Muhammad would have to have been a Jew. Both the Bible (John 1:41) and the Qur’an (Al Imran 45; Maida 72) state that Jesus is the Messiah.
    
2. Mary gave birth to Jesus without pain (GB 3). The Qur’an (Maryam 23) states that Mary gave birth to Jesus with pain.
    
3. Only one wife is permitted (GB 115). The Qur’an says that a man may take 3 or 4 wives (Al Nisa 3).
    
4. The accounts of the Day of Judgement in the Qur’an and Gospel of Barnabas contradict each other (GB 53 vs. Surahs ‘Abasa 80:33-37 and Al-Haqqa 69:13-18).
    
5. There are nine heavens (GB 105,178), following Dante. The Bible states three heavens (2 Cor. 12:2). The Qur’an states seven (Surahs, Nuh, 71:15; Aal-Mulk 67:3; Al-Mu’minun 23:86; Ha-Mim Al-Sajda 41:12; Bani Israil 17:44; Al-Talaq 65:12; and Al-Baqara 2:29).
    
6. Ishmael was offered on the altar by Abraham (GB 44). The Bible names Isaac (Gen. 22; James 2:21). The Qur’an infers Isaac as well who is twice named in the surah (Saffat 100-113).
    
7. Circumcision is necessary for eternal salvation (GB 23). The Bible teaches that circumcision is not necessary for eternal salvation (Acts 15: 1-16).
    
8. A Biblical quotation from the Prophet Ezekiel (33: 11) is attributed to the Prophet Joel (GB 165), and a prophecy mistakenly attributed to Ezekiel (GB 67) is actually from the Prophet Jeremiah (31: 31). Also attributed to the Prophet Daniel is an historical account found much earlier in I Kings 22. It is strange that Jesus, knowing the Old Testament so well, does not correct ‘Barnabas’, if he were indeed the author of the record.
    

9. God is said to be the "God of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac" (GB 212). The Old Testament consistently reads the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob".
    

10. Adam circumcised himself (GB 23). The Bible declares Abraham to be the first man circumcised (Gen. 17: 24).
     
11. The Gospel of Barnabas totally ignores the existence of the Prophet John the Baptist (Yaha Ibn Zakariyya), so prominent in both the Bible and the Qur’an, yet the very words of John (John 1: 27) are put into the mouth of Jesus (GB 42,96), an obvious plagiarism.
     
12. Jesus supposedly relates a dialogue between the Prophet Elijah and a blind man that nowhere exists in Biblical history (GB 116,117).
     
13. Stranger still is the statement in The Gospel of Barnabas that the Jewish high priest, and perhaps also Herod and Pilate, wished ...to bow himself down and worship Jesus...(GB 93). The high priest, it should be remembered was the chief enemy of Jesus and would not be about to worship Him for two reasons: I) He considered Jesus guilty of blasphemy (Mark 14:63,64). 2) Jesus constantly convicted the priests of hypocrisy.

Other distortions and perversions in The Gospel of Barnabas could be exposed, but the above internal evidence ought to be sufficient to convince anyone of the false nature of this book. However, there are additional facts to be considered.