Jesus (a.s.), through his previous responses, made clear that he bears no responsibility for the polytheism (shirk) that Christians fell into, and that he only undertook the duty of conveying the message (risāla) and establishing witness (shahāda). Therefore, in this verse he says to God that if You punish them, they are Your servants (ʿibād); and if You forgive them, You are the All-mighty (ʿazīz) and All-wise (ḥakīm), and in any case, there is no objection to Your action.
Jesus (a.s.), with these words “If You punish them, they are indeed Your creatures” (ʿibāduka), is in the position of expressing divine care (ʿināya ilāhī) - not in the position of complaint, because the mentioned expression is compassionate - nor in the position of intercession (shafāʿa).
From the fact that Jesus Christ (a.s.) respectfully said: “they are indeed Your creatures” (ʿibāduka) and did not say “If You punish them, they have disobeyed You,” it becomes clear that divine action is not subject to justification (taʿlīl), because divine laws arise from the essence of God’s action, and God’s action is His creation, and never does action - that is, law derived from creation - rule over its own agent.
Selected Commentary
Jesus (a.s.), through his previous responses, made clear that he bears no responsibility for the polytheism (shirk) that Christians fell into, and that he only undertook the duty of conveying the message (risāla) and establishing witness (shahāda). Therefore, in this verse he says to God that if You punish them, they are Your servants (ʿibād); and if You forgive them, You are the All-mighty (ʿazīz) and All-wise (ḥakīm), and in any case, there is no objection to Your action.
Jesus (a.s.), with these words “If You punish them, they are indeed Your creatures” (ʿibāduka), is in the position of expressing divine care (ʿināya ilāhī) - not in the position of complaint, because the mentioned expression is compassionate - nor in the position of intercession (shafāʿa).
From the fact that Jesus Christ (a.s.) respectfully said: “they are indeed Your creatures” (ʿibāduka) and did not say “If You punish them, they have disobeyed You,” it becomes clear that divine action is not subject to justification (taʿlīl), because divine laws arise from the essence of God’s action, and God’s action is His creation, and never does action - that is, law derived from creation - rule over its own agent.