Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith, revered not only as a great teacher but as the Son of God. This profound truth is foundational to Christianity, shaping its beliefs, worship, and way of life. In this blog, we will explore why he is called the Son of God?
Usage of the phrase “Son of God” in the Bible
There are several ways in which the Bible defines the title Son of God:
- Angels – The title is used in relation to angelic beings who dwell in the presence of God and are his personal messengers. (Cf. Genesis 6:2-4; Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7; Psalm 89:6)
- Humanity as a whole since the entirety of mankind has been created and is sustained by God, he being man’s life-giver – (Cf. Luke 3:38; Genesis 1:26-28, 5:1-2; Acts 17:26-28)
Those who have come into a covenant relation with God such as:
- Israel – (Cf. Exodus 4:22; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1)
- King David – (Cf. Psalm 2:7; 89:19-20, 26-27)
- Solomon – (Cf. 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10)
- Persons who righteously follow God, walking blamelessly before him, thereby reflecting God’s nature and characteristics. (Cf.Matthew 5:9)
- Persons who are adopted into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ in order conform to God’s image and righteous character. (Cf. John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:4-7; Ephesians 4:17-25)
In What Sense Are They God’s Son?
- Adam was the “son of God” in the sense that he was created directly by God – he did not have a human father or mother.
- Angels are the “sons of God” in the sense that they were created by God.
- Israel was symbolically called God’s son as were the peacemakers.
- Believers are “sons of God” or “children of God” by faith in Christ.
Jesus’ unique Son ship is based on the following unique factors:
- Being the unique Son Christ is the Eternal object of God’s eternal love:
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 NKJV
“Father, I desire that they also whom you gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which you have given Me; for you loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24 NKJV
Being the unique Son Christ shares the Father’s Divine glory and essence, being one with him in nature:
A) Same Glory
“And now, O Father, glorify Me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.” John 17:5 NKJV
B) Same Honour
“For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no, one, but has committed all judgement to the Son, that all should honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him.” John 5:21-23 NKJV
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
C) Creator & Sustainer
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:13-20 NIV
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV
Being the unique Son Christ alone has seen God and knows His essence completely, having full comprehension of the Father’s nature:
“All things have been committed to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Matthew 11:27
This verse affirms that the nature of both the Father and the Son is incomprehensible to man, indicating equality, and that apart from the Son, God’s nature cannot be fully known or known to the extent that Christ makes it known to a person. Hence, without God’s self-revelation in Christ we have nothing else that we can rely on in establishing God’s qualities of love, mercy, holiness etc. to the degree revealed by the Son and by his death on Calvary’s cross.
“Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.” John 6:46 NKJV
“As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father…” John 10:15 NKJV
Being the unique Son Christ is heir of all things:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Matthew 28:18-19 NIV
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” John 13:3 NIV
“All things that the Father has are Mine…” John 16:15 NKJV
“And all Mine are yours, and yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.” John 17:10 NKJV
Mark 12:1-12 NKJV) In the parable of the tenants, Christ distinguishes Himself as the owner’s only beloved Son and heir, from the prophets who were merely servants.
“Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenant farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the Heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours…’ And they (the religious leaders) sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them…” (Cf. Mark 12:1-12 NKJV)
Seeing that Christ alone was able to rise from the dead, never to die again, He alone has proven his claim of being God’s only beloved and eternal Son:
“Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.’ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you! Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’ Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:24-31 NIV
“…and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:4 NKJV
- Since Jesus is the Son of God how can he be God? Is he his own Son?
Mat 8:20 And Jesus said unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
If JESUS SON of God means He is not God
than JESUS Son of Man means He is not Man
It means JESUS bear Nature of God or Man ..
Let’s See One Example -:
Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
What’s the Female name & What’s the male name?
Gen 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
How can Eve wife of Adam when She is Adam ?
Eve is Distinct person to Adam but She has Nature of Adam
Same JESUS Is distinct Person to Father But Same Nature
Both Father & Son has Same Qualities
2 John 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Both have same Quality
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
What Jews understand?
John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
Joh 10:32 Jesus answered them, many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
Joh 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
Joh 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
Joh 19:7 The Jews answered him, we have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Why Christian Called JESUS the SON OF GOD
- God The Father Recognized Jesus
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to him! (Matthew 17:5). He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, “You are my son; today I have begotten you (Acts 13:33).
For to which of the angels did he ever say, “You are my son, today I have begotten you?” And again, “I will be a Father to him and he shall be a son to me?” (Hebrews 1:5).
- The Testimony of the Angel Gabriel
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).
- The Confession of Peter Recognized Jesus
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:17).
- The Acknowledgment of the Apostle Paul
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh (Romans 1:1-3). - The Acknowledgment of the Apostle John
Apostle John wrote many times but here is One Example
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love (2 John 3). - The Demons Recognize Jesus
And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God?’ (Matthew 8:29).
The Statements of Jesus As To His Identity
Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live (John 5:25).
But when Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it (John 11:4).
Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’ (John 10:36).
At His trial, while under oath, Jesus admitted to being the Son of God.
And the high priest answered and said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said’ (Matthew 26:63,64)
The Charge against Him Was Blasphemy
The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God” (John 19:7).
Jesus Is Not the Not Literal Offspring of God
The title “Son of God” does not indicate Jesus was the literal offspring of His Father. On the contrary, the Bible speaks of Jesus as having existed as God from all eternity.
Jesus Has Been God’s Son for All Eternity
No one has ever seen God, but God the one and only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known (John 1:18).
The Word Son Can Mean “Possessing The Nature Of” in the Bible
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1,2).
The “sons of disobedience” are those who by nature are disobedient not a literal offspring of disobedience. In the Old Testament we read of the “sons of the prophets.”
By the word of the LORD one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but the man refused (1 Kings 20:35).
These were not the literal offspring of the prophets but rather those who of the same order as the prophets. The sons of the prophets were not inferior to the prophets but were rather equal to them.
Jesus Has the Same Nature As God
For in him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).
Conclusion
Although Adam, angels, Israel, peacemakers, and Christians are all called “sons of God” the Scripture designates Jesus as the unique Son of God. He possesses the same nature as the Father – God. However, He is not a literal offspring for He has existed for all eternity. The Bible often uses the word “son” in the sense of “possessing the nature of.”
Jesus is the “Son” of God in this sense- possessing the nature of God.
The title “Son” does not, in any way, suggest the Son if inferior to the Father.
God the Father, the angel Gabriel, His own disciples, the Apostle Paul, and even the demons acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God.