Jesus: Son of God

Jesus: Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David - Part I

What do these titles or names of Christ say about him? It has often been suggested that “Son of God” refers to the deity of Jesus, while “Son of Man” refers to his humanity. Son of David, of course, speaks of Jesus as the expected “Messiah” of Israel, but what about Son of God and Son of Man? Do they represent His deity and humanity, respectively? Is that really what the terms are meant to convey? To answer these questions it's always best to start at the beginning.

Son of God

The beginning of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 1:18-20 and Luke 1:35 – his birth. Of course, in the Trinitarian scheme, Jesus pre-existed his birth at Bethlehem, so he had no beginning. But is it possible for one to exist before he exists? Let's look at the text of Luke 1:35...

“And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God.”

Here we have, in simple terms, the reason Jesus is called “Son of God”. The word therefore means “for this very reason” (dio kai in the Greek). In other words, the child born will be called the Son of God because – for the precise reason that – the Holy Spirit (here equated with the power of the Most High) would come upon Mary. Notice also that the word born is “genao” in the original language. This word family is also where we get "genesis", which means "origins". Genao means “to bring forth, conceive, procreate, bear, be born”.

There is nothing in the above text to indicate any pre-existent being who “entered into” Mary's womb and became a human embryo. Nowhere in the Bible do we find language such as “put on flesh”, “clothed in flesh”, “take on human nature”, etc., in connection with the nature of Christ or his birth. And we definitely do not find the term “God the Son” anywhere in the Bible! No, this is the plain language of a life coming into existence - being born - at a specific point in time. However, given the fact that Mary was miraculously impregnated with seed by the power of God and thus without a human father, Jesus would “be called holy—the Son of God"!

Whatever else may be said about the nature of the Son of God, we must recognize immediately that "Son" of God is not the same as God. Since God alone is immortal, without beginning or ending, it must be understood that a Son of God cannot be God in the same sense because there IS a beginning for the Son. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is clearly seen as separate from, subordinate to, even dependent upon God the Father. Rather than equality to God, the Sonship of Jesus is seen in his unique relationship to God.

The fact is, "Son of God" IS NOT a title belonging only to Jesus, much less an indication that he is himself deity. There are others in Scripture who are also called sons of God.

• The angels are referred to as “sons of God” (Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6; Psalm 29:1; Luke 20:36). Jesus tells us that angels do not marry and cannot die. By inference they do not procreate (Luke 20:35-36). Therefore, angels are all created individually by God. He made so many of them, and no more. They are sons of God by reason of their individual creation.

• Adam is called the “son of God” because he was God's original creation, uniquely made (Luke 3:38). All men after Adam are “procreated” beings - they are made after Adams kind, not directly created by God (Genesis 1:1-12,21,24-25,28).

• Christians also are called “sons of God” (Romans 8:14 and 19; Galatians 3:26; because we are of the new creation. We have been “re-created”, born of “incorruptible seed” (1 Peter 1:23, 25, 2:1) as a result of receiving Jesus' and His message, and therefore authorized to be called “sons of God” (John 1:12).

So then, when the Bible calls Jesus the Son of God, instead of deity, it is a reference to his unique status with God. This in no way diminishes Jesus! In my view, it raises him to the status of the fully human, unique Son that He is, and makes His sinless life and suffering a greater accomplishment. It also keeps Paul's "two Adams" comparison, in Romans chapter 5, in tact. I'm simply making the point here that the designation “Son of God” does not refer to deity, but to uniqueness.