Christian
Churches of God
No. 211z
Summary:
The Significance of the Term
Son of God
(Edition 2.0
19970813-20130121)
This paper is an explanation of the term Son of God as it is used in the Bible and as it was understood by the Jews and the early church.
Christian
Churches of God
E-mail: secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright ©
1997 written by Dave Bedwell,
ed. Wade Cox)
(Summary ed. by Wade Cox)
(rev. 2013)
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The Significance of the Term Son of God
This paper is an explanation of the term “Son of God” as it is used in the Bible, and as it was understood by the Jews and the early Church.
The title “Son of God” is given, by those who claim to be his followers, to the man named Yahoshua, who was the son of Mariam, a virgin; a Jew by birth; descendant of David, and born in Bethlehem Ephrathah, in 4 BCE.
When Yahoshua was born, the Jewish people were earnestly expecting such a one. Who did they think he would be? They knew he would be of the house of David, and born in Bethlehem Ephrathah, of a virgin, but they misunderstood this fact, and also misunderstood his name. They knew from Micah 5:2,3, that he had a pre-existence. See paper Micah 5:2,3 (No. 121)).
Isaiah 7:13-14 states his name was to be Immanuel (God with us).
Isaiah 9:6,7 says the government would be on his shoulder.
Isaiah 11:1-4 says he would be of the root of Jesse.
Jeremiah 23:5,6 says he would be of the house of David.
So when Yahoshua asked them (Mat. 22:42) whose son the Messiah was, they had no hesitation in saying that he was the son of David. Christ further asked (verses 43-45), How could David then refer to Him as Lord if he was David’s son? Verse 46: no one answered and no one asked any more questions. Because the Jews did not understand the scriptures (Isa. 9:6,7; 11:1-4; Jer 23:5,6) they had no idea Messiah would be of divine origin.
The Soncino commentaries on Isaiah 7:14 and 9:5,6 propose the physical aspects, and do not recognise that the Holy Spirit would engender within a virgin, a Being that had a pre-existence. They confined the texts to the reign of Ahab, Hezekiah and the time of the captivity, and thus mitigated against the origin of Christ in a pre-existent condition.
But Messiah clearly identifies Himself as such. i.e. a son of God by divine origin.
Contrary to modem usage of the term “son of God” to refer to mankind and especially in the NT in reference to the elect, in the first century the Jews recognised the term as referring to the Host of Heaven, from the scriptures to hand - the OT (Dan. 3:25, Job 1:6, 2:1). From Job we see Satan is also counted along with the sons of God. See also Job 38:7; Psalm 29:1; Psalm 89:6. In this text it appears the YHVH referred to is the Messiah (see also ISBE article referred to below).
There are two Scriptures with reference to “son of God” that are somewhat controversial, as to whether the reference is to humans or to the Host (Gen. 6:2-4) - the much debated Nephilim account. Jamieson Faucette and Brown Commentary favours the text to refer to the sons of Cain, but a reading of Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, (Bk. 1. Ch.3. Sect 1 - Whiston tr.) shows the Jews of the first century believed Genesis 6: 2-4 was a reference to the demonic host. This is confirmed by the DSS.
The other text is Hosea 1:10 which is a dual prophecy, referring to human beings and to the gathering together of the sons of Israel, being given the Holy Spirit of God in the Millennium. As recipients of the Holy Spirit they, and we, are begotten sons of God, and we are born into the Kingdom of God upon baptism and are spirit beings from the Resurrection of the Dead. This is the ultimate destiny of all mankind, to become literal sons of God as spirit beings. Luke 20:35,36: "being sons of the resurrection". (See paper The Angel of YHVH (No. 24).)
We will be equal to angels who, as the Host, are the Sons of God, and we shall be likewise. It does not say that upon resurrection, males and females will be rendered genderless, but that we will be equal to angels, being the sons of God, and part of the Host - grafted in, as it were. Matthew 5:9 says peacemakers shall be called the sons of God.
It is obvious that the term “son of God” in the Jewish first century mind referred to being one of the heavenly Host, and for Christ to assert His claim to be a son of God (Mat. 26:63-65; Jn. 10:24-38) was considered utter blasphemy – it meant He was saying He was one of the Host and had proceeded from heaven. Saying this, He made Himself out to be equal to the YHVH of their fathers (which He was), and for this they were ready to stone Him. They thought that He, being a man, was claiming equality with the Great Angel who was Israel’s Second Elohim.
The Jews did not understand the prophecies of his coming (Jn. 3:18, 19:7). Also, this great being was doing nothing to free them from Roman rule, but told them to repent, which would have freed them from the enslavement of death.
The Jews refused to repent, killed the greatest prophet ever sent to them and the people of Sodom, Nineveh, Tyre and Sidon (Mat. 11:20,24, 12:41) will rise in judgment over the first century generation of Jews.
But there were those who witnessed His works, believed His words, and knew He was the Son of God (Jn. 11:27). Galatians 4:4 shows Christ was God’s son prior to His Incarnation, and that God the Father sent Him to earth, to be born of a woman.
The full paper (No. 211) gives extensive commentary from ISBE, 1988 edition, vol. IV, page 584 under the article “Sons of God (OT)”.
Notice also the contrast between the two great angelic beings, Christ and Satan, in their conduct.
Satan tried to achieve by force and conquest, equality with God (Isa. 14:12-14).
Messiah subjugated His will to that of God, and was exalted for His works (Phil. 2:6-9 (NAS).
The title “son of God” refers to the heavenly Host, especially as viewed by first century Jews. For Jesus to claim to be one of the Host and come to earth in the form of a man was too offensive to the Jews of the time, so their reaction was to kill Him.
Christ was the elohim known as the Angel of YHVH at the head of the household of Israel (Zech 12:8).