Sonship
Who bears witness that Jesus is the Son of God?
Matthew 17:5 – While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
See also Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35 and 2 Peter 1:16-18.
Mark 5:7 – And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
See also Matthew 8:29 and Luke 8:28.
Matthew 16:16-17 – And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
See also Mark 8:29 and Luke 9:20.
Remark: The truth that Jesus is the Son of God is confirmed by the testimony of at least three witnesses: the Father, the demons, and Jesus’ disciples. See also:
- Other confirmations by the Father at baptism: Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22.
- Other confirmations by the demons: Mark 3:11
- Other confirmations: John 1:34 (John the Baptist); John 1:49 (Nathanael); Matthew 27:54 (Roman centurion); John 11:27 (Matha); John 10:36 (Jesus himself).
Is “Son of God” just a title?
1 Corinthians 1:9 – God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 15:6 – That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:27 – For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Mark 8:38 – Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Matthew 25:34 – Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world …
Remark: See also John 5:17. If “Son of God” were merely a title of Jesus, Scripture would not use such expressions as “His Son,” “His Father,” “the Father of our Lord,” and “My Father.” Jesus refers to the heavenly Father as “His” Father—not simply as “a,” “our,” or “the” Father. The fact that Jesus calls God “His own Father” is significant. Likewise, Jesus is called not merely “the” Son, but “His” Son.
“Son” and “Father” are therefore not just titles; they point to a unique relationship between them. This is especially important because, in Jesus’ time, the Jews also referred to themselves as “sons of God” and spoke of God as their Father. We will examine this in greater detail below.
What about the name “Christ”?
John 6:69 – And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mark 1:1 – The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God …
Remark: See also Matthew 26:63–64 and Mark 14:61–62. Jesus’ identity as the Christ is closely connected to His being the Son. The name “Christ” literally means “Anointed One.” However, it is often joined with the title “the Son of God,” showing how closely these two designations are linked. While “Christ” functions more as a title—indeed, almost as a proper name—“Son of God” points specifically to His unique relationship with the Father.
The quality of sonship
What kind of Son did Jesus claim to be?
John 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.
Remark: It is often claimed that a symbolic understanding of sonship was self-evident in the culture of that time. This may indeed be true. Elderly men sometimes referred to their unrelated apprentices as “sons.” But did Jesus claim to be merely a symbolic Son of God?
John 8:41 – Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
John 5:17-18 – But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Remark: The Jews referred to themselves as “sons of God” (see also Romans 8:14); this in itself was not unusual. However, Jesus’ claims went beyond a merely symbolic understanding of sonship. It was literal.
Wasn’t Jesus called the “Son” because He was the son of David?
Matthew 22:41-46 – While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? {Psalm 110:1} If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Remark: In the time of Jesus, many Jews expected the Messiah (the Son of God) to deliver the people as a king and descendant of David. In their understanding of the term “son,” they did not envision God’s literal Son. Jesus challenged this understanding. He taught that the Christ, the Messiah, is not merely a son of David. In referring to Psalm 110:1, He showed that the Messiah could not be only David’s descendant, since David calls Him “Lord.”
Of course, Jesus was indeed a descendant of David, the king of Israel (Matthew 1:1, 6, 16–17). Yet He wanted the Jews to understand that His identity went beyond that. He was not simply a descendant of David, but the Son of God.
Notably, Psalm 110 presents two distinct individuals interacting with one another: YHWH (the Father) and the Lord (Adoni), whom Jesus identifies with Himself.
But couldn’t Jesus be the Son of God simply because of His divinity?
John 20:28 – And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Remark: Jesus is God by nature. If “Son of God” merely meant that He is divine, why would Scripture use the term “Son of God” at all? There are several passages in which Jesus is directly called God. If “Son of God” meant the same thing as “God,” why would the inspired writers not simply use the term “God” instead?
What additional evidence suggests that Jesus is the literal Son of God?
Proverbs 30:4 – Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
Remark: The above verse provides further confirmation that “Son of God” is not merely a name or a title. Solomon asks, “What is His name, and what is His Son’s name?” This question suggests that the term “Son” is intended in a real and meaningful sense, not merely as a symbolic designation. If “Son” were simply a name or a title, such a question would make no sense.
John 8:42 – Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Remark: An important line of evidence is the procession of the Son from the Father. However, this is a topic in itself and will be explored in a separate Q&A.
Why is it important to understand Jesus’ Sonship?
John 20:31 – But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
1 John 2:22-23 – Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Remark: Accepting Jesus means accepting Him for who He said He is—the Son of God. If we deny Jesus’ true and literal Sonship, we make God the Father a liar, for He has borne witness to His Son.
Leave a Reply