Difference between revisions of "Category:Son of God (subject)"

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Son of God is a phrase denoting in general the right relation between humans and God, and in a messianic context, the special relationship between God and the Messiah.

Overview

(a) All humans are “sons of God”

In the first century, by Jewish and Christian texts alike, the term is not attributed to Jesus only. Adam is the “Son of God” (Gospel of Luke 3:38) Like Adam, all human beings are “sons” of God. Jesus himself would invite his disciple to pray to “Our Father who is in heaven.”

In Judaism, the phrase denoted the relationship between the righteous and God the Father. All children of Israel were called to be "sons of God" (i.e. "righteous").

A person becomes “a son of God” because of his/her righteousness. A righteous person is a son of God. Sirach 4:10 (Greek version): “Be a father to orphans, and be like a husband to their mother, you will then be like a son of the Most High, [Hebrew: God will call you His son], and he will love you more than does your mother”. In the Book of Jubilees we read: “They will do my commandments. I shall be a father to them, and they will be sons to me. And they will all be called sons of the living God” (1:24-25). When Jesus dies, looking at his righteousness, the Roman centurion would say: “Truly that man was a son of God” (Mark 15:39; cf. Luke 23:47: “Truly that man was a righteous person”)

Paul, Romans 8:14: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” - Gospel of John 1:12: “To all who received him, who believed in his name, [Jesus] gave the power to become children of God”

(b) The Messiah Son of God

In the Canaanite tradition (shared by ancient Israelites), the anointed King (the Messiah) was understood as the "adopted" son of God (see Psalms). The Messiah therefore is not simply a son of God, but the Beloved Son of God among the sons of God.

• The Davidic Messiah(s) - 2 Samuel 7:13-14 = 1 Chronicles 17:12-13: “Thus says the Lord… I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a Son to me” - Psalm 2:7: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
• The Priestly Messiah(s). The ancient patriarch Levi (TestLevi 4:2): The Most High has given heed to your prayer that you be delivered from wrongdoing, that you should become a son to him, as minister and priest in His presence”

Accordingly, the high priest asks Jesus (Mark 14:61): “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

In Second Temple Jewish (and Christian) circles the phrase Son of God came to be used as a messianic title: the Messiah is "the" Son of God par excellence--the "Righteous one." Only in later Christian tradition (after the first century CE), the phrase began to be used to denote the nature of Jesus as "God" (theos)

Son of God in ancient sources

• See Son of God (sources)

Related categories

• Messiah (subject)

References

• Son of God / C. Evans / T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism (2019 Stuckenbruck, Gurtner), dictionary

• Son of God / Géza G. Xeravits / The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism (2010 Collins / Harlow), edited volume, 1248-1249

External links

• [ Wikipedia]