Son Of God

The plural, “sons of God,” is used (Gen. 6:2, 4) to denote the pious descendants of Seth. In Job 1:6; 38:7 this name is applied to the angels. Hosea uses the phrase (1:10) to designate the gracious relation in which men stand to God. In the New Testament this phrase frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to God by adoption (Rom. 8:14, 19; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 4:5, 6; Phil. 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2). It occurs thirty-seven times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour. He does not bear this title in consequence of his miraculous birth, nor of his incarnation, his resurrection, and exaltation to the Father’s right hand. This is a title of nature and not of office. The sonship of Christ denotes his equality with the Father. To call Christ the Son of God is to assert his true and proper divinity. The second Person of the Trinity, because of his eternal relation to the first Person, is the Son of God. He is the Son of God as to his divine nature, while as to his human nature he is the Son of David (Rom. 1:3, 4. Comp. Gal. 4:4; John 1:1-14; 5:18-25; 10:30-38, which prove that Christ was the Son of God before his incarnation, and that his claim to this title is a claim of equality with God). When used with reference to creatures, whether men or angels, this word is always in the plural. In the singular it is always used of the second Person of the Trinity, with the single exception of Luke 3:38, where it is used of Adam.

SON OF GOD. Dan 3:25. This is one of the titles of our divine Redeemer, and is applied to none else except in a connection which shows the sense. It is applied to angels, Job 38:7, and to Adam, Luke 3:38, as created immediately by God's hand, and to believers, Rom 8:14-15; 2 Cor 6:18, as adopted into God's spiritual family; but when applied to Christ, it is in a peculiar and exalted sense which cannot be mistaken. It signifies his divine nature, as the term "Son of man" signifies his human nature. He is the Son of God, the eternal, the only begotten Son. Comp. John 1:18; John 5:19-26; John 9:35-38; Matt 11:27; Matt 16:16; Josh 21:37, and many passages in the Epistles. While he directs us to address God as "our Father," he himself never addresses him thus, but always as my Father," or "Father" simply, because of his peculiar intimacy with God, far above the level of human children of God, who are made such only by regeneration and adoption.

SON OF GOD. Dan 3:25. This is one of the titles of our divine Redeemer, and is applied to none else except in a connection which shows the sense. It is applied to angels, Job 38:7, and to Adam, Luke 3:38, as created immediately by God's hand, and to believers, Rom 8:14-15; 2 Cor 6:18, as adopted into God's spiritual family; but when applied to Christ, it is in a peculiar and exalted sense which cannot be mistaken. It signifies his divine nature, as the term "Son of man" signifies his human nature. He is the Son of God, the eternal, the only begotten Son. Comp. John 1:18; John 5:19-26; John 9:35-38; Matt 11:27; Matt 16:16; Josh 21:37, and many passages in the Epistles. While he directs us to address God as "our Father," he himself never addresses him thus, but always as my Father," or "Father" simply, because of his peculiar intimacy with God, far above the level of human children of God, who are made such only by regeneration and adoption.