Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Question
Outline
Thesis: Jesus Christ is the fully Son of God.
I. Introduction
II. Son of God in the Old Testament
a. The Prophecy
b. he Other Son of God in the Old Testament
III. Son of God in the New Testament
a. The Gospel of Mark
b. The Son of God’s mission
IV. Son of God from others
V. Conclusion
Son of God
Introduction
For many Christians, the Son of God refers to Jesus Christ. It is a very typical usage in the Christian faith. The absolute agreement among Christian is that Jesus is, above all, himself. The doctrine of the Son of God has been agreed upon for nearly two thousand years. It is no acceptation that every Christians should know the meaning of the Son of God and who he is. Jesus Christ is the whole Son of God, and he is also one of the Trinity - The Trinity doctrine identifies Jesus as the Son of God. The Son of God is essentially the same but personally different from God the Father or the God of the Holy Spirit. Also, the Son of God is believed to have risen from death three days after the crucifixion. During his life, he performed many miracles to show that he was a child of God. Even the books of the Gospel have mentioned Jesus Christ as the Son of God. "It will be assumed that Mark was the first Gospel written and that both Matthew and Luke made use of the contents of Mark" (MacDonald).
On the other hand, there are some usages of the son of God which has no concern with Jesus Christ. In history, so many rulers have titles such as the son of God. For example, in the Bible, King Solomon and King David are also mentioned as the son of God. Also, from Greek mythology, such as Hercules and Theseus. Some emperors are also labeled as the son of god-like Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Nero. To make sure that this has been positioned by our human mind, the natural Son of God is Jesus Christ, and no one could be denied because on the last day, at His second coming, everyone from the earth will know the natural Son of God.
I. Son of God in the Old Testament
Son of God, Jesus Christ, has already been shown in the Old Testament. The witness indicates that the Son of God did not exist from the New Testament. There might be references about Jesus but not as much as New Testament if compared, but still, it is essential because it significantly helps Christians introduce Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." This verse is the famous one that introduces Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
The Prophecy
After the fall of man into the sin, The Old Testament contains over hundreds of prophesies about the coming of Messiah, the Son of God. We can see many prophecies that Jesus will come from heaven. Not only that, the prophesies from Old Testament even predict the circumstances about the Son of God like he will bear from a virgin, and he will be with us. In 2 Samuel 7:14, "I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men." It is clear that Jesus has shown that He is the Son of God, and He is shown that He is higher than the angels. Only Jesus, the Son of God, will fulfill the depiction of the everlasting Kingdom.
Also, in Psalm 2:7, "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.” This verse is already prophecies about Jesus's resurrection from the dead. All of these did not happen at once but slowly built Throughout the Old Testament, and the prophecy was mainly the way of fulfilling the promise that God made to His people. We have seen many proves through the Old Testament scriptures.
The Other Son of God in the Old Testament
It has been shown the term "son of God" is used in the Hebrew Scriptures as another name for those who have a special relationship with God. In Exodus, the country of Israel is called the eldest son of God. Solomon is also known as the "Child of God." Angels, righteous and devout men, and the kings of Israel are all called "sons of God."
The Son of God Mission
Jesus, who is the Son of God, fulfilled all Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah and came to earth insufficient time as descendants of the royal family Abraham and David. Jesus never sinned throughout his life, and while he was tempted, he did not sin and remained innocent throughout his earthly life. Because Jesus is ultimately God and completely human, he may have been seduced by the Satan but did not sin. Instead of disobeying God the Father's plan, the man of Jesus obeyed God's will, he conquered the power of darkness and overcame sin, death, and the devil by sacrificing His life on the cross.
He even mentions himself as the Son of God in Luke 23:49, referring God as His father. To pay the full amount of his sins, he sinned himself, cursed for us, and suffered great before and during the crucifixion. Jesus suffered the most pain of all deaths, and he died and lay in the tomb for three days before resurrection. After Jesus stood up completely physically, introduced himself to his disciples and many others, and ordered his disciples to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, he ascended to heaven.
Biblical scholar John J. Collins most clearly describes the Son of God as found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The designation “Son of God” reflects the status rather than the nature of the Messiah. He is the son of God in the same sense that the King of Israel was begotten by God according to Psalm 2. There is no implication of virgin birth, and no metaphysical speculation is presupposed. He may still be regarded as a human being, born of human beings, but one who stands in special relationship to God. (Collins).
Biography
MacDonald, D. K. “The Son Of God” In Mark’S Gospel; With Special Reference To 15:39. no date. 2011.
Collins, The Scepter and the Star, 168.
Evans, Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies, 159.
Hengel, Son of God, 18.
Solution
Jesus Christ is the Son of God
It is one of Religion's most fundamental beliefs that Jesus Christ is God's son, distinguishing Christianity from Judaism. Jewish people waited for their Messiah, the promised descendant of David who would rescue Israel, a man who came from obscurity. He hailed from a family with no history of power or wealth and declared himself to be higher than the kingdom of Israel: He proclaimed to be one with God. When Jesus of Nazareth was born, he was the son of Joseph and Mary, who were married. The Roman Empire employed governors and local rulers to manage Israel in conjunction with the Roman Empire. Itinerant Rabbi for three years, he was caught and crucified by the Romans. For those who put their trust in Him, the Gospel authors and other witnesses declare that Jesus arose from the grave and performed an act of everlasting salvation. Therefore, Christians believe that the relationship between Jesus and God is actually that of Son and father.
Concept of Son of God
Individuals known as sons or children of God are not the same as those who have a proper connection with the Lord. The term "Son of God," which in English is distinguished by capitalizing the "S" in son, refers to God taking on human form in Christianity (Batdorf 50). As part of the Trinity, it is second only to God the Father.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has a dual nature, meaning that he is equally human and divine in all His attributes and actions. As Jesus was crucified and resurrected, he proved both his humanity and his divinity. Both Jesus' deeds and his words reflect God's character and nature to humanity (Testament n.p). While speaking with God's character and doing enormous miracles to show it, he did so with the love, knowledge, and authority that only a divine being could possess. Only Jesus could atone for humankind's crimes since there had never been any person as good as him (Erum 7). God's original intent for humanity to be created in His likeness was made clear via the incarnation of His Son, Jesus. This atonement was made possible because of Christ's birth. To understand what it means to have a human and divine essence, it is necessary to examine what it means to be both a man and a god.
Christ often referred to himself as the Son of Man to clarify that he was a man descended from a human mother and father. From a different perspective, Jesus was a man in every way possible; the human body physically limited him. This supports the claim that he was, in fact, a complete human being. All of God's attributes, including His divine essence, may be seen in him. For example, Jesus performed miracles such as restoring the sight of the blind, hearing to those deaf, and even raising those who had died. In addition, he had a deep comprehension of the Bible (McHugh n.p). He had knowledge and insight that even the best biblical instructors and academics at the time or in any other period could only dream of possessing.
According to Adam (n.p), Jesus is everlasting, self-existing, everywhere-presence, all-knowing, and all-powerful. As Dr. Adam puts it, he is also innocent: "Jesus has the qualities of God" as he is depicted to be among the Holy Trinity (Adam n.p). His words and acts demonstrate that he possesses the same traits and attributes as God, who is everlasting in nature and character. God's character and personality have been revealed to humanity via Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh. It follows that if Jesus is described as "the Word," then he must also be described in the Bible as "eternal.
Son of God in the Old Testament
Both the Old and New Testaments do an excellent job depicting the biblical idea of 'The Son of God. To describe someone who has a particular connection with the almighty God. The name son of God is often used in this context to mean the Prince of Israel; Seth's descendants, righteous individuals, and angels are "sons of God" in Old Testament literature (Kio 3). Jesus, on the other hand, is mostly considered the only begotten Son throughout the New Testament. As a result, his adherents are referred to as "followers of X (Horton, 15). In other words, there is a common thread running across the whole bible
An allegory of Israel's monarch is constructed around Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This subject has referred to the kings of Israel. For this reason, God picked them to be His messengers. In addition, this was related to their social position; hence it is possible that they even portrayed God in some instances. Jewish leaders, monarchs, and princes were all referred to as Sons of God.
People who have a particular relationship with God are sometimes referred to by the song God's Theme Song. The sons of God were a testicular relationship with God, such as his prophet. They were called the sons of God since they were part of the Israelite tribes (Freed 289). There are no other names for God's sons but those pure in spirit. In the Old Scripture, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is already depicted as a person of faith. Similarly, in the new, this evidence proves that Jesus Christ was not a natural person (Carroll n.p). There may be fewer allusions to Jesus here than in the New Testament, but that does not diminish the importance of these passages in helping Christians present Jesus as God's Son.
Son of God as a Prophecy
There were predictions about the Messiah's arrival. A title bestowed upon him was that of "chosen one." Throughout the Old Testament, the news of the Messiah's arrival spread, and most people were aware of the declaration. The Old Testament laid out the message clearly, and the New Testament shows what that message looks like in action (MacDonald n.p). As a result, the concept has been successfully transposed from the Old to the New Testaments.
Other Son of God in Old Testament
Sons of God = Sons of Seth
A school of thought says the "sons of God" are descended from Seth. By marrying people who had rejected God, Seth's virtuous descendants were captivated by the beauty of women descended from Cain, leading to even more immorality in their descendants.
Cain's and Seth's these two lines of descent may be found in Genesis 4–5, where they are described in detail. Deuteronomy 14:1 and Jeremiah 3:19 allude to God's covenant people as "sons of God," although the specific term "sons of God" is never used to describe them (Testament). God's prohibition on the Israelites marrying Canaanite women might be explained if the Sethite interpretation is valid (Moffatt n.p). Solomon is also referred to be "the son of God" in certain circles. In the Holy Book, "sons of God" refers to angels, righteous individuals, and the kings of Israel. Christian scripture refers to Jesus Christ as the only begotten son as a voice from the heavens recognizes Jesus as the Chosen one during his tenure.
The Son of God Mission
Jesus was responsible for fully filing the scripture and prophesies concerning the Messiah; he came to earth as a normal human being and only stayed less than 40 years. Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry, he never committed a single sin. Even when he was faced with temptation, he failed to transgress (Batdorf n.p). Even though the devil tempted Jesus, he did not sin since he is both God and man. By accepting God's plan rather than defying it, the man of Jesus fought the power of darkness, and he overcame the devil by dying on a cross.
In Luke 23:49, Jesus refers to himself as the Son of God and God as his father. To atone for our crimes in full, Jesus committed sin, was cursed for us, and endured excruciating pain before and during his crucifixion. It took three days for Jesus to die and for him to rise from the grave, which was the most agonizing of all deaths (Beale and Carson n.p). Yet, before ascending to glory, Jesus had got up and addressed his disciples and many others, telling them to preach the gospel anywhere they might find a person.
Son of God in the New Testament
Son of God refers to those who have paid the Price of Salvation
Men are not by definition God's sons, and it is not apparent that all Believers are God's sons. Those who are not in Christ are referred to as "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3), but those who accept Jesus as their Master and individual savior are referred to as "sons of God". One can see a cost associated with being a son of God. Jesus likewise paid the price of the crucifixion to be acknowledged as God's Son (being crucified). As a consequence, being God's son comes with a penalty.
Gospel of Mark
Being born of a virgin, Jesus did not become fully human until he became the incarnation of God in the flesh, which implies that he was fully human in every way. When it comes to what it means to be human, Jesus is the ultimate reflection of God by living a sinless, pure, and flawless life, as God originally intended. However, the divinity of Jesus did not shield him from human temptations, contrary to popular belief (Sproul n.d). Therefore, the entire and complete mankind and the whole gamut of human experience is what describes Jesus.
Perman explains that even though God was present in Jesus, he was a human being who faced temptations like anybody else, yet he did not give into them. One cannot be a high priest (Jesus) who cannot relate to people’s issues, but they have one who was tested in every way, but he did not sin, according to the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 4:15). For all of his trials and sufferings, Christ was sinless because his perfection was not comparable to that of a human being. In the book of Mark, John the Baptists prophesy the coming of a man with great powers. Jesus is expounded as the savior who would cleanse the sins of multitudes and the world (Testament n.p). However, Jesus experienced everything as a human being, including temptation, suffering, and death. Therefore, Jesus had come to represent God in the world and to take humankind back to the kingdom of God.
Son of God-The Saints
Jesus Christ's Divinity is referred to as "Theme" here (John 1:12). They become sons of God when they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. "When the Holy Spirit descends upon thee, and the power of God overshadows you: you shall be called Sons of God," says the scripture in Luke 1:35.
Son of God-the Apostolic Doctrine
The book of John uses the Son of God to announce the birth of a new apostolic theology. Beginning his testimony as a Christian in Act 9:20, Paul declared Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. Christian beliefs are based on the Apostle Creed, which confirms that Jesus is the only child of God. God's Son is said to have dominion over the evangelical church, according to Revelation 2:8.
Conclusion
There are two instances in the Old Testament when Jewish monarchs are referred to be gods figuratively. The monarchs were seen as God's most influential representatives. As a result, the phrase 'children of God' is often used with the wide meaning that the Jewish people were referred to as sons of God'. Numerous New Testament and Christian theological references are used in the title. However, the word "son of God" appears in a slew of Old Testament verses that do not explicitly relate to Jesus or the Trinity.
"Son of God" is often used in the new scripture to represent Jesus. In two separate instances, a voice from Heaven proclaims Jesus as the only child of the most high. Jesus also proclaimed that he was sent by the father, who is God. Using Jesus' example, the title refers to his role as God's chosen Messiah. However, how the term "son of God" is employed to refer to somebody other than the Messiah is still being studied and debated in the academic world.
Works Cited
Adam, A. K. M. "A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature." Anglican Theological Review 83.4 (2001): 883.Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from https://www.proquest.com/openview/4a82e36b5b6d609d792c012dd084127b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41101
Batdorf, Aaron David. Sons of God: The New Covenant Reality of Adoption In Christ. Diss. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2021.Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from https://www.proquest.com/openview/3c846a0755156a0bb82a4ef07c720ed1/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Beale, Gregory K., and Donald A. Carson, eds. Commentary on the New Testament use of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 2007. Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=M_4Tj384hrcC&oi=fnd&pg=PT6&dq
Carroll, James. Christ Actually: The Son of God for the Secular Age. Penguin, 2014.
Erum, A. G. "Jesus Christ Is Fully God, Not Just Fully Man." Eleutheria 5.2 (2021): 17. Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/eleu/vol5/iss2/17/
Freed, Edwin D. "Egō Eimi in John 1: 20 and 4: 25." The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 41.2 (1979): 288-291. Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from https://www.jstor.org/stable/43714670
Horton, Martin. What's Wrong and Right About the Imitation of Christ. Following Jesus, 18(2), 14-18. Retrieved on April 17, 2022 from http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var2=1018
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MacDonald, Deven K. ”The Son of God" in Mark's Gospel; with Special Reference to 15: 39. Diss. Acadia University, 2011.https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:187/datastream/PDF/file.pdf
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