Sermon Variations of Son of God □ 52 occurrences in the New Testament (46 unique – Gospels recording the same story) with almost 2/3rds in the Gospels (33) □ 7 Variations – Son of God and 6 others (besides the general Son )
• Son of the Living God o Matthew 16:16
• Son of the Most High God o Mark 5:7 o Luke 8:28
• Son of the Most High o Luke 1:32
• Son of the Father o 2 John 1:3
• Son of the Blessed o Mark 14:61
• Holy One of God o Mark 1:24 o John 6:69
While there is some variation in formulation (46 of 52 are Son of God ), the usage in each occurrence is the same – identifying the One (Jesus) in special relationship to the LORD God Almighty
Uses of Son of God • General usage – Human (God’s creation) o Luke 3:38 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God . This is the only place in the NT where this phrase is used in a general way
1 There are other formulations that may be translated as son or sons of God but they use different terms (usually general terms for children rather than sons) This has been argued as a predominate usage by some, even Christian authors, but the NT usage doesn’t bear that out
• Specific usage – Divine (God) o Mark 1:1 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God .
o John 20:31 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing you may have life in His name.
While there is a general use, only the more specific use makes sense when applied to what the New Testament authors were trying to accomplish Users of Son of God • Angels (12/7) – acknowledgement of divinity o Luke 1:32, 35 = Angel announcing Jesus’ birth
o Matthew 4:3, 5 (Luke 4:3, 9) = Satan tempts Jesus
o Mark 1:24 (Luke 4:41); Mark 3:11; Mark 5:7 (Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:28) = Demons know who He is
o Angels – good or bad, high or lowly – know Him to be the Son of God and so acknowledge His divinity
• Adversaries of Jesus (6/5) – rejection of divinity o Matthew 26:63 (Mark 14:61) = High priest questions Him
o Luke 22:70; John 19:7 = Jewish Council questions Him and make claims about Him
o Matthew 27:40, 43 = Crowd and Jewish leaders insult Him
o His adversaries – the High Priest, Jewish Council, Jewish leaders, those at the crucifixion – reject His divinity but certainly affirm His claim to divinity
2 • Examiners of Jesus (3/2) – exclamation of divinity o Matthew 27:54 (Mark 15:39) = Centurion who watches His crucifixion gives an exclamation of His divinity
o Acts 8:37 = Ethiopian Eunuch who sees His fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture gives and exclamation of His divinity
o Those who do not know Him, when they examine Him, make exclamations of His divinity
• Disciples of Jesus (25/25) – proclamation of divinity o Mark (1/1) = Mark 1:1
o John the Baptist (1/1) = John 1:34 16 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God ."
o Disciples (1/1) = Matthew 14:33 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son !"
o Nathanael (1/1) = John 1:49 49 Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God ; You are the King of Israel."
o Peter (2/2) = John 6:69; Matthew 16:16 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God ."
o Martha (1/1) = John 11:27 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God , even He who comes into the world."
o Saul/Paul (1/1) = Acts 9:20; 2 Corinthians 1:19 ; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:13 19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us-- by me and Silvanus and Timothy-- was not yes and no, but is yes in Him.
o Author of Hebrews (4/4) = Hebrews 4:14; 6:6; 7:3; 10:29 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
3 o John (9/9) = John 20:31; 1 John 3:8; 4:15; 5:5, 10, 12, 13, 20; 2 John 1:3 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
o Those who follow Him proclaim His divinity
• Jesus (5/5) – claim of divinity o 4 uses as illeism (speaking in the 3rd person of Himself) = John 3:18; 5:25; 11:4; Revelation 2:18 18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God , who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:
o 1 normal use = John 10:36 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God '?
o Jesus uses the term to refer to Himself and to claim divinity
Those of the spirit world acknowledge His divinity
His adversaries reject His divinity
His examiners exclaim His divinity
His disciples proclaim His divinity
He claims His divinity
Application • What will you do with His divinity? • Non believers = call to acceptance of and response to His divinity • Disciples = call to submission to and proclamation of His divinity
4