All authors employ names and titles to convey meaning in their work. The biblical writers are no exception.
I’m nearing the end of a project examining the use of titles and names for Jesus in the Gospels. My first article laid out my methodology and looked at the top 10 titles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have written about the titles of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I will wrap up this project by looking closely at three titles of Jesus that were used frequently in the Gospels. I’ve written about Jesus being called “Christ,” and today we’ll examine what it means for Jesus to be called the “son of God.”
Not Only Meaning “Divine”
Both “son of God” and “son of Man” are common titles for Jesus in the Gospels. For Bible readers familiar with the doctrine of the dual nature of Jesus—that he is both human and divine—it may be easy to file “son of God” as a claim to his divinity and “son of Man” as a marker of his humanity. However, this divide is not as neat as we might guess.
In fact, both titles point to both natures of Jesus.
Old Testament Background
Luke 3:38 identifies Adam as a “son of God,” so even within the Gospels that term cannot only connote divinity. Beyond pure biology, theologians point to the use of “son” in the Bible as capturing (among other things) both resemblance and obedience. The nation of Israel is also referred to as God’s son (Exodus 4:22–23), and the way that Jesus is identified with Israel (see Matthew 2:13–15) contributes to the meaning residing in this title.
However, one of the most influential Old Testament passages behind the title “son of God” is 2 Samuel 7. Here is an important excerpt.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. (2 Samuel 7:12–14a)
In this passage, God promised David a descendent to rule on his throne. Solomon cannot be the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, because God promises to “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (emphasis mine). From this we can see that “son of God” was connected to the kings of Israel.
So, we should not be surprised when we see Jesus referred to as the “son of God” in close proximity to claims or questions about a king over Israel. We read this when Nathanael erupted in praise, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49). These titles are also linked when Jesus is taunted during his crucifixion (Matthew 27:40–43).
Usage in the Gospels
What we find in the Gospels is that “son of God” is used both with the Old Testament background in view—which has a decidedly human element—and to indicate that Jesus is divine, begotten of the Father. In other words, “son of God” can mean, depending on the context, either that Jesus is the royal, human, chosen representative of God, or that he is the divine Son. (Of course, some uses by the Gospel authors may have both meanings in mind!)
The Gospel authors use the title “son of God” in fascinating ways. Mark opens his Gospel with this title (Mark 1:1) and John closes his with the same, where he states his purpose for writing (John 20:31). A large number of appearances of “son of God” are in the mouths of either demons, those demon-possessed, or the devil himself (Matt 4:3; 4:6; 8:29; Mark 3:11; 5:7; Luke 4:3; 4:9; 4:41; 8:28).
Many of the uses of this title are linked to the title “Christ” (Matt 16:16; 26:63; Mark 1:1; 14:61; Luke 4:41; John 11:27; 20:31). “Son of God” also appears to be a title that comes out in worship or confession (Matt 14:33; 16:16; 27:54; Mark 15:39; John 1:34; 1:49; 11:27). Finally, appropriate to the Christmas season we will soon enter, the angel Gabriel told Mary that her child would be the Son of God (Luke 1:32, 35).
Conclusion
Jesus’s title as the “son of God” is rich and complex. While it indicates Jesus’s divinity, it also marks him as the king who has come to reign. This is good for us to remember as we confess Jesus as the Son of God—he is the second person of the Trinity, but he is also the good and gracious king to whom we owe obedience and worship.
(Note: these were two helpful sources for me in preparing this article: source 1, source 2.)
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