Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:41-46

Jesus, the Son of God

Intro.

1. The need for sound doctrine is real; false doctrine destroys lives and souls, 2 Tim. 2:15-18.

2. A false doctrine disturbing some brethren in India is that Jesus was not the Son of God while He was on the earth.

3. Explain and defend the truth for the sake of souls, Gal. 2:5.

I. WHAT THE EXPRESSION "SON OF GOD" MEANS.

A. “Son of” Denotes Sameness and/or Equality in some respect:

1. Sons of thunder (explosive nature), Mk. 3:17 (Lk. 9:54).

2. Son of peace, Lk. 10:6 (peaceful man).

3. Son of God: Nature of Jesus' character and relation with God.

B. Emphasizes Jesus’ Deity (sameness with Father), Jno. 5:17-18.

1. What about Jesus saying the Father was greater than Him?

2. Jesus fully submitted himself to the Father’s will and became flesh, so in this sense the Father was greater than Jesus, Jno. 13:16; 14:28.

II. SOME HAVE BEEN TROUBLED, BEING TAUGHT THAT JESUS WAS ONLY THE SON OF GOD AFTER HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.

A. A Son was Promised in Prophecy.

1. Abraham's seed, Gen. 22:18. Fulfilled in Jesus, Gal. 3:16.

2. David's son, 2 Sam. 7:12-16. Fulfilled in Jesus, Lk. 1:31-33.

3. Given a Son, Isa. 9:6 (7:14). Fulfilled in Jesus, Matt. 1:20-23.

4. Son would be made king, Psa. 2:6-8. Fulfilled in Jesus, Acts 13:32-33.

a. Note: He was "My Son", thus He was set as ruler over Zion (Acts 2:36).

b. Resurrection was God's great declaration that Jesus is His Son! Rom. 1:4

B. Jesus Claimed to be the Son of God while He was on the Earth.

1. Jesus called God His Father - Equal with God, Jno. 5:17-18.

-The Father and the Son have the same…work (5:19-21), judgment (5:22), honor (5:23), life (5:24-26), authority (5:27).

2. Jesus was “one” with the Father (nature, purpose, will – deity), Jno. 10:30-38. Full equality (sameness) with the Father (Son of God = One with the Father).

a. One with the Father, 10:30.

b. Jews understood this to be a claim of deity, 10:31-33.

c. “Son of God” = “I and the Father are one”, 10:36.

d. “Son of God” = “the Father is in Me, and I in Him”, 10:38.

3. Son of David was also the Son of God, Matt. 22:42-45; Psa.110:1.

C. Declarations/Confessions that Show Jesus was the Son of God while He was on the Earth.

1. Satan knew Jesus was the Son of God, Lk. 4:3, 9.

2. Demons knew Jesus was the Son of God, Matt. 8:29; Mk. 3:11.

3. Holy Spirit says the Son revealed the Father to world, Jno. 1:18.

4. John the Baptist declared Jesus was the Son of God, Jno. 1:34.

5. Nathaniel confessed Jesus as the Son of God, Jno. 1:49.

6. His miracles declared Him to be the Son of God, Jno. 20:30-31.

7. Peter confessed Jesus to be Son of God, Matt. 16:16-17 (Jno. 8:18).

8. Enemies knew He claimed to be the Son of God, Jno. 19:7.

9. Jesus accepted this description while on earth, Mk. 14:61-62 (Matt. 26:63-64).

10. Centurion concluded Jesus was the Son of God, Mk. 15:39.

11. Paul said the Son of God gave Himself for us, Gal. 2:20.

12. John said God "sent His Son" to destroy the devil and sin, 1 Jno. 3:8; 4:10.

D. The Son Existed before Creation, Heb. 1:2.

1. God made the worlds through His Son, therefore, the Son existed as such before creation (Jno. 1:1-3, 14).

2. Jesus is the Son of God because He is the complete expression of the Father (who the Father is), Jno. 1:18.

a. Son is the perfect manifestation of God’s glory and nature, Heb. 1:3 (express image: “precise reproduction in every respect, i.e. facsimile,” OLB Greek Lexicon), Heb. 1:5.

b. Fullness (complete abundance) of the Godhead, Col. 2:9.

E. Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God in Heaven, Dan. 7:13; Acts 7:55-56.

F. The Doctrine that Jesus was not the Son of God on the Earth is False, 1 Jno. 5:20; 2:22-24.

Conclusion

1. “Son of God” is never used in NT to say the Father existed before the Son or in some way brought the Son into existence.

2. “Son of God” is never used in NT to say there was some time while Jesus was on earth that He was not the Son of God.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: February 22, 2015