THE SON OF GOD


A. "THEN THEY THAT WERE IN THE SHIP CAME AND WORSHIPPED HIM, SAYING, OF A TRUTH THOU ART THE SON OF GOD." - Matt. 14:33
  1. The supernatural act of our Lord, when the angry waves of the sea obeyed Him, convinced the disciples:
    1. That Christ was more than a human being; He was, indeed, the Son of God.
    2. They recognized the divinity of our Lord.
  2. It is of special interest that Jesus associated divinity with the title Son of God:
    1. Even the Jews associated divinity with the name Son of God - John 5:17, 18
    2. They called it blasphemy on the part of Christ, speaking of God as his Father - Matt. 26:65
  3. The title Son of God was well known in ancient Israel:
    1. Israel is called the Son of God - Ex. 4:22; Hos. 11:1
    2. Adam is called the Son of God - Luke 3:38
B. BUT WHEN THIS TITLE IS APPLIED TO JESUS CHRIST, IT IS SINGULAR AND VERY UNIQUE
  1. Christ is God's only Son:
    1. Our Saviour speaks of Himself as "the only begotten of the Father" - John 1:18
    2. John uses this title several times - John 3:16; 1 John 4:9
  2. Christ traced his origin to God the Father:
    1. "I came out from thee" - John 17:8; Prov. 8:22-30
    2. "God is the source of my being " - John 8:42 (The New English Bible)
    3. "I am from above" - John 8:23
    4. The "only begotten" signifies that no other being is the Son of God in the sense of our Lord's Sonship.
    5. Let us keep this fact in mind as we continue this important study.
  3. The uniqueness of the title Son of God, when applied to Jesus Christ, is seen when we consider:
    1. His answer to his mother at the temple, "Did you not know that I was bound to be in my Father's house?" - Luke 2:49
    2. The Father's testimony from heaven at our Lord's baptism, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" - Matt. 3:17
    3. On the mount of transfiguration a voice was heard from heaven saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved" - Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7
    4. The very essence of the story of Gethsemane is that Jesus is talking to His Father in a very unique manner - Matt. 26:36-42; Mark 14:32-29
C. THE DEEPER MEANING OF THE FATHER AND SON RELATIONSHIP
  1. The Father and Son relationship between God the Father and God the Son implies:
    1. A very unique intimacy between Jesus and His heavenly Father, "I and my Father are one" - John 10:30
    2. "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" - John 14:9
  2. But intimate as this relationship is, it never becomes equality in the absolute sense:
    1. See and read, please, The Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 1, pp. 17-22; Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 8, pp. 268-269; Patriarchs and Prophets, page 37.
    2. The Father is always distinguished from the Son and the Son keeps His place as a Son - John 5:19, 30; 14:28
    3. There were things known only to the Father - Mark 13:32; Matt. 24:36; Acts 1:7
  3. The Father and Son relationship dates back to eternity:
    1. The Bible begins the revelation of God with the Father and Son relationship - Gen. 1:26-28
    2. Our Lord speaks of that relationship in His prayer - John 17:5; Prov. 8:22-30; Mi. 5:2; Col. 1:14-17
    3. Christ revealed His sonship to His Father in His nature, His ministry, and in His infinite sacrifice.


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