What Does It Mean That Jesus Is the Son of God? Biblical Explanation

Jack Selcher
2 days ago
4 min read

Jesus is on the cross with four followers kneeling or sitting in front of him

Summary

Jesus being the Son of God means He is the eternal, divine Messiah promised in the Old Testament, fully God and fully man. Scripture shows that He was recognized as God by the Father, His disciples, and even His enemies. His death and resurrection confirm His divine Sonship and unique role as Savior, Mediator, and eternal King.

Old Testament Foundations of the Son of God

The Old Testament provides the background to understand the term “Son of God.” We will examine that shortly, but first, we must distinguish it from “sons of God,” which also appears in the Old and New Testaments, with different meanings in the two.

Passages describing angels with the term “sons of God” include Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Psalms 29:1 and 89:6. It is also used of people committed to God’s service, including Deuteronomy 14:1; 32:5; Psalm 73:15 and Hosea 1:10.

In the New Testament, “sons of God” and “children of God” never refer to angels but to Christians. The only place where “sons of God” does not refer to Christians is Acts 17:29, where the Apostle Paul affirms that humanity is God’s offspring.

Messianic Prophecy and Divine Sonship

Micah 5:2, 3, and 4 sum up the meaning of “Son of God” in the Old Testament. He will be human, born in Bethlehem Ephrathah. He will be a ruler. He will be eternal (God). Clearly, this is the promised Messiah.

In Psalm 2:6, 7, God refers to His King, one who is, in some sense, His Son. The Jews religious teachers understood this as a Messianic reference. This King is God (Psalm 45:7). Hebrews 1:9 applies this verse to Jesus. Because God anoints God in these verses, we should not be surprised that He is a complicated Trinity, beyond our ability to comprehend.

The Virgin Birth and Divine Titles

Isaiah 7:14 informs us that the Messiah will be born of a virgin. His name will be Immanuel, which Matthew 1:23 tells us means “God with us.” It is implied that He is the Son of God. According to Isaiah 9: 6, 7, this child will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. He is in David’s line and on David’s throne and will rule forever with justice and righteousness. He is both human and God. Why is He called the Son of God?

Jesus Defines the Son of God

“Son of God” first appears in Luke 1:35. The angel Gabriel informs Mary that the child to be born to her would be God, the Son of God, and the Messiah, fulfilling all the Old Testament prophecies about Him.

In John 10:36, Jesus says that because the Father set Him apart and sent Him into the world, calling Himself the Son of God is not blasphemy because His works came from the Father. In this portion of John 10, the Pharisees clearly interpret His claim to be the Son of God as a claim to be God.

Witnesses to Jesus’ Sonship

The Father’s voice audibly confirms that Jesus is His beloved Son at both Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17) and His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5).

Others also affirm that Jesus is the Son of God, including the devil (Matthew 4:3), demons (Matthew 8:29; Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41), Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 14:33; 16:16; John 1:49; 6:69; 20:28), and a Roman centurion (Matthew 27:54).

Salvation, Resurrection, and Eternal Rule

Jesus is not just similar to God. He is God, being the eternal Word made flesh (John 1:14), fully God and fully man. He said that He was one with the Father (John 10:30). The Pharisees understood Jesus’ claim to exist before Abraham was born and His use of God’s covenant name (John 8:58) as a claim to Deity and reacted accordingly.

Jesus’ connection to David’s line in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 established His Sonship and right to rule over God’s kingdom as the promised Messiah.

Because He is both God and man, he alone is qualified to be the mediator and reconciler between the two, a High Priest and sacrificial lamb. He died in the place of and for the benefit of the many to take away the sins of those who trust in Him ( Hebrews 9:28; John 3:16 ). His resurrection proved that He is the Son of God (Romans 1:4), validating both preaching the gospel and believing in it (1 Corinthians 15:14).

The transformed lives of the disciples from hiders to bold proclaimers of the good news and the testimonies of more than 500 who saw Jesus after His resurrection further affirm that He is the Son of God (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Son of God also describes Jesus' submission to God the Father as sons submit to their fathers.