This post has already been read 497 times!
Why is Jesus called the Son of God if he was God?
The answer is he is called the ‘Son of God’ according to the flesh ( Romans 1:3,4). He is not called the Son of God in the Old Testament yet he existed as God in the Old testament. The New testament then reveals that God took on flesh and was born of a woman.
He was the Son of David and the Son of (Abraham Matt1:1). yet neither Abraham or David bore a son called Jesus. He was supposed as the Son of Joseph and the Son of Mary (Luke 3;23 Mark 6;3). yet Joseph was not his physical Father.
Jesus refers to himself as The ‘Son of God’ and once as the ‘Son of man.’ Once as the only begotten of the Father. Five times in Johns gospel John 1;14,18;3,16,18 1 John4;9. The term ‘only begotten’ is used of Abraham’s Son Isaac (Hebrews 11;17) yet Isaac was in another sense not the only begotten Son. Ishmael was also his Son. Similarly we today as believers born of his spirit as the ‘sons of God’ (1 John 3;2). not as phyiscal Sons of God but as those born of begotten of the Father.
The Council of Nicea declares he was ‘begotten not made’ however John1 states that he the Word made all things. Therefore he himself was not made but as God proceeded from God and only as one who proceeds from God can he be said to be the Son of God. It is his humanity that gives him sonship, yet as God in essence and substance he remains forever God!
The African folks today will call a stranger Father once they get to know them as it is a way of showing honour or respect to those senior to themselves. Now a man would not be their biological father yet their reference to one as FATHER is sincere.
Similarly the title used of Jesus as ‘Son’ is a title of respect and not that he is the biological son who God procreated, for in this sense God has no Son BUT he himself as a Father became a Son to die for us and save us and provide redemption for us. Therefore this aspect or reference to Jesus as the Son of God is how we understand God in his humanity acting talking and speaking as one who is subjective to another, living as a Son! (1 Timothy 3:16).
Further when scripture tells us that God gave his only begotten son, we conclude that it was God who gave us himself as a Son. The everlasting Father is the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 9;6).
To conclude God became flesh and the flesh (Jesus) was known as the Son of God and the Son of man. he was not he physical son of many men. but the Father who himself has no Father, he simply existed and exists as God (John 1:1,14).