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SUBJECT: Job 1:6 Sons of God
QUESTION: What does this verse mean? I thought that
Jesus was the only son of God.
ANSWER:
First the verse:
JOB 1:6
Job 1:6-8
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then
Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in
the earth,
and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my
servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a
perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and
escheweth evil?
Now the commentaries:
Job 1:6-7
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
That the reader may discover the primary purpose of Job's
sufferings and so be in a position to judge accurately where
true wisdom lay in the sequel, the veil is withdrawn from
the invisible angelic world, depicted here as a royal court
with the Sovereign seated on his throne amid his servants.
The sons of God. This phrase in ancient polytheistic myths
denotes divine beings. In the Bible it refers either to men
(e.g., Genesis 6:2) or, as here, to celestial creatures.
Satan, literally, the Adversary, is among those obliged to
render account before the heavenly throne. That, as well as
the fact that Satan cannot tempt Job without permission,
advertises his absolute subordination, along with all other
creatures visible and invisible, to the God whom Job feared.
~from The Wycliffe Bible
Commentary
Here is another one…
Job 1:6
The sons of God - Angels;
compare Job 38:7 (below).
The whole narrative supposes that they were celestial
beings. ~from Barnes' Notes
Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of
God shouted for joy?
Here is another one…
Job 1:6
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
There was a day when the sons of
God - All the versions, and indeed all the critics,
are puzzled with the phrase sons of God; bªneey (OT:1121)
haa-'Elohiym (OT:430), literally, sons of the God, or sons
of the gods. The Vulgate has simply filii dei, sons of God.
The Septuagint, hoi angeloi tou Theou, the angels of God.
The Chaldee, kittey malachaiya, troops of angels. The Syriac
retains the Hebrew words and letters, only leaving out the
demonstrative he (h) in the word haa-'Elohiym (OT:430),
thus, bªneey 'Elohiym. The Arabic nearly copies the Hebrew
also, banoa Iloheem; to which, if we give not the literal
translation of the Hebrew, we may give what translation we
please. Coverdale (1535) translates it, "servants of God."
The Targum supposes that this assembly took place on the day
of the great atonement, which occurred once each year. And
there was a day of judgment in the beginning of the year;
and the troops of angels came, that they might stand in
judgment before the Lord.
~from Adam Clarke's Commentary)
This final commentary states it well...
Job 1:6
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Sons of God-angels (Job 37:7; 1 Kings 22:19). Psalm 29:1,
margin, "Sons of the mighty." Called also "saints" (Job
5:1): and "angels" or messengers (Job 4:18). "Sons of God"
implies their birth from, and likeness to, God: whence man
unfallen is similarly designated (Genesis 1:26-27; 6:2).
"Saints" implies their entire consecration, and relative,
though not absolute (Job 4:18; 15:15), perfection. "Angels"
implies their function, in which respect also God's human
messengers resemble them, and therefore receive the same
name (Malachi 2:7; Galatians 4:14). They present themselves
to render account of their "ministry" (Hebrews 1:14) in
other parts of the universe, and to receive God's commands:
so their attitude is standing before Yahweh, who sits on His
throne (Zechariah 6:5; cf. Proverbs 22:29).
~from Jamieson, Fausset, and
Brown Commentary
CONCLUSION:
There are different terms being used here and throughout the
Bible for “sons of God”. This one clearly denotes angels or
spirit beings. These beings are neither begotten nor true
sons in the sense that Jesus is to the Father. The term in
this verse has the meaning of “angel”. |