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SUBJECT: Hebrews 1:5 Son of God
QUESTION: What does this verse mean? Doesn’t Job 1:6
and Luke 3:38 speak of sons of God?
ANSWER:
First the verse:
Hebrews 1:4-5
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art
my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be
to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Now the verses stated in the question above:
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.
Luke 3:38
Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which
was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
The purpose of Hebrews 1:5 is to establish the fact that
Christ Jesus is a being who is on a plane higher than
angels. The key here is “begotten” as in begotten son. Job
1:6 and Luke 3:38 are not talking about begotten sons.
There is no contradiction here.
Notice this on the subject of Sonship:
SONSHIP OF CHRIST. A matter of doctrine with reference to
the divine nature of Christ. It is inwrought with the
doctrine of the Trinity (which see) and in the very nature
of the case points to a relationship that in its deepest
essence cannot be comprehended by the human understanding
(see Matthew 11:27). And yet the Scriptures throw some rays
of light on the subject.
Scriptural. The term Son of God is used in the Scriptures in
various senses. In the OT it is sometimes applied to Israel
(e.g., Exodus 4:22), also figuratively to heavenly beings
(Job 1:6; 38:7). In the NT it is also employed in different
applications (Luke 3:38; Matthew 5:9, 45). It is in one
instance (Luke 1:35) applied to Christ on account of His
miraculous conception. And yet it is plain beyond all
question that the Scriptures apply this title to Christ in a
sense far deeper than all these. Both Christ Himself and His
apostles speak of His sonship in a way that cannot be
employed with reference to any, even the highest, of God's
creatures (see John 3:13,16; 5:17-31; 6:62; 8:58; 10:30;
14:1,11; Romans 1:3-4; 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13).
~From The New Unger's Bible
Dictionary
Now this on the subject of Sons of God:
SONS OF GOD
A phrase with three different meanings in the Bible:
1.
In the
Book of Job the phrase is used for angelic or non-human
beings (Job 1:6; 2:1). These sons of God presented
themselves before God in what might be called a heavenly
assembly. Satan appeared with them, although this does not
necessarily mean he was one of the "sons of God." Thus the
stage was set for the telling of the story of Job.
2.
The
phrase, sons of God, appears in the New Testament as a name
for people who are in a covenant relationship with God. This
exact phrase never appears with this meaning in the Old
Testament, although the idea is implied. For example, God
referred to the scattered children of Israel, whom He
promised to gather together again, as His sons and daughters
(Isa 43:6; 45:11).
The classic New Testament passage where this phrase occurs
is Romans 8:12-19. The apostle Paul encouraged the
Christians at Rome to live not "according to the flesh," but
"by the Spirit," because those who "are led by the Spirit of
God, these are sons of God" (v. 14). The process is
described as one of adoption, by which the believer becomes
a child of God, and thus an heir of God, a joint-heir with
Christ (Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 2:10; 12:7). Other passages
use the phrase children of God, with the same basic meaning
(John 1:12; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2).
3.
The third
usage of the phrase occurs in Genesis 6:1-4. Certain "sons
of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful;
and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose"
(v. 2). The offspring of these unions are described as
"giants," "mighty men," and "men of renown" (v. 4). The
question centers on the identity of these "sons of God"
mentioned in this passage. There are two basic
possibilities. The phrase could refer to non-human beings
such as those mentioned in Job (1:6; 2:1). Or, the phrase
may be an unusual way of referring to human beings.
The context of the verse gives important clues that the
"sons of God" in this case are not angelic beings. One clue
is found in the total biblical context. Nowhere else in the
Bible is there even a hint that non-human and human beings
can mate. There are many parallels in pagan thought, but
none in biblical thought. A second clue occurs right in the
passage itself. The Hebrew verb in verse two translated as
"took them wives" is the standard verb in the Old Testament
for marriage. In the New Testament, Jesus stated that angels
do not marry (Matthew 22:30). Thus, sons of God in this
passage must refer to human beings. ~from
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Note: In Item 3 here, we agree with their conclusion that
these sons of God are not angels or any other non-human.
This definition (entire
definition) also supports the paper we have done
regarding Job 1:6.
CONCLUSION:
Hebrews 1:5 is specifically talking about the begotten son
of God (Jesus Christ)
and therefore does not preclude the use of the term for
angels or men. |