Jesus, the ‘Son of God’ – The Historical Context - Debunked

In 2021, the Review of Religions  posted the article "Jesus, the ‘Son of God’ – The Historical Context" to criticize the Christian understanding of Jesus from an Islamist perspective. I present a detailed rebuttal from a mainstream Christian theological and historical perspective.

The "Literal vs. Metaphorical" False Dichotomy

Article Claim: The article argues that since a "literal" son implies biological reproduction (God having a body and mating), the term "Son of God" must be purely metaphorical. It suggests that attributing literal sonship to Jesus turns him into a "half-man-half-God chimera".

Rebuttal:

• The Strawman of Biological Sonship: Mainstream Christian theology has never claimed God "mated" with Mary. This is a strawman argument. The Christian doctrine of Eternal Generation holds that the Son is eternally begotten of the Father before all worlds, outside of time and biology. The Virgin Birth was the method of his Incarnation, not the origin of his Sonship.

• Metaphysical, Not Metaphorical: Christians reject the article's binary choice (either "biological offspring" or "mere metaphor"). There is a third category: Ontological Sonship. This means Jesus shares the same essence or nature (Greek: homoousios) as the Father, just as a human son shares the same human nature as his father. It is a claim of identity, not just a title of affection.

The "Jewish Idiom" Reductionism

Article Claim: The article asserts that in Jewish idiom, "son of x" simply means "characterized by x" (e.g., "son of strength" = strong soldier). Therefore, "Son of God" merely means a person characterized by godliness or piety, similar to how angels or the nation of Israel were called sons.

Rebuttal:

• The "Unique" Distinction: While the Hebrew idiom exists, the New Testament writers went out of their way to distinguish Jesus’ sonship from this generic usage. They used the specific Greek term monogenes (John 3:16, John 1:14), which means "one and only" or "unique" Son. If Jesus were just another "son" like the prophets or angels, this qualifier would be unnecessary and misleading.

• The Parable of the Tenants: In Mark 12:1-12, Jesus tells a parable distinguishing the owner's "servants" (the prophets sent previously) from the "beloved son" (himself). In the story, the son is not just a better servant; he is the heir, distinct in category from all who came before. This shows Jesus saw his Sonship as superior to the prophets, not synonymous with them.

The Charge of Blasphemy

Article Claim: The article suggests that Jesus used the term only in the orthodox Jewish sense (meaning "Messiah" or "Prophet") and that any claim to divinity is a later misunderstanding.

Rebuttal:

• The Jewish Reaction: If Jesus only meant "I am a godly man" (which is what the article claims "Son of God" meant to Jews), the Jewish authorities would not have charged him with blasphemy. In John 5:18, his opponents wanted to kill him because he "was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." The High Priest’s reaction at his trial (tearing his robes, Mark 14:61-64) confirms that the title "Son of the Blessed," on Jesus' lips, was understood as a claim to divine prerogative, not just messianic office.

• "My Father" vs. "Your Father": Jesus consistently distinguished his relationship with God from that of his disciples. He says "My Father" and "Your Father" (John 20:17), but never "Our Father" (encompassing himself and them together) except when teaching them how to pray. This indicates his Sonship was natural and unique, whereas theirs was adoptive.

The Argument from Capitalization

Article Claim: The article argues that capitalizing "Son of God" is a biased translator choice since original Greek manuscripts lacked capitalization.

Rebuttal:

• Context Dictates Meaning: While true that ancient Greek used all caps (uncial script), translation is about meaning, not just orthography. Translators capitalize "Son" for Jesus because the context attributes divine qualities to him that are never attributed to others. For example, Hebrews 1:1-3 contrasts the "prophets" (lowercase) with the "Son" (capitalized) through whom God created the universe. The capitalization reflects the theological hierarchy explicitly present in the text, not an arbitrary bias.

Jesus' Claim to Exclusivity

Article Claim: The article cites Matthew 5:9 ("Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God") to prove that sonship is a status earned by anyone through good works.

Rebuttal:

• Adoption vs. Nature: Christian theology agrees that believers become "children of God" (John 1:12), but this is by adoption. Jesus contrasts this with his own status. In Matthew 11:27, he makes an exclusive claim: "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." This claims a mutual, exclusive knowledge between Father and Son that no "peacemaker" or prophet possesses, implying a shared divine consciousness.

Conclusion

The article effectively argues that the term "son of God" can be used metaphorically in Hebrew. However, it fails to debunk the Christian position because it ignores the specific, unique ways Jesus used the term for himself—ways that led to his execution. The Christian argument is not based on the word "son" in isolation, but on Jesus' claims to have authority to forgive sins, to be the Lord of the Sabbath, and to share an exclusive, pre-existent relationship with the Father.