First published on: A Sign to the People: Is Jesus the Son of God?


  Alaa Subhi

In the previous article after we discussed the question of whether Jesus is God, we ended with another question to be answered in this article, which is: Is Jesus the Son of God?

Now, let’s start together our journey and try to answer this question!

No doubt that everyone agrees that God must have unique attributes that are relevant only to Him and no one shares them with Him, otherwise He is not God! If we agree that God must be so Unique and Self-Sufficient, this means that He does not need anyone or anything. He does not need to have a partner, a wife, or a son. And this is exactly what Muslims believe in. God does not need to have a son, and, accordingly, indeed He does not have a son!

Jesus is a Son of God in the Bible! So, What Does “Son of God” Mean?!

Yes! In the Bible, Jesus is a son of God, but he is not the only son of God! Indeed, he is one of many other sons of God in the Bible! So, what does this mean?!

As for the title that Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH)) was given in the bible “Son of God”, firstly, let’s say that it is not only him who was given this title. Others were also called Sons/ Children of God. This is because, according to the biblical language, the word or the expression “Son of God” means “the good man”, “the righteous person”, or “the servant of God”. Or we can say that it means “the believer”, one who believes in the one true God, Almighty Allah, and believes in His name.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—”. (John 1:12).

So, this title was given to those who were titled so, including Jesus, out of honoring them. This is exactly as if there is a teacher who is saying about his student “he is my son!”, or “he is like my son”. Definitely he does not mean that his student is really and literally his real son or his biological son, of course not! He is just saying this out of honoring his good student. And this is exactly the same meaning.

What Does the Word “Son” Specifically Refer to?

Also, to understand the meaning of the word “son” well, let’s read (John 8:44):

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.”

Of course they are not literally the real biological sons of the devil, but it’s only a symbolic meaning that refers to following the bad desires. And in this context, exactly as they are the sons of devil, from this perspective, Jesus is also the son of God, from the same perspective. So, the word “son” means the good believer and follower who obeys and applies the will, whether the follower of the devil who obeys him, or the believer of God who obeys Him and applies His will.

From the Islamic perspective, the Islamic expression of this meaning is “Be pious preachers of the Lord”, which means: be good followers and believers of your God who obey Him and apply His will.

Not Only Jesus!

As mentioned, it’s not only Jesus who was “son of God” in the bible, but also other Prophets were called “children of God”. For example:

In (Luke 3:38) it’s said that Adam was a son of God: “Who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.”


In (Jeremiah 31: 9) it’s said that Ephraim is a son of God: “for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” (According to the biblical language, “firstborn” means “the close, the beloved, the preferable, or the pious”.)


In (Exodus 4:22) it’s said that Israel is a son of God: “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, my firstborn”.


In (Psalms 2:7) it’s said that David is a son of God: “I will declare the decree: the LORD said unto me, Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee.” (According to the biblical language, “Begotten” here means “chosen”.) And in other versions: “today I have become your father.”


So, in the Bible there are children of God other than Jesus (PBUH), he is a son of God like Prophet Adam, Prophet David, Prophet Israel (or Jacob), and Prophet Ephraim (peace be upon all of them). Not to mention that Jesus is only a human Prophet just like them.

Not Even Only Prophets!

Furthermore, even not only Prophets who were given this title in the bible, likewise anyone who is “good” enough was also given this honoring title and was called a “son of God”. This could be viewed in:

(Romans 8:14): “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the children of God.”


(John 1:12): “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”


– Also the same story of Luke and Mark proves this meaning:

(Mark 15:39): “The army officer standing there in front of the cross saw what happened when Jesus died. The officer said, “This man was really the Son of God!””


(Luke 23:47): “When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.””


Here, notice and compare the two expressions that were mentioned in the two texts, “Son of God” in the first and “righteous man” in the second! Clearly they were used as synonyms!

This shows that this is the only logical and acceptable meaning of the expression “son of God” which is completely different from the shallow superficial meaning!

The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah”; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?” [Quran.com/9/30].

—

And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.”

You have done an atrocious thing.

The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation

That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.

And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.

There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.” [Quran.com/19/88-93].

—

Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One,

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

He neither begets nor is born,

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” [Quran.com/112/1-4].

Then, we can conclude by saying that Jesus (PBUH) is a great human Prophet and one of the best five Messengers of God, but he is neither God nor the son of God.

Accordingly, was Jesus crucified and died for our sins? This is what we will discuss together in the coming article of our series. Stay with us!

Sources

The name “Allah” exists in the Bible!: https://youtu.be/tiIOJodEN7o