THE LORD AS TO THE DIVINE HUMAN IS CALLED THE SON OF GOD; AND AS TO THE WORD, THE SON OF MAN

In the Church no other idea is entertained than that the Son of God is a second Person of the Divinity, distinct from the Person of the Father; whence has arisen the belief in a Son of God born from eternity. In consequence of this being universally received, and of its relating to God, there has been no scope or liberty in thinking about it from any degree of understanding, not even so far as to think, What can be meant by being born from eternity? For any one who thinks about it from his understanding must surely say within himself, This is quite beyond me; but still I affirm it, because others say it, and I believe it, because others believe it. Be it known, however, that there is no Son from eternity, but that the Lord is from eternity. When it is known what the Lord is, and what the Son, one can then think from the understanding of the Triune God, and not before.

[2] That the Lord's Human, conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary, is the Son of God, is plainly manifest from the following passages:

In Luke:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man (vir) whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. When the angel came in unto her he said, Hail thou that hast obtained favour, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive . . . and bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... But Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man (vir)? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke i 26-35.

It is here said, Thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And again, That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. From this it is evident that the Human conceived of God and born of the Virgin Mary is what is called the Son of God.

[3] In Isaiah:

The Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name God with us (Immanuel). Isa. vii 14.

It is clear that the Son conceived of God and born of the virgin is He who was to be called God with us, and consequently who is the Son of God. That this is so, is also confirmed in Matthew i 22, 23.

[4] Again in Isaiah:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God, Hero (AV. the Mighty), the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isa. ix 6, 7.

The same is clearly stated here; for it is said, Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, who is not a Son from eternity, but the Son born in the world. This is also evident from the words of the prophet in the following verse, No. 7, which are similar to those of angel Gabriel to Mary in Luke i 32, 33.

[5] In the Psalms:

I will declare the decree: Jehovah hath said Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way. Ps. ii 7, 12. Here no Son from eternity is meant, but the Son born in the world; for this is a prophecy concerning the Lord who was to come; and therefore it is called a decree, which Jehovah announced to David. "This day" is not from eternity, but in time.

[6] Again in the Psalms:

I will set His hand in the sea ... He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, I will make Him my First-born. Ps. lxxxix 25, 26, 27. The whole of this Psalm treats of the Lord who should come. Therefore it is He that is meant who should call Jehovah His Father, and who should be the First-born, and consequently who is the Son of God.

[7] So also in other passages, as where He is called

A Rod out of the stem of Jesse. Isa. xi 1;

A branch of David. Jer. xxiii 5, 6;

The seed of the woman. Gen. iii 15;

The Only Begotten. John i 18;

A Priest to eternity, and, the Lord. Ps. cx 4, 5.

[8] In the Jewish Church, by the Son of God was understood the Messiah, whom they expected, and of whom they knew that He should be born in Bethlehem. That by the Son of God they understood the Messiah is plain from the following passages:

In John:

Peter said, We believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. John vi 69.

In the same:

Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world. John xi 27.

In Matthew:

The high priest asked Jesus, whether He was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said, I am. Matt. xxvi 63, 64; Mark xiv 62.

In John:

These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. John xx 31; and Mark i 1.

[9] Christ is a Greek word which signifies Anointed, the same as Messiah in the Hebrew tongue; and therefore it is said in John:

We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. John i 41;

and in another place,

The woman said, I know that the Messiah cometh, who is called the Christ. John iv 25.

It has been pointed out in the first chapter that the Law and the Prophets, that is, the whole Word of the Old Testament, treats of the Lord. Therefore, no other can be meant by the Son of God who was to come, but the Human which the Lord, assumed in the world. [10] From this it follows that this Human was meant at His baptism by Son, so called by Jehovah in a voice from heaven, when Jesus was being baptised:

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matt. iii 17; Mark i 11; Luke iii 22;

for it was His Human that was baptised; and when He was transfigured:

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased hear ye Him. Matt. xvii 5; Mark ix 7 Luke ix 35;

and also in other passages, as:

Matt. viii 29; xiv 33; xxvii 43, 54; Mark iii 11; xv 39; John i 18, 34, 49; iii 18; v 25; x 36; xi 4.