Son of God

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and discusses the history of the idea that Jesus is the Son of God and the lasting light. According to the paper, the notion of Jesus as the unique son of the divinity emerged as one of the key, theological divisions between the Christian and the Jewish belief systems of the ancient world. The paper goes on to discuss the various interpretations of the term 'Son of God'.

From the Paper:

"But nowhere in the Christian Bible are there more numerous phrases in which Jesus is specifically heralded as the Son of God, than in John's Gospel. Jesus repeatedly draws attention to his relationship with God the Father in such passages as: "My Father worketh until now; and I work.... For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things which he himself doth: and greater works than these will he shew him, that you may wonder. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life: so the Son also giveth life to whom he will. For neither doth the Father judge any man, but hath given all judgment to the Son. That all may honour the Son, as they honour the Father." (Cited by Aherene, 2002, v, 17, 20-23). John sets out the unique duties of Father and Son in this passage, and for Trinitarians, this provides evidence for the existence of a multifaceted, multi 'peopled' divinity with a Father and a Son."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aherene, (2002) "Son of God." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 Nov 2006. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14142b.htm>
• Gill, N.S. "The Arian Controversy." About.Com. Retrieved 19 Nov 2006. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/godsreligion/p/aa082499.htm>
• Kaufmann, Koheler & Emil G. Hirsch (2002) "The Pious as the Sons of God." ArticleRetrieved from the Jewish Encyclopedia 19 Nov 2006 at <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=964&letter=S&search=Son%20of%20God>
• Prothero, Stephen. American Jesus: How the Son of God became a National Icon. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
• "Son of God." (2006) Bible Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 Nov 2006. <http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/sonofgod.html>

More papers on Son of God:

• Persuasive Essay # 120894 : "Jesus as the Son of God"
• Essay # 56139 : "Genesis: The Sons of God"
• Book Review # 98423 : "Hermes, Son of Zeus"

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