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So there is a need to understand the term and be able to explain it to Muslims who ask about it. In
many parts of the Muslim world, translators of the Bible have avoided a literal translation of the
1
In some dialects abu “father of” can be used with regard to other kinds of biological production, such as abu
kirsh “father of a pot belly” and abu shanab “father of a moustache.”
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 2
phrase, since it is grossly misunderstood, and have used other titles. As the translators de Kuiper and
Newman (1977:435) observe, “with [a literal] translation misunderstandings are so great that even
continual explanations are of no use.” To most Muslims, phrases like “sons of God” and “Son of God”
are even more disgusting than a phrase like “G-d’s bastard” might be to Christians. The offense is
lessened somewhat if the phrase is explained, but for many people the negative associations are not
easily erased. They have grown up in dread of the term, feeling that hellfire awaits those who utter it.
So when they hear the phrase, even if they now know what it means, they become distracted from the
message and dwell on the confusion and offensiveness. At that point some quit reading or listening. It is
inevitable that the Scriptures will present stumbling blocks for some people, but they should concern
the message itself, not the way it is expressed.
Fortunately, many Christian workers are becoming sensitive to the feelings and preconceptions of
their Muslim friends and are communicating with them appropriately. This is evident in more recent
versions of the Jesus film and recent revisions and translations of the Bible. But none of this removes
the need for believers to be able to explain these sensitive phrases to those who ask them about it. And
to do that, they need to understand the phrases themselves.
2
Biblical quotations are quoted from the Revised Standard Version, 2nd edition 1971, except where otherwise
indicated.
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 3
consecrated to God.3 Newman and Stine (1988:113) recommended expressing this metaphor as a simile:
The phrase sons of God (or, children of God) causes a problem in cultures where readers would not
understand this phrase to be figurative and, further, would not accept the idea of God having physical
offspring. Translators in these cases sometimes use similes, as in “God will say they are like children to
him,” “God will consider them as if they were his children,” or “God will have a relationship with (or,
will care for) them like a father with his children.”
Most Muslims, however, are so sensitive about attributing sons to God that even a sonship simile can
be repugnant to them. Islam does not recognize adoption, so that simile does not work either. The most
natural thing is to explain “sons of God” and “saints” by using expressions they already know and
understand, such as “the righteous servants of God” (‘ibâdu llâhi S-SâliHîn) or “the people of God”
(sha‘abu llâh). This is especially appropriate in passages referring to the believers’ current standing
with God (Mt 5:9, Rom 8:14; Gal 3:26).
.َ لَنّ ُهمْ َأ ْبنَاءَ الِ ُي ْدعَ ْون،ِطُوبَـى لِصَانِعِي السّلَم 9 :5مت
.ِ فَأُول ِئكَ ُهمْ أَ ْبنَاءُ ال،ِلَنّ ُكلّ اّلذِينَ َينْقَادُونَ بِرُوحِ ال 14 :8 رو
Another paraphrase is “companions of God” (’awliyâ’u llâh). This phrase was used to translate “sons
of God” in The Elegant Gospels, one of the most ancient Arabic translations of the Gospels. This
expression is especially appropriate when explaining passages that refer to the believers’ future state
(Luke 20:36; Eph 1:5; and perhaps Rom 8:19).
ْ ِإذْ ُهم،ِ وَهُمْ َأبْنَاءُ ال،ِلئِكَةَ َ لَنّهُمْ مِ ْثلُ الْم،ِإذْ لَ َيسْ َتطِيعُونَ َأنْ َيمُوتُوا َأيْضًا36 :20 لو
.َِأ ْبنَاءُ الْقِيَامَة
ِلنَ َأ ْبنَاءِ ال
َ ْلنّ ا ْنتِظَارَ الْخَلِيقَةِ َيتَ َوقّعُ اسْتِع
َ 19 :8 رو
مختارو ال/ أحباء ال/ عباد ال الصالحون/ شعب ال/ أهل مملكة ال/ أولياء ال/ إ
“the Elect One,” “the Righteous One,” “the Light of the Nations” (48:4), God’s Messiah” (52:4), and
God’s “Son” (105:2). Similar titles or expectations are found in other works of that time, such as IV
Ezra, II Baruch and the Testament of Abraham.
But while the first-century Jews were united in their hope for the Messiah and his kingdom, they
were divided with respect to their expectations for him and his kingdom. Some awaited the coming of
Daniel’s heavenly universal ruler, “the Son of Man,” who would rule all nations equitably in an age of
peace and righteousness. But most Jews awaited a nationalist leader who would lead them in successful
battle against all of their enemies and make Israel the righteous ruler of the world. They used a variety
of royal Davidic titles to describe their awaited commander, among them “Messiah/Christ,” “Son of
David,” and “Son of God.”
Jesus clearly identified with the “Son of Man” concept and avoided the titles associated with Jewish
nationalism. He used the “Son of Man” title when He sought to explain Himself, and He made very
remarkable claims for Himself.
He declared that He (the Son of Man) has
authority higher than the Law (Mt 12:8 || Mk 2:28 || Lk 6:5)
authority to forgive sins (Mt 9:6 || Mk 2:10 || Lk 5:24)
the power to raise the dead (Jn 5:21,28; cf. Php 3:21),
the power even to raise Himself from the dead (Jn 2:19; 10:18)
the authority to grant eternal life to others (Jn 17:2; Mt 25:34,46)
a kingdom not of this world (John 18:36-37)
and that at the end He (the Son of Man) will
come in His glory (Mt 25:31), the glory of His Father (Mt 16:27)
send His angels (Mt 13:41; 16:27) into His kingdom
sit on His glorious throne (Mt 19:28; 25:31)
judge everyone in all the nations (Mt 16:27; 25:31ff)
He declared that the Father had given him
all things (Mt 11:27; Jn 13:3; 16:15; Lk 10:22; cf. Eph 4:10),
all authority and power (Mt 28:18; cf. Jn 3:35; 17:2; Eph 1:10),
all judgment (Jn 5:22; Mt 25:31-46; cf. Ac 10:42),
all of His sheep (Jn 6:37,45; 10:27,29),
every word He said (Jn 8:28, 38, 47; 12:49-50; 14:10; 17:8)
every deed He did (Jn 5:19, 36; 14:10)
He further declared that He
existed before Abraham (Jn 8:58)
proceeded and came forth from God (Jn 8:42; 7:29; 13:3)
is the only one who has seen God (Jn 6:46)
is the one who knows God (Lk 10:22; Mt 11:27)
came from heaven (Jn 3:13; also with “I” at 3:31; 6:33, 38, 51)
came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mt 20:28, Mk 10:45)
is present wherever two or three gather in His name (Mt 18:20)
and that He and the Father are one (Jn 10:30, 38; 14:9-11; cf. 5:18)
It may be noted that many or most of the attributes that Jesus attributed to the Son of Man were ones
which were usually reserved for God alone.
The phrase “Son of Man” is clearly an exalted title in its first-century Jewish context, especially as
Jesus used it. Outside of Jewish contexts, however, it had so little meaning that the Epistles drop it
completely in favor of other titles, principally “Lord.” It is absent from the preaching in Acts as well,
occurring only in Steven’s exclamation in 7:56. Newman and Nida (1980:52) note that “for the reader
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 5
of English who does not have the theological training, ‘Son of Man’ is generally either a zero term, or
else it is misunderstood as a reference to Jesus’ human nature.” Some translations in other parts of the
world have used expressions like “the Man from Heaven,” “the Man from God,” “He who was born a
man,” and even “the Messiah” (Living Bible). Many translations simply use the prounoun “I” when
Jesus is referring to himself as “Son of Man.” Jesus himself often switched between using “Son of
Man” and using first-person pronouns.4 Newman (1970), however, argues that the title “Son of Man”
should ideally be translated in a way that expresses Jesus’ divine authority. The New Testament writers
themselves, when not quoting Jesus, refer to him as “Lord” rather than “Son of Man.” It is a title that
Jesus accepted and even encouraged (Jn 13:13; Mt 25:45). A new Arabic translation, Kitab Allah,5 has
adopted the translation “Lord of Mankind” (sayyidu l-bashar) in place of the incomprehensible ibnu
l-’insân (“Son of the Person”). This expression keeps the “Man” part of the original form and the
rulership part of the original concept.
So when explaining the title “Son of Man” to those who ask, one can refer to the passage in Daniel
7 which describes one who is “like a man” and is made “lord of all” (sayyidu l-kull) (Acts 10:36).
4
The following passages and their parallels exemplify switching between first-person pronouns and the title
“Son of Man”: Mt 8:20-21; 12:30-32; 16:13-15, 24-27; 19:27; 26:23-24; 26:45-46; Mk 8:38; Lk 12:8; Jn 6:26-
27, 53-54; 8:28; 12:23-26.
5
The New Testament of Kitab Allah consists of the fourth revision of Injil Sharif. The whole Bible is being
prepared for publication by the International Center in Marseilles. The author received access to a
prepublication copy.
6
Hoffmeier (1997) notes that the Jews were not alone in calling their king “Son of God.” When a Pharaoh was
enthroned, he was given the title “Son of God.” Letters and documents surviving from the first century show
that “son of god” was a title commonly used for Caesar (as was “lord”).
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 6
I will be his father, and he shall be my son; I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him
who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom for ever and his throne shall
be established for ever. (1 Chronicles 17:13-14, one source of the “Son of God” title. See also Psalms 2;
72:1; and 89:27, which came to be regarded as Messianic. Psalm 2:7 is echoed in Jesus’ baptism and
transfiguration and is quoted in Acts 13:32-33 and Hebrews 1:5; in royal usage the “begetting” refers to
enthronement, in this case at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus; similarly in Romans 1:4.)
.َع ُتهَا عَنْ شَا ُولَ الّذِي كَانَ َقبَْلك
ْ َعنْهُ َكمَا نَز
َ ح َمتِي
ْ ع َر
ُ وَل َأ ْن َز. وَهُوَ َيكُونُ ا ْبنِي،َُأنَا َأكُونُ َأبُوه 13
17 أخ1
.ع ْرشُهُ ثَا ِبتًا
َ ُل َبدِ َيكُون
َ إِلَى ا،ِلبَد
َ َبلْ أُقِيمُهُ عَلَى َب ْيتِي َو َممَْل َكتِي إِلَى ا14
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given ... (Isaiah 9:6-7, one of the sources of “Son” as a messianic
title. Note that in this context the birthing metaphor is a reference to a new king being anointed and
enthroned, rather than a baby being born. See also “the Son” in more recent translations of Psalm 2:12.)
َأبًا، إَِلهًا قَدِيرًا،عجِيبًا
َ وَيُدْعَى ُمشِيرًا،ِ َتكُونُ السّ ْلطَ ُة فِي َي ِده،ٌ َوُي ْعطَى َلنَا ابْن،ٌلنّهُ يُوَلدُ َلنَا وَلَد
َ 6
9 إش
،ِعرْشِ دَا ُودَ َو َممَْل َكتِه
َ عَلَى،ٍ َت ْمتَدّ سُلْطتُهُ وَ َيكُونُ سَلمُهُ بِل ِنهَايَة7 .ِ َرئِيسَ السّلم،َأ َب ِديّا
.ِل َبد
َ مِنَ النَ َوإِلَى ا،ِس ِندَهَا بِا ْلعَ ْدلِ وَالصّلح
ْ ِلُي َثبّ َتهَا َو َي
By the time of Jesus, the Jewish teachers were interpreting all of the royal “son” and “messiah”
passages in the Bible as Messianic, along with less obvious passages such as Genesis 3:15 and 49:10,
Numbers 24:17-19, Ps 80:15, and perhaps Ps 118:22-29. (Note that the Greek word for “Messiah” is
christos, from which we get “Christ” in English.) But as was mentioned previously, expectations
differed among the Jews. The nationalists were expecting God to send a military leader to destroy the
Gentile armies, expel sinners and foreigners, and restore the kingdom of Israel, which in turn would
dominate the world on behalf of God. They were ready to go to war as soon as the Messiah appeared.
They called their hero “the King of Israel,” “the Messiah of Israel,” “the Lord Messiah,” “the Son of
David,” “God’s Messiah,” and “God’s Son.”7 This kind of messianic hope is also exemplified in Psalm
of Solomon 17, composed by Pharisees in the century before Christ. (This Psalm, by the way, is the
earliest record of the use of the title “Messiah” for the awaited savior king.)
21 See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, to rule over your servant Israel in the
time known to you, O God. 22 Undergird him with the strength to destroy the unrighteous rulers, to
purge Jerusalem from gentiles who trample her to destruction; 23 in wisdom and in righteousness to
drive out the sinners from the inheritance; to smash the arrogance of sinners like a potter’s jar; 24 To
shatter all their substance with an iron rod; to destroy the unlawful nations with the word of his
mouth.... 27 He will not tolerate unrighteousness (even) to pause among them, and any person who
knows wickedness shall not live with them.... 30 And he will have gentile nations serving him under his
yoke... 32 An he will be a righteous king over them, taught by God. There will be no unrighteousness
among them in his days, for all shall be holy, and their king shall be the Lord Messiah.
The passage below from the Dead Sea Scrolls exemplifies this in language similar to Luke 1:32-33
and Daniel 7, but more violent and nationalistic: it is the Jews who conquer and rule the world, and the
Messiah is simply their leader.
The son of God he will be proclaimed and the son of the Most High they will call him.
Like the sparks of the vision, so will be their kingdom.
They will reign for years on the earth and they will trample all.
People will trample people and one province another province
until the people of God will arise and all will rest from the sword.
Their kingdom will be an eternal kingdom and all their path will be in truth.
They will jud[ge] the earth in truth and all will make peace. The sword will cease from the earth, and
all the provinces will pay homage to them.
The Great God is their helper. He will wage war for them. He will give peoples into their hands and all
of them (the peoples) He will cast before them.
7
Newman and Stine (1988:521) give a rather broader definition: “In the Old Testament and in Judaism, ‘Son
of God’ is rather frequently used of persons whom God has chosen to act in his behalf and for the benefit of his
people” (521). They suggest that when the Jews used “Son of God” for the Messiah, “the primary reference
was to the moral relationship of love and filial obedience which should exist between a father and his son”
(80).
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 8
وَيَمْلِكُ عَلَى َبيْتِ يَعْقُوبَ إِلَى،ِ وَيُ ْعطِيهِ الرّبّ الِلهُ كُرْسِيّ دَاوُدَ أَبِيه،ُي ْدعَى
33
him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man.” (John 1:49, 51)
ُ َأنْتَ ا ْبنُ الِ! أَنْتَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ!» أَجَابَ َيسُوع،ُ«يَا مُعَّلم:ُ أَجَابَ َن َثنَائِيلُ وَقالَ لَه1 يو
50 49
َظم
َ ْ« َهلْ آ َمنْتَ لَنّي قُلْتُ لَكَ إِنّي رََأيْتُكَ تَحْتَ التّينَةِ؟ سَوْفَ تَرَى َأع:ُوَقَالَ لَه
،ً ِمنَ النَ تَرَ ْونَ السّمَاءَ مَفْتُوحَة:ْ«الْحَقّ الْحَقّ أَقُولُ لَكُم:ُِمنْ هذَا!» وَقَالَ لَه
51
وَا ْب َتدَأُوا،َ فَقَامَ ُكلّ جُمْهُورِ ِهمْ وَجَاءُوا بِهِ إِلَى بِيلَطُس: .»ِسَمِعْنَا ِمنْ فَمِه
2 1 23
ٌ َويَمْنَعُ َأنْ ُتعْطَى جِزْيَة،َسدُ الُمّة ِ ْ«إِنّنَا وَجَدْنَا هذَا يُف:َشتَكُونَ عََليْهِ قَائِلِين
ْ َي
ُ«َأنْتَ َملِك:ً فَسََألَهُ بِيلَطُسُ قِائِل.»ٌ ِإنّهُ هُوَ مَسِيحٌ مَلِك:ً قَائِل،َلِقَيْصَر
3
علَى
َ وَآتِيًا،ِعنْ يَمِينِ الْقُوّة
َ ِمنَ النَ ُتبْصِرُونَ ا ْبنَ الِنْسَانِ جَالِسًا:َْأقُولُ لَــ ُكم
ُ وَآخَرُونَ لَطَمُوه،ُ حِي َن ِئذٍ َبصَقُوا فِي وَجْهِهِ وَلَكَمُوه... .»ِسَحَاب السّمَاء
67
َ فَ َوقَفَ َيسُوعُ أَمَام: ... .» َمنْ ضَ َربَكَ؟،ُ« َت َنبّأْ لَــنَا َأيّهَا الْمَسِيح:َقَا ِئلِين
11 28 68
for it is only as Jesus is designated the Son of God that he can become the King of Israel in this Messianic
sense” (Newman and Nida 1980:50).
12
“There can be no doubt, however, that all three evangelists make Jesus’ claim to be the Son of Man the basis
for the high priest’s/Sanhedrin’s charge of blasphemy” Caragounis 1986:141.
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 10
It is widely accepted that Peter’s important confession of who Jesus is in Matthew 16:16 (“You are
the Christ, the Son of the Living God”), like Nathaniel’s in John 1:49, merely employs two titles for the
same messianic position, and that Peter’s use of “Son of God” is the normal Jewish usage meaning the
Messianic King and not an ascription of divinity.13 This is clearly how Luke and Mark understood
Peter’s confession. Luke (9:20) shortens the confession to “The Christ of God,” omitting the word
“son” as superfluous, and Mark (8:29) retains only “You are the Christ,” omitting the appositional
phrase, “the Son of the Living God.” If Luke and Mark had thought that the title “Son of God” carried
some new revelation not already present in the title “Christ/Messiah,” they would hardly have omitted it
to save space.
.»!ِ«مَسِيحُ ال:َ َمنْ تَقُولُونَ أَنّي أَنَا؟» فَأَجَابَ ُبطْرُسُ وَقَال،ْ«وَأَ ْنُتم:ْفَقَالَ لَ ُهم20 :9 لو
َ«أَ ْنت:ُ َمنْ تَقُولُونَ إِنّي أَنَا؟» فَأَجَابَ ُبطْرُسُ وَقَالَ لَه،ْ«وَأَ ْنُتم:ْفَقَالَ لَ ُهم29 :8 مر
»!ُالْمَسِيح
So it is evident that “Christ” and “Son of God” were used as fairly equivalent titles, and that Jesus
avoided them14 because of their nationalistic connotations, preferring the universal heavenly savior title,
“The Son of Man” and the shorter form, “the Son.”
َ «خَلّص:وَكَذلِكَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْكَهَنَةِ َأيْضًا وَهُمْ َيسْتَهْزِئُونَ مَعَ الْ َك َتبَةِ وَالشّيُوخِ قَالُوا
42 41
27 مت
ِآخَرِينَ وَأَمّا نَفْسُهُ فَمَا يَ ْقدِرُ َأنْ يُخَلّصَهَا! ِإنْ كَانَ هُوَ مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ فَلْ َينْ ِزل
ُ فَ ْلُينْ ِقذْهُ النَ ِإنْ أَرَادَهُ! لَنّه،ِعلَى ال َ َعنِ الصّلِيب فَنُؤْ ِمنَ بِهِ! َقدِ اتّ َكل
43
َ َالن
.»!ِ أَنَا ا ْبنُ ال:َقَال
َخلّصَ « : قَالُوا،ِستَهْ ِزئُونَ فِيمَا َبيْنَ ُهمْ مَعَ الْ َكتَبَة
ْ ُوَكَذلِكَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْكَ َهنَةِ وَ ُهمْ م 31
15 مر
َ آخَرِينَ وَأَمّا نَفْسُهُ فَمَا يَ ْقدِرُ َأنْ يُخَلّصَهَا! لِ َينْ ِزلِ النَ الْمَسِيحُ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِي
ل 32
ِ«ِإنْ ُكنْتَ َأنْتَ َملِكَ ا ْليَهُود:َ قَا ِئلِين،ُستَهْزَأُوا بِهِ وَ ُهمْ يَ ْأتُونَ َويُ َقدّمُونَ لَهُ خَل
37
ْا
.»!َفَخَلّصْ نَفْسَك
After Jesus’ ascension from this world and enthronement in heaven, there was no longer a danger
that the nationalists would misunderstand his messiahship in a restorative way and start a revolution in
support of him. The nature of Jesus’ kingship was now clearly understood to be “not of this world,” and
so there was no longer a need to conceal his identity as the King Messiah. In fact, the resurrection itself
was the sign by which Jesus was publicly “designated Son of God ... Christ our Lord” (Rom 1:4). His
apostles were no longer bound by His commandment in that they “tell no one that he was the Christ”
(Matthew 16:20 ). In fact, their task was now to proclaim to everyone the Kingdom of God in Jesus the
Christ. They did so now without avoiding the royal Messianic titles “Christ” and “Son of God,” which
they used interchangeably:
And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He is the Son of God” .... proving that
Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 9:20, 22)
13
The conservative scholar Benoit (1962:70), in his article defending the divinity of Christ, notes that Peter’s
confession at Caesarea was not meant to imply divinity, but that the Apostles did eventually “ascend to faith in
the divinity of the Master.”
14
Jesus made subtle use of “son” in the parable of the wicked tenants, where the landlord sends his “beloved
son” to collect the rent (Mt 21: 37 || Mk 12:6 || Lk 20:13). In John, He uses “Son of God” in 5:25, 10:36, and
perhaps 3:16. He subtly calls Himself “Christ” in Matthew 23:10, Mark 9:41, Luke 24:26, 46 and John 17:3.
Of course, He accepts these titles from others, as at John 4:26.
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 11
.»ِوَلِلْ َوقْتِ جَعَلَ َيكْرِزُ فِي الْمَجَامِعِ ]بِالْمَسِيحِ[ <بيسوع> «َأنْ هذَا هُوَ ا ْبنُ ال 20
20 :9 أع
«أَلَ ْيسَ هذَا هُوَ الّذِي أَهْلَكَ فِي:َفبُهِتَ جَمِيعُ اّلذِينَ كَانُوا َيسْمَعُونَ وَقَالُوا 21
أُورُشَلِيمَ الّذِينَ َي ْدعُونَ بِهذَا السْمِ؟ وَقَدْ جَاءَ إِلَى ُهنَا لِهذاَ ِليَسُوقَهُمْ مُوثَقِينَ إِلَى
حيّرُ ا ْليَهُودَ السّاكِنِينَ فِي َ ُ وَي،ً وَأَمّا شَا ُولُ فَكَانَ يَ ْزدَادُ قُوّة.»!ِرُؤَسَاءِ الْكَ َهنَة
22
،َ مَنْ ُهوَ الّذِي يَ ْغلِبُ ا ْلعَالَم... .ِ كُلّ مَنْ ُي ْؤمِنُ أَنّ يَسُوعَ ُهوَ الْمَسِيحُ فَقَدْ ُولِدَ مِنَ ال5 يو1
5 1
But this terminology does not evoke warm feelings among Muslims who abhor the use of kinship
terminology with regard to God. Nor does it accurately communicate to them that Jesus is the “Christ
... Lord of all” (Acts 10:37). Translators of the Bible in Muslim contexts have therefore sought to be
faithful to the original meaning by translating the title “Son of God” in ways that avoid communicating
the wrong meaning. They have tried a number of expressions, including “Spiritual Son of God,” “One
like a Son to God,” and “Son from God,” but these are still misunderstood and abhored by most
Muslims, and they do not really communicate the intended meaning. The expressions “Beloved of God”
and “Companion (walî) of God” are more acceptable and communicate a relationship, but they are not
unique to Christ and do not communicate kingly authority.
A unique and accurate expression is simply “God’s Messiah.” This has been used in some versions
of the Jesus film. To be communicative, however, the title “Messiah” needs to be explained, since
Muslims do not generally know its meaning. Both “Messiah” and “Son of God” can be explained as
titles for the righteous king sent from God to save and rule his people forever and judge the nations.
(See Acts 3:11; 4:26; Luke 9:18; 23:34; Rev 11:15; 12:7.) The Kitab Allah explains the meaning of
“Messiah” in several footnotes, and then it footnotes every occurrence of “Son of God” with an
explanation relating it to “God’s Messiah.” Where the intimate relationship is intended, a phrase that
has been used is “God’s Messiah, Whom He loves with the love of the father for the son.” In this case,
the added clause leaves open the interpretation that God IS the father and the Messiah IS the son,
without applying these biological terms explicitly, but focussing instead on the relationship. Where the
preexistence of Christ is implied, as in Romans 8:3, then the phrase “Word of God” is quite appropriate
for the audience, since God’s Word originates in God Himself and is not independent of Him.
receives the revelation he records in the prologue to his Gospel (John 1:1-18); there he declares that
Jesus is the divine Word of God incarnate (Jn 1:1,14), who reveals God to mankind (18). (The early
church fathers, when speaking of the divine nature of Christ, often called Him “the Word” (Logos),
although the Greek churchmen of later years preferred “God the Son.”)
The Word of God concept was well developed and frequently mentioned in the Aramaic targums,
which were read or recited in every synagogue service. In these the Word of God appears as the
personalized projection of God through whom the world was created, through whom God’s
communications and activities on earth are performed, and through whom God reveals Himself. It was
never anticipated, however, that the Messiah would be an incarnation of the Word of God. But the New
Testament authors describe Christ as revealer, creator, and sustainer, although they use a variety of
phrases to characterize what they are talking about. The main passages are the following:
John 1:1-5: “the Word of God” through Whom “all things were made.”
Colossians 1:15-19: “the image of God” through whom “all things were created” and “hold
together” in whom “all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.”
1 Corinthians 8:6: “one Lord ... through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
2 Corinthians 4:4-6 “the likeness of God” and “the glory of God in the face of Christ”
Hebrews 1:2-3 (“the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being” ... “through
whom he made the universe” NIV).
Paul wrote a hymn affirming that Christ is in nature God and equal to God but took on the nature
and appearance of a man (Phil 2:6-8), and he affirms that in Christ “the fullness of Deity dwells” (Col
2:9). John also wrote that “the Word is God” (John 1:1), and other passages in John make the same
point, saying that in Him we see and hear the Father.
It can be observed that the divinity of Christ is revealed in the Scriptures with some subtlety. It is
demonstrated in the Gospels, but explicit teaching is found primarily in the Epistles, which are
addressed to people who are already believers in Christ. These people have the benefit of the Holy
Spirit to enlighten their understanding. The evangelistic preaching in Acts, on the other hand, makes no
attempt to explain the divinity of Christ to prebelievers. In fact, it is clearly stated that prebelievers are
unable to understand these things because they lack the Holy Spirit:
I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he
will guide you into all the truth; (John 16:12-13)
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1
Corinthians 2:14 NIV)
The implication is that once people have come to faith in Jesus as the Christ their Lord and Savior, they
begin to grow in understanding as the Holy Spirit enlightens their minds.
The Scriptures warn us not to put stumbling blocks in the way of others (Lk 17:2 Rom 14:13). But
people do this when they insist that Muslim seekers must accept the divinity of Christ and the trinity
before they can be saved. It took 300 years for the church to work out the Trinity, so someone who is
not yet born again is hardly going to do it. When Muslims want to debate the divinity of Christ, they
can be challenged to read the Gospels and answer the question, “Is Jesus merely a human? And if not,
then Who is He?” That can open their minds to the mystery of Christ, in spite of the statement in the
Qur’an that God is not Jesus.16 But one should not allow debates about the nature of Christ to
addressed them this way, and the words of Thomas are clearly a confession of faith, rather than a polite address
to the sovereign.
16
Technically, Christians would not say that God is Jesus, but rather that Jesus is God, meaning that the Word
of God is part of God but not the totality. This misunderstanding of the incarnation leads Muslims to ask, “If
God was incarnate as Jesus, then who was running the universe and listening to prayers while He was on
earth?” The answer, of course, is that God the Father still filled the universe and still ran things. Isaiah 40:10
describes the Good News, saying “Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him.” The
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 14
sidetrack the challenge to accept Him as Lord Messiah, as the One who cleanses and strengthens His
followers and gives them eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The testimony of many believers is that
once they had accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit, they began to grow in understanding of His
divine nature.
Messiah is like the arm of God. One could liken the incarnation to an unseen puppeteer, who inserts his arm
into a hand puppet so that he can tell other puppets about himself and also set an example for them to follow.
In some ways the puppet is distinct from the puppeteer, but actually he is the puppeteer, although not all of
him; he is certainly not someone else besides the puppeteer.
Explaining “Son of God” and Other Messianic Titles 15
the title “Lord” is translated as as sayyid or sayyiduna or mawlânâ “our Lord.”17 This policy has also
been followed in some recent versions of the Jesus film and in Kitab Allah. So when Muslims ask why
Jesus is called ar rabb, it can be explained that it means mawlânâ “our Lord” or sayyidu l-kull “Lord
of all”, and that this is the meaning of the title “Messiah” as well.
Conclusion
There is a great deal of confusion about the Messianic titles, even among Christians. They often
misinterpret the titles to be statements of genealogy and metaphysics rather than titles defining
particular roles. “Son of God” becomes a statement of deity, and “Son of Man” becomes a statement
of humanity, whereas the original intent was that “Son of Man” and “Lord” should describe Jesus’
authority over all mankind, while “Son of God” and “Messiah” meant He was the eternal king over the
people of God’s kingdom. Among Muslims, however, these titles are not only confusing but sometimes
repulsive, leading many of them to reject the Word of God before they have had a chance to consider its
message. It is hoped that this brief summary of the issues will promote understanding of the titles and
enable believers to explain them to those who ask about them. In many cases, serious objections to
reading the Bible or considering Christ melt away when these terms are correctly explained.
References
Benoit, P., O.P. 1962. The Divinity of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels. In: Gelin 1962:59-94.
Caragounis, Chrys C. 1986. The Son of Man: Vision and Interpretation. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen
zum Neuen Testament 38. Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr.
de Kuiper, Arie D. and Newman, Barclay M., Jr. 1977. Jesus, Son of God -- a Translation Problem. The
Bible Translator 28(4):432-438.
Gelin, A. (ed). 1962. Son and Saviour; the Divinity of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures. London: Geoffrey
Chapman. (Translated from French)
Gruenler, R. G. 1984. Son of Man. In: Elwell, Walter (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House. pp. 1034-36.
Hoffmeier, James K. 1997. Son of God: from Pharaoh to Israel’s Kings to Jesus. Bible Review 13(3):44-49.
Howard, George (Ed). The Hebrew Gospel of Matthew.
Klausner, Joseph. 1955 (Hebrew 1927). The Messianic Idea in Israel; from its Beginning to the Completion
of the Mishnah. 3rd edition. New York: The MacMillan Company.
Kreitzer, L. Joseph. 1987. Jesus and God in Paul’s Eschatology. Journal for the Study of the New Testament
Supplement Series 19. Sheffield.
Mollat, S. J. 1962. The Divinity of Christ in Saint John. In: Gelin 1962: 125-155.
Newman, Barclay M. 1970. Towards a Translation of "The Son of Man" in the Gospels. The Bible Translator
21(3):141-146.
Newman, Barclay M., and Eugene Nida. 1980. A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of John. Stuttgart:
United Bible Societies.
Newman, Barclay M., and Philip C. Stine. 1988. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. New York: United
Bible Societies.
Payne, Philip B. 1981. Jesus’ implicit claim to deity in his parables. Trinity Journal 2:3-23
Vermes, Geza. 1997. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English. Allen Lane: The Penguin Press.
Witherington, Ben, III. 1990. The Christology of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
17
In some narrated sections of Luke, the Elegant Gospels have ‘îsâ “Jesus” instead of “the Lord,” following the
pattern in Mark and Matthew. This evidently facilitated a more natural style in some contexts.