"Son of God" - What it ACTUALLY Means

1 John 4:9,10,14
⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ... ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

In each of these verses, as numerous other verses, the distinction between Yeshua and YHWH is shown in how Yeshua is referred to as YHWH's (God's) Son.  There has never been a time in recorded history where a man and his son were one and the same being.  I again plead with Trinitarian Christians and those deceived by Christianized Messianic leaders to consider using common sense regarding the issue of Yeshua's deity.  Also note how distinction is shown by Yeshua being sent by YHWH.

The Scriptures generally describe all things relative to YHWH using human terms.  This literary technique, called anthropomorphism, is THE primary means used in Scripture to lead us into an understanding of YHWH (God).

Anthropomorphism: attribution of human characteristics to nonhumans: the attribution of a human form, human characteristics, or human behavior to nonhuman things such as deities in mythology and animals in children's stories.

This is commonly done in the Scriptures with reference to YHWH's "heart", "hand", "finger", etc.  Attributes of personality such as "jealousy", "will" or "desire", "hate", and many other "emotions" are anthropomorphic.  The reason for this technique is so that mankind, who is incapable of truly understanding the infinite Almighty, can grasp the basics of what is actually beyond our ability to understand.

The reference to Yeshua as YHWH's "son" is one of these techniques.  It may surprise most Christians to realize Yeshua was not the ONLY "son of God" mentioned in Scripture!   Solomon was referred to as YHWH's son:

2 Samuel 7:14
¹⁴ I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Proof of this referring to Solomon is found in 1 Chronicles 28:6

1 Chronicles 28:6 (KJV)

⁶ And he (God) said unto me (David), Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

It should be noted that verses regarding Solomon (and many other passages) are sometimes assumed to refer to Messiah.  I agree, however, I feel the correct standard method of interpreting Scripture is to first look for a DIRECT application.  ONLY when a direct interpretation is not available should one consider allegorical understandings.  Also, it is my opinion that many verses of Scripture may have a "near - far," dual interpretation.  They have both direct (near) and indirect (far) meanings.  Christians usually disregard the direct, opting instead to spiritualize and allegorize Tanakh passages to fit their "dispensational" understandings.  Rabbinic Jews, on the other hand, seem to sometimes get too literal and disregard the possible allegorical/spiritual (far) interpretation of Messianic verses, which is very odd since the writings of Jewish Sages are so filled with deeper spiritual interpretations of Scripture (sod).  We must all admit that we are not at a level of spiritual oneness with Yahweh to know for certain, but I feel - as previously stated - that it is wrong to do as most Christians do, which is to make the Tanakh into an allegorical jungle of mystery.  We should also not become too attached to our near-far understandings unless they are implicitly obvious, since they are - by definition - beyond our abilities to perfectly understand.

Continuing with the sons of God mentioned in Scripture...  The entire nation of Israel is referred to as YHWH's sons!

Exodus 4:22
²² And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Adam was the "son of God" also.

Luke 3:38
³⁸ Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Of course, all TRUE followers of God's Holy instructions (Torah) are called sons of God.

Therefore it is SCRIPTURALLY accurate to say there is reference to well over 600,000 "sons of God" in the Bible, since Israel is God's son.  This is something Traditional Christian teachers hate to have revealed.

Exodus 12:37
³⁷ And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The fact is, the term "son of God" is always used in an anthropomorphic sense to refer to YHWH's representative(s).  Of course, as THE greatest, most obedient, and most exalted of ALL of YHWH's representatives, Yeshua is, indeed, THE "son of God".  Yeshua is the ultimate tsadik, or pious and righteous servant and representative of God.  Also, of course, if one wishes to accept the virgin birth, Yeshua can be further seen as being a "son" of God.  However, as I show in the virgin birth article, the teaching that Yeshua was conceived of a virgin actually threatens Yeshua's claim to being the Messiah.

The New Testament actually suggests to us the exact moment that Yeshua was "begotten" of God!  Yes, believe it or not, we CAN know the precise time of the final "begetting" of Messiah Yeshua.  In Acts 13 Paul is speaking to those gathered in a synagogue of Antioch.  In this single chapter the entire gospel is summed up in one of the most concise presentations to be found anywhere in Scripture.  During this sermon Paul reveals the exact moment that Yeshua's "begotten" status was completed.

Acts 13:33
³³ God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You."
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

The Psalm to which he refers is:

Psalm 2:7
⁷ I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You."
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

Thus, we see the SCRIPTURAL day Yeshua was begotten - THE SCRIPTURAL DAY HE FULLY BECAME THE SON OF GOD.  It was on the day of his resurrection.  This, also, is how he became the "firstfruits of the resurrection" and the full "son of God."  The announcement of the angel Gabriel in Luke presents in the future tense the fact that Yeshua "will be called the Son of the Highest."  This prophecy from Gabriel had it's fulfillment at Yeshua's resurrection.

Luke 1:32
³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

As usual, I appeal to common sense.  One that is "begotten" is not eternal but has a beginning; therefore, the "begotten one" (Yeshua) cannot be the "Eternal One," YHWH (God).

I would argue that the resurrection is the COMPLETION of the PROCESS of Yeshua's becoming God's Son.  He was already His Son as defined previously in term's of being God's perfect representative, agent, Servant, and Anointed One.  For the reasons I discussed in the virgin birth article previously mentioned, I do not accept the virgin birth and consider it to be an attempt by those lead by the spirit of error (spirit of antichrist) to usurp Yeshua's rightful claim to be the Messiah of Israel since it eliminates the primary importance of him being of the LITERAL seed of David through the father AS SCRIPTURE DEMANDS!  Upon his resurrection, Messiah Yeshua became THE Son of the Highest due to the fact that Yeshua was the very first man EVER resurrected to eternal life!

Romans 1:3-4 NKJV

³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Luke 20:36 NASB95

³⁶ for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

Was Messiah perfect, or was he perfected?

Some of you may be thinking, “What is so important about this question?  What difference does it make?”  To those having such thoughts, my response is that it is a very important question, the answer of which has enormous implications!

YHVH, the Living God, is perfect.  He is all-powerful.  He has no need to "grow" in any way, shape, or form!  Therefore, if it can be shown that Yeshua the Messiah BECAME perfect or grew in wisdom, then he is obviously not God!

Wow!  This is going to be easy!  Please read the following few verses.  There are more; however, if these do not prove to you that Yeshua is not God, then you must consider God to be imperfect and in need of growth.

Luke 2:40, 52 NKJV

⁴⁰ And the Child (Yeshua) grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor) of God was upon Him. ... ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Yeshua GREW in wisdom, strength, stature, etc., just like John the Baptist (see Luke 1:80).  This shows that Yeshua was not born "perfect" but BECAME perfected like all other righteous men of Israel (Yet Yeshua was the most Anointed One).

Hebrews 1:4 NKJV

⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Hebrews 5:8-9 NKJV

⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Hebrews 7:28 NKJV

²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

It should be quite obvious that Yeshua was not born perfect, but he submitted his personal will to the will and Ruach (Spirit) of YHVH.  Therefore, he BECAME perfected and thus qualified as the Messiah of Israel.

My friend, please use common sense.  Yeshua was NOT perfect.  Instead, he BECAME perfected - he was perfected.  Since God is perfect and need not be perfected, Yeshua is obviously not God.

I sincerely long for the day when those that claim to exalt the Bible actually invest SERIOUS time and effort to studying Scripture.  Unfortunately, I am convinced that day may never come since very, very few Christians fear or love YHWH enough to truly place Him and His Word at the top of their list of priorities.  Yeshua will likely return to a world of 2 billion Christians, the vast majority of which are sadly ignorant regarding Scriptural truth - especially THE Scripture - the Tanakh.  MOST sadly, it will then be too late for them to change.