The idea that God can have a son is not only biblical, but was well-understood by the ancients. As we explored earlier, the concept is found most clearly in the kingship of David and the expectation for the sonship of his endless line upon Israel’s throne. But someone being called God’s son is not quite the same as someone being the Son of God. Yeshua, then, needed to further narrow the definition of God’s “son.” He would not only be Israel’s messianic, priestly king, but also the means of blessing all the families of the earth through His sacrifice, atonement, and offer of salvation and eternal life. Yeshua had to be something more than those who came before… something that many of the people of Israel weren’t yet ready to receive.

Yeshua would find Himself in conflict—and, ultimately, on the execution stake—because the people rightly perceived His claim of being the Son of God, and of being one with Him, as a claim of equality with God. But even though Yeshua didn’t hold onto that equality but instead emptied Himself (Philippians 2:6-7), He also didn’t deny the truth of being God’s exact imprint.

In one such altercation recorded in John 10, Yeshua made the open-air statement, “I and the Father are one.” This prompted the Jews to try to kill Him, because they knew exactly what He meant. But as they were about to stone Him, the Master answered them, saying, “I showed you many good acts from the Father. Because of which of those acts do you stone Me?” To which the people answered Him back, “We do not stone you for a good act, but for evil speaking, and because you (being a man) make yourself God” (John 10:32-33). The people were incensed because Yeshua—this man who was just as human as they were—was standing there claiming to be God. Though Yeshua never explicitly spoke the words, “I am God,” by saying that He and the Father were one and that He was the Son of God, the implication was clearly understood. Not accepting His claim, the people considered His words blasphemy and sought to kill Him.

But Yeshua stood His ground, and made His case from the Scriptures. He replied to them with Psalm 82:6.

“Is it not having been written… ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’?” If He called them gods to whom the word of God came… how do you say of him whom the Father set apart and sent to the world, ‘You speak evil’? Because I said I am the Son of God? (John 10:34-36, mjlt)

The people wanted to stone Yeshua because they believed that what He was saying was blasphemous—that a man can’t claim equality with God. But by citing this verse from the Psalms, and with the argument He reasoned from it, Yeshua showed the people its natural progression, fulfilled in Him. In the face of their contempt, Yeshua stated this biblical fact: the Scriptures call the people “gods.” How much more, then, can the one whom the Father sent to save the world be called the Son of God?

Yeshua made no claims to His godhood without the evidence to back it up. He had been publicly doing the Father’s work, thereby demonstrating their oneness. A man claiming equality with God is, indeed, an evil-speaker—but only if it isn’t true. Yeshua was a man, just as they were—and yet, somehow, more.

There is no denying that the way Yeshua came into the world was far from normal. The truth that Yeshua is the Word who was with God and who was God in the beginning—the Word who became a human being, having come from a woman (Galatians 4:4), yet in whom all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9)—is, in and of itself, unfathomable. And yet, Yeshua is not the Son of God simply by nature of the miraculous manner of His birth, nor because of His mysterious makeup as both fully God and fully man. He is also the Son of God because of His purpose, His calling, His character, and, above all, His relationship with the Father. And that is why,

“He will be great, and He will be called Son of the Highest. And Adonai ’Elohiym will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will reign over the house of Ya’aqov to the ages, and of His reign there will be no end.” (Luke 1:32-33, mjlt)

The Messiah Yeshua came to be the embodiment of His Jewish people. Like Israel, Yeshua is God’s completely irreplaceable, entirely unique, one and only Son. As the Son of God, Yeshua was specially anointed by the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34), and glorified through the glory of the Father (John 11:4). He cast out unclean spirits and demons (Mark 3:11, Luke 4:41), and He literally walked on water (Matthew 14:25-33). He is not just the eternal King of Israel, but the King of all kings (John 12:13-15, 1 Timothy 6:15), and our great high priest forever (Hebrews 4:14, 7:3). He came to break up the actions of the Accuser (1 John 3:8) by loving us and living in us and giving Himself up for us (Galatians 2:20).

Does God really have a Son? Absolutely, he does. And whoever professes that Yeshua is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God (1 John 4:15).

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!