The Sonship of Jesus: John | Cross & Crescent Ministries

The Sonship of Jesus:

John

Question: Does the Gospel of John identify Jesus as God’s Son?

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Overview

The Sonship of Jesus is taught throughout the Gospel of John. Those who refer to Jesus as the Son of God or accuse Jesus of claiming to be God's Son are as follows.

John (1:14-18, 3:16-18, 3:35-36 & 20:30-31)

Jesus (5:16-27, 10:31-39, 11:1-7, 13:31-32, 14:1-14 & 17:1-5)

The Disciples of Jesus (1:43-51 & 11:17-27)

The Jewish Religious Leaders (19:1-7)

It should be noted that the Sonship of Jesus (as well as the Fatherhood of God) has nothing to do with physical, biological or sexual procreation. A Son of God, according to the Bible, is someone who represents God and acts with the authority of God, and this is applied to humans and angels. Simply put, God is a Father because God has sons and daughters, and the sons and daughters of God are those who represent God and act with the authority of God.

References to the Sonship of Jesus in the Gospel of John are especially significant when contrasted with the Quran. The Quran (although claiming to be a continuation of the religion of Jesus) states that it is highly inappropriate to associate Allah with Fatherhood or to suggest that Allah has children in any sense (2:116-117, 5:18, 6:100-101, 17:110-111, 19:88-95, 21:25-28, 25:1-3, 39:4, 72:1-5 & 112:1-4), and this is explicitly denied when applied to the relationship between Allah and Jesus (4:171 & 9:30). In short, the Quran denies the religion of Jesus by denying the Sonship of Jesus and the Fatherhood of God.

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Bible Passages - John

John 1:14-18

(14) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(15) (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) (16) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. (17) For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (18) No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John 3:16-18

(16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:35-36

(35) The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. (36) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

John 20:30-31

(30) Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. (31) But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Bible Passages - Jesus

John 5:16-27

(16) So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. (17) In his defence Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” (18) For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

(19) Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (20) For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. (21) For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. (22) Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, (23) that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.

(24) “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. (25) Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (26) For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. (27) And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

John 10:31-39

(31) Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, (32) but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

(33) “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

(34) Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? (35) If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came - and Scripture cannot be set aside - (36) what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? (37) Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. (38) But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

(39) Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

John 11:1-7

(1) Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (2) (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) (3) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

(4) When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (5) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (6) So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, (7) and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

John 13:31-32

(31) When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. (32) If God is

glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

John 14:1-14

(1) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. (2) My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (4) You know the way to the place where I am going.”

(5) Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

(6) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (7) If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

(8) Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

(9) Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (10) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (11) Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. (12) Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (13) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 17:1-5

(1) After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. (2) For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. (3) Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (4) I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. (5) And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Bible Passages - The Disciples of Jesus

John 1:43-51

(43) The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

(44) Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. (45) Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

(46) “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

(47) When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

(48) “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

(49) Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

(50) Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” (51) He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

John 11:17-27

(17) On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. (18) Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, (19) and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. (20) When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

(21) “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (22) But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

(23) Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

(24) Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

(25) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (26) and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

(27) “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Bible Passages - The Jewish Religious Leaders

John 19:1-7

(1) Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. (2) The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe (3) and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

(4) Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” (5) When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

(6) As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

(7) The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

Quran Passages

The Quran 2:116-117 (Abdul Haleem)

(116) They have asserted, ‘God has a child.’ May He be exalted! No! Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him, everything devoutly obeys His will. (117) He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth, and when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it is.

The Quran 2:116-117 (Sahih International)

(116) They say, "Allah has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,

(117) Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is.

The Quran 4:171 (Abdul Haleem)

(171) People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion, and do not say anything about God except the truth: the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was nothing more than a messenger of God, His word, directed to Mary, a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers and do not speak of a ‘Trinity’ - stop [this], that is better for you - God is only one God, He is far above having a son, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him and He is the best one to trust.

The Quran 4:171 (Sahih International)

(171) O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.

The Quran 5:18 (Abdul Haleem)

(18) The Jews and the Christians say, “We are the children of God and His beloved ones.” Say, “Then why does He punish you for your sins? You are merely human beings, part of His creation: He forgives whoever He will and punishes whoever He will. Control of the heavens and earth and all that is between them belongs to Him: all journeys lead to Him.”

The Quran 5:18 (Sahih International)

(18) But the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His beloved." Say, "Then why does He punish you for your sins?" Rather, you are human beings from among those He has created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and to Him is the [final] destination.

The Quran 6:100-101 (Abdul Haleem)

(100) Yet they made the jinn partners with God, though He created them, and without any true knowledge they attribute sons and daughters to Him. Glory be to Him! He is far higher than what they ascribe to Him, (101) the Creator of the heavens and earth! How could He have children when He has no spouse, when He created all things, and has full knowledge of all things?

The Quran 6:100-101 (Sahih International)

(100) But they have attributed to Allah partners - the jinn, while He has created them - and have fabricated for Him sons and daughters. Exalted is He and high above what they describe.

(101) [He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing.

The Quran 9:30 (Abdul Haleem)

(30) The Jews said, ‘Ezra is the son of God,’ and the Christians said, ‘The Messiah is the son of God’: they said this with their own mouths, repeating what earlier disbelievers had said. May God confound them! How far astray they have been led!

The Quran 9:30 (Sahih International)

(30) The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah"; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?

The Quran 17:110-111 (Abdul Haleem)

(110) Say [to them], ‘Call on God, or on the Lord of Mercy - whatever names you call Him, the best names belong to Him.’ [Prophet], do not be too loud in your prayer, or too quiet, but seek a middle way (111) and say, ‘Praise belongs to God, who has no child nor partner in His rule. He is not so weak as to need a protector. Proclaim His limitless greatness!’

The Quran 17:110-111 (Sahih International)

(110) Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.

(111) And say, "Praise to Allah, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification."

The Quran 19:88-95 (Abdul Haleem)

(88) The disbelievers say, “The Lord of Mercy has offspring.” (89) How terrible is this thing you assert: (90) it almost causes the heavens to be torn apart, the earth to split asunder, the mountains to crumble to pieces, (91) that they attribute offspring to the Lord of Mercy. (92) It does not befit the Lord of Mercy [to have offspring]: (93) there is no one in the heavens or earth who will not come to the Lord of Mercy as a servant - (94) He has counted them all: He has numbered them exactly - (95) and they will each return to Him on the Day of Resurrection all alone.

The Quran 19:88-95 (Sahih International)

(88) And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son."

(89) You have done an atrocious thing.

(90) The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation

(91) That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.

(92) And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.

(93) There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.

(94) He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting.

(95) And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.

The Quran 21:25-28 (Abdul Haleem)

(25) We never sent any messenger before you [Muhammad] without revealing to him: ‘There is no god but Me, so serve Me.’ (26) And they say, ‘The Lord of Mercy has taken offspring for Himself.’ May He be exalted! No! They are only His honoured servants: (27) they do not speak before He speaks and they act by His command. (28) He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission - indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him.

The Quran 21:25-28 (Sahih International)

(25) And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."

(26) And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants.

(27) They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command.

(28) He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.

The Quran 25:1-3 (Abdul Haleem)

(1) Exalted is He who has sent the Differentiator down to His servant so that it may be a warning to all people. (2) It is He who has control over the heavens and earth and has no offspring - no one shares control with Him - and who created all things and made them to an exact measure. (3) Yet the disbelievers take as their gods things beneath Him that create nothing, and are themselves created, that can neither harm nor help themselves, and have no control over death, life, or resurrection.

The Quran 25:1-3 (Sahih International)

(1) Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner -

(2) He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and who has not taken a son and has not had a partner in dominion and has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination.

(3) But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power to cause] death or life or resurrection.

The Quran 39:4 (Abdul Haleem)

(4) God could have chosen any of His creation He willed for offspring, but He is far above this! He is the One, the Almighty.

The Quran 39:4 (Sahih International)

(4) If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing.

The Quran 72:1-5 (Abdul Haleem)

(1) Say [Prophet], ‘It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn once listened in and said, “We have heard a wondrous Quran, (2) that gives guidance to the right path, and we have come to believe it - We shall never set up partners with our Lord - (3) and that He - exalted be the glory of our Lord! - has neither spouse nor child. (4) Outrageous things have been said about God by the foolish among us, (5) although we had thought that no man or jinn would [dare to] tell a lie about Him.

The Quran 72:1-5 (Sahih International)

(1) Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an.

(2) It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.

(3) And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son

(4) And that our foolish one has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression.

(5) And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allah a lie.

The Quran 112:1-4 (Abdul Haleem)

(1) Say, ‘He is God the One, (2) God the eternal. (3) He begot no one nor was He begotten. (4) No one is comparable to Him.

The Quran 112:1-4 (Sahih International)

(1) Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,

(2) Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

(3) He neither begets nor is born,

(4) Nor is there to Him any equivalent."