Question 31: What does this passage mean?

Question 31: What does this passage mean?

Answer: It speaks of acknowledging the Son of God as our Savior and of how He rescued us from death and brought us salvation.

Matthew 3:16-17 “And when Jesus had been baptized, he went up immediately from the water. And behold, the heavens(ton uranon) were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son(ho huios), in whom I am well pleased.’”

Jesus is the one who was directly declared by God to be the Son of God. The ton uranon (τῶν οὐρανῶν) is also the kingdom of God in the heart. That is why the plural is used. The voice of the Father is heard from heaven, clearly identifying Jesus Christ as the Son (ho huios), and we can see that the Holy Spirit descends upon Him. Ho huios is the Son with the article, and is used only for Jesus Christ. If there is no article, it is simply the Son (adopted son). Those who are in Christ can also be like this. This is the Parousian (Emmanuel: the presence of God).

In John 10:33, “The Jews answered him, ‘For a good work we are not stoning you, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, make yourself God.’”

Calling God "Father" was not unusual for Jews, but Jesus personally addressed God as "Father." He also called himself the Son of God and one with the Father, which to the Jews sounded like blasphemy. Jesus countered, saying, "The Bible calls those to whom God's word came gods. How can you say that it is blasphemy to say, 'I am the Son of God,' when the One whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world says, 'I am the Son of God?'"

What Jesus said is from Exodus 7:1: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.'"

According to Jesus' expression, they could be called God because they received God's word and were God's spokespersons. They were people who received the authority given by God and were given the responsibility and privilege of unfolding God's will on earth as God's spokespersons. When they fulfilled this responsibility, God could be said to act and speak through them.

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