Jesus is God (or not) |
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JOUBERAR
Guest Group Joined: 13 March 2009 Status: Offline Points: 573 |
Posted: 24 April 2010 at 8:11am | |||
In Genesis 6:1-4 the "sons of God" are captivated by the beauty of the "daughters of men." They subsequently marry them and produce an offspring of giants known as the Nephilim. Genesis goes on to say that these Nephilim were "mighty men" and "men of renown." "Sons of God"? "Daughters of men"? What sort of beings were these? Were they human or did they belong to an alien species from outer space?
There is no problem in identifying the "daughters of men" for this is a familiar method of designating women in the Bible. The problem lies with the "sons of God." Three major interpretations have been offered to shed light on this cryptic designation. First, a group within orthodox Judaism theorized that "sons of God" meant "nobles" or "magnates." Hardly anyone today accepts this view. Second, some interpret the "sons of God" as fallen angels. These were enticed by the women of Earth and began lusting after them. Many reputable Bible commentators have rejected this theory on psycho-physiological grounds. How can one believe, they ask, that angels from Heaven could engage in sexual relations with women from Earth? Philastrius labeled such an interpretation a down-right heresy. Third, many famed scholars contend that the "sons of God" are the male descendants of Seth, and that the "daughters of men" are the female descendants of Cain. According to this view, what actually happened in Genesis 6 was an early example of believers marrying unbelievers. The good sons of Seth married the bad daughters of Cain, and the result of these mixed marriages was a mongrel offspring. These later became known for their decadence and corruption; indeed, it reached such a degree that God was forced to intervene and destroy the human race. This comment of Matthew Henry could be taken as representative of those holding this view: "The sons of Seth (that is the professors of religion) married the daughters of men, that is, those that were profane, and strangers to God and godliness. The posterity of Seth did not keep by themselves, as they ought to have done. They inter- mingled themselves with the excommunicated race of Cain." (1) However, in spite of the excellent pedigree of the proponents of this theory, their argument is not convincing. Their interpretation is pure eisegesis--they are guilty of reading into the text what is obviously not there. In the Old Testament, the designation "sons of God" (bene Elohim) is never used of humans, but always of supernatural beings that are higher than man but lower than God. To fit such a category only one species is known--angels. And the term "sons of God" applies to both good and bad angels
The designation "sons of God" is used four other times in the Old Testament, each time referring to angels. One example is Daniel 3:25, where king Nebuchadnezzar looks into the fiery furnace and sees four men, "and the form of the fourth is like the son of God." The translation is different and clearer in our modern versions, "like a son of the gods." Since Jesus had not yet become the "only begotten son" of God, this "son" would have had to be angelic. Another example is Job 38:7 which says the sons of God shouted for joy when God laid the foundations of the Earth. Angels are the only entities that fit this designation since man had not been created at that time! In Job 1:6 and Job 2:1 the "sons of God" came to present themselves before the Lord in Heaven. Among the sons of God is Satan--a further implication that the "sons of God" must have been angels. Since the designation "sons of God" is consistently used in the Old Testament for angels, it is logical to conclude that the term in Genesis 6:2 also refers to angels.
In the New Testament, born-again believers in Christ are called the children of God or the sons of God (Luke 3:38, John 1:12, Romans 8:14, 1 John 3:1). The Companion Bible states: "It is only by the divine specific act of creation that any created being can be called 'a son of God.'" This explains why every born-again believer is a son of God. It explains also why Adam was a son of God. Adam was specifically created by God, "in the likeness of God made He him" (Genesis 5:1). Adam's descendants, however, were different; they were not made in God's likeness but in Adam's. Adam "begat a son in his own likeness, after his image" (Genesis 5:3). Adam was a "son of God," but Adam's descendants were "sons of men." It is thus clear that the term "sons of God" in the Bible is limited to three categories of beings: angels, Adam and believers. All three are special and specific creations of God. As for the use of the term in Genesis 6, since it cannot possibly refer to Adam nor believers in Christ, we conclude that it has to refer to the angels whom God had created
Some scriptures says supernatural beings and say sons of God.
Gen 6:1 More and more people were born, until finally they spread all over the earth. Some of their daughters were so beautiful that supernatural beings came down and married the ones they wanted. |
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Mansoor_ali
Senior Member Male Joined: 25 September 2008 Location: Pakistan Status: Offline Points: 584 |
Posted: 01 May 2010 at 5:49am | |||
To JOUIBERAR Taken from If Jesus is called the Son of God, do you think that makes him God? THE MEANING OF THE SON OF GOD Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son%5Fof%5FGod In the Tanakh
In the Tanakh,
the phrase "sons of god" has multiple meanings:
In the Tanakh the
term does not connote any form of physical descent from, or essential unity with, God. The
Hebrew idiom conveys an expression of godlikeness (see Godliness). In Judaism
the term "son of God" is rarely used in the sense of "messiah." Taken
from http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=son+of+God
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Matt Browne
Senior Member Male Joined: 19 April 2010 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 937 |
Posted: 01 May 2010 at 6:57am | |||
My concept of God is a very abstract one. I believe God is the creator of our universe's natural laws. Because of these laws we do have stars that shine and planets with all the chemical ingredients for life to evolve into something beautiful and intelligent. Jesus being the son of God has a symbolic meaning, not a biological one. Therefore to me it's perfectly fine to see him as a prophet as well. There's no need to get too excited about this. Jesus was a human being and he had wonderful messages for us. One of the most important one is not to hate other people. We make ourselves very unhappy when we hate other people. This reminder might save us from living a miserable life. Muhammad had a very similar message. If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for
He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things.
The exact meaning of son of God cannot be used as an excuse not to seek peace between all people on planet Earth in my opinion. |
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A religion that's intolerant of other religions can't be the world's best religion --Abdel Samad
Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people--Eleanor Roosevelt |
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JOUBERAR
Guest Group Joined: 13 March 2009 Status: Offline Points: 573 |
Posted: 03 May 2010 at 8:18am | |||
Since the Bible indicates that angels are asexual beings, it makes sense that they could not be the "sons of God" who produced children with the "daughters of men." The best interpretation is that the "sons of God" were men who were descended from Seth, who followed the Lord for a time (in contrast to the line of Cain, which produced the "daughters of men"). However, right before the flood, even the "sons of God" took wives among the line of Cain, and, therefore, became corrupted themselves through their unbelieving wives. This is one of the reasons God determined to destroy the entire human race, except for the eight people who still followed the Lord (Noah and his extended family).
The sons of GOD could as well be interpreted as children of God which represent the children of Isreal as you see in the diff bible translations.
On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES, HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP AN OFFSPRING TO HIS BROTHER.' "Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. "And last of all, the woman died. "In the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her." But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Job 1:6 And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.Job 1:6 And vpon a day when the children of God came and stoode before the lord, Satan came also among them.
Job 1:6 One day, when the angels had gathered around the LORD, and Satan was there with themJob 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.Edited by JOUBERAR - 03 May 2010 at 8:20am |
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JOUBERAR
Guest Group Joined: 13 March 2009 Status: Offline Points: 573 |
Posted: 03 May 2010 at 8:24am | |||
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honeto
Senior Member Male Islam Joined: 20 March 2008 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2487 |
Posted: 03 May 2010 at 3:35pm | |||
Welcome and hello Matt,
I see that your concept of God is not abstract at all, it is very much in line with Islamic understanding of God. I think its OK to talk about how you see God vs how others see it. What is not OK is that some people tend to push their version down the throat of others even when they are proven wrong from their very source. I believe God is behind all creation: from a tiny fly that we cannot comprehend completely to complex stars and galaxies. When someone tries to degrade the Creator by equating Him to one of His creations, it not only offends the Creator but those of us who know and understand that He is above all of that, i.e. a man, an elephant or a monkey or any other of His creation. Jesus being a prophet of God is a great thing, Jesus was chosen for this job by God because the Children of Israel were rebellious against God. So it is exciting that he was chosen to lead them out of error, so they can have a chance toward right guidance. I agree that Jesus was to preach love beside other things, even though he is quoted in the Bible to hate. Those who don't mean harm to us, should be treated with love, respect and best response. God is Just and asks us to be just as well, and it is only when someone means to harm you or the truth that you are to defend yourself, and the truth. The earth is a place of trials and tests I believe. And there is the next life, which will be based on how we did in this one, the All Knowing being the Judge. Our efforts should be to establish Justice and help in that cause on a personal level, the level we will be Judged upon. Because, it is only through Justice that the true peace is achieved at the end. Thanks again for your input. Hasan Edited by honeto - 03 May 2010 at 3:44pm |
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The friends of God will certainly have nothing to fear, nor will they be grieved. Al Quran 10:62
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Andalus
Moderator Group Joined: 12 October 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1187 |
Posted: 07 May 2010 at 8:24pm | |||
Thread will be closed in 48 hours. Thank you.
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A feeling of discouragement when you slip up is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds. -Ibn 'Ata'llah
http://www.sunnipath.com http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/ http://www.pt-go.com/ |
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Angel
Senior Member Joined: 03 July 2001 Status: Offline Points: 6641 |
Posted: 08 May 2010 at 5:09am | |||
Andalus, NO, PLEASE!!!
It just means that I have to make another thread when I get back here, that's not fair because EVERYTHING is here, all my hard work! I don't want to repeat and copy things in another thread! I do plan to get back here, its just not at this moment. I even got replies to some posts here that i haven't put forth yet.
Edited by Angel - 08 May 2010 at 5:16am |
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~ Our feet are earthbound, but our hearts and our minds have wings ~
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