"Son of God" is clearly metaphorical?

Question

In Semitic usage “sonship” is a conception somewhat loosely employed to denote moral rather than physical or metaphysical relationship.  Thus “sons of Belial” (Jg 19:22 etc.) are wicked men, not descendants of Belial; and in the NT the “children of the bridechamber” are wedding guests.  So a “son of God” is a man, or even a people, who reflect the character of God.  There is little evidence that the title was used in Jewish circles of the Messiah, and a sonship which implied more than a moral relationship would be contrary to Jewish monotheism.[2]

And in any case, the list of candidates for “son of God” begins with Adam, as per Luke 3:38: “...Adam, which was the son of God.”

Those who rebut by quoting Matthew 3:17 (“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased’”) have overlooked the point that the Bible describes many people, Israel and Adam included, as “sons of God.”  Both II Samuel 7:13-14 and I Chronicles 22:10 read, “He (Solomon) shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.”

Entire nations are referred to as sons, or children of God.  Examples include:

Genesis 6:2, “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men…”

Genesis 6:4, “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men…”

Deuteronomy 14:1, “Ye are the children of the Lord your God.” 

Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD…”

Job 2:1, “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD…”

Job 38:7, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

Philippians 2:15, “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation…”

1 John 3:1-2, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! … Beloved, now we are children of God…”

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”  Later in Matthew 5:45, Jesus prescribed to his followers the attainment of noble attributes, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”  Not exclusively his Father, but their Father …

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

But only one is called "the only begotten" John 3:16.

also it might help to read Romans as that goes into detail on how the nation of Israel (who was called the children of God ) was rejected as the firstborn of God(see Esau/jacob, Ishmael/Isaac, Joseph, etc.) and the later born was given the the right to be called Children of God.

wefmeister · Answer

Son of God is quite literal.......

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

   “You are my Son,
   today I have begotten you”?

   Or again,

   “I will be to him a father,
   and he shall be to me a son”?

 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

   “Let all God's angels worship him.”

 7 Of the angels he says,

   “He makes his angels winds,
   and his ministers a flame of fire.”

 8 But of the Son he says,

   “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
   the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

 10 And,

   “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
   and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
   they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
   like a garment they will be changed.[a]
But you are the same,
   and your years will have no end.”

 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,

   “Sit at my right hand
   until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Footnotes:

    Hebrews 1:12 Some manuscripts omit like a garment

Hebrews Chapter 1, ESV

? · Answer

Christians are annoying. Cherry pick cherry pick and judge. Eventually someone will have enough.

Ed · Answer

I only wish I could be in attendance when you receive final judgment.

Mauro Borges · Answer

I think everything on religion is metaphorical.

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"Son of God" is clearly metaphorical?

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