(Bible believers only please) A JW kept on asking me why do I think Jesus was God when the Bible says he is the son of God? The answer to that really laid into the word "Son". Why would the Jews turn aganist Jesus just for claiming that he was the Son of God? So I broke what does the word son means, in Hebrew. Showed him the definition of the Hebrew word "Son" (Ben)..which means "Class or Group" when used in this context, and then explained it to him. He counters with "well, that only means that they are of the same spirit." I then asked him "When did Theos ever meant spirit?" The guy had no response. I hope this helps some of you Former JWs who are still a Christian.
Stumper for Jehovah's Witness.....what does Son of God really mean?
by A-Team 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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LtCmd.Lore
(Bible believers only please)
Sorry, but your first response is going to come from an atheist...
Anyway:
This could also be the reason that Jesus is called the 'son of man'... when you think about it, Jesus is one of the only men in the Bible this title would NOT apply to.
But in Hebrew this is actually: "Ben of man" Ben meaning class or group: http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=01121
So you can take it either way: "He is the male offspring of man" OR: "He is a member of the 'Man group'".
And thus when it says 'son of god' - You can take it either way: He is the male offspring of God, or he is a member of the 'God group'.
It doesn't prove that Jesus IS god, but it doesn't prove that he isn't either.
I do see a problem though. The gospels are written in Greek, and the Greek word for 'son' used is 'Huios' not 'Ben'... and that doesn't mean 'class' it just means 'male child': http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5207
Lore - W.W.S.D?
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LtCmd.Lore
I do see a problem though. The gospels are written in Greek, and the Greek word for 'son' used is 'Huios' not 'Ben' ... and that doesn't mean 'class' it just means 'male child': http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5207
Great... I'm replying to myself... Does that mean I'm insane?
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Quick question, and I might be stupid for asking, but would Jesus have spoken Greek, or Hebrew?
After all, if Jesus SAID: "I am the ben of god" in hebrew, but it was translated to greek and the translators thought he meant "male child" that would explain this problem in accord with your view. Yes?
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SPAZnik
Interesting.
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Hortensia
I thought Jesus would have spoken Aramaic, but I have been out of the org. for so long, I am probably wrong.
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JosephMalik
So I broke what does the word son means, in Hebrew.
A-team
The real answer is what does the word Son of God mean in context to such Jews? For example we have:
Ge 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; And we also have: Lu 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. Now Adam lost this distinction when he sinned. Later Jesus was born as a human like Adam but without sin. So once again the scriptures could say of this human being this: John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And during our Lord’s ministry, only this human being could refer to himself as the son of God. Joh 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? And again: Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. So the term son of God also stood for the Messiah to such Jews as explained to us by Jesus himself..
Joseph
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hmike
Following up on Joseph's reply, the Jews would have been fully aware of Psalm 2, and its references to the Son of God:
Psalm 2
PS 2:1 Why do the nations conspireand the peoples plot in vain?
PS 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One. (=Messiah)
PS 2:3 "Let us break their chains," they say,
"and throw off their fetters."
PS 2:4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
PS 2:5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
PS 2:6 "I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill."
PS 2:7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
PS 2:8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
PS 2:9 You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
PS 2:10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
PS 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear
and rejoice with trembling.
PS 2:12 Kiss the Son, (remember the sinful woman of Luke 7:36-50?) lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
For the NT hearers/readers, the OT references to Son of God, Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14, and various references in I Enoch), Messiah, Son of David, and King of Israel were attributed to Jesus.