God the Son
Second Person of the Trinity, incarnate as Jesus Christ.
God the Son, also called God the Word, is understood in mainstream Christian theology as the second person of the Trinity. This figure, identified with Jesus Christ, is considered the incarnation of the eternal, pre-existing divine Logos (Greek for "word"), through whom everything was created. Although the exact phrase "God the Son" does not appear in the Bible, it is a theological term used to express the belief that Jesus is a distinct person within the Trinity, yet shares the same divine essence as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
The Son is described as the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After providing purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The term "God the Son" appears in later Christian writings, not in Scripture. A medieval manuscript (MS No. 1985) mistakenly changes "Son of God" to "God the Son" in Galatians 2:20. In English, the term comes from Latin usage, as seen in the Athanasian Creed and other early church texts. In Greek, "God the Son" is written as *ho Theos ho huios*, distinct from *ho huios tou Theou* ("Son of God"). In Latin, it is *Deus Filius*. The Athanasian Creed states, "So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God," distinguishing it from *filius Dei* ("son of God").
The phrase *deus filius* appears in the Athanasian Creed and formulas like *Deus Pater, Deus Filius, Deus Spiritus Sanctus*: "And not three Gods, but one God." Augustine of Hippo used the term in *On the Trinity*, discussing the Son's obedience to God the Father, and in Sermon 90, stating that God the Father begot God the Son without time and made him of a Virgin in time. The Augsburg Confession (1530) adopted the phrase as *Gott der Sohn*. In 1910, Jacques Forget noted that the apologist Athenagoras mentioned the Holy Ghost alongside the Father and Son, writing, "Who would not be astonished to hear us called atheists, us who confess God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Ghost, and hold them one in power and distinct in order."
In the New Testament, "Son of God" refers to Jesus in Mark 1:1 and 15:39. The Logos or Word in John 1:1 ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God") is often interpreted by Trinitarians as identifying the pre-existent Jesus. The disputed Comma Johanneum (1
- field
- Christian theology
- known_for
- Second Person of the Trinity, incarnation as Jesus Christ
- theological_role
- Pre-existent divine Logos through whom all things were created
Lore & Background
The term 'God the Son' is found in later Christian writings, including the Athanasian Creed, where it appears as Deus Filius. It mistakenly appears in a medieval manuscript, MS No.1985, where Galatians 2:20 has 'Son of God' changed to 'God the Son'. In Greek, 'God the Son' is written as ho Theos ho huios, distinct from ho huios tou Theou meaning 'Son of God'. The term is used by Augustine of Hippo in his On the Trinity and in Sermon 90 on the New Testament, and the Augsburg Confession (1530) adopted the phrase as Gott der Sohn.
Reader's Guide
The concept of God the Son is central to Trinitarian Christianity, representing the belief that Jesus Christ is both fully divine and a distinct person within the Godhead. The term reflects the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, drawing on New Testament references such as John 1:1 ('the Word was God') and Matthew 28:19 ('baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'). However, the term is rejected by some groups: Jehovah's Witnesses reject it as extrabiblical terminology, and Oneness Pentecostals object to it as an unauthorized reversal of the scriptural phrase 'Son of God'. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost are three separate beings, unlike mainstream Trinitarian doctrine. The term thus remains a point of both doctrinal definition and dispute among Christian traditions.
Did You Know?
- The precise term 'God the Son' does not appear in the Bible.
- It mistakenly appears in a medieval manuscript, MS No.1985, where Galatians 2:20 has 'Son of God' changed to 'God the Son'.
- The term appears in the Athanasian Creed: 'So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God'.
- The Augsburg Confession (1530) adopted the phrase as Gott der Sohn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is God the Son in Christian theology?
God the Son is the second person of the Trinity, identified with Jesus Christ. He is understood as the eternal divine Logos who became flesh through the Incarnation, sharing the same divine essence as the Father and the Holy Spirit.
What role does God the Son play in creation?
Christian doctrine holds that the Son is the agent through whom all things came into existence. He is described as the radiance of God's glory and the precise expression of the Father's nature.
How does God the Son's earthly story end?
The Son's narrative concludes with his crucifixion, bodily resurrection, and ascension back to the Father. He is then understood to be seated at God's right hand, continually interceding on behalf of believers.
Why is God the Son central to Christian belief?
The Son serves as both the definitive revelation of the Father to humanity and the sacrificial means of reconciliation with God. Without the Son, the Christian framework of redemption, atonement, and restored relationship with the divine would be incomplete.
Does the exact phrase 'God the Son' appear in the Bible?
No, that specific wording is not found in Scripture. It is a theological label the church developed to articulate the conviction that Jesus is a distinct person within the Godhead yet fully shares the Father's divine nature.
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