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#3. The Son.
"The Word became flesh."
"The second man is from heaven."
pp. 145 - 149
We turn our attention to the titles of the Lord which speak of His Sonship. We
find this title "Son" distributed under the following sub-headings: Son; Beloved Son;
Son of God; Son of the Highest; Son of David; Son of Abraham; Son of man;
Only begotten Son; Son of Joseph; and Son of Mary. The title "The Son" without
further qualification is used many times by the Lord Himself. For example:--
"If the Son therefore shall make you free" (John 8: 36).
"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"
(Matt. 28: 19).
It is not possible however from such passages to decide just exactly what is intended
by the title, and therefore we must allow the remaining titles that carry explanatory
additions to help us. Coming to the human parents of the Lord we find the following
important fact. Christ is spoken of as the Son of both Mary and of Joseph, but with such
clear distinctions that never allow the reader to misunderstand the meaning of the term.
Let us first consider the Sonship of Christ as connected with Mary.
"Now the begetting of Jesus Christ was thus. When as His mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy
Ghost" (Matt. 1: 18).
The Companion Bible comments on this verse as follows:--
"Now; or, But, in contrast with those mentioned in vv. 2-16. Render: The begetting,
then, of Jesus Christ was on this wise (for after His mother was espoused to Joseph
[before they came together] she was found with child) of pneuma hagion."
Here we have the first of a series of features concerning the Sonship of Christ that we
must notice. He was begotten of pneuma hagion, holy spirit. Luke 1: 31-35 must be read
in order to obtain all the evidence written: "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a Son, and shalt call His name JESUS." The language is uncompromisingly plain;
so plain that Mary was troubled; so literal that she did not give two thoughts to a
figurative interpretation of the words: "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man?" The answer is in line with the passage in Matt. 1::--
"Pnuema hagion (holy spirit, power from on high) shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore that holy Thing that shall be born
of thee, shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1: 35).
This passage moreover enables us to understand another important feature of the
Sonship of the Saviour. "The power of the Highest" is placed in correspondence with
"pneuma hagion". In verse 32 the angel had said: "He shall be great and shall be called