The Divine Sonship of Christians in the Johannine Writings
Overview
Taking as the determinative concept Jesus’ favorite name for God, Father, John interprets the ideal relationship of men to God as that of spiritual children, having the Life—eternal—from the Father. According to John this life of sonship to God, having a definite beginning other than the physical birth, and being manifested in very definite moral and spiritual qualities, defines the very being of a Christian. It is in the measure that one understands clearly, experiences personally, and expounds persuasively this truth of Christian Sonship, that one lays hold upon the very heart of Christian faith and life. Hence this investigation of ours to find the formulas, the content and the meaning of the Johannine doctrine of the divine sonship of Christians.
When we start investigating the Johannine doctrine of the divine sonship of Christians, we are confronted with certain questions regarding its nature and origin: Is the Johannine concept of sonship something purely juridical or moral, or does it suppose an ontological reality? If it supposes such a reality, in what does it consist? How do men obtain this reality so as to become children of God? What are the practical consequences of this divine sonship in the life of men? What is the origin of the vocabulary employed by John to express his concept of sonship? Only an attractive study of all the relevant texts in the Johannine Writings can provide satisfactory answers to all these questions.
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- Exegetical study of all the relevant Johannine texts
- Brief background and setting of the Johannine teaching regarding the believers as children of God
- Investigation of the Johannine doctrine of the divine sonship of Christians
Top Highlights
“While men have to become the children of God, and their divine sonship is a gift due only to the love of God towards men (Jn 1:12; 1 Jn 3:1), Jesus was the Only Begotten Son, who was sent into the world (Jn 3:16–18).” (Page 92)
“Also the presentation of the idea of τέκνα Θεοῦ by Jn is enlightening in this respect. First, he speaks of the power of becoming children of God that is given (Jn 1:12) through a communication of divine life in a divine begetting (Jn 3:3, 5). Then he speaks of the realization of this position at present through the gift of love (1 Jn 3:1), which is the very life of the Father Himself (1 Jn 4:7–8), and its orientation towards the future (1 Jn 3:2).” (Page 333)
“In the present life of sonship, ‘faith’ leads to the ‘communication of life’ in the divine begetting, and this ‘communication of life’ (community of life with the Son) makes it possible to lead a ‘life of faith’ (life of the children of God).” (Page 347)
“the future life is a continuation and flowering of the spiritual life, which the believer possesses here and now.” (Page 331)
“It is the Holy Spirit leading us, and our spirit being docile to it through faith, that” (Page 83)
- Title: The Divine Sonship of Christians in the Johannine Writings
- Author: Matthew Vellanickal
- Publisher: Pontifical Biblical Institute
- Publication Date: 1977
- Pages: 400
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Ken McClurkin
3/20/2022
Ken McClurkin
2/23/2022