Eternal Son

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

This term is not found in Scripture, though the truth that it conveys most certainly is. It refers to Christ’s relationship in the Godhead as Son being that which has existed eternally. It is not referring to the eternality of His being, but to the eternality of His Sonship. Some mistakenly think that while He existed eternally as one of the Persons in the Godhead, He did not become the Son until His incarnation. This error is called “Temporal Sonship.” The following passages indicate that Christ’s sonship is eternal:

Proverbs 30:4⁴Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4) indicates that Christ’s Sonship not only existed before His incarnation, but it existed before the creation of the world!

Colossians 1:13-16¹³Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: ¹⁴In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: ¹⁵Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: ¹⁶For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:13‑16) and Hebrews 1:1-2¹God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1‑2) state that Christ, as the Son of God, created the world, thus proving that His Sonship existed long before He came into this world as a Man.

Isaiah 9:6⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) and John 3:16¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) also indicate that Christ’s sonship existed before He came into this world. These verses state that the Son of God was “given,” and in order for something to be given, it first would have to be in existence. If not, the word "given" loses its meaning.

Many passages of Scripture (especially in John’s Gospel) attest to the fact that Christ, as the Son of God, was "sent" of the Father. Again, this shows that Christ's Sonship had to have pre-existed His Manhood, otherwise "sent" would also lose its meaning. See Mark 12:6⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (Mark 12:6); John 3:17; 3:34; 4:34; 5:23-24, 30, 36, 37-38; 6:29, 38-39, 40, 44, 57; 7:16, 18, 28, 29, 33; 8:16, 18, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44-45, 49; 13:16, 20; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5; 17:3, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)
³⁴For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34)
³⁴Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)
²³That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. ²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:23‑24)
³⁰I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30)
³⁶But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (John 5:36)
³⁷And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. ³⁸And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. (John 5:37‑38)
²⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:29)
³⁸For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. ³⁹And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. ⁴⁰And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:38‑40)
⁴⁴No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
⁵⁷As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:57)
¹⁶Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. (John 7:16)
¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (John 7:18)
²⁸Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. ²⁹But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. (John 7:28‑29)
³³Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. (John 7:33)
¹⁶And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. (John 8:16)
¹⁸I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. (John 8:18)
²⁶I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. (John 8:26)
²⁹And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29)
⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. (John 8:42)
⁴I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. (John 9:4)
³⁶Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:36)
⁴²And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 11:42)
⁴⁴Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. ⁴⁵And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. (John 12:44‑45)
⁴⁹For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (John 12:49)
¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. (John 13:16)
²⁰Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (John 13:20)
²⁴He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. (John 14:24)
²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. (John 15:21)
⁵But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? (John 16:5)
³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
¹⁸As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (John 17:18)
²¹That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)
²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)
²⁵O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. (John 17:25)
²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (John 20:21); Acts 3:26²⁶Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:26); Romans 8:3³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3); Galatians 4:4⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4); 1 John 4:9, 10, 14⁹In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9‑10)
¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14).

J. N. Darby said, "If I have not Him as Son before born into the world, I lose all that the Son is. If He is only so as incarnate, you have lost all the love of the Father in sending the Son" (Collected Writings, vol. 25, p. 230-231). He also said, "‘The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.’ He did not send an idea merely. There was a living Person there who said He was sent. Nor was it merely when in this world that He was sent, for He says, ‘I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world’" (Notes and Comments, vol. 2, p. 281).

John 1:18¹⁸No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18), in reference to Christ as the Son of God, states, “which is in the bosom of the Father.” The word “is” in this verse refers to the eternal present.

John 11:27²⁷She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. (John 11:27) states that Christ is “the Son of God which should come into the world.” The words, “should come” confirm that He pre-existed His Manhood.

John 16:27-28²⁷For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. ²⁸I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. (John 16:27‑28) indicates that Christ as the Son of God “came forth from the Father.” This shows that He was along side of the Father before He came into this world.

In John 17, the Lord addresses the "Father" as being the "Son." This Father and Son relationship is alluded to all through the prayer. Twice He makes reference to something that existed between them before the foundation of the world: the “glory” that He had as Son with the Father (vs. 5), and the “love” that He as Son enjoyed from the Father (vs. 24). These two things clearly show that He was with the Father as the Son before His incarnation.

Hebrews 5:8⁸Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8) shows that there was a point in the Lord’s personal history when He, as “the Son,” didn't know what it was to be obedient, having never been subjected to obedience. This, of course, was before He became a Man. This verse states that in spite of being “the Son,” when He became a Man, He had to learn obedience like every other man—only, of course, He learned it in perfection. H. Smith said, “He learned by experience what it cost to obey” (Outline of the Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 31).

1 John 1:1-2¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ²(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:1‑2) states that Christ, “the Eternal Life,’”was "with the Father" before being "manifested" in this world. The fact that He was "with the Father" before coming into the world, shows that He was there as the Son, for "father" and "son" are co-relative terms; there cannot be a father without there being a son! Hence, He, as the Son, pre-existed His incarnation. Mr. Darby remarked, "What is called ‘The Eternal Sonship’ is a vital truth, or we lose the Father sending the Son, and the Son creating, and we have no Father if we have no Son" (Notes and Comments, vol. 2, p. 300).

Hebrews 7:3³Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3) describes the characteristics of Melchisedec's priesthood. The inspired writer is not saying that Melchisedec didn't have a father or a mother, but that he is introduced in Scripture (Genesis 14) without Scripture giving us any details as to his genealogy. It is not recorded who his father and mother were. The typical teaching that the Spirit of God takes from this is that Melchisedec is presented as being an eternal person with an everlasting priesthood. The writer adds, "made like unto the Son of God," because he assumes that we all know that the Son of God is eternal.

J. N. Darby said, "The notion of Sonship in Christ only when incarnate is destructive to the very elementary joy of the Church, and abhorrent to those who have communion by the Spirit in the truth" (Collected Writings, vol. 3, p. 89). He also said, "I hold it vital to hold the Sonship before the worlds. It is the truth."

J. G. Bellett said, "It is evident that the Son was the eternal One, the name of this eternal Son being Jesus Christ" (Bible Treasury, vol. 6, p. 57).

W. Kelly said, "Under all changes, outwardly, He abode as from eternity, the Only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father. Hence, the Son being in this affable nearness of love, has not God only, but the Father (Lectures Introductory to the Gospels, on John 1, p. 463).

C. H. Mackintosh said, "Question the Eternal Sonship of Christ, question His deity, question His unspotted humanity, and you have opened the floodgate for a desolating tide of deadly error to rush in" (Notes of the Pentateuch, Leviticus, p. 39).

W. T. P. Wolston said, "The Father was never incarnate, and the Spirit of God was never incarnate; but the Son of God, the Word, 'became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth' (John 1:14¹⁴And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)). The Eternal Son has come into this scene, humbling Himself, and becoming a Man" (Seekers For Light, p. 107).

W. Scott said, "'Only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father' is but once written in Scripture, and is the declaration to us of the depth and tenderness of the love in which the Son ever abode with His Father" (Bible Handbook, Old Testament, p. 72).

A. J. Pollock said, "We know from the four gospels, which of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity the Lord Jesus was, viz. the Son, the eternal Son, the Son from all eternity...to refuse to acknowledge this is the spirit of Antichrist" (The Amazing Jew, p. 45).