[B-Greek] sons of God - teknia, huios
Schmuel
schmuel at escape.com
Tue Apr 29 11:54:46 EDT 2003
Hi b-Greek,
Appreciate the forum... question...
There are a few "sons of God" passages where the teknia/children usage is in the Greek,
yet the context is quite akin to that of adoption as sons, which is often huios in Greek
and sons in English.
The concept of adoption or maturity in Christ, is often linked to huios,
and exists in these four passages.
(Greek and English and Hebrew appear to have similar idiomatic usages).
I am including four such passages, with some commentary underneath each one
John 1:12 1Jo 3:1
1Jo 3:2 Phillipians 2:14-15
============================
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
>John Lightfoot
>[He gave them power.] He empowered them, so Ecclesiastes 5:19, and 6:2. He gave them the privilege, the liberty, the dignity, of being called and becoming the sons of God. Israel was once the son and the first-born, Exodus 4:22: but now the ****adoption of sons**** to God was open and free to all nations whatever.
Exodus 4:22
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
John Darby
>3: Sons in Paul's writings is the place Christians have in connection with God into which Christ has brought them by redemption, that is, His own relative place with God according to His counsels. Children is that they are of the Father's family. (Both are found in Romans 8: 14-16, and the force of both may there be seen. We cry Father, so are children, but by the Spirit we take up the place of grown up sons with Christ before God.)
========
1Jo 3:1
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Geneva
Before he declares this adoption, he says two things: the one, that this so great a dignity, is not to be esteemed according to the judgment of the flesh, because it is unknown to the world, for the world knows not God the Father himself.
1Jo 3:2 -
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Gill
Beloved, now are we the sons of God,.... By adoption, secretly in God's predestination, and in the covenant of grace; and openly in regeneration, through faith in Christ, and by the testimony of the Spirit:
Phillipians 2:
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Gill
.....they were predestinated to the adoption of children,
and were taken into this relation in the covenant of grace.....
===========================================================
My question is two-fold
1) Do you have any theories as to why the Scripture has teknia in these verses,
as distinct from huios (granted, such theories or conjectures are always a little iffy).
2) Do you want to venture your views as to the translation as "sons of God" in
these four verses ? Or the alternative "children of God" that is often used today.
Thanks..
Shalom,
Steven Avery
Queens, NY
schmuel at escape.com
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