Son of God

Common card · No. 314913

Son of God is a title that has been applied to a wide range of figures in the ancient and modern world, among them kings and emperors, angels, righteous individuals, the people of Israel, and, most prominently in later usage, Jesus. Its sense varies considerably between cultures and religions: in some settings it asserts literal descent from a deity, while in others it is a figurative expression of a close or covenantal relationship with God, or a formula legitimising royal authority. Rulers in many ancient societies claimed a filial relationship with the divine. The title Son of Heaven (天子) was used by Chinese monarchs from the Western Zhou dynasty onwards under the Mandate of Heaven, and was later adopted by the Emperor of Japan and by rulers among the Eurasian nomads. In the ancient Near East, Egyptian pharaohs were described as sons of particular gods, and kings of Damascus and Sam'al took titles such as son of Hadad or son of Rakib. Greek mythology attributed divine parentage to figures...

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