I. Name
The title ‘Son of God’, ascribed to Jesus in the NT, reflects a common ancient Near Eastern notion according to which the king could claim divine descent. The idea is also found in the OT. In relation to Jesus, the title eventually became associated with such concepts as divinity and preexistence.
II. Identity
In the entire Near East, the king could be called ‘Son of God’ or even ‘God’. Pharaoh was the ‘Good God’ (Moret 1902: 296). The first of the five ‘great names’ which he received up…