(O. Z6CKLER+.)
Bibliography: The " Life " of the founder is given with commentary in ASB, Feb., ii. 217-274, Ital. transl. by A. Piegadi, Venice, 1865. Other lives are by S. Albani, Milan, 1600; A. Stella, Venice, 1605; P. G. de' Ferrari, ib. 1676; an anonymous one, ib. 1767; F. Caccia, ib. 1822; C. de Rossi-Borgogno, Rome, 1867; and W. E. Hubert, Mainz, 1895. Consult further, on the order: L. Holstenius, Codex regularum monasticarum, ed. M. Brockie, iii. 199-292, Augsburg, 1769; G. Giucci, Iconografia istorica degli ordini religiosi, vii. 160 sqq., Rome, 1847; E. Gothein, Ignaz von Loyola und die Gegenreformation, pp. 193-198, Halle, 1895; Helyot, Ordres monastiques, iv. 223 sqq.; Heimbucher, Orden und Kongregationen, iii. 275-278; KL, xi. 486-487; Ranke, Popes, i. 133-134.
SON OF GOD: A phrase standing for several different meanings in the New Testament. (1) It refers to the divine origination of Jesus by the Holy Spirit (Luke i. 35). (2) In the ethical sense, he is the Son. He is like the Father, perfectly responsive
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Solomon Son of God
to him, and thus reflects the Father's will. By reason of the fellowship of love, the Father is perfectly disclosed to him, and the depths of his own inner lif e are comprehended by the Father alone (Matt, xi. 27; John v. 17-21, 30, vii. 16-18, xii. 44-50, xiv. 7-11). (3) From the ethical oneness with the Father sprang the consciousness of the messianic or official sonship — the social aspect of his consciousness (Mark i. 11; cf. the baptismal formula, Matt, xxviii. 19; Didache, vii.). These two aspects — the individual and the social — may be distinguished but they can not be sharply separated. The messianic sonship points backward (I Sam. x. 1; Ps. ii. 7) and forward (Mark xiv. 61). In him the royal hopes of Israel are fulfilled; he founds the world-kingdom of God (John xvii. 18; cf. Matt, xxviii. 19; John xx. 21); his universal sovereignty is won through suffering (Matt. xix. 20-28). (4) Metaphysical sonship is also affirmed of him. As Logos he is the only begotten Son of God (John i. 14, iii. 16, v. 18; Rom. viii. 32). He is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation, mediator of all existence, through whom all things find their principle and progressively realize their divine end (I Cor. viii. 6; Col. i. 15-17; John i. 3, 10; Heb. i. 2-3). His pre-earthly existence was exchanged for humiliation and death here below (II Cor. viii. 9; Phil. ii. 5-7; cf. Rom. viii. 3; Gal. iv. 4; and see Jesus Christ, Twofold State of). Accordingly he was God's own son, the archetypal son of God; all others become sons of God through him (John i. 12). Yet all that belongs to him is a gift of God (Matt, xxviii. 18; John iii. 35, v. 22, xiii. 3; Acts ii. 36; Phil. ii. 9-10; Heb. i. 2, ii. 7-8; cf. also I Cor. xv. 24-28). In historical theology the Son of God as pre-
existent is the second person of the Trinity, consubstantial with the Father, and is described as only-begotten, the Word; as incarnate he took upon him human nature yet without sin; and existed in two whole, perfect, and distinct natures inseparably joined together in one person without conversion, composition, or confusion; very God and very man, one Christ, the only mediator between God and man (see Christologt, IV., VII.; Mediator). Ritschl, following Schleiermacher, took the doctrine of the sonship of Christ out of metaphysics and planted it in the field of ethics and the religious life. As Son, Christ stands to the Father in a relation of incomparable fellowship; his will is identical with that of the Father in the establishment of the kingdom of God; moreover, he sustains a unique relation to the Christian community and to the world. While for man the Son as pre-existent is hidden, yet for God he exists eternally "as he is revealed to us in temporal limitation." Only for God himself, however, is the eternal Godhead of the Son intelligible as an object of the divine mind and will (A. Ritschl, The Christian Doctrine of Justification and Reconciliation, §§ 47^9, New York, 1900). C. A. Beckwith.
Bibliography: The subject is treated best in the works on New- Testament theology (see under Biblical Theology), and in those on systematic theology (see under Dogma, Dogmatics). Much of the literature given under Christology is pertinent, also that under Son of Man. Consult further: K. F. Nosgen, Christus der Menschen- und Gottessohn, Gotha, 1869; J. Stalker, Christolony of Jesus, London, 1879; A. Harnack, What is Christianity ? ib. 1901; R. C. Moberly, Atonement and Personality, pp. 185 sqq., 211-215, ib. 1901; W. Lutgert, Gottes Sohn und Gottes Geist, Leipsic, 1905; M. Lepina, Christ and the Gospel; or Jesus the Messiah and Son of God, Philadelphia, 1911; DB, iv. 570-579; DCG, ii. 654-659; EB, iv. 4690- 4704.