Son
SON
Sometimes denotes a grandson, or any remote descendant, Gen 29:5 2Sa 19:24 . At other times a son by adoption is meant, Gen 48:5 ; or by law, Rth 4:17 ; or by education, 1Sa 3:6 20:35; or by conversion, as Titus was Paul’s “son father the common faith,” Tit 1:4 . And again it denotes a mental or moral resemblance, etc., Jdg 19:22 Psa 89:6 Isa 57:3 Mal 13:10 . In a similar sense men are sometimes called sons of God, Luk 3:38 1Ch 8:14 .
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Son
properly , ben (often rendered in the plural children), . From the root , to build, are derived both ; son, as in Ben-hanan, etc., and , daughter, as in Bath-sheba. The Chald. also , son, occurs in the Old Test., and appears in the New Test. in such words as Barnabas, but which in the plural (Ezr 6:16) resembles more the Hebrew. Cognate words are the Arabic Beni, sons, in the sense of descendants, and Benat, daughters (Gesenius, Thes. Hebr. p. 215, 236; Shaw, Travels, p. 8). SEE BAR; SEE BEN.
1. The word son is used with a great variety and latitude of significations both in the Old and the New Test., especially in the former, some of which often disappear in a translation. The following is a summary of these applications: It denotes
(1) the immediate offspring.
(2.) Grandson: so Laban is called son of Nahor (Gen 29:5), whereas he was his grandson, being the son of Bethuel (24:29); Mephibosheth is called son of Saul, though he was the son of Jonathan, son of Saul (2Sa 19:24).
(3.) Remote descendants: so we have the sons of Israel, many ages after the primitive ancestor.
(4.) Son-in-law: there is a son born to Naomi (Rth 4:17).
(5.) Son by adoption, as Ephraim and Manasseh to Jacob (Genesis 48). SEE ADOPTION.
(6.) Son by nation: sons of the East (1Ki 4:30; Job 1:3).
(7.) Son by education, that is, a disciple: Eli calls Samuel his son (1Sa 3:6). Solomon calls his disciple his son in the Proverbs often, and we read of the sons of the prophets (1Ki 20:35, et al.), that is, those under a course of instruction for ministerial service. In nearly the same sense a convert is called son (1Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:10; 1Co 4:15; 1Pe 5:13). SEE PROPHET.
(8.) Son by disposition and conduct, as sons of Belial (Jdg 19:22; 1Sa 2:12), unrestrainable persons; sons of the mighty (Psa 29:1), heroes; sons of the band (2Ch 25:13), soldiers, rank and file; sons of the sorceress, who study or practice sorcery (Isa 57:3).
(9.) Son in reference to age: son of one year (Exo 12:5), that is, one year old; son of sixty years, etc. The same in reference to a beast (Mic 6:6).
(10.) A production or offspring, as it were, from any parent: sons of the burning coal, that is, sparks which issue from burning wood (Job 5:7). Son of the bow, that is, an arrow (4:19), because an arrow issues from a bow; but an arrow may also issue from a quiver, therefore, son of the quiver (Lam 3:13). Son of the floor, threshed corn (Isa 21:10). Sons of oil (Zechariah 3:14), the branches of the olive tree.
(11.) Son of beating, that is, deserving beating (Deu 25:3). Son of death, that is, deserving death (2Sa 12:3). Son of perdition, that is, deserving perdition (Joh 17:12).
(12.) Son of God (q.v.), by excellence above all; Jesus the Son of God (Mar 1:1; Luk 1:35; Joh 1:34; Rom 1:4; Heb 4:14; Rev 2:18). The only begotten; and in this he differs from Adam. who was son of God by immediate creation (Luk 3:18).
(13.) Sons of God (q.v.), the angels (Job 1:6; Job 38:7), perhaps so called in respect to their possessing power delegated from God; his deputies, his vice regents; and in that sense, among others, his offspring.
(14.) Genuine Christians, truly pious persons; perhaps also so called in reference to their possession of principles communicated from God by the Holy Spirit, which, correcting every evil bias, and subduing every perverse propensity, gradually assimilates the party to the temper, disposition, and conduct, called the image, likeness, or resemblance of God. Believers are sons of God. (See Joh 1:12; Php 2:15; Rom 8:14; 1Jn 3:1.)
(15.) Sons of this world (Luk 16:8) are those who, by their overweening attention to the things of this world, demonstrate their principles to be derived from the world; that is, worldly minded persons. Sons of disobedience (Eph 2:2; Eph 5:6) are persons whose conduct proves that they are sons of Belial, of unrestrainableness, sons of libertinism. Sons of hell (Mat 23:5). Sons of the devil (Act 13:10).
In addition to these senses in which the word son is used in Scripture, there are others which show the extreme looseness of its application. So when we read of sons of the bride chamber. (Mat 9:15; Mar 2:19) it merely indicates the youthful companions of the bridegroom, as in the instance of Samson. And when the holy mother was committed to the care of the apostle John (Joh 19:36), the term son is evidently used with great latitude. SEE DAUGHTER, etc.
2. The blessing of offspring, but especially, and sometimes exclusively, of the male sex, is highly valued among all Eastern nations, while the absence is regarded as one of the severest punishments (Herod. 1, 136; Strabo, 15, 733; See Gen 16:2; Gen 29:31; Gen 30:1; Gen 30:14; Deu 7:14; 1Sa 1:6; 1Sa 2:5; 1Sa 4:20; 2Sa 6:23; 2Sa 18:18; 2Ki 4:14; Isa 47:9; Jer 20:15; Hos 9:14; Est 5:11 Psa 127:3; Psa 127:5; Ecc 6:3. Comp. Drusius, Proverbs Ben- Siroe, in Crit. Sacr. 8, 1887; Lane, Mod. Egypt. 1, 208, 240; Poole [Mrs.], Englishw. in Egypt, 3, 163; Niebuhr, Descr. de l’Ar. p. 67; Chardin, Voy. 7, 446; Russell, Nubia, p. 343). Childbirth is in the East usually, but not always, attended with little difficulty, and accomplished with little or no assistance (Gen 35:17; Gen 38:28; Exo 1:19; 1Sa 4:19-20; see Burckhardt, Notes on Bedouins, 1, 96; Harmer, Obs. 4, 425; Montagu [Lady M.W.], Letters, 2, 217, 219, 222). As soon as the child was born, and the umbilical cord cut, it was washed in a bath, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in swaddling clothes. Arab mothers sometimes rub their children with earth or sand (Eze 16:4; Job 38:9; Luk 2:7; see Burckhardt, loc. cit.). On the eighth day the rite of circumcision in the case of a boy was performed, and a name given, sometimes, but not usually, the same as that of the father, and generally conveying some special meaning (Gen 21:4; Gen 29:32; Gen 29:35; Gen 30:6; Gen 30:24; Lev 12:3; Isa 7:14; Isa 8:3; Luk 1:59; Luk 2:21).
Among Mohammedans, circumcision is most commonly delayed till the fifth, sixth, or even the fourteenth year (Spencer, De Legg. Hebr. 5, 62; Strabo, 17, 824; Herod. 2, 36, 104; Burckhardt, ut sup.; Lane, Mod. Egypt. 1, 87; Poole [Mrs.], Englishw. in Egypt, 3, 158; Niebuhr, Descr. p. 70). SEE CIRCUMCISION. After the birth of a male child the mother was considered unclean for 7+33 days; if the child was a female, for double that period, 14+66 days. At the end of the time she was to make an offering of purification of a lamb as a burned offering, and a pigeon or turtle dove as a sin offering; or, in case of poverty, two doves or pigeons, one as a burned offering; the other as a sin offering (Lev 12:1-8; Luk 2:22). The period of nursing appears to have been sometimes prolonged to three years (Isa 49:15; 2Ma 7:27; comp. Livingstone, Travels, 6, 126; but Burckhardt leads to a different conclusion). The Mohammedan law enjoins mothers to suckle their children for two full years if possible (Lane, Mod. Egypt. 1, 83; Poole [Mrs.], Englishw. in Egypt, 3, 161). Nurses were employed in cases of necessity (Gen 24:59; Gen 35:8; Exo 2:9; 2Sa 4:4; 2Ki 11:2; 2Ch 22:11). The time of weaning was an occasion of rejoicing (Gen 21:8). Arab children wear little or no clothing for four or five years. The young of both sexes are usually carried by the mothers on the hip or the shoulder, a custom to which allusion is made by Isaiah (Isa 49:22; Isa 66:12; see Lane, Mod., Egypt. 1, 83). Both boys and girls in their early years, boys probably till their fifth year, were under the care of the women (Pro 31:1; see Herod. 1, 136; Strabo, 15, 733; Niebuhr, Descr. p. 24). Afterwards the boys were taken by the father under his charge. Those in wealthy families had tutors or governors ( , ), who were sometimes eunuchs (Num 11:12; 2Ki 10:1; 2Ki 10:5; Isa 49:23; Gal 3:24; Est 2:7; See Josephus, Life, 76; Lane, Mod. Eqypt. 1, 83). Daughters usually remained in the women’s apartments till marriage, or, among the poorer classes, were employed in household work (Lev 21:9; Num 12:14; 1Sa 9:11; Pro 31:19; Pro 31:23; Sir 7:25; Sir 42:9; 2Ma 3:19). The example, however, and authority of the mother were carefully upheld to children of both sexes (Deu 21:20; Pro 10:1; Pro 15:20; 1Ki 2:19).
The first born male children were regarded as devoted to God, and were to be redeemed by an offering (Exo 13:13; Num 18:15; Luk 2:22). Children devoted by special vow, as Samuel was, appear to have been brought up from very early years in a school or place of education near the tabernacle or temple (1Sa 1:24; 1Sa 1:28). SEE EDUCATION.
The authority of parents, especially the father, over children was very great, as was also the reverence enjoined by the law to be paid to parents. The disobedient child, the striker or reviler of a parent, was liable to capital punishment, though not at the independent will of the parent. Children were liable to be taken as slaves in case of non-payment of debt, and were expected to perform menial offices for them, such as washing the feet, and to maintain them in poverty and old age. How this last obligation was evaded, SEE CORBAN. The like obedience is enjoined by the Gospel (Gen 38:24; Lev 21:9; Num 12:14; Deu 24:16; 1Ki 2:19; 2Ki 14:6; 2Ki 4:1; Isa 1:1; Neh 5:5; Job 24:9; Pro 10:1; Pro 15:20; Pro 29:3; Col 3:20; Eph 6:1; 1Ti 1:9. Comp. Virg. Aen. 6, 609; and Servius, ad loc.; Aristoph. Ran. 146; Plato, Phoedo, 144; De Legg, 9. See Drusius, Quoest. Hebr. 2, 63, in Crit. Sacr. 8, 1547),
The legal age was twelve, or even earlier, in the case of female, and thirteen for a male (Maimon. De Pros. c. 5; Grotius and Calmet, On Joh 9:21).
The inheritance was divided equally between all the sons except the eldest, who received a double portion (Deu 21:17; Gen 25:31; Gen 49:3; 1Ch 5:1-2; Jdg 11:2; Jdg 11:7). Daughters had by right no portion in the inheritance; but if a man had no son, his inheritance passed to his daughters, but they were forbidden to marry out of their father’s tribe (Num 27:1; Num 27:8; Num 36:2; Num 36:8) SEE CHILD.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Son (2)
in Norse mythology, was one of the barrels in which Fialar and Galar caught the blood of the white Quasar, in order to brew from it the mead which produced poetic intoxication.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Son
(Ben.) Used also for descendant. Figuratively too to express the characteristic: Barnabas means son of consolation; “sons of Belial,” i.e. of worthlessness, children generally having their father’s characteristic; “son of oil,” abounding in oil or fruitfulness (Isa 5:1 margin).
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
SON
See ADOPTION; CHILD.
Fuente: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
Son
SON.See Child, Family.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Son
Besides the application of this term to natural generation, it is used metaphorically in scripture. The appellation ‘son’ implies ‘likeness.’ The term is employed thus to mark moral likeness, as of a son to a father, so ‘a son of Belial,’ 1Sa 25:17; ‘thou son () of the devil,’ Act 13:10; ‘sons of disobedience,’ Eph 5:6; Col 3:6; also ‘sons of light’ and ‘sons of day.’ 1Th 5:5. It is also used to signify physical likeness: strong men are ‘sons of strength.’ 2Ki 2:16, margin ; etc.
The idea of sonship differs somewhat in the case of Christians from that of being ‘children.’ The thought of ‘children’ is more of a generation which is of God. “Now are we the children of God.” 1Jn 3:2. ‘Sons’ expresses the height of God’s calling, and properly refers to heaven and glory. It implies intelligently entering into the purpose of God. God is bringing many sons to glory. Heb 2:10. Christians are represented as being both children and sons of God. The distinction between these two words is not always clearly maintained in the A.V. In Rom 9:26-27; 2Co 3:7; 2Co 3:13; Gal 3:7; Gal 3:26; Eph 2:2; Eph 5:6; Col 3:6; 1Th 5:5; Heb 11:22; Heb 12:5; Rev 2:14; Rev 7:4; Rev 12:5; Rev 21:12 (and often in the Gospels and the Acts) ‘sons’ () should be read instead of ‘children,’ On the other hand, in Joh 1:12; 1Co 4:14; 1Co 4:17; Php 2:15; Php 2:22; 1Ti 1:2; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 1:2; 2Ti 2:1; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:10; 1Jn 3:1-2, ‘children’ () should be read instead of ‘sons.’ Both words are employed in the Epistles of Paul, but “” only, as regards believers, in the writings of John, except Rev 21:7. See SONS OF GOD.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Son
Figurative of man’s relation to God
Exo 4:22 Adoption; God, Fatherhood of; Jesus, The Christ, Son of God; Jesus, The Christ, Son of Man
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Son
Son. (Hebrew, ben). The term “son” is used in Scripture language to imply almost any kind of descent or succession, as ben shanah, “son of a year,” that is, a year old; ben kesheth, “son of a bow,” that is, an arrow. The Greek word, bar, is often found, in the New Testament, in composition, as Bar-timaeus.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Son
primarily signifies the relation of offspring to parent (see Joh 9:18-20; Gal 4:30. It is often used metaphorically of prominent moral characteristics (see below). “It is used in the NT of (a) male offspring, Gal 4:30; (b) legitimate, as opposed to illegitimate offspring, Heb 12:8; (c) descendants, without reference to sex, Rom 9:27; (d) friends attending a wedding, Mat 9:15; (e) those who enjoy certain privileges, Act 3:25; (f) those who act in a certain way, whether evil, Mat 23:31, or good, Gal 3:7; (g) those who manifest a certain character, whether evil, Act 13:10; Eph 2:2, or good, Luk 6:35; Act 4:36; Rom 8:14; (h) the destiny that corresponds with the character, whether evil, Mat 23:15; Joh 17:12; 2Th 2:3, or good, Luk 20:36; (i) the dignity of the relationship with God whereinto men are brought by the Holy Spirit when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 8:19; Gal 3:26. …
“The Apostle John does not use huios, ‘son,’ of the believer, he reserves that title for the Lord; but he does use teknon, ‘child,’ as in his Gospel, Joh 1:12; 1Jo 3:1-2; Rev 21:7 (hunios) is a quotation from 2Sa 7:14.
“The Lord Jesus used huios in a very significant way, as in Mat 5:9, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God,’ and Mat 5:44-45, ‘Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be (become) sons of your Father which is in heaven.’ The disciples were to do these things, not in order that they might become children of God, but that, being children (note ‘your Father’ throughout), they might make the fact manifest in their character, might ‘become sons.’ See also 2Co 6:17-18.
“As to moral characteristics, the following phrases are used: (a) sons of God, Mat 5:9, Mat 5:45; Luk 6:35; (b) sons of the light, Luk 16:8; Joh 12:36; (c) sons of the day, 1Th 5:5; (d) sons of peace, Luk 10:6; (e) sons of this world, Luk 16:8; (f) sons of disobedience, Eph 2:2; (g) sons of the evil one, Mat 13:38, cp. ‘of the Devil,’ Act 13:10; (h) son of perdition, Joh 17:12; 2Th 2:3. It is also used to describe characteristics other than moral, as: (i) sons of the resurrection, Luk 20:36; (j) sons of the Kingdom, Mat 8:12; Mat 13:38; (k) sons of the bridechamber, Mar 2:19; (l) sons of exhortation, Act 4:36; (m) sons of thunder, Boanerges, Mar 3:17.”* [* From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 167-169, and on Thessalonians, pp. 158,159.]
Notes: (1) For the synonyms teknon and teknion see under CHILD. The difference between believers as “children of God” and as “sons of God” is brought out in Rom 8:14-21. The Spirit bears witness with their spirit that they are “children of God,” and, as such, they are His heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. This stresses the fact of their spiritual birth (Rom 8:16-17). On the other hand, “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God,” i.e., “these and no other.” Their conduct gives evidence of the dignity of their relationship and their likeness to His character. (2) Pais is rendered “son” in Joh 4:51. For Act 13:13, Act 13:26 see below.
* The Son of God
In this title the word “Son” is used sometimes (a) of relationship, sometimes (b) of the expression of character. “Thus, e.g., when the disciples so addressed Him, Mat 14:33; Mat 16:16; Joh 1:49, when the centurion so spoke of Him, Mat 27:54, they probably meant that (b) He was a manifestation of God in human form. But in such passages as Luk 1:32, Luk 1:35; Act 13:33, which refer to the humanity of the Lord Jesus, the word is used in sense (a).
“The Lord Jesus Himself used the full title on occasion, Joh 5:25; Joh 9:35 [some mss. have ‘the Son of Man’; see RV marg.]; Joh 11:4, and on the more frequent occasions on which He spoke of Himself as ‘the Son,’ the words are to be understood as an abbreviation of ‘the Son of God,’ not of ‘the Son of Man’; this latter He always expressed in full; see Luk 10:22; Joh 5:19, etc.
“John uses both the longer and shorter forms of the title in his Gospel, see Joh 3:16-18; Joh 20:31, e.g., and in his Epistles; cp. Rev 2:18. So does the writer of Hebrews, Heb 1:2; Heb 4:14; Heb 6:6, etc. An eternal relation subsisting between the Son and the Father in the Godhead is to be understood. That is to say, the Son of God, in His eternal relationship with the Father, is not so entitled because He at any time began to derive His being from the Father (in which case He could not be co-eternal with the Father), but because He is and ever has been the expression of what the Father is; cp. Joh 14:9, ‘he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.’ The words of Heb 1:3, ‘Who being the effulgence of His (God’s) glory, and the very image of His (God’s) substance’ are a definition of what is meant by ‘Son of God.’ Thus absolute Godhead, not Godhead in a secondary or derived sense, is intended in the title.” * [* From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 99, 100.]
Other titles of Christ as the “Son of God” are: “His Son,” 1Th 1:10 (in Act 13:13, Act 13:26, RV, pais is rendered “servant”); “His own Son,” Rom 8:32; “My beloved Son,” Mat 3:17; “His Only Begotten Son,” Joh 3:16; “the Son of His love,” Col 1:13.
“The Son is the eternal object of the Father’s love, Joh 17:24, and the sole Revealer of the Father’s character, Joh 1:14; Heb 1:3. The words, ‘Father’ and ‘Son,’ are never in the NT so used as to suggest that the Father existed before the Son; the Prologue to the Gospel according to John distinctly asserts that the Word existed ‘in the beginning,’ and that this Word is the Son, Who ‘became flesh and dwelt among us.'” * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine pp. 46,47.]
In addressing the Father in His prayer in John 17 He says, “Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the World.” Accordingly in the timeless past the Father and the “Son” existed in that relationship, a relationship of love, as well as of absolute Deity. In this passage the “Son” gives evidence that there was no more powerful plea in the Father’s estimation than that coeternal love existing between the Father and Himself.
The declaration “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,” Psa 2:7, quoted in Act 13:33; Heb 1:5; Heb 5:5, refers to the birth of Christ, not to His resurrection. In Act 13:33 the verb “raise up” is used of the raising up of a person to occupy a special position in the nation, as of David in Act 13:22 (so of Christ as a Prophet in Act 3:22; Act 7:37). The word “again” in the AV in Act 13:33 represents nothing in the original. The RV rightly omits it. In Act 13:34 the statement as to the resurrection of Christ receives the greater stress in this respect through the emphatic contrast to that in Act 13:33 as to His being raised up in the nation, a stress imparted by the added words “from the dead.” Accordingly Act 13:33 speaks of His incarnation, Act 13:34 of His resurrection.
In Heb 1:5, that the declaration refers to the Birth is confirmed by the contrast in verse 6. Here the word “again” is rightly placed in the RV, “when He again bringeth in the Firstborn into the world.” This points on to His Second Advent, which is set in contrast to His first Advent, when God brought His Firstborn into the world the first time (see FIRSTBORN). * [* The Western text of Luk 3:22 reads “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,” instead of “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased.” There is probably some connection between this and those early heresies which taught that our Lord’s Deity began at His baptism.
So again in Heb 5:5, where the High Priesthood of Christ is shown to fulfill all that was foreshadowed in the Levitical priesthood, the passage stresses the facts of His humanity, the days of His flesh, His perfect obedience and His sufferings.
* Son of Man
In the NT this is a designation of Christ, almost entirely confined to the Gospels. Elsewhere it is found in Act 7:56, the only occasion where a disciple applied it to the Lord and in Rev 1:13; Rev 14:14 (see below).
“Son of Man” is the title Christ used of Himself; Joh 12:34 is not an exception, for the quotation by the multitude was from His own statement. The title is found especially in the Synoptic Gospels. The occurrences in John’s Gospel, Joh 1:51; Joh 3:13-14; Joh 5:27; Joh 6:27, Joh 6:53, Joh 6:62; Joh 8:28 (Joh 9:35 in some texts); Joh 12:23, Joh 12:34 (twice); Joh 13:31, are not parallel to those in the Synoptic Gospels. In the latter the use of the title falls into two groups, (a) those in which it refers to Christ’s humanity, His earthly work, sufferings and death, e.g., Mat 8:20; Mat 11:19; Mat 12:40; Mat 26:2, Mat 26:24; (b) those which refer to His glory in resurrection and to that of His future advent, e.g., Mat 10:23; Mat 13:41; Mat 16:27-28; Mat 17:9; Mat 24:27, Mat 24:30 (twice), Mat 24:37, Mat 24:39, Mat 24:44.
While it is a Messianic title it is evident that the Lord applied it to Himself in a distinctive way, for it indicates more than Messiahship, even universal headship on the part of One who is Man. It therefore stresses His manhood, manhood of a unique order in comparison with all other men, for He is declared to be of heaven, 1Co 15:47, and even while here below, was “the Son of Man, which is in Heaven,” Joh 3:13. As the “Son of Man” He must be appropriated spiritually as a condition of possessing eternal life, Joh 6:53. In His death, as in His life, the glory of His Manhood was displayed in the absolute obedience and submission to the will of the Father (Joh 12:23; Joh 13:31), and, in view of this, all judgment has been committed to Him, who will judge in full understanding experimentally of human conditions, sin apart, and will exercise the judgment as sharing the nature of those judged, Joh 5:22, Joh 5:27. Not only is He man, but He is “Son of Man,” not by human generation but, according to the Semitic usage of the expression, partaking of the characteristics (sin apart) of manhood belonging to the category of mankind. Twice in the Apocalypse, Rev 1:13; Rev 14:14, He is described as “One like unto a Son of man,” RV (AV,”… the Son of Man”), cp. Dan 7:13. He who was thus seen was indeed the “Son of Man,” but the absence of the article in the original serves to stress what morally characterizes Him as such. Accordingly in these passages He is revealed, not as the Person known by the title, but as the One who is qualified to act as the Judge of all men. He is the same Person as in the days of His flesh, still continuing His humanity with His Deity. The phrase “like unto” serves to distinguish Him as there seen in His glory and majesty in contrast to the days of His humiliation.