1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:
3“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
5Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury:
6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
7I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.
8Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.
9You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
10Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
Psalms 2 Verse Notes
Ps 2:7
'You are my son': the coronation psalm at the Jordan
As Jesus comes up from the water the heavens split open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares 'You are my son.' That is the language of Psalm 2, God's declaration to the newly enthroned Davidic king, and Israel's kings were called sons of God. The baptism is Jesus's royal anointing scene: before the action begins, the reader knows who the true king is.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah · Lecture 1: The Beginning of the Gospel · watch the clip
The Baptismal Declaration of Sonship
At Jesus' baptism, Luke records a voice from heaven declaring, 'You are my son. Today, I have begotten you.' This quotation from Psalm 2:7, particularly the phrase 'today, I have begotten you,' suggests an understanding where Jesus' divine sonship is affirmed or 'adopted' at his baptism, rather than solely at his birth.
Summarized by AI · Did the Christmas Story Really Happen? The Birth of Jesus in History and Legend · Lecture 2: Pecularities and Plausibilities | Jesus' Birth in Luke · watch the clip
Textual Variant in Luke 3:22 Supports Adoption Christology
A significant textual variant in Luke 3:22, where the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism says, 'You are my son, today I have begotten you,' rather than 'You are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased,' strongly suggests an original understanding of Jesus becoming the Son of God at his baptism. This 'adoptionist' view aligns with the genealogy immediately following, tracing Jesus' lineage back to God after this declaration.
Summarized by AI · Jesus the (Actual) Son of Joseph: Evidence from the New Testament Itself · Lecture 2: The Growth of the Virgin Birth Tradition · watch the clip
Acts 13:33 Links Resurrection to Divine Sonship
In a speech recorded in Acts 13:33, Paul connects God's fulfillment of promises to the forefathers with Jesus' resurrection, quoting Psalm 2:7: 'You are my son, today I have begotten you.' This passage explicitly states that Jesus became the Son of God on the day of his resurrection, reinforcing the idea that this was the initial understanding of his divine sonship.
Summarized by AI · Jesus the (Actual) Son of Joseph: Evidence from the New Testament Itself · Lecture 2: The Growth of the Virgin Birth Tradition · watch the clip
Textual variant in Jesus' baptismal voice
There is a significant textual variant in Luke 3:22 regarding the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism. While most manuscripts read, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased' (similar to Mark), some early manuscripts and numerous early church fathers quote it as, 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you' (Psalm 2:7). The latter reading, being more 'difficult' theologically for later scribes who rejected adoptionist Christology, is likely the original.
Summarized by AI · Luke's Maverick Gospel · Lecture 2: How to Begin a Gospel · watch the clip
Jesus' Use of 'Father' for God
Jesus frequently referred to God as 'Father,' and in one instance, used the intimate Aramaic term 'Abba' (daddy/papa). This suggests a close relationship with God, implying he saw himself as a 'Son of God.' However, in ancient Judaism, 'Son of God' did not denote divinity but a special relationship with God, as seen with the King of Israel or the nation of Israel.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 1: Who Was Jesus According to Jesus? · watch the clip
Voice at Jesus' baptism: 'Today I have begotten you'
At Jesus' baptism in Luke 3:22, most manuscripts record the heavenly voice saying, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased," echoing Isaiah 42:1. However, a few significant manuscripts present a different reading: "You are my Son; today I have begotten you," which is from Psalm 2:7. This variant raises questions about whether Luke originally intended to suggest Jesus became the Son of God at his baptism.
Summarized by AI · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · Lecture 1: The New Testament | Do We Have the Original Text? · watch the clip
Jesus' Sonship and Resurrection in Paul's Sermon
In his sermon at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13), Paul emphasizes that Jesus, a descendant of David, was rejected by Jewish leaders but raised from the dead by God. Paul quotes Psalm 2:7, stating, 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you,' implying that Jesus' sonship is 'begotten' or fully realized at his resurrection, fulfilling God's promises to the ancestors.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles · Lecture 4: The Gentile Mission · watch the clip
Son of Man vs. Son of God in Synoptic Gospels
The terms 'Son of Man' and 'Son of God' are used for Jesus in the Gospels, but their ancient Jewish meanings differ from modern interpretations. In ancient Judaism, 'Son of God' referred to a human, like the king of Israel, who was closely connected to God but not divine. 'Son of Man,' based on Daniel 7, referred to a future divine judge from heaven. Jesus uses 'Son of Man' for himself in the Synoptics, but often in contexts of suffering, not divine claims, such as going to Jerusalem to be rejected.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Claim to be God? · watch the clip
Jesus' divine sonship declared at resurrection in Acts 13
The book of Acts, in chapter 13, further supports the idea of Jesus' exaltation at the resurrection. Paul states that God fulfilled promises to the ancestors by raising Jesus from the dead, quoting Psalm 2:7: 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.' This implies that Jesus was 'begotten' as the Son of God at his resurrection, becoming a divine being.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus�� Disciples Think He Was God? · watch the clip
Son of God as a Messianic Title
The Aramaic Apocalypse (Son of God text) from Qumran refers to a figure who 'Son of God he will be called, and Son of the Most High they will call him.' This language strongly parallels the Annunciation in Luke 1, where Jesus is called 'Son of the Most High' and 'Son of God.' This indicates that 'Son of God' was a recognized messianic title, rooted in Psalm 2, and not initially a statement about miraculous conception.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 14: Messianic Expectation · watch the clip
Messianic Reign and Resurrection
The angel reveals a future where the Messiah, referred to as the Son of God, will be revealed and reign for 400 years, after which he will die. This period will be followed by a return to primeval silence for seven days, symbolizing a new creation and an earthly resurrection of the dead, a concept also found in the Book of Revelation with a 1,000-year reign.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 20: After the Fall · watch the clip
