TLDR
- Paul considered Jesus subordinate to God
- Both Jesus and Adam are called the “Son of God.”
- Paul calls Jesus the last Adam.
- From his writings, Paul alludes to being familiar with the collection of writings known as “The Life of Adam and Eve.”
- In these writings, all the angels were commanded to bow down to Adam, who represented “God” and the “divine image of the Lord.”
- Thus, according to Paul, Jesus was not God but the last Adam, and just like Adam, was given the title “son of God.”
- As seen in the previous article, the title Son of God was just another name for the Messiah, King of Israel, and not God.
Paul did not believe that Jesus was God. In his writings, he consistently distinguished between God the Father and Jesus, whom he called Lord. This shows that God was always above Jesus and not equal.
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, – 2 Corinthians 1
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” – Ephesians 1:3
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” – Philippians 1:2
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace” – 1 Thessalonians 1:1
In Greek, the term Lord is what one would call a king or ruler. Paul typically refers to Jesus as Christ, which means Messiah, the title of the King of the Jews.
Adam Called Son of God in the Gospel of Luke
As we saw in a previous article, the title “the Son of Man” was given to those with a special relationship with God but not to be taken to signify divinity. In his Gospel, Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy to Adam, whom he calls “the son of God.” This is particularly significant because Luke was Paul’s collaborator and companion, and Paul’s theology weighed heavily on Luke’s writings.
Luke & Paul
Luke is explicitly mentioned as a companion of Paul in several of Paul’s epistles. For instance, in Colossians 4:14, Paul refers to “Luke, the beloved physician.” In Philemon 1:24, Luke is listed among Paul’s fellow workers. These references indicate that Luke was Paul’s close associate and collaborator, likely accompanying him on many missionary journeys. Additionally, in the Acts of the Apostles, there are several passages known as the “we” passages (e.g., Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16). These sections switch from third-person to first-person narrative, suggesting that the author of Acts, traditionally Luke, was personally present during these events. This firsthand involvement indicates Luke’s close companionship with Paul during his travels.
The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are addressed to Theophilus, suggesting they are two parts of a single work. Luke-Acts provides a comprehensive account of the life and ministry of Jesus (Gospel of Luke) and the early church’s history, including Paul’s missionary activities (Acts). The detailed account of Paul’s missions and speeches in Acts reflects the author’s intimate knowledge of Paul’s ministry and theology. The themes and theology presented in Luke’s writings show significant Pauline influence. For example, Luke emphasizes the universality of the Gospel, the importance of the Gentile mission, and the work of the Holy Spirit, all central themes in Paul’s theology. The portrayal of Jesus as a savior for all people, including the marginalized and Gentiles, aligns closely with Paul’s message.
Both Luke and Paul emphasize salvation by grace through faith. Luke’s Gospel contains parables and teachings of Jesus that highlight God’s mercy and grace, such as the parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. Paul’s epistles consistently stress that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not earned by works (e.g., Ephesians 2:8-9). The role of the Holy Spirit is prominent in both Luke-Acts and Paul’s letters. Luke’s writings highlight the Holy Spirit’s work in Jesus’ ministry, the early church, and the spread of the Gospel. Paul similarly emphasizes the Spirit’s role in empowering believers and guiding the church (e.g., Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12).
The connection between Luke and Paul is evident through their close companionship, shared travels, and collaborative work in spreading the Christian message. Luke’s detailed accounts in Acts provide valuable historical and theological insights into Paul’s ministry. Their writings exhibit a shared theological emphasis on salvation, grace, and the Holy Spirit, reflecting their deep and enduring partnership in the early Christian mission.
So when Luke calls Adam “the son of God,” this is particularly significant as this is also the title given to Jesus. Yet, when this is brought up to most Christians, they usually downplay that Adam being called “the son of God” is not meant to be taken in the same way as when the title is used towards Jesus. But is this the case?
Jesus: The Last Adam
In his writings, Paul calls Jesus Christ “the last Adam.” This is particularly significant because it shows that the reference to both Adam and Jesus as “the son of God” holds more weight than what Christians today would like to admit. According to Paul, Jesus was the representation of Adam without sin.
In 1 Corinthians 21-22, Paul states that death entered the world through Adam, emphasizing that all humanity shares in this mortality because of Adam’s sin. Conversely, resurrection and life come through Jesus Christ, offering a new hope for all who are united with Him. Adam’s disobedience brought death, while Christ’s obedience brought life.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. – 1 Corinthians 15
In verses 45-50, Paul deepens the contrast by describing Adam as the “first man” who was made a living being from the dust of the earth. This “natural” man represents humanity’s earthly and perishable nature. In contrast, Jesus is described as the “last Adam,” a life-giving spirit from heaven. This “spiritual” man signifies the heavenly and imperishable nature that believers will inherit through Christ.
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 15
In Romans 5:12-19, Paul draws a theological comparison between Adam and Jesus, highlighting their contrasting roles in humanity’s story of sin and salvation. Paul begins by explaining how sin entered the world through one man, Adam, and consequently brought death to all humanity because all have sinned. This establishes Adam as the representative of humanity, whose single act of disobedience resulted in widespread condemnation and the reign of death. In contrast, Paul introduces Jesus Christ as the “second Adam,” whose single act of righteousness offers the gift of grace and justification to many. Unlike Adam’s trespass, which led to condemnation, Christ’s obedience leads to righteousness and life for all who receive it. Paul’s argument emphasizes that just as Adam’s sin had universal implications for humanity’s fall, so does Christ’s redemptive act have universal potential for humanity’s restoration.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:12-19
Angels Bowed Down to Adam
Part of Paul’s comparison between Adam and Jesus is extrapolated from the writings known as “The Life of Adam and Eve,” which predates Jesus, and from Paul’s writings, it appears to be a text that he was familiar with.
Various writings of The Life of Adam state that the angels were commanded to bow down before Adam. The writings also call Adam “the image of divinity” and say that when the angels bowed down to him, they were bowing down to “God” and “the image of the Lord God.”
[THE DEVIL CONTINUED,] “Then Michael came, he presented you (Adam) and made you bow down before God, and God told Michael, ‘I have created Adam according to my image and my divinity.’ Then Michael came, he summoned all the army of angels and told them, ‘Bow down before the likeness and the image of the divinity.’ When Michael summoned them and all had bowed down to you, he summoned me also. I told him, ‘Get away from me! I will not bow down to him who is younger than me. Indeed, I was master before him and it is proper for him to bow down to me.’” – Book of Adam – Chapter 14
[THE DEVIL CONTINUED,] “Michael went out and called all the angels saying, ‘Worship the image of God as the Lord God has commanded.’ Michael himself worshiped first, then he called me and said, ‘Worship the image of the Lord God.’ I answered, ‘I do not need to worship Adam.’ Since Michael kept urging me to worship, I told him, ‘Why do you urge me? I will not worship an inferior and younger being. I am his senior in creation, before he was made I already existed. It is his duty to worship me!’” – Life of Adam and Eve – Chapter 14
[SATAN CONTINUED,] “Then Michael summoned all the angels, and God said to them, ‘Come, bow down to God, who I made.’ Michael bowed first. He called me and said, ‘You too, bow down to Adam.’ I said, ‘Go away, Michael! I will not bow to him who is younger than me, for I am older. Why is it proper to bow down to him?’” – Penitence of Adam – Chapter 14
Jesus as the Son of God
Based on this, we can extrapolate the following regarding Paul’s theology. The first human to have the title “son of God” was Adam. When he had this title, all other heavenly creatures had to bow before him. When he was duped by the devil and sinned, he was stripped of his title.
Jesus was sent to be the last Adam. According to Paul, when Jesus died and was resurrected, he was appointed as the “Son of God,” the Messiah (Christ), and King to whom others were to bow down.
Yet, just like Adam was not God, neither was Jesus. Jesus, according to Paul, was not God or part of a triune but was appointed by God and was subordinate to God. It is only by God’s command that people are required to pay homage to him, just like it was requested upon Adam when he held that title.
Romans 1:4 – “and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Further Reading:
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