Class 6

II Sam 7 , Psalm 2 , Psalm 89

The Enthroned King

The Son of God

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:17

Subject

Prophecy

Fulfillment

God would have a Son.

Proverbs 30:4b

Matthew 3:16-17

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Psalm 2:7a

Luke 1:31-35

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Psalm 2:12a

Matthew 17:5

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

2 Samuel 7:13-14

Matthew 3:16-17

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

1 Chronicles 17:13-14

John 12:28-30

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Isaiah 9:6b

Luke 1:35

The Messiah would call God his Father.

Psalm 89:26

Matthew 11:27

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Prophecy

Fulfillment

1 Chronicles 17:13-14
"13 I will be his father, and he shall be
my son: and I will not take my mercy
away from him, as I took it from him that
was before thee: 14 But I will settle him
in mine house and in my kingdom for
ever: and his throne shall be established
for evermore."

John 12:28-30
" 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a
voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it,
and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore,
that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered:
others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus
answered and said, This voice came not because of
me, but for your sakes."

More Prophecies From This Book

Additional Fulfillment Examples

Matthew 3:16, 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 17:4-5, Mark
1:1 9:7, Luke 1:31-35, 9:35, John 1:34, 3:18,
5:23, 9:35, 10:36, 11:27, Acts 13:30-33,
Colossians 1:13 Hebrews 1:5, 5:5, 2 Peter 1:17, 1
John 4:15, 5:20

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Prophecy

Fulfillment

2 Samuel 7:13-14
" 13 He shall build an house for
my name, and I will establish the
throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be his father, and he
shall be my son. ..."

Matthew 3:16-17
" 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice
from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased."

More Prophecies From This

Book

Additional Fulfillment Examples

Matthew 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 17:4-5, Mark 1:1 9:7,
Luke 1:31-35, 9:35, John 1:34, 3:18, 5:23, 9:35,
10:36, 11:27, 12:28-30, Acts 13:30-33, Colossians 1:13
Hebrews 1:5, 5:5, 2 Peter 1:17, 1 John 4:15, 5:20

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Prophecy

Fulfillment

Psalm 2:7a
"I will declare the
decree: the Lord hath
said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I
begotten thee."

Luke 1:31-35
" 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth
a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give
unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over
the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I
know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest
shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Matthew 3:16-17
" 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of
the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw
the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him
This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.

More Prophecies From

This Book

Additional Fulfillment Examples

Matthew 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 17:4-5, Mark 1:1 9:7, Luke 9:35,
John 1:34, 3:18, 5:23, 9:35, 10:36, 11:27, 12:28-30, Acts
13:30-33, Colossians 1:13 5:5, 2 Peter 1:17, 1 John 4:15, 5:20

The Messiah would be the Son of God.

Prophecy

Fulfillment

Psalm 2:12a
"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye
perish from the way, when his wrath is
kindled but a little. Blessed are all they
that put their trust in him."

Matthew 17:5
"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."
John 5:23
"That all men should honour the Son, even as they
honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."
John 1:34
"And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of
God."

Though some say that Psalm 2 is not considered messianic by the rabbis or Jewish
sages, the Jewish messianic understanding of Psalm 2 has a long history. Some of
the rabbinic sources which take a messianic interpretation of Psalm 2 are as follows:
Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 52a
Our Rabbis taught, The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah, the son of
David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days!), 'Ask of me anything, and I will
give it to thee', as it is said, I will tell of the decree etc. this day have I begotten
thee, ask of me and I will give the nations for thy inheritance [Psalms 2:7-8].
Soncino Talmud edition.
Genesis Rabbah 44:8
R. Jonathan said: Three persons were bidden 'ask', viz.: Solomon, Ahaz, and the
King Messiah. Solomon: Ask what I shall give thee (1 Kings III, 5). Ahaz: Ask thee a
sign (Isa. VII, 11). The King Messiah: Ask of Me, etc. (Ps. II, 8).
Soncino Midrash Rabbah (vol. 1, pp. 365-366).
Pirke de-Rav Eliezer (9th c.), Section 28, on verse 1
All the nations will be gathered together to fight with the Son of David, as it is said:
The kings of the earth set themselves, etc.

Cited in A. Lukyn Williams, A Manual of Christian Evidences for Jewish People

(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919), vol. 2, p. 123. The
Hebrew is from the Lemberg edition of 1874. Williams adds: "It should, however, be
stated that the MS. translated by Mr. G. Friedlander (1916) reads 'the house of
David' instead of 'the Son of David.' Yet even that MS. is referring to events still
future."

Rashi (11th c.)

Our teachers interpreted the subject of this Psalm with reference to King Messiah,
but according to its plain meaning it will be right to expound it of David himself...

Cited in A. Lukyn Williams, A Manual of Christian Evidences for Jewish People

(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919), vol. 2, pp. 122-123.
Midrash on Psalms (11th c.)
This day have I begotten thee [Psalm 2:7]. R. Huna said: Suffering is divided into
three portions: one, the Patriarchs and all the generations of men took; one, the
generation that lived in the time of [Hadrian's] persecution took; and one, the
generation of the lord Messiah will take. When the time comes, the Holy One,
blessed be He, will say: "I must create the Messiah -- a new creation." As Scripture
says, This day have I begotten thee -- that is, on the very day of redemption, God
will create the Messiah.
Ask of Me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the
earth for thy possession (Ps. 2:8). God, speaking to the Messiah, says: If thou dost
ask for dominion over the nations, already they are thine inheritance; if for the ends
of the earth, already they are thy possession.
R. Johanan taught: To three men -- Solomon, Ahaz, and the lord Messiah -- the Holy
One, blessed be He, said, "Ask of me." To Solomon, as is written In Gibeon the Lord
appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said: "Ask what I shall give thee"
(1 Kings 3:5). To Ahaz, as is written "Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God: ask it
either in the depth, or in the height above" (Isa. 7:11)....To the lord Messiah, as is
written Ask of Me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends
of the earth for thy possession.
Williams G. Braude, translator, The Midrash on Psalms (New Haven: Yale University
Press, 1987, 1959; Yale Judaica Series), vol. 1, pp. 41-44.
Maimonides (11th c.), introduction to Sanhedrin, chapter 10
The prophets and the saints have longed for the days of the Messiah, and great has
been their desire towards him, for there will be with him the gathering together of
the righteous and the administration of good, and wisdom, and royal righteousness,
with the abundance of his uprightness and the spread of his wisdom, and his
approach to God, as it is said: The Lord said unto me, Thou art my son, to-day have
I begotten thee.

Cited in A. Lukyn Williams, A Manual of Christian Evidences for Jewish People

(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919), vol. 2, p. 122.

David Kimchi (13th c.), comment on verse 12

There are those who interpret this psalm of Gog and Magog, and the "anointed" as
the King Messiah; and thus did our rabbis of blessed memory interpret it (b.
Berachot 7b).

Hebrew cited in A. Lukyn Williams, A Manual of Christian Evidences for Jewish People
(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919), vol. 2, p. 121. The
Hebrew is from the edition of Schiller-Szinessy. English translation by Rich Robinson.
Kimchi himself interpreted psalm as referring to King David, but his comment shows
that the traditional interpretation was messianic.
Yalkut (13th c.), Section 621, similar to the Midrash on Psalms quoted
above:
On verse 7:
R. Huna said in the name of R. Idi, In three parts were the punishments divided: one
for King Messiah, and when His hour cometh the Holy One, blessed be He, saith, I
must make a new covenant with Him, and so He saith, To-day have I begotten thee.
On verse 9:
"Thou wilt bruise them with a rod of iron"; this is Messiah ben Joseph.

Cited in A. Lukyn Williams, A Manual of Christian Evidences for Jewish People

(London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919), vol. 2, pp. 121-122.

The Messiah would call God his Father.

Prophecy

Fulfillment

Psalm 89:26
"He shall cry unto me, Thou
art my father, my God, and the
rock of my salvation."

Matthew 11:27
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man
knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man
the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will
reveal him."

More Prophecies From This

Book

Additional Fulfillment Examples

John 20:17

Psa 89:3
Psa 89:4
Psa 89:20
Psa 89:26
Psa 89:27

"I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant,
I will establish your seed forever And build up your throne to all generations." Selah.
"I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him,
"He will cry to Me, 'You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.'
"I also shall make him {My} firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.

Psa 89:1-52 . Of Ethan--(See on JF & B for Ps 88:1, title). This Psalm was composed during some season of
great national distress, perhaps Absalom's rebellion. It contrasts the promised prosperity and perpetuity of
David's throne (with reference to the great promise of 2Sa 7:12-17 ), with a time when God appeared to have
forgotten His covenant. The picture thus drawn may typify the promises and the adversities of Christ's kingdom,
and the terms of confiding appeal to God provided appropriate prayers for the divine aid and promised blessing.

a.
Luk
4:17
Luk
4:18

Luk
4:19
Luk
4:20
Luk
4:21

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the
place where it was written,
"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE
GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE
OPPRESSED,
TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the
synagogue were fixed on Him.
And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

b.
Jhn
3:16

Hbr
1:5

Hbr
1:6

The Messiah is the Son

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life.

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

c.

Col
1:15

The Messiah is annointed

The Messiah is the first-born

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "AND LET ALL THE ANGELS
OF GOD WORSHIP HIM."

First of all, we need to distinguish between two different (biblical) senses of the phrase "Son of God".
There are many different connotations of this phrase in the New Testament:
"This is arguably the most significant christological title in the NT. Son of God or its
equivalents (the Son, my Son, etc.) occur more than 124 times in the NT, and may be
the foremost christological category in each of the Gospels. The NT characteristically
describes Jesus relationship to God in terms of divine sonship. The concept itself carries
a variety of meanings, including commissioning to special work, obedience, intimate
fellowship, knowledge, likeness and the receiving of blessings and gifts. [NT:DictJG, s.v.
"Son of God"]
We will focus on two of these--the 'commissioning to special work' and the 'likeness' ones
One. The most prevalent use of the phrase (in the Bible) is to describe appointed rulers,
something like a vice-regent of God, supposedly reflecting the Father's value, wishes, and
perspectives. These 'sons of God' (bene elohim) in the OT/Tanaach comprised angels
(who had some level of authority over the cosmos), Adam (who had authority over the
earth), and the Davidic monarchs (who had authority over God's people Israel, and
eventually, to be extended to over the gentiles).
Ruling-Sonship (bene-elohim ship) normally carried five core concepts:
1.
being a potential heir and successor (although there were often multiple contenders)
2.
being a faithful advocate and worker for the parents will/interests (especially as messenger)
3.
having some authority/responsibility over the administration of the estate (e.g., Kings sons
were stationed in various regions of a kingdom)
4.
looking like the original (e.g., family resemblance to the parent).
5.
Being a co-ruler, yet theoretically subordinate, with the Original/Father, sometimes (e.g.,
Jehoash/Jeroboam II in Israel; Ahaz/Hezekiah in Judah).

This concept/term of bene-elohim shows up in a number of cases in Scripture:

1.
The angels are called this (cf. Job 1,2)
2.
Adam was called a son of God by Luke (in the genealogy of Jesus).
3.
Jesus was always called THE Son of God.
4.
Believers in the NT are called sons of God (we are supposed to 'rule and reign' with Him
someday).
5.
The Israelite monarch was called Gods Son (e.g., David, Solomon), since they were supposed
to rule under/for God
6.
Pagan pre-flood kings, claiming to be divine (and perhaps energized by evil angel/spirits), were
called this in Genesis 6.
7.
The nation Israel is called my son in Hosea (out of Egypt I called my son), supposed to rule
over the nations (as righteous king-priests) eventually.
This meaning of 'son of God' specifically referred to the derivative authority, in the same
way we saw in the messianic titles/roles. The authority, power, enabling, and heartdirection were supposed to come from God. The closer the heart of the ruler to the heart
of God, the closer 'heaven would be on earth' in that reign. To the extent the heart of the
ruler was different from the heart of the Great God, to that extent the reign would be 'also
ran' caliber, degrading often into the destructive. David was the best-case ruler, since he
was a man "after God's own heart"--even though his life was filled with failures.
1.

Israel as God's Son

When God instructed Moses preparing him to speak before Pharaoh, He said,
"Israel is my firstborn son'Let my son go.'" (Exodus 4:22,23.)
It was God who "fathered Israel." The Lord called Israel into existence through the
Gentile, Abraham. To him was promised blessing and the privilege of being a
blessing to all the nations. Israel then is God's own, a sanctified treasure, a son preeminent. For as a people, Israel is called to accomplish God's purpose. Through
Israel's posterity would come Messiah.
"Sonship" expresses a formal relationship. In Scripture it could signify more than a
family tie. It was also used to denote the citizenship of the nation, the membership
in a craftsmen's guild or that one was the disciple of a teacher. Israel was called a
son in the family sense.
Yet it was not uncommon, in Old Testament times, for a Near Eastern ruler to claim
sonships to one of the gods. Pharaoh was, for example, revered as a divine progeny,
the result of a sexual union between the god Ra and the Egyptian queen. While
Israel has prayed to "God, our Father," our people do not claim divine equality.
Sonships is understood as a relationship to the Creator, an example of the creature
beloved by a gracious God. This relationship is demonstrated again when Moses
reminds Israel of God's fatherly love for the nation in his farewell speech:
"Is He not (the Lord) your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed
you?" (Deuteronomy 32:6.)

2.

Special Son

"'When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise
up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish
his kingdom.'"
-1 Chronicles 17:11
Of this one, God says, "I will be his father, and he will be my son." (I
Chronicles 17:13.) Perhaps it was to this individual that the psalmist referred when
he proclaimed:

The second psalm begins with a description of the earthly rulers in revolt. They have
focused their rebellion against God and His Anointed (the Messiah) in verse two. The
verse following gives their cry of insurrection. God's response puts them in their
place. The poet describes Him as laughing from heaven (verses 4-6) at the rebels.
The ancients haven't missed the significance of the relationship to the Lord and His
Anointed One. As a matter of fact, they remark in a simile where "God, and His
Messiah" are likened to a king and "the son of the king." (Yalkut, pare. 620, p. 90A,
line 12 from the bottom.)
Now a third voice comes into the psalm. First we heard the psalmist and then the
thundering voice of God. Now comes the voice of God's Son to tell us the declaration
of the Lord: "I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, 'You are my

Son; today I have become your Father.' " (Verse 7.) Those very words, "You are my
Son," echo again in later history as God gives testimony from heaven at the baptism
of Jesus adding, "With you I am well pleased. " (Luke 3:22 b and Mark 1:11 b.)
Here we have that special Son of God, recognized by David as much more than one
of his earthly descendants, but also the Anointed One of God. He closes with an
admonition to do homage to the Son (verses 11 and 12). Rabbi Ibn Ezra of Spain
wrote during the twelfth century, "The exhortation to submit to Yahweh is followed
by the exhortation to do homage to Yahweh's Son." Yes, the rabbis knew of The Son
of God and called Him Messiah.

The second psalm begins with a description of the earthly rulers in revolt. They have
focused their rebellion against God and His Anointed (the Messiah) in verse two. The
verse following gives their cry of insurrection. God's response puts them in their
place. The poet describes Him as laughing from heaven (verses 4-6) at the rebels.
The ancients haven't missed the significance of the relationship to the Lord and His
Anointed One. As a matter of fact, they remark in a simile where "God, and His
Messiah" are likened to a king and "the son of the king." (Yalkut, pare. 620, p. 90A,
line 12 from the bottom.)
Now a third voice comes into the psalm. First we heard the psalmist and then the
thundering voice of God. Now comes the voice of God's Son to tell us the declaration
of the Lord: "I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, 'You are my
Son; today I have become your Father.' " (Verse 7.) Those very words, "You are my
Son," echo again in later history as God gives testimony from heaven at the baptism
of Jesus adding, "With you I am well pleased. " (Luke 3:22 b and Mark 1:11 b.)
Here we have that special Son of God, recognized by David as much more than one
of his earthly descendants, but also the Anointed One of God. He closes with an
admonition to do homage to the Son (verses 11 and 12). Rabbi Ibn Ezra of Spain
wrote during the twelfth century, "The exhortation to submit to Yahweh is followed
by the exhortation to do homage to Yahweh's Son." Yes, the rabbis knew of The Son
of God and called Him Messiah.
3.

Son From the Talmud, Sukkah (52a):

"Our rabbis taught, The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the Messiah,
the son of David (May he reveal himself speedily in our days), 'Ask of Me
anything, and I will give to Thee,' as it is said (Psalm 2:7,8): 'I will tell of
the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, 'Thou art My son; this day I have
begotten Thee. Ask of Me and I will give the nations for Thine inheritance.'"
And in the mystical writing of the Zohar:
"Behold Jehovah, rideth swift upon a cloud."
"it is the Son, of Whom it is written, 'Kiss the Son'; Thou art the Son, the
faithful shepherd; of Thee it is said, 'Kiss the Son.' Tho Thou art the
Governor of the universe, the Head of Israel, the Lord of the ministering
angels, the Son of the Highest, the Son of the Holy and blessed One, yea the
very Shechinah."
-Part 3, folio 307, Amsterdam edition

The early Jews for Jesus connected this second psalm with Jesus. After being
harassed by Temple officials for preaching the Messiahship of Jesus in the holy
sanctuary grounds, Peter and John are released. They report to the other believers in
Jerusalem just what happened. As they all pray together, the first two verses of
Psalm 2 are recalled as a promise to King David, acknowledged by him and fulfilled
in Jesus (Acts 4:25-27).
4.

Jesus, the Son of God

Later, Paul will quote from the psalm. In doing so he answers an enigmatic question
from verse seven where it says, "Today I have become your father." Just what day
was the psalmist referring to? It is the day when God demonstrated conclusively the
full acceptance of His anointed redeemer. It is the day when the promised son of
David would be proven fit to rule on the throne forever. Through Paul, we are told
that it is the day of RESURRECTION:
"the gospel of Godthe gospel he promised beforehand through his
prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human
nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness
was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the
dead: Jesus Christ (the Messiah) our Lord."
-Romans 1:1c-4
Paul was telling this truth from the very early stages of his ministry. When he first
went to the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, he announced the fulfillment of what
God had been promising all along:
"We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled
for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second
Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'"
-Acts 13:32,33
5.

NT quotes about the Son

In the New Testament this phrase frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to
God by adoption ( Rom 8:14,19; 2Cr 6:18; Gal 4:5,6; Phl 2:15; 1Jo 3:1,2). It occurs thirty-seven
times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour. He does not bear this title in
consequence of his miraculous birth, nor of his incarnation, his resurrection, and exaltation to
the Father's right hand. This is a title of nature and not of office. The sonship of Christ denotes
his equality with the Father. To call Christ the Son of God is to assert his true and proper
divinity. The second Person of the Trinity, because of his eternal relation to the first Person, is
the Son of God. He is the Son of God as to his divine nature, while as to his human nature he is
the Son of David ( Rom 1:3,4; Gal 4:4; Jhn 1:1-14; 5:18-25; 10:30-38), which prove that Christ
was the Son of God before his incarnation, and that his claim to this title is a claim of equality
with God.

Mat 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou
art the Son of God.
Mat 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure
thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

10

Luk 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that
I am.
Jhn 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the
King of Israel.
Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jhn 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved.
Jhn 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Act 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Rom 1:4 And declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by
the resurrection from the dead:
2Cr 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, [even] by me
and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.

6.

Early Church Fathers concerning the Sonship of Jesus

Nicene/325: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and
invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his
Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very
God, begotten (gennhqevnta), not made, being of one substance (oJmoouvsion,
consubstantialem) with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which be in
heaven and in earth. Who for us men and for our salvation came down [from heaven] and
was incarnate and was made man. He suffered and the third day he rose again, and
ascended into heaven. And he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead. And
[we believe] in the Holy Ghost. And whosoever shall say that there was a time when the
Son of God was not (h[n pote o\{te oujk h\n), or that before he was begotten he was not,
or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a different substance or
essence [from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change or conversion all
that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them.
Nicene-Constantinopolitan/381: I believe in one God the Father Almighty; Maker of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light
of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance (essence)
with the Father; by whom all things were made; who, for us men and for our salvation,
came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and
was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was
buried; and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into
heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to
judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no endAnd in the Holy Ghost,
the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father [and the Son]; who with the
Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified"

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Chalcedon/451: Following the five holy Ecumenical Councils and the holy and approved
Fathers, with one voice defining that our Lord Jesus Christ must be confessed to be very
God and very man, one of the holy and consubstantial and life-giving Trinity, perfect in
Deity and perfect in humanity, very God and very man, of a reasonable soul and human
body subsisting; consubstantial with the Father as touching his Godhead and
consubstantial with us as touching his manhood; in all things like unto us, sin only
excepted; begotten of his Father before all ages according to his Godhead, but in these
last days for us men and for our salvation made man of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin
Mary, strictly and properly the Mother of God according to the flesh; one and the same
Christ our Lord the only-begotten Son of two natures un-confusedly, unchangeably,
inseparably indivisibly to be recognized, the peculiarities of neither nature being lost by
the union but rather the proprieties of each nature being preserved, concurring in one
Person and in one subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons but one and the
same only-begotten Son of God, the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, according as the
Prophets of old have taught us and as our Lord Jesus Christ himself hath instructed us,
and the Creed of the holy Fathers hath delivered to us;
Trinitarianism actually affirms the shared essence of the Three Persons, and draws few 'hard'
conclusions from that (other than the obvious worship and glory attributes). It is appropriate to
understand the shared-essence to imply shared capability (e.g., power, omniscience), but these are
relative to things outside the Trinity--i.e., the creation. The relationships within the Trinity are not
described in any detail in these creeds, although theologians have discussed this for centuries and
centuries. But, at the end of the day, there is no 'official position' on intra-God relationships (other
than the vague 'proceeding' and 'begetting, not making' aspects). Authority, of course, is not
mentioned in the creeds at all.

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