When Did Calling Jesus the Son of God First Appear in Biblical History?

The Bible first directly links the title "Son of God" to Jesus in the angel's message to Mary before His birth. Yet Scripture also reveals that Christ did not begin to exist in Bethlehem: He is the eternal Son of God, whom the Father sent into the world for our salvation.

The question of the "first" time Jesus was called the Son of God needs to be considered carefully. It could mean: when was this title first uttered in the biblical narrative of Christ's earthly life? Or when did Christ first become the Son of God? To the first question, the Gospel gives a clear answer. To the second, the answer must be equally biblical: Jesus did not become God's Son merely at the moment of His birth, because He existed prior to the incarnation and was sent by the Father.

The First Explicit Proclamation in the Gospel Story

In the chronology of the New Testament, the title "Son of God" is first directly stated at the Annunciation. The angel Gabriel explained to Mary the supernatural origin of the Child who would be born of her. His words connect the title "Son of God" with Christ's coming in human nature:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

Therefore, when speaking of the first explicit designation of Jesus as the Son of God in the historical progression of His earthly arrival, it is Luke 1:35. It does not say that Christ only then began to be the Son in an eternal sense. Rather, the text states that the Holy Person to be born of Mary through the operation of the Holy Spirit "shall be called the Son of God."

The Father’s Testimony at Christ’s Baptism

The next solemn public affirmation took place at the baptism of Jesus. After Christ came up from the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the Father’s voice testified to His identity and the acceptance of His ministry:

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matt 3:17

This was not an adoption of Jesus, nor did it mean He became God’s Son on the day of His baptism. The Father did not say, "Now You have become My Son," but proclaimed, "This is My beloved Son." Baptism was the unveiling of the Messiah to Israel and the start of His public ministry. In it, the entire Trinity acts together: the Son is baptized, the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks.

The Old Testament Promise of the Son of God

Although the name Jesus was not yet revealed before the incarnation, the Old Testament speaks prophetically of the Messiah as the Son of God. In the second psalm, the Lord addresses His Anointed:

“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’” Ps 2:7

The apostles applied this passage to Jesus. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews especially emphasizes that the Son stands incomparably higher than the angels:

“For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me’?” Heb 1:5

The words "today I have begotten You" do not support the idea that Christ was created. In its biblical context, the psalm speaks of the royal proclamation of the Messiah and His installation. The book of Acts links this psalm to Christ's resurrection—that is, to His triumphant manifestation as the Messianic King, not to the beginning of His existence.

The Son Was Sent into the World

The most significant testimony to Christ’s preexistence is found in passages where the Father sends His Son. One can only send Someone who already exists. John does not speak of a Son who came into being at the moment of His arrival on earth, but of the Son whom God gave for the salvation of humanity:

“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.” John 3:16

“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9

Jesus Himself prayed about the glory He shared with the Father before the world was created:

“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:5

The Adventist understanding aligns with these scriptures: Christ is the eternal, uncreated Son of God. Ellen White emphasized that in Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. This does not seek to explain the Godhead in human terms, but it guards the biblical truth regarding Christ's full deity and eternity.

Conclusion and Practical Application

Thus, the first direct calling of Jesus as the Son of God in the New Testament narrative is found in Luke 1:35, in Gabriel's announcement to Mary. The Old Testament prophetically designates the Messiah as the Son of God, and the New Testament reveals that this Son existed with the Father before the creation of the world and was sent for our redemption.

Practically, this means that Jesus is not merely a great Teacher or prophet. He is the beloved Son of the Father, the Savior of the world, and the Lord worthy of our trust and worship. Turn to Him in prayer today, thank Him for His willing coming into the world, and choose to live as a child of God through faith in Him.