There are a few “son of ...” phrases which are popular in our culture. “Son of a...” as an independent phrase was popularized by “Tommy Boy.” Whenever he took a shot to the face, his painful outburst was simply, “OWW, Son of a!” “Son of a gun” is a tamer version of the more common “SOB” phrase. Both can be used as a forceful exclamation of frustration, disappointment, or throbbing thumb pain due to a stray swing of the hammer.
On the other hand, “SOB” can also be used as an insult to the highest degree: “You dirty no good SOB!” When used, the one using it isn’t necessarily saying something about your actual mother as if she were the “b-word”, and you just happen to be her son. Instead, it is understood that the person is saying something about you yourself. There is something about your character that another person is calling out.
In a biblical context, “Son of ...” statements were rather common. If you were to do a search for all the times “Son of” is used, you would find mostly biological references, such as “He was the son of X who was the son of Y, the son of Z,” and so on. “Son of David” was used often to refer to anyone who came from David’s line to become king of Israel. There is also a large number of “Son of God” references used to describe Jesus.
However, there are a few “Son of” references that are not purely biological (or Christological) in nature. Instead, they are used to describe the character and behaviors of the person. Similarly, to be called an “SOB” meant that you acted like a “B”, not that your mother was one.
Acts 4 introduces Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement.” His real name was Joseph, but apparently he was going around encouraging everyone to such an extent that he earned the nickname “Son of Encouragement.” In fact, the other 22 times he is mentioned in Acts, he is never called by his real name. Instead, Paul and “Son of Encouragement” went around preaching the gospel together. “Encouragement” was his nickname because encouraging was the nature of his character: encouraging was what he did.
In Mark 3, Jesus gave James and John, both sons of Zebedee, the nickname “Sons of Thunder.” They probably didn’t earn that nickname because they were quiet, reserved, and dignified. Instead, there was something about their character that reminded Jesus of thunder. Perhaps you know a few “sons of thunder.”
In Luke, as Jesus sends out 72 disciples to preach the gospel, part of his instructions include proclaiming “Peace” to any house they enter, and “If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him.” They were to look for men whose character and behaviors were controlled by peace.
On a more negative side, Jesus mentions the “Son of Destruction,” an apparent reference to Judas Iscariot in John 17.12. “Son of Destruction” is reapplied to a “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2.3. Also, in Acts 13, Paul encountered a magician who actively opposed him and his ministry, whom he called, “son of the devil” (Acts 13.10). In these instances, the speaker is saying something about their character or behavior.
In Matthew 5:45, another “Son of” phrase is introduced. If being called a “son of” something meant that you somehow displayed the character of that “something,” perhaps you can imagine the excitement that one may have felt listening to Jesus tell them how to be “sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5.45).
In a sermon where the main point is “You are to be different,” and “Your righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees,” the force of Jesus’ words could mean this: If you truly want to be sons of your Father, then you need to act like your Father, displaying your Father’s character. Specifically, how does Jesus suggest we accomplish this? By loving our enemies.
In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus corrects another Old Testament misunderstanding. “Love your neighbor” should have been obvious. After all, that was explicitly commanded in Leviticus 19.18. However, what should have been easy became a point of contention between Jesus and a teacher who tried to test him in Luke 10. The teacher asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He may have thought that if he could just positively identify who his neighbors were, he was obligated to love them and nobody else. Perhaps he thought Jesus would answer, “The person who lives next door to you,” or “Anyone who lives on your street.” Or, following Leviticus 19.18, Jesus might have answered, “One of your people” (meaning “other Jews”).
Instead, Jesus tells a parable that not only puts the teacher back in his place, but also addresses the second part of the misconception in Matthew 5.43: “Hate your enemy.” That is not biblical. The closest we come to that is Deuteronomy 23.6, where God commands the Israelites not to seek a treaty of friendship with the Ammonites. But even so, they are never commanded to hate them. In fact, they are told in the following verses not to abhor the Edomites and Egyptians. Somehow “Don’t make treaties of friendship” had become “go ahead and hate them.”
Back to Luke 10, Jesus never gave the teacher a direct answer. Instead, he told the parable of the Good Samaritan. On one occasion, a Jew got beat up, robbed, and left for dead. A Levite and a priest saw him in despair, but did nothing. Instead, a dirty no-good “SOB” Samaritan helped him—a sworn enemy—out of his own pocket. Jesus closes the parable by asking, “Who was his neighbor?” The Samaritan, obviously.
I think we have lost the enormous force of the parable because of it’s familiarity. “Good Samaritan” has come to describe anybody who helps anybody else out. Perhaps it would bring back the shock-factor if we told the story as if a Jew got beat up and robbed, and a Good Nazi came to his aid. If an African-American got beat up and a Good KKK member came to his aid. If a Christian got beat up and a Good Al-Qaida soldier came to his aid.
They had been told that they should love their neighbors while it is acceptable to hate their enemies. But for Jesus, simply loving your neighbors is not good enough. Furthermore, hating your enemies is unacceptable. Instead, Love Your Enemies. Pray for your persecutors. Be a Good Samaritan to your sworn enemies. “So that you may be Sons of your Father in Heaven.” When you show love for your enemies to the same degree that you show love to your friends, you are displaying the character of God.
Jesus emphasizes his point further. God shines his sun on the evil and the good. He also sends his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Both “sun” and “rain” are to be understood positively, as gifts. He gives gifts to Christians and non-Christians alike: should we not act like God acts by treating God’s “enemies” as he himself treats them?
Furthermore, if we are to be different, it will not come about by simply loving those who love us, greeting only brothers. We should be doing that. However, we should also go beyond that. What will make us different is when we show love to those who have shown nothing but hatred to us.
It is no coincidence that the seventh beatitude declares, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” A significant part of God’s own character is marked by (among other things) making peace. Thus, when we strive to make peace by loving our neighbors and our enemies, we are acting like God. If, through obedience and the Holy Spirit, we act like God in this respect, it becomes our distinct honor to have Jesus call us Sons of our Father in Heaven.
Perhaps one of the most humbling facts of life is that every Christian was at one time an “enemy” of God. He had options. He could have treated us as our sins deserved. He could have killed us all in a fiery blaze. He could have simply abandoned his project and started over. We were, after all, his enemies. Yet he took a different option. Being his enemies did not prevent him from loving us still. So he sent his son to confront his enemies, all in an effort to make peace. Love and compassion are part of God’s nature, and whether we are his “enemies” or not is irrelevant. He loves us all the same.
If we are to be different, we need to have that same nature. We need to act with love and compassion toward friends and enemies alike. Then, not only will we be “sons of our Father in Heaven,” but we will, in that way, “Be perfect” as our heavenly Father is perfect.
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