God as Family — The Father, the Son, and the Children by "Adoption" as Sons

 

 God as Family: The Father, the Son, and the Children by Adoption

Introduction

One of the most profound revelations of the New Testament is that God is not a single, solitary person, but a divine family in formation, headed by the Father, and in which Jesus Christ, the Son, occupies a central place as the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29). This doctrine is not a late invention of Christianity, but has firm roots in the Hebrew Scriptures and is fully developed in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

 

1. God as Family from the beginning

Already in the Old Testament we find glimpses of a divine duality:

 Proverbs 30:4

“What is his name, and his son’s name, if you know?”

This is not mere poetry: it is a theological question that implies that God has a Son since ancient times.

 Daniel 7:13–14

“...one like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days…”

Here are two divine beings interacting: one as the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) and the other as the Ancient of Days (the Father).

 

2. The Word: the Spokesman who has spoken from the beginning

 Juan 1:1–3, 14

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... and the Word became flesh...”

Christ is identified as the Word (Logos), that is, the Spokesman of God, the one who spoke with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and the prophets.

 Juan 5:37

“You have never heard his voice, nor have you seen his form.”

If this is true, then the God who spoke in the Old Testament was not the Father directly, but the Son, acting as the visible and audible Spokesperson for the invisible Father.

 Juan 1:18

“No one has ever seen God; the only Son... he has made him known.”

 

3. The baptism of Jesus: three people?

In Matthew 3:16–17 we read:

“And Jesus, after he was baptized... saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him.
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Some use this as proof of a trinity, but upon closer examination we see:

·          The “ Spirit of God ” descends like ( ὡσεὶ ) a dove: the Greek verbal form (V-PPM/P-ANS) indicates an impersonal and symbolic action, not a person.

·          The “ voice from heaven ” does not imply that the Father spoke directly, but rather that it was a sound manifestation sent from heaven, as the Word did many times in the Old Testament.

·          According to John 5:37, the Father's voice has never been heard directly.

In short, Jesus did not speak to himself, nor was the Father seen or heard literally. He was a multiple manifestation of the Word and the Spirit of God.

 

4. Jesus came to reveal the Father

Christ explicitly states that his primary mission was to reveal the Father, who was unknown even to Israel:

 Mateo 11:27

“No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

 Juan 14:6–7

“No one comes to the Father except through me... from now on you know him and have seen him.”

 

5. The Father and the Son are distinct but united

On many occasions we see Jesus praying, talking and submitting to the Father, as a different being:

 Juan 17:5

“Glorify me with you, with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

 Juan 11:41–42

“Father, I thank you for having heard me...”

These are not metaphors: they are real interactions between two divine beings, within a family structure.

 

6. The purpose: to form a divine Family

God's plan was always to create a spiritual family in his image. Through Jesus Christ, we too are called children of God:

 Juan 1:12

“But as many as received him... to them he gave the right to become children of God…”

 Romans 8:14–17

“...you are children; and if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”

 Hebrews 2:10–12

“...bring many sons to glory... is not ashamed to call them brothers.”

 

7. The family has a name and a heritage

 Ephesians 3:14–15

“...the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.”

God's family is not allegorical: it has a Father, a Son, an inheritance, a purpose, and we are part of it by adoption, through the Spirit of God.

 

Conclusion

The Bible gradually reveals that God is not an eternal solitude, but an expanding divine family. The Father is the head of that family, the Son is the firstborn, and we are children by adoption if we remain in the faith.

This truth was kept secret for centuries and only fully revealed by Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, who came to show us the Father and invite us to be part of His family forever.

Problem with the word "adoption"

The Greek term υἱοθεσία (huiothesía, Strong's G5206). Let's analyze it in detail to determine if there is a more accurate or faithful alternative to “adoption,” especially in the biblical context of being made children of God.

 Etymology of G5206 – υἱοθεσία (huiothesía)

 Composition of the term:

·          son (huios, G5207): hijo

·          τίθημι (tithēmi, G5087): to place, to set, to establish

Therefore, it literally means:

“placement as a son” or “establishment as a son”.

 Traditional translation: “adoption”

·          In Roman law, adoption was a legal process by which a child was incorporated into a new family and received full inheritance rights.

·          This image was adopted by many Spanish Bible translations (such as Reina-Valera) and by the Western Christian tradition.

❗Problem with the word "adoption"

Although “adoption” works culturally, it does not communicate the full richness and spiritual intent of the Greek term:

1.       It is not just a legal change, but a spiritual transformation.

2.       The word “adoption” can give the idea of an external, legal and non-organic bond, when in reality the believer is born of God by the Spirit (Jn 3:5-6).

3.       The NT presents this placement as sons not as an external inclusion, but as a destiny planned before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:5).

More faithful alternatives to Greek (huiothesía)

Here are some options closer to the deeper meaning:

Proposed alternative	Advantage	Description
Placement as a child	Literal	Exact and faithful translation, although not very idiomatic.
Designation as a son	Conceptual	Indicates intention, divine choice
Subsidiary establishment	Formal and spiritual	Expresses God's intentional action to make us children
Investiture as a son	Rich in symbolism	It can be used in eschatological contexts (Romans 8:23)
Recognition as a son	Relational	It emphasizes divine acceptance, not just the legal act
Admission to affiliation	Doctrinal	Suitable for theological expositions

 

 Concrete biblical applications

1. Romans 8:15

“…you have received the Spirit of sonship, by which we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’”

 Here, the believer's intimate, experiential relationship with God is emphasized. The word "adoption" sounds cold and legalistic. A choice like "son placement" or "establishment" may be more faithful to the Greek and spiritual experience.

 

2. Romans 8:23

“…waiting for the placement as sons, the redemption of our body.”

 Here the term looks toward the future, as an act of final manifestation of those who are already children of the Spirit. “Adoption” sounds like a beginning; “filial manifestation” or “consecration as children” would be more eschatological alternatives.

 

3. Galatians 4:5

“…so that we might receive the placement as children.”

 Here, the context is redemption from the law and the transition to a full family relationship with God. Alternatives such as "entering into sonship" or "recognition as sons" can help better express the idea.

 

✅ Conclusion

The translation “adoption” is not incorrect, but it is limited and culturally charged. Since the Greek term υἱοθεσία (huiothesía) did not exist in the Old Testament and appears only in NT Christian contexts, we can rightly look for a richer and more faithful word.

 The best possible translation depending on the context would be:

 

"placement as a son" or "establishment as a son", and depending on the approach, "investiture", "designation", or "entry into sonship".