Who Were the Sons of God in Genesis
TITLE
GENESIS 6:1-8. : Who were “Sons of God” in Genesis 6 and what role did they play in human history?
Who were the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 and what role did they play in Human History?
1. Introduction
There has been much speculation about the meaning of the "sons of God" and who do they relate to in the book of Genesis 6. While not fully agreed upon, there are three basic interpretations of this passage.
The oldest generally agreed belief is that "the sons of God" were fallen angels. It is advocated that angels were attracted to earthly women and took the form of human-like beings. The sin in this case was the union between supernatural beings and humans. These creatures married human women and they bore a corrupt race of giants.11 This view was widely held and was supported by the earliest Jewish writers such as Flavius Josephus, Philo, Eusebius and many of the early church fathers including Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Athenagoras and Commodianus.
The second view is one which was first suggested by Julius Africanus in the third century CE and strongly supported by Saint Augustine, the Catholic Bishop of Hippo. The interpretation, proposes to take the term “sons of God” to mean the chosen portion of mankind, Seth’s male descendants and the daughters were Cain’s female descendants. This union between Seth’s sons who were considered as good and daughters of Cain considered as bad, was the beginning of mixed marriages
The other concept is that "the sons of God" were Rulers. This view provided a basis for explanation of rabbinical Judaism. According to this view Kings and the divinely honored took to themselves any women of their choice. The honored8 divine rulers took to themselves any wife weather from among the commoners, presumably the line of Cain or Seth. The nature of the sin is thought to lie in polygamy. However, it is not widely accepted by modern scholars.
As our discussion is centered on defining
GENESIS 6:1-8. : Who were “Sons of God” in Genesis 6 and what role did they play in human history?
Who were the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 and what role did they play in Human History?
1. Introduction
There has been much speculation about the meaning of the "sons of God" and who do they relate to in the book of Genesis 6. While not fully agreed upon, there are three basic interpretations of this passage.
The oldest generally agreed belief is that "the sons of God" were fallen angels. It is advocated that angels were attracted to earthly women and took the form of human-like beings. The sin in this case was the union between supernatural beings and humans. These creatures married human women and they bore a corrupt race of giants.11 This view was widely held and was supported by the earliest Jewish writers such as Flavius Josephus, Philo, Eusebius and many of the early church fathers including Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Athenagoras and Commodianus.
The second view is one which was first suggested by Julius Africanus in the third century CE and strongly supported by Saint Augustine, the Catholic Bishop of Hippo. The interpretation, proposes to take the term “sons of God” to mean the chosen portion of mankind, Seth’s male descendants and the daughters were Cain’s female descendants. This union between Seth’s sons who were considered as good and daughters of Cain considered as bad, was the beginning of mixed marriages
The other concept is that "the sons of God" were Rulers. This view provided a basis for explanation of rabbinical Judaism. According to this view Kings and the divinely honored took to themselves any women of their choice. The honored8 divine rulers took to themselves any wife weather from among the commoners, presumably the line of Cain or Seth. The nature of the sin is thought to lie in polygamy. However, it is not widely accepted by modern scholars.
As our discussion is centered on defining