ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA GRIEGA
Huiós (υἱός) — Son in the New Testament
υἱός (huiós) is a common Greek noun rendered 'son,' used for literal offspring, descendants, and in many figurative constructions such as 'Son of God' and 'Son of Man.'
Significado de la palabra
At its core �ἱός denotes a male offspring or descendant. The lexicon notes that in the Septuagint it almost always translates Hebrew בֵּן (ben), so its range in the New Testament inherits Semitic patterns of kinship language. The KJV usage summary lists three primary renderings: 'child,' 'foal,' and 'son.'
Beyond direct family relations, υἱός is used in a wider genealogical sense, as in 'son of David' or 'sons of Israel,' identifying lineage or national belonging rather than immediate parentage. The phrase 'son of David' became a recognized messianic title in Jewish expectation, applied to Jesus in passages such as Matthew 1:1 and Matthew 1:20.
The word also forms a large set of figurative expressions built on the pattern 'son of X,' where X names a quality, realm, or sphere of belonging. Examples include 'son of peace' (Luke 10:6), 'sons of the resurrection' (Luke 20:36), and 'son of perdition' (John 17:12). The two most theologically loaded uses are 'Son of God' (υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ) and 'Son of Man' (ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου), the latter being a self-designation Jesus uses predominantly of himself.
Uso en las Escrituras
In narrative contexts υἱός often appears in genealogies and birth accounts, as in Matthew 1:1 ('the son of David, the son of Abraham') and Matthew 1:20 where the angel addresses Joseph as 'son of David.' These usages tie Jesus' identity into the covenant lineage of Israel. Matthew 2:14 likewise calls the young child Jesus simply 'the young child.'
A second major context is the divine declaration at the baptism, where Matthew 3:17 records the Father's voice: 'This is my beloved Son.' Here the article is used (Υἱός), marking a unique, singular sonship rather than the generic 'son of God' expression applied to believers elsewhere (compare Matthew 5:9, where peacemakers are called 'sons of God' in the plural υἱοί).
Temptation narratives also hinge on the title. In Matthew 4:3 the tempter says, 'If you are the Son of God,' testing the relationship announced at the baptism. Across the Gospels and Epistles υἱός thus carries both the ordinary meaning of male offspring and the loaded theological weight of divine sonship and messianic identity.
La palabra en detalle
- G5207 υἱός is one of the highest-frequency kinship terms in the NT (319 total occurrences). Its Septuagint background means much of its usage follows Hebrew בֵּן patterns, which is why so many 'son of X' phrases appear in Semitic-Greek idiom. Three uses deserve particular attention: literal son/descendant, the messianic 'Son of David,' and the two supreme titles 'Son of God' and 'Son of Man.'
Versículos de ejemplo
- Matthew 1:1 Opens the genealogy with 'son of David, son of Abraham,' showing υἱός used in a wide genealogical sense that places Jesus within Israel's covenant history.
- Matthew 1:20 The angel addresses Joseph as 'son of David,' applying the messianic lineage title to the legal father of Jesus and tying the birth narrative to David's line.
- Matthew 3:17 At the baptism God declares Jesus 'my beloved Son,' using the articular singular to mark unique divine sonship distinct from the plural 'sons of God' applied to believers.
- Matthew 5:9 Peacemakers 'shall be called sons of God,' a plural figurative use (υἱοί) that expresses belonging to God's sphere rather than literal descent.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is υἱός always translated 'son'?
No. The KJV usage summary lists 'child,' 'foal,' and 'son.' Context determines the rendering: 'foal' for animals (as in Matthew's citation about a donkey's colt), 'child' for a young offspring, and 'son' for kinship or figurative uses.
What is the difference between 'Son of God' and 'sons of God' in Greek?
'Son of God' in the unique sense uses the articular singular Υἱός (e.g., Matthew 3:17; 4:3), while 'sons of God' applied to believers is the plural υἱοί (e.g., Matthew 5:9). The article and number signal unique versus shared relationship.
Does 'Son of Man' come from this same word?
Yes. The phrase � υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου uses υἱός. Based on the Aramaic of Daniel 7:13, it originally meant 'a human being,' but Jesus adopted it as a self-title combining his true humanity and representative role.