CHAPTER II—Of Generation, Paternity, and Sonship in God

WE find in the New Testament frequent attestations that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: Matt. xi, 27: Mark i, 1: John iii, 35: v, 21: Rom. i, 1: Heb. i, 1. And the same, though more rarely, in the Old Testament: Prov. xxx, 4: Ps. ii, 7: Ps. lxxxviii, 27. On the two last passages we must understand that as some expressions in the context may suit David, others not at all, these words are spoken of David and Solomon, according to the custom of Scripture, as prefiguring some one else, in whom all that is said is fulfilled.

And because the names of ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ are consequent upon some generative process, Scripture has not omitted to speak of divine generation, Ps. ii, 7: Prov. viii, 24, 25: John i, 14, 18: Heb. i, 6.⁸⁷⁹⁸⁷⁹St Thomas also appeals to Isaias lxvi, 9, in the Vulgate reading. He says: “To whatever meaning the term ‘generation’ is applied, still the reasoning put in the mouth of God remains firm and stable, that if He gives generation to others, He should not Himself be barren: since a perfection must always exist in a nobler way in the cause than in the things caused.” But the reading in Isaias is uncertain, and the application to the eternal generation of the Word has seemed to many, even Catholic commentators, not to suit the text. Revelation is gradual, and must not be antedated.