'Son of god' concept in early christianity as a christological title which identifies Jesus

The "Son of God" title which used by Christians to prove that Jesus was a heavenly being is the most prominent dogma that used by his followers at the very early period and underlie Christianity today. Son of God belief is accepted as the essence of Christianity. Setting forth that how this term developed in historical period is important to understand that which meanings it had when it was used for Jesus. Much as the words and practices attributed to Jesus have effects on the emergence of this title, though the ties of first Christians with the past and intellectual background have an important role on the embodiment of this term. For this reason, in our study, it is searched that whether the Son of God title were used before Jesus or not, who used this title for Jesus, what did the first users mean by using that title and how did this term been transformed in the course of time. In this context, theological and historical background of the Son of God title which Christians addressed Jesus are tried to be set forth in a descriptive method. In the first chapter of our study, different forms of the Son of God title or the idea that God has a son or sons in the religious and philosophical traditions in the Middle East and Egypt region before Jesus was discussed. In this respect, it is proved that from Sumerians to Mesopotamian traditions, religion of Egypt, Greek philosophy, Roman cult and Judaism had used the Son of God title in belief extent or as a traditional discourse. As a result of examinations, it is observed that similar thoughts of the Son of God belief that Christians had exists in past traditions. Consequently, it was determined that the Son of God concept in Christianity has been affected from old traditions, even if it is used in different meanings. In the second chapter, primary sources of early Christians were examined. The most prominent first century sources we can have information about Christianity are Matthew, Mark, Luca and John Gospels and letters mostly belong Paul. In these texts, the Son of God title is used many times for Jesus. It is seen that while these usages are similar to Jewish tradition and Tanakh literature in earlier periods, it started to carry a supernal or deific meaning by the effects of Paul's theology at the end of the first century. At the first part of the last chapter some books that are not exist in New Testament Canon but known red by the early Christians and apocryphal books that called as heretic by the Church are examined. It is seen that, in these texts the Son of God title is used for both human being and deific meanings together. Lastly, the letters and books of the Church Fathers lived in the first two centuries scanned and their usage of the Son of God title and its meaning examined. It is proved that Church Fathers took this term from the human sphere to the divine field.