Easton's Bible Dictionary

Son of God The plural, "sons of God," is used (Gen 6:2, Gen 6:4) to denote the pious descendants of Seth. In Job 1:6; Job 38:7 this name is applied to the angels. Hosea uses the phrase (Hos 1:10) to designate the gracious relation in which men stand to God. In the New Testament this phrase frequently denotes the relation into which we are brought to God by adoption (Rom 8:14, Rom 8:19; Co2 6:18; Gal 4:5, Gal 4:6; Phi 2:15; Jo1 3:1, Jo1 3:2). It occurs thirty-seven times in the New Testament as the distinctive title of our Saviour. He does not bear this title in consequence of his miraculous birth, nor of his incarnation, his resurrection, and exaltation to the Father's right hand. This is a title of nature and not of office. The sonship of Christ denotes his equality with the Father. To call Christ the Son of God is to assert his true and proper divinity. The second Person of the Trinity, because of his eternal relation to the first Person, is the Son of God. He is the Son of God as to his divine nature, while as to his human nature he is the Son of David (Rom 1:3, Rom 1:4. Compare Gal 4:4; Joh 1:1; Joh 5:18; Joh 10:30, which prove that Christ was the Son of God before his incarnation, and that his claim to this title is a claim of equality with God). When used with reference to creatures, whether men or angels, this word is always in the plural. In the singular it is always used of the second Person of the Trinity, with the single exception of Luk 3:38, where it is used of Adam.

Son of Man (1.) Denotes mankind generally, with special reference to their weakness and frailty (Job 25:6; Psa 8:4; Psa 144:3; Psa 146:3; Isa 51:12, etc.). (2.) It is a title frequently given to the prophet Ezekiel, probably to remind him of his human weakness. (3.) In the New Testament it is used forty-three times as a distinctive title of the Saviour. In the Old Testament it is used only in Psa 80:17 and Dan 7:13 with this application. It denotes the true humanity of our Lord. He had a true body (Heb 2:14; Luk 24:39) and a rational soul. He was perfect man.

Songs Of Moses (Ex. 15; Num 21:17; Deut. 32; Rev 15:3), Deborah (Judg. 5), Hannah (1 Sam. 2), David (2 Sam. 22, and Psalms), Mary (Luk 1:46), Zacharias (Luk 1:68), the angels (Luk 2:13), Simeon (Luk 2:29), the redeemed (Rev 5:9; 19), Solomon (see SOLOMON, SONGS OF).

Soothsayer One who pretends to prognosticate future events. Baalam is so called (Jos 13:22; Heb. kosem , a "diviner," as rendered Sa1 6:2; rendered "prudent," Isa 3:2). In Isa 2:6 and Mic 5:12 (Heb. yonenim , i.e., "diviners of the clouds") the word is used of the Chaldean diviners who studied the clouds. In Dan 2:27; Dan 5:7 the word is the rendering of the Chaldee gazrin, i.e., "deciders" or "determiners", here applied to Chaldean astrologers, "who, by casting nativities from the place of the stars at one's birth, and by various arts of computing and divining, foretold the fortunes and destinies of individuals.", Gesenius, Lex. Heb. (See SORCERER.)

Sop A morsel of bread (Joh 13:26; compare Rut 2:14). Our Lord took a piece of unleavened bread, and dipping it into the broth of bitter herbs at the Paschal meal, gave it to Judas. (Compare Rut 2:14.)

Sopater The father who saves, probably the same as Sosipater, a kinsman of Paul (Rom 16:21), a Christian of the city of Berea who accompanied Paul into Asia (Act 20:4).

Sorcerer From the Latin sortiarius , one who casts lots, or one who tells the lot of others. (See DIVINATION.) In Dan 2:2 it is the rendering of the Hebrew mekhashphim, i.e., mutterers, men who professed to have power with evil spirits. The practice of sorcery exposed to severest punishment (Mal 3:5; Rev 21:8; Rev 22:15).

Sorek Choice vine, the name of a valley, i.e., a torrent-bed, now the Wady Surar, "valley of the fertile spot," which drains the western Judean hills, and flowing by Makkedah and Jabneel, falls into the sea some eight miles south of Joppa. This was the home of Deliah, whom Samson loved (Jdg 16:4).

Sosipater (See SOPATER.)

Sosthenes Safe in strength, the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, who was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence of Gallio, the Roman governor, when he refused to proceed against Paul at the instigation of the Jews (Act 18:12). The motives of this assault against Sosthenes are not recorded, nor is it mentioned whether it was made by Greeks or Romans. Some identify him, but without sufficient grounds, with one whom Paul calls "Sosthenes our brother," a convert to the faith (Co1 1:1).