Peter's Confession — 'The Son of the Living God'
Peter was confessing Jesus as the Messiah — God's appointed heavenly Ruler —
not making a deity claim. 'Son of God' is a category that includes angels
and Adam. Jesus is the foremost Son of God because he was God's first
creation, but being God's Son means being produced by God, not being God.
Start with the question Jesus asked — 'Who do YOU say I am?' Every Jehovah's Witness will answer 'the Son of God,' and they mean it sincerely. Affirm their answer: Peter said the same thing, and Jesus said that was revealed by the Father himself. Then ask what 'Son of God' actually meant. Walk through in the NWT: calling God 'his own Father' was 'making himself equal with God.' Reinforce with : the Jews accuse Jesus of making himself God, and Jesus responds by asking why they accuse him of blasphemy for saying 'I am the Son of God' — he equates the two claims. Then : 'He must die because he declared himself to be the Son of God.' If the title just meant 'important angel,' it would not warrant the death penalty under Jewish law. Circle back: when Peter said 'You are the Son of the living God,' and Jesus said that was revealed by the Father — the Father was revealing something the Jews would kill him for claiming. What was it?
In John's Gospel, 'Son of God' is not a lesser title — it is the claim the Jews considered blasphemy, punishable by death. Jesus himself equates 'Son of God' with the charge of making himself God (). The NWT preserves all of this.
Son of God means God's created Son — Adam and the angels are also called sons of God. Jesus is the highest, but still a son, not the Father.
But in your NWT says the Jews wanted to kill Jesus because calling God his 'own Father' made him 'equal to God.' The Jews did not react that way to angels or Adam being called sons. They understood Jesus' claim as something categorically different — and Jesus never corrected them. If 'Son of God' just meant 'a created being,' it would not be blasphemy.
The Bible never says 'God the Son.' It always says 'Son of God.' The Son is subordinate to the Father.
connects the dots in your own NWT. The Jews accuse Jesus of making himself God (v.33). Jesus responds by asking why they accuse him of blasphemy for saying 'I am the Son of God' (v.36). Jesus himself equates 'Son of God' with the charge of claiming to be God. He does not say 'No, I am not God' — he defends the claim.
Peter was simply saying Jesus is the Messiah — the promised King. That is what 'Christ' means.
Yes — and Peter adds 'the Son of the living God.' Mark and Luke only record 'the Christ.' Matthew records the full confession, and Jesus says this fuller confession — the divine sonship part — was revealed by the Father, not by flesh and blood. Why would Peter need divine revelation to know Jesus was a created being? He needed revelation because the truth is deeper: Jesus shares the nature of the living God.
Jesus said 'my Father' — the Father is greater. A son is not equal to his father.
In the ancient world, a son shares the nature of his father. A human father begets a human son. The Son of the living God shares the nature of the living God. confirms this is exactly how it was understood: calling God 'his own Father' was 'making himself equal with God.' The NWT agrees.
Even the demons called Jesus 'Son of God' — that does not prove deity.
Exactly — even the demons knew. And they trembled (). The question is what the title means. When the Jews heard it, they tried to execute Jesus for blasphemy (). When Thomas saw the risen Jesus, he said 'My Lord and my God' (). The title 'Son of God' carried a weight that goes far beyond 'important creature.'
Do not get into Dead Sea Scrolls evidence (4Q246) at the doorstep — it is debated among scholars. Do not lead with the Trinity doctrine. Let the NWT texts speak for themselves. If the conversation shifts to John 14:28 ('the Father is greater than I'), note that the argument is about what 'Son of God' means in its biblical context, not about Trinitarian hierarchy.
Read until you can retell the exchange, noting that Jesus says the Father revealed Peter's answer. Then read , and in the NWT and confirm for yourself the wording this argument relies on: calling God his own Father was 'making himself equal to God', and the charge of blasphemy over 'I am the Son of God'. Practise the doorstep question aloud, beginning by affirming that your friend also confesses Jesus as the Son of God. Expect the reply that Adam and the angels are sons of God too, and rehearse returning to to ask why their sonship never provoked stones.