Jesus’ sonship is primary because it is eternal, whereas all His other roles and relations are temporal. Only after there is a creation can Christ be Lord of creation. Only for human hearers can He serve as prophet. Only over earthly subjects can He rule as king. He is Son, however, from all eternity. Thus, His core identity is always relational. He lives in relation to the Father, in communication with the Father. Cardinal Ratzinger said: “In all the words and deeds of Jesus, this filial relationship
Page 17