(Genesis 6:1-2)"When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose." (ESV)
There are three main views regarding the identity of the sons of God in this passage. The first view holds that the sons of God were angels. The second view sees them as human rulers, and the third view believes them to be the righteous line of Seth.
The view that the sons of God are angels is held by many, but angels do not marry and are not sexual(Matthew 22:30). Also the flood was God's judgment against humans and not angels. John Calvin called this view absurd.
The view that the sons of God refers to human rulers has been held by some but there seems to be little evidence for it. Also it does not seem to fit the context very well.
The view that the sons of God refers to the godly line of Seth was held by Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. In this view the daughters of man refers to the wicked line of Cain. Therefore the righteous line of Seth intermarried with the ungodly line of Cain. This resulted in great wickedness on the earth. Genesis 4 and 5 contrast the lines of Cain and Seth. Then Genesis 6 shows the result when the two lines intermarry. This view best fits the context.
