What does it mean that Jesus is God's only begotten son?
Answered from the commentary of W. E. Vine, Ernst-August Bremicker, Norman Anderson and 8 others
Jesus is God’s only begotten Son in the unique and eternal relationship He has with the Father: He is the only One of His kind, sharing the Father’s divine nature and glory, and the object of His love. “Only begotten” speaks of His uniqueness and relationship, not of a beginning or a birth; He was the Son before He came into the world and did not become Son by becoming man.
Because He is in the Father’s bosom, the Son alone is fully able to declare the Father and make God known. He became flesh and dwelt among us, revealing the Father in grace and truth; and God gave this beloved Son so that those who believe in Him might live through Him.
Verses: John 1:14, John 1:18, John 3:16, John 3:18, John 5:26, John 10:30, Hebrews 1:3, 1 John 4:9
The above is AI generated summary based on the writers below.
What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The expression only-begotten Son(John 3:16) shows us the wonderful, this unique, Son. This is the meaning of "only-begotten'. It has nothing to do with being born or with being begotten, but with uniqueness: this special Son.
"...the term, “only-begotten,” expresses the supreme and exclusive place He holds in God's love. The type of Abraham and Isaac helps us here. Hebrews 11:1-40 tells us that Abraham offered “his only-begotten son,” though as a matter of fact he had Ishmael at that time and subsequently many more sons. Isaac however stood solitary and alone in God's purpose and in Abraham's affection. After this striking fashion the term is used of the Son of God, and it is intended to enhance in our minds the greatness of God's gift. God gave the One supreme and unique in His affections." [ read more... ]
"the Greek word for only-begotten is the Septuagint translation of only-one; in Hebrew, sometimes "Beloved," sometimes "only-begotten," is used in the L.X.X. for the same Hebrew word signifying "Only-one." In English it is translated "Only." Gen. 22. "Thine only son whom thou lovest." In Ps. 22 it is the same word "My Darling;" the margin puts it "Mine only-one." That is really the meaning of it. Only-begotten has nothing to do with being born at all. It is simply the fact that He is God's only beloved Son.
In the use of the term "only begotten" John brings out two things-first, the glory of the Son; second God's love in giving His Son. He was not only a "Son" with the Father, but an "only begotten Son"; not only "the Son" "in the bosom of the Father," but "the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father." There is no thought of "begetting" in it at all, any more than when we say "the Son." It is the unique character of the relationship, as filling up the delight of the Father's heart. Then in John 3:16, and 1 John 4:9 there is the unfolding the greatness of God's love. He so loved the world that He gave-not only His Son, but-His "only begotten Son." Connect "only begotten" here with time, and the force of it is lost altogether.
There is only one who could be called „the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father“. The expression “only-begotten” that is used in the original language is composed of two words the one meaning “one and only” (unique), the other one meaning “offspring” (stock) or “kind”. Putting the two together we get the meaning “one of a class” or “the only of his kind”. There is no reference to a natural birth (like every man who is “born” into this world). It is a matter of the nature or the essence, of character of a person who is thus described. He is the only “one of his kind”. He is absolutely unique. No one else could ever be compared with Him. Being the „firstborn” there are others among whom He has the priority or precedence. But being the “only-begotten” there is no one else who could stand next to Him or beside Him.
The expression “only-begotten” therefore clearly proves how unique and incomparable He is. He alone was and is in an eternal relationship to the Father. He and the Father are one (John 10:30). This is why He, and only He, could reveal God. As true man He was born of a woman, as the only-begotten Son of God He was never born. He has no beginning and no end, because He is eternal. Therefore the statement which is sometimes used “Jesus, born in eternity” is not tenable and against the teaching of the Holy Scripture.
Hence the preceding references clearly demonstrate that monogenes does not mean generation, that Christ was God's firstborn or first creation. Rather it speaks of uniqueness, that Jesus' shares a unique relationship with God as Father from all eternity. This is true of Christ alone since no other person has ever shared an eternal filial relationship with God.
John 1:14: monogenes - only, unique. The word emphasizes the unique relationship that the Father has to the Son (Morris; EDNT; s. also John 3:16). It does not suggest the idea of begotten by one alone, by one Father without the assistance of a mother. Instead, it suggest the unique position to the Father and thus his unique ability to reveal the Father (Gen. 22:2).
We can only rightly understand the term “the only begotten” when used of the Son, in the sense of unoriginated relationship. “The begetting is not an event of time, however remote, but a fact irrespective of time. The Christ did not become , but necessarily and eternally is the Son. He, a Person, possesses every attribute of pure Godhood. This necessitates eternity, absolute being; in this respect He is not ‘after’ the Father” (Moule). The expression also suggests the thought of the deepest affection, as in the case of the OT word yachid, variously rendered, “only one,” Gen. 22:2, 12; “only son,” Jer. 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech. 12:10; “only beloved,” Prov. 4:3, and “darling,” Ps. 22:20; 35:17.
In John 3:18 the phrase “the name of the only begotten son of God” lays stress upon the full revelation of God’s character and will, His love and grace, as conveyed in the name of One who, being in a unique relationship to Him, was provided by Him as the object of faith. In 1 John 4:9 the statement “God hath sent His only begotten son into the world” does not mean that God sent out into the world one who at His birth in Bethlehem had become His Son. Cf. the parallel statement, “God sent forth the Spirit of His Son,” Gal. 4:6, RV , which could not mean that God sent forth One who became His Spirit when He sent Him.
Verses
- John 1:14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father), full of grace and truth;
- John 1:18No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
- John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.
- John 3:18He that believes on him is not judged but he that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
- John 5:26For even as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself,
- John 10:30I and the Father are one.
- Hebrews 1:3who being [the] effulgence of his glory and [the] expression of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having made [by himself] the purification of sins, set himself down on the right hand of the greatness on high,
- 1 John 4:9Herein as to us has been manifested the love of God, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.