The only begotten Son

Have you ever wondered about the curious description of Christ as the "only begotten Son?" For years thus puzzled me. As a result I just brushed over this, not truly considering or understanding its significance. I vaguely assumed this only meant Christ was born as a man and nothing more. Maybe you felt the same way. 

Is there more? What does the Bible mean when it says Christ is begotten? 

Begotten

Normally in the Bible, begotten means "to bear young or bring forth by birth..." In light of this, it would appear at first the use of begetting for Christ is a mistake. He is the eternal Son of God after all with no beginning or end. But in a very specific and narrow sense, he too issues forth from his Father. He is even called "the firstborn of all creation..." suggesting he may be a part of ¹creation vs eternal.

Only Begotten

However, we are told that Christ is not just begotten but is the only begotten Son. What is the significance of "only?" In the ultimate sense everyone is begotten (brought forth) by God so "only" in this instance can't mean he's the only one that ever came forth. 

It means Christ not only issues forth from the Father; but is the same substance as the Father, and the ²exact likeness  (image) of the Father and therefore equal to him (John 1:1 "...the Word was God..."), while distinct at the same time (John 1:1 "...the Word was with God...").

Eternally Begotten

However, unlike us who also bear God's image - and are called sons and daughters of God if we are in Christ - Christ has always issued forth from the Father. He is the only begotten Son not merely another son. There has never been a point in time he did not issue forth. This is true only of Christ. The Son has always been -- i.e. He is eternally begotten, not merely begotten at birth. He was begotten from eternity past and will always be the only begotten of the Father i.e. the Son is God and the only begotten being who is, making him unique to all other beings or things that come from -- are begotten of -- the Father. This is such a unique concept the NASB calls him the only begotten God.

Since this is an eternal begetting, the Son has always been and is equal to the Father, not equal to created beings, but distinct from them.

Not created yet begotten

Though Christ is not created... He is begotten - i.e. as the creation issues forth from God, Christ also issues forth - but without a beginning. The creation issues forth from the Father at a point in time and also issues forth only through the Son. Christ has always issued forth from the Father from all eternity past. There has never been a time he did not.

Paul brings out this subtle yet distinct difference in the following passage.

"...yet for us there is 

one God, 

the Father, 

from whom are all things and 

for whom we exist, and 

one Lord, 

Jesus Christ, 

through whom are all things and through whom we exist. - 1 Cor 8:6 

Note Paul is suggesting both are equally deity - God the Father and Jesus the Lord - yet have distinct roles in creation. All things are from God and through Christ. 

Christ is not only begotten but is the Creator and Sustainer of everything.

What significance does all this have for you and me?

As Christ is a Son, we too are sons and daughters of God but unlike Christ - who is the image of God unlike us who are in His image - we have a beginning but no end. Christ has no beginning or end. 

He is the "I AM" (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58). He is co-eternal -- he has always been -- and is co-equal with God the Father, we are not. Christ is the perfect image of Father and we are in His image.  

Nevertheless since we both bear the Father's image, he understands and can relate to us in a unique and personal way. His stepping into and taking part in this broken world as a man makes this even more so.

Both begotten and eternal -- the God/man

Christ is begotten and eternal at the same time. This is significant since begetting implies a beginning. There is no beginning with Christ as God -- however there is as a man. He has always been. 

This is why he is the only begotten Son. He is one of a kind. He is the God/man and the connection between God and man. God and man unite in Him, by Him, and through Him. For these reasons -- and others -- the Father delights in His Son.

From all these unique aspects of Christ, we can see why it took almost 300 years after Christ's resurrection before the church hammered out a formal statement of who Christ is known as the Nicene Creed. 

The following is a summary of who Christ is, made at the first formal council of the church held in Nicaea. Note how they carefully acknowledge both the Deity and humanity of Christ. 

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the

Virgin Mary, and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under

 Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge

the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the

 Lord, the giver of Life,

who proceeds from the Father and

the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is

worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

How is "only begotten" handled by different translations? 

You can also see this concept of "only begotten" is so unique the various translations below convey it somewhat differently. It apparently was difficult for translators to capture the full meaning in a single phrase. 

Begotten:

John 1:18 

(NASB)  No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has explained him.

(KJV)  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

(CEV)  No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.

(ERV)  No one has ever seen God. The only Son is the one who has shown us what God is like. He is himself God and is very close to the Father.

(ESV)  No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Passages adressing Christ's likeness/image:

²Col 1:15  [Now] He (Christ) is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.

Col 1:16  For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him.

Col 1:17  And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). (AMP) [see also Pro 8:22-31]. 

Hebrews 1:3

(CEV)  God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven.

(ERV)  The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God's nature, and he holds everything together by his powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.

(ESV)  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

(MSG)  This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words! After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God,

(NASB+)  And He is the radiance ^G541 of His glory ^G1391 and the exact ^G5481 representation ^G5481 of His nature, ^G5287 and upholds ^G5342 all ^G3956 things ^G3956 by the word ^G4487 of His power. ^G1411 When He had made ^G4160 purification ^G2512 of sins, ^G266 He sat ^G2523 down ^G2523 at the right ^G1188 hand ^G1188 of the Majesty ^G3172 on high, ^G5308

(KJV)  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high...

For a further discussion on why the Father and Son love each other click here. 

For a further discussion on how we are like God click here. 
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¹And he is part of creation in the sense that he was fully man; but unlike other creatures, he existed prior to becoming a man. Not only so, he is the Creator through which all things were created.