God, the Son – “Only Begotten”

Many modern critics of the Bible assert that Jesus was merely a man who was chosen by God to be the Messiah. Even in ancient times, people were confused about the nature of the Christ. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:1-2). But, Jesus was not just an ordinary human being who was chosen by God to be the Messiah. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

There is a sense in which every human being is a child of God (Romans 8:16). There is a special sense in which every Christian is a spiritual child of God (Ephesians 1:5). But Jesus is the “only begotten” Son of God—and that makes Him unique (John 1:14). The English term, “only begotten” is the translation of a Greek term that is pronounced, “monogenes” and which literally means, “only one of a kind” and “of begetting children.” This describes the unique status of Jesus, as being both God and man at the same time. The Father and the Holy Spirit do not fit this description and neither does any human or angelic being. That is why only Jesus could be the Messiah. He is both human and divine, making Him the perfect Mediator to bridge the gap between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; 1 John 2:1). The virgin birth of Christ made Him our Savior (Matthew 1:24-25).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16