What is meant by the Only Begooten Son of God?

[Marilyn C]

So what do you think the Scripture mean when it speaks of the Only Begotten Son of God? Many Christians (myself included) believe it speaks of The Word becoming flesh of when The Word was incarnated in the flesh and became the man Jesus.

But yet most believers believe than the Word was begotten of the Father sometime before the world was created yet He still had no beginning. If I remember right this what is stated in the Nicene Creed.

Hi 19Duggarfan,

 

The word `begotten` means to procreate, to produce. To understand what God is saying (& I believe you) we need to look at other words concerning this. Christ is referred to as `the firstborn` in four places, which enlarge our understanding of Him.

 

1. The Firstborn of creation (Col. 1: 15), refers to His originating energy.

2. The Firstborn of the virgin (Luke 2: 7) refers to His earthly manifestation.

3. The Firstborn from the dead (Col. 1: 18) refers to His overcoming victory.

4. The Firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8: 29) refers to His outstanding precedence.

 

In no single instance does birth refer to a beginning but always a manifestation; therefore our Lord`s fourfold manifestation in this world is profoundly significant. The unparallel dignity of His sublime person is unveiled as the Creator of the Universe, the Crown of humanity, the Conqueror of death & the Chiefest in spiritual society.

 

Marilyn.

[Guest shiloh357]

I hope no one is claiming that Jesus was anything less than pre-existent with God throughout the boundless eternal past.

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, JohnD.

 

 

Shabbat shalom, JohnD.

 

You’ve only served to compound the problem, y’know.

 

Jesus (preincarnate or God the Word) created all created things in the beginning (John 1:1-3 / Colossians 1:13-16) by himself / alone:

 

Isaiah 44:24 (AV)

²⁴Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

 

...

 

Just how much are you banking on the word “redeemer?” Are you assuming that this “redeemer” must therefore be the Son of God (because it’s assumed He is called the “redeemer” elsewhere),

 

 

Read the text carefully as I did:

 

Isaiah 44:24 (AV)

²⁴Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

 

John 1:3 (AV)

³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

Colossians 1:16 (AV)

¹⁶For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

 

Isaiah 44:24 (AV)

²⁴Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

 

It is only complicated if you will not accept what the Bible teaches, or if it goes against unbiblical doctrines and dogma like sabellianism or Watchtwoer theology or the like.

 

 

But, are you REALLY paying attention to the text AS IT WAS WRITTEN?

 

Yesha`yahu 44:24

24 Koh aamar YHVH, Go’alekhaa v-yotserkhaa mibaaTen, Aanokhiy YHVH `oseh kol noTeh shaamayim lVadiy roqa` haa’aarets mee’itiy:

JPS Hebrew-English TANAKH

 

24 Koh = 24 This

aamar = says

YHVH, = YaHuWH (God’s Name),

Go’alekhaa = thy-Redeemer

v-yotserkhaa = and-thy-Former

mibaaTen, = from-the-womb,

Aanokhiy = I

YHVH = YaHuWH (God’s Name)

`oseh = who-makes

kol = all-(things)

noTeh = who-stretched/spread-out

shaamayim = (the)-skies

lVadiy = to-me-only

roqa` = flattened/pounded/hammered-out

haa’aarets = the-ground

 

mee’itiy: = with-myself:

 

24 Thus said the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you in the womb: It is I, the LORD, who made everything, Who alone stretched out the heavens and unaided spread out the earth;

 

John 1:1-3

1 En archee een ho Logos, kai ho Logos een pros ton Theon, kai Theos een ho Logos.

2 Houtos een en archee pros ton Theon.

3 Panta di’ autou egeneto, kai chooris autou egeneto oude hen ho gegonen.

The UBS Greek New Testament

 

1 En = 1 In

archee = beginning

een = was

ho = the

Logos, = Word/Topic/Subject,

kai = and/also

ho = the

Logos = Word/Topic/Subject

een = was

pros = to/toward

ton = the

Theon, = God,

kai = and/also

Theos = God

een = was

ho = the

Logos. = Word/Topic/Subject.

2 Houtos = 2 The-He/That-(One)

een = was

en = in

archee = beginning

pros = to/toward

ton = the

Theon. = God.

3 Panta = 3 All-(things)/Every-(thing)

di’ (dis) = through

autou = Him

egeneto, = was-made,

kai = and/also

chooris = apart-from

autou = Him

egeneto = was-made

oude = but-not

hen = one-(thing)

ho = the-(thing)/that

 

gegonen. = was-made.

 

Colossians 1:13-16

12 eucharistountes too Patri too hikanoosanti humas is teen merida tou kleerou toon hagioon en too footi;

13 hos errusato heemas ek tees exousias tou skotous kai metesteesen eis teen Basileian tou Huiou tees agapees autou,

14 en hoo echomen teen apolutroosin, teen afesin toon hamartioon;

15 hos estin eikoon tou Theou tou aoratou, proototokos pasees ktiseoos,

16 hoti en autoo ektisthee ta panta en tois ouranois kai epi tees gees, ta horata kai ta aorata, eite thronoi eite kurioteetes eite archai eite exousiai; ta panta di’ autou kai eis auton ektistai;

 

12 eucharistountes = 12 expressing-gratitude

too = to-the

Patri = Father

too = the-(One)/who

hikanoosanti = has-made-fit

humas = us

eis = into

teen = the

merida = portions/sharers

tou = of-the

kleerou = inheritance

toon = of-the

hagioon = holy-ones

en = in

too = the

footi; = light;

13 hos = 13 the-(One)/who

errusato = has-delivered/rescued

heemas = us

ek =out/from

tees = the

exousias = right

tou = of-the

skotous = darkness

kai = and/also

metesteesen = has-transferred

eis = into

teen = the

Basileian = Kingdom

tou = of-the

Huiou = Son

tees = the

agapees = loved-One

autou, = of-Him,

14 en = 14 in

hoo = the-(One)/whom

echomen = we-have

teen = the

apolutroosin, = redemption,

teen = the

afesin = forgiveness

toon = of-the

hamartioon; = sins;

15 hos = the-(One)/who

estin = is

eikoon = an-image

tou = of-the

Theou = God

tou = of-the

aoratou, = invisible,

proototokos = a-firstborn

pasees = of-every

ktiseoos, = created-(thing),

16 hoti = that/so-that/because

en = in

autoo = Him

ektisthee = were-created

ta = the

panta = all-(things)/every-(thing)

en = in

tois = the

ouranois = skies

kai = and/also

epi = upon

tees = the

gees, = land/ground/earth,

ta = the

horata = visible

kai = and/also

ta = the

aorata, = invisible,

eite = whether

thronoi = thrones

eite = whether

kurioteetes = lordships

eite = whether

archai = first-leaders

eite = whether

exousiai; = rights;

ta = the

panta = all-(things)/every-(thing)

di’ (dis) = through

autou = Him

kai = and/also

eis = into

auton = Him

ektistai; = were-created;

 

NONE of these passages are suggesting that the second Person of the Tri-unity acted alone from the rest of the Godhead. They suggest that He was present WITH God, acting together with the Father and the Spirit (IF they are indeed separate Persons). Always be sure that you’re not reading into the Scriptures something that was never there in the first place!