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We have done our best to provide answers below on questions that have been emailed to us.
Is there such a thing as eternal sonship?
Please see our article on Eternal Sonship.
What is the meaning of "begotten"?
Question:In John 3:16 the bible says: "For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son, so that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life."
I guess my question is: Does a Spirit have a beginning? But Jesus, was begotten. That must have happened sometime, whenever. And if the begotten Son occurred sometime, isn't it reasonable to assume he had a beginning. If the Son was begotten does it not mean that in fact the Son had a beginning and therefore the Father had a beginning but God, the creator is Eternal?
Answer: There are a number of passages in the KJV in addition to john 3:16 that also use the term "begotten", including the following:
- ...(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)...[1]
- No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.[2]
- he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the bonly begotten Son of God.[3]
- In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world.[4]
The word "begotten" used in these passages is the Greek word "μονογενής" (monogenés) which means pertaining to what is unique in the sense of being the only one of the same kind or class. For example, in Hebrews 11:17 it states "he who had received the promises presented his only son" or "… was ready to offer his only son". Abraham, of course, did have another son, Ishmael, and later sons by Keturah, but Isaac was a unique son in that he was a son born as the result of certain promises made by God. Accordingly, he could be called a μονογενής son, since he was the only one of his kind.[5] This is a clear example of the current inadequacy of some passages in the KJV. The above passages are translated completely differently in more modern translations:
- We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only,38 full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.[6]
- No one has ever seen God. The unique God,15 who is close to the Father’s side, has revealed him.International Standard Version, Jn 1:18 (Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation, 2011).
- No one has ever seen God,
- 'not so much as a glimpse.
- This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,
- who exists at the very heart of the Father,
- has made him plain as day.[7]
- ...but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s unique Son.[8]
References
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 1:14 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 1:18 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 3:18 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Jn 4:9 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).
- ↑ Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, vol. 1, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., 590 (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996).
- ↑ Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible, Jn 1:14 (Biblical Studies Press, 2006).
- ↑ Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, Jn 1:17–18 (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005).
- ↑ International Standard Version, Jn 3:18 (Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation, 2011).
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