Q&A on the Godhead

The Godhead Sandbox The Trinity Oneness/Modalism Q & A 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,)... No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the bonly begotten Son of God. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world. 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. 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, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. No one has ever seen God. The unique God, who is close to the Father’s side, has revealed him. 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. ...but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s unique Son. The Son in the Old Testament Question: Why, in the Old Testament is the existence of a Son not even mentioned in the same context as is in the New Testament? A CHILD BORN/A SON GIVEN Isaiah has been called the evangelist of the Old Testament. This is due in part to the second half of Isaiah’s prophecy, which emphasizes salvation rather than judgment. But the primary reason Isaiah is called the evangelist of the Old Testament is that his book is filled with images and prophecies concerning the coming Savior. One of the clearest and most powerful of these prophecies is found in Isaiah 9:6 and 7. The Savior, while born into this world as a child, was more than that. Isaiah 9:6 titles Him a “Son… given.” This title clearly calls to mind John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. There are many other references to Christ in the Old Testament: ANOINTED ONE (MESSIAH) As noted above, individuals were anointed with oil to commission them for some special service to God and His people. In a stunning prophecy specifying “seventy weeks” from a command to restore and build Jerusalem, the prophet Daniel announces the coming of Messiah the Prince, who will “make an end of sins,” make “reconciliation for iniquity,” and “bring in everlasting righteousness” (Dan. 9:24). Daniel also predicts the death (cutting off) of the Messiah, “but not for Himself” (v. 26), a subsequent destruction of Jerusalem, and the appearance of an enemy who will desecrate the holy place until he is put down (v. 27). In this prophecy, which blends the priestly and kingly aspects of the Messiah’s ministry, He is also give the divine title, “the Most Holy” (v. 24) Daniel’s prediction concerning the Messiah is not the only place where His deity is affirmed. Psalm 2, recognized by ancient Jewish commentators as well as by Christians as a messianic psalm, speaks of the “nations” (v. 1) raging against “the Lord and… His Anointed” (v. 3). The Scriptures presenting the Messiah (the Christ) as the Anointed One clearly establish the fact that the Person who will come to deal with sin and establish His righteous rule is indeed God Himself. BRANCH The term “branch” is a common metaphor for family relationships. As a branch grows from a tree, so metaphorically the Messiah is said in Scripture to be David’s “Branch of Righteousness” (in other words, a descendant of that king; Jer. 23:5). Similarly, Isaiah 11:1 predicts that “a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse [David’s father], and from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (NIV). Jeremiah 33:15 quotes the Lord as saying, “I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness.” But the Messiah is more than a descendant of David. He is also called the “Branch of the LORD” (Is. 4:2). Jeremiah is even more clear in giving the Messiah a divine title, Yahweh sidkenu. Zechariah, however, emphasizes the priestly ministry of the Branch. In 3:9 we learn that the Lord, through His Servant the Branch, “will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” In 6:12 and 13 we read that “the Man whose name is the BRANCH” is to “sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne.” IMMANUEL This name is associated with perhaps the most famous prophecy in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah declares, “the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7:14). The promised child was not simply to be miraculously conceived, but also was given a name that in Hebrew means “God with us.” In fact, the way the name is constructed gives it a slightly different emphasis: “WITH US is God!” God is not just to be “with us”in the traditional sense, but is to be WITH US in a unique sense. The One who is to be born of a virgin is God, come to earth as a true human being! He is to be with us in our humanity, born into the world as an infant as we are, and yet at the same time fully God. GOD’S SERVANT A number of chapters in Isaiah are dedicated to the description of a person called the Lord’s Servant. It is clear from these passages, called “servant songs,” that God had chosen Israel to be His servant, charged with glorifying Him among the nations. But Israel failed in this mission. So Isaiah introduces God’s coming individual who will serve Him as a Servant and who will accomplish the mission God gives to Him. These scriptures include Isaiah 42:1–13; Isaiah 42:14–25; 43:1–28; Isaiah 49; Isaiah 50; Isaiah 52:13–53:12. Robert T. France has summarized the servanthood of Jesus, as revealed in Isaiah. The Servant was chosen by the Lord (42:1; 49:1) and endowed with the Spirit (42:1). He was taught by the Lord (50:4), and found his strength in him (49:2, 5). It was the Lord’s will that he should suffer (53:10); He was weak, unimpressive, and scorned by men (52:14; 53:1–3, 7–9); meek (42:2), gentle (42:3), and uncomplaining (50:6; 53:7). Despite his innocence (53:9), he was subjected to constant suffering (50:6; 53:3, 8–10), so as to be reduced to near despair (49:4). But his trust was in the Lord (49:4; 50:7–9); he obeyed him (50:4–5), and persevered (50:7) until he was victorious (42:4; 50:8, 9). The many chapters in Isaiah devoted to Jesus as God’s Servant make the title “Servant” one of the most significant of the names and titles of Jesus in the Old Testament. HOLY ONE “Holy One” is one of the exalted titles of God Himself (p. 49). Yet the same title is given to the Messiah in Psalm 22:3 (NIV) and in Psalm 89:18. Perhaps the most striking application of this title to Christ is seen in Psalm 16:10 - For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. In the first recorded sermon in the Book of Acts, the apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16:10 as evidence that Christ’s resurrection was in full harmony with the Old Testament. KING OF GLORY The title “King of glory” occurs only in Psalm 24, a psalm that is clearly messianic. MAN OF SORROWS This familiar title is found in Isaiah 53:3, the prophet’s powerful preview containing many details of the death and resurrection of God’s Servant, Jesus. The title reflects the fact that all during Jesus’ earthly ministry as God’s Servant, PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE/THE STONE THE BUILDER’S REJECTED/SURE FOUNDATION These distinctive titles of the Messiah are found in Isaiah and the Psalms. The title “sure foundation” is found in Isaiah 28:16. A parallel title, “the stone which the builders rejected,” comes from Psalm 118:22. PRINCE OF PRINCES The Hebrew phrase rendered “Prince of princes” (Dan. 8:25) means “Leader of leaders” or “supreme Leader.” REPROACH OF MEN Psalm 22:6 is the source of this title of the Messiah. It echoes the theme of Isaiah 53, namely, that people will reject the Messiah before He accomplishes His mission and opens the door for all to a saving relationship with God. Psalm 22 not only describes the Messiah in these painful terms, but also predicts the same words spoken to Jesus on the cross by enemies who ridiculed Him in His time of suffering (Matt. 27:39–44; Luke 23:35, 36). RULER Micah 5:2 predicts, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting.” SEED The Hebrew word rendered “seed” means “offspring” or “descendant.” This name or title is found in Genesis 3:15, which is the Bible’s first prophecy concerning the Messiah. STAR OUT OF JACOB The messianic title “a Star shall come out of Jacob” (Num. 24:17) was uttered by a pagan prophet, Balaam. References

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