Only Begotten

ONLY BEGOTTEN

on'-li be-got-'-'n (monogenes): Although the English words are found only 6 times in the New Testament, the Greek word appears 9 times, and often in the Septuagint. It is used literally of an only child: "the only son of his mother" (Luke 7:12); "an only daughter" (Luke 8:42); "mine only child" (Luke 9:38); "Isaac.... his only begotten" (Hebrews 11:17). In all other places in the New Testament it refers to Jesus Christ as "the only begotten Son of God" (John 1:14, 18; John 3:16, 18 1 John 4:9). In these passages, too, it might be translated as "the only son of God"; for the emphasis seems to be on His uniqueness, rather than on His sonship, though both ideas are certainly present. He is the son of God in a sense in which no others are. "Monogenes describes the absolutely unique relation of the Son to the Father in His divine nature; prototokos describes the relation of the Risen Christ in His glorified humanity to man" (Westcott on Hebrews 1:6). Christ's uniqueness as it appears in the above passages consists of two things:

(a) He reveals the Father: "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18). Men therefore behold His glory, "glory as of the only begotten from the Father" (1:14).

(b) He is the mediator of salvation: "God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him" (1 John 4:9 John 3:16); "He that believeth not (on him) hath been judged already" (John 3:18). Other elements in His uniqueness may be gathered from other passages, as His sinlessness, His authority to forgive sins, His unbroken communion with the Father, and His unique knowledge of Him. To say that it is a uniqueness of nature or essence carries thought no farther, for these terms still need definition, and they can be defined only in terms of His moral consciousness, of His revelation of God, and especially of His intimate union as Son with the Father.

See also BEGOTTEN; PERSON OF CHRIST; SON OF GOD.

The reading "God only begotten" in John 1:18 the Revised Version margin, though it has strong textual support, is improbable, and can well be explained as due to orthodox zeal, in opposition to adoptionism. See Grimm-Thayer, Lexicon; Westcott, at the place

T. Rees

3439. monogenes -- only begotten
... only begotten. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: monogenes Phonetic Spelling:
(mon-og-en-ace') Short Definition: only, only-begotten, unique Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3439.htm - 7k

How the Only-Begotten Son of God is Called First-Born.
... Book IV. Chapter VIII."How the Only-begotten Son of God is called
first-born. He who is first begotten is called first-born [2281 ...
/.../exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter viii how the only-begotten son.htm

This Only Begotten Word of God Reigns, from Ages which had no ...
... Pronounced on the thirtieth anniversary of his reign. Chapter II. This only
begotten Word of God reigns, from ages which had no beginning? ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter ii this only begotten.htm

On the Words, the Only-Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father ...
... Lecture XI. On the Words, the Only-Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father Very
God Before All Ages, by Whom All Things Were Made. Hebrews i.1 ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xi on the words.htm

Gregory Further Shows that the Only-Begotten Being Begotten not ...
... Section 7. Gregory further shows that the Only-Begotten being begotten not only
of the Father, but also impassibly of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, does not ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 7 gregory further shows.htm

Why is Christ Called the "Only Begotten Son" of God, Since we are ...
... Lord's Day 13 Question 33 Why is Christ called the "only begotten Son" of
God, since we are also the children of God? Why is Christ ...
/.../various/the heidelberg catechism /question 33 why is christ.htm

Then He Ends the Book with an Exposition of the Divine and Human ...
... 7. Then he ends the book with an exposition of the Divine and Human names of the
Only-Begotten, and a discussion of the terms "generate" and "ungenerate.". ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 7 then he ends.htm

He Further Very Appositely Expounds the Meaning of the Term "Only ...
... shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with equity [347] ." Thus
the several meanings of the titles "First-born" and "Only begotten" are kept ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 8 he further very.htm

He Convicts Eunomius of Having Used of the Only-Begotten Terms ...
... Section 2. He convicts Eunomius of having used of the Only-begotten terms applicable
to the existence of the earth, and thus shows that his intention is to ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 2 he convicts eunomius.htm

He Does Wrong in Assuming, to Account for the Existence of the ...
... Book I. Section 20. He does wrong in assuming, to account for the existence of
the Only-Begotten, an energy' that produced Christ's Person. ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 20 he does wrong.htm

Then, Having Shown that Eunomius' Calumny against the Great Basil ...
... Section 4. Then, having shown that Eunomius' calumny against the great Basil, that
he called the Only-begotten "Ungenerate," is false, and having again with ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 4 then having shown.htm

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