Why is Jesus called the only Begotten Son of God?

There are many that make the mistake of thinking when the Bible declares that Jesus is God’s only Begotten Son that it must refer to the Father God having a conjugal relationship resulting in Jesus being born.

That reasoning is a gross error.

There are also many that believe since the Bible says that Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren that He had a beginning and therefore He is not eternal.

This is also an unfortunate conclusion.

Since both views are wrong, how do we define begotten and firstborn?

The Greek word is prōtotokos. This is a compound word. Proto means first. The second Greek word is tikto which means to beget.

Naturally It refers to Jesus being born of the virgin Mary (Luke 2:7). Jesus was the firstborn among his half brothers and sisters (Matthew 12:46-48;13:55).

In the Hebrew culture the firstborn male in the family was privileged. He would inherit a double portion of his father’s estate because he is the beginning of his father’s strength (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

Metaphorically, Jesus being the Firstborn among those who believe in Him, created a new born again race of people that were begotten through Him and adopted as sons and daughters by God the Father when they believed (Rom 8:15; 9:26; Eph 1:5;Gal 3:26).

Jesus being the only Begotten of God means He is preeminent in rank above all creation. He is also the creator of all things and holds the creation together.

Colossians 1:15-18 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things, He may have the preeminence.”

The writer Paul could not have it explained the matter any clearer. Jesus is NUMERO UNO in everything!

He is infinite and from everlasting the prophet Micah says (Micah 5:2).

The word image in Colossians 1:15 in the Greek is the word eikōn. The English equivalent is our word Icon.

This denotes that Christ is of the same essence as the Father. The only difference is that Jesus is visible and the Father God is invisible. Did not Jesus tell Phillip that he that has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9)? Simply put, Jesus is the visible manifestation of His Father.

This has to mean that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh.

Concluding, Jesus being the only Begotten Son of God makes reference to Him being first and preeminent in all things since He is the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18). And through Him, the church was conceived and born. Jesus is the only person to exist before He was born into this world. How? Because He is preexistent and does not have a beginning other than His human beginning through His mother.  He is indeed the author of the beginning because He created all things. Without Him nothing can exist that does exist (John 1:3).

Jesus being Begotten makes reference to His relationship to the Father and His position and rank with Him. Jesus always existed and is immortal and eternal.

Jesus declares of Himself that, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 1:8;22:13).

For those of you reading this that still do not believe, I pray that God opens your eyes today so that you will believe. It Is not enough to just believe in Jesus – demons do that (James 2:19). But rather, “what do you believe about Him?”

You MUST believe that He is God the Son.