No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18)

While the inclusion of “Son” in John 1:18 (“only begotten Son of God” NKJV) is questionable in the ancient manuscripts, the phrase “the only begotten Son” is indisputably included elsewhere in the apostle John’s writings. The most well-known is:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, see also John 3:18, 1 John 4:9)

So what exactly does it mean that He is the “only begotten”? First, it sets Jesus apart from all others who are called “sons.” On the one hand, we believers are often called “sons of God.” We became “sons of God” through faith (Gal 3:26). We are often called “children” of God, using a different word than “sons,” for example:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name …” (John 1:12)

Yet our sonship comes through adoption (Rom 8:23, Gal 4:6, Eph 1:5). Scripture never says that we as believers are “begotten” sons of God. Even the angels, who are sometimes referred to as “sons of God” in the OT (see Gen 6:2, Job 1:6, 2:1), are not begotten of God:

“For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him and He shall be a Son to Me’?” (Heb 1:5)

English translations render the single Greek word “monogenes” as two words. The first, “only,” stresses uniqueness; the second, “begotten,” emphasizes origin. The focus is on the incomparable nature of Christ. The word is used to point to an only child of a mother or father (Luke 7:12, 8:42). God had only one child who originated from Him “organically,” we might say. Christ “issued” from God, as theologians put it, as the incomparable Son of His father.

In John 1:18, while the word “Son” may not be original in the text, sonship is implied. If Jesus is the “only begotten” Son (John 3:16), then He must be the “only begotten” God. That is because He is of the same nature as the Father, just as we are of the same nature as our earthly parents. Therefore, Jesus is in the best position to reveal to us the true nature of God the Father.

Lord, thank You for bringing me into Your family as an adopted child.