-bulletin note from Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013
We read in the Scriptures about our Saviour being referred to as “the only begotten son.” In another place it says “Thou art my beloved son; this day have I begotten thee.” Those who would deny the eternal existence of Jesus Christ and his equality with the Father would have us believe that these passages of Scripture teach that Jesus is a created being since he is called begotten, and a day of his being “begotten” is spoken of. Modern Bible translators have tried to resolve this supposed problem by mistranslating and rewriting the Scriptures. In place of “only begotten Son” many put “one and only Son.” The fact is that once again your KJV Bible gets it right. Jesus is the only begotten Son. To be begotten means to be born, or to be brought to life. Our Lord Jesus was born into this world, or as the word is, “begotten” into this world, at the time of his birth, to Mary. The differences in his birth and ours are that he existed eternally before his birth, that he was born without a sin nature, and that he was born of a virgin. Thus, he was “begotten of God.”
But there is another sense in which he was begotten. He is called in Scripture “the first begotten from the dead.” So, he is begotten of God is that sense as well, in that to beget also means to bring to life. Jesus was the first resurrected from the dead to die no more! That is why he is called “the firstfruits of the Resurrection.” We who follow, and will be resurrected, are the latter fruit of the harvest. “And we beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” One day we are going to get to behold our Saviour in all the fullness of the splendor of his glory as our Resurrected Saviour Amen !