SOUNDING OUT:
God’s Only Begotten Son
Jesus was God’s only begotten son
and Mary’s firstborn son. He is called God’s
only begotten son in six verses (John 1:14,18; 3:16,18;
Hebrews 11:17; and I John 4:9), but he was never called
Mary’s only begotten son. Instead, he was
called Mary’s firstborn. “Only begotten”
comes from the Greek word monogen?s which is
a compound word. It comes from mono,
meaning “one,” “alone,” or “only.”
You may be familiar with mono from its use
in English:
Monochrome – a drawing in only
one color
Monogamy – the practice of having
only one spouse
Monopoly – the only place to get a good or service
The second part of the compound word
monogen?s is gen?s meaning “offspring”
or “descendant.” It is related to
ginomai (to become or come into existence),
genos, (offspring, race, nationality), and
genesis (generation or beginning). Jesus
Christ had a beginning in a manger in the little town
of Bethlehem. Jesus was called the only begotten
Son of God because he was the only man whom God miraculously
fathered in the natural way. God miraculously
put a sperm in Mary’s reproductive organs which
resulted in a conception, a conception of divine origin.
Never before and never since has God done such a thing.
God formed, made, and created Adam and Eve as mature
individuals and the rest of mankind came into being
from them. However Jesus had a uniquely different
beginning. He was conceived by God and born into
the world as a baby.
Luke 1:31-38:
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the
Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob
for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this
be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath
also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the
sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed
from her. [Its job was completed.]
I called this conception miraculous
because, to the best of my understanding it was the
working of a miracle. The angels delivered to
Mary by a word of knowledge, certain truths or facts
concerning the birth of this child which were humanly
impossible for her to know by her five senses which
was revelation from God. She operated the manifestation
of believing and brought to pass the impossible according
to what God had revealed to her by word of knowledge.
She believed and said, “be it unto me according
to thy word.” Verse 31 said she would conceive
and verse 35 said her son would be born. She believed
to conceive and she had to continue to operate the manifestation
of believing throughout the approximately nine months
of her pregnancy until her firstborn son, God’s
only begotten son was born. The result of the
operation of these manifestations of word of knowledge
and believing brought to pass the miracle. That’s
how one operates the manifestation of workings of miracles.
Later, when Mary goes to see Elizabeth, Elizabeth prophesies
by revelation, speaking words of knowledge and words
of wisdom saying:
Luke 1:45:
And blessed is she that believed: for there
shall be a performance [teleiôsis meaning
a completing, a perfecting, a fulfillment, or an accomplishing]
of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Mary had believed and conceived, and
Elizabeth assured her that the rest of what the angel
told her would most assuredly come to pass. Mary
would have her son. She simply continued to operate
the manifestation of believing to bring the impossible
to pass. Here was a woman who was about to have
a baby who had never known a man. Mary was found
with child of the Holy Ghost before she and Joseph came
together in marriage. It was the power of the
Highest which overshadowed her and impregnated her.
God spoke it into being with the power of His Word.
Matthew 1:18,
23-25:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When
as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they
came together, she was found with child of the Holy
Ghost.
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us.
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel
of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn
son: and he called his name JESUS.
Notice, Jesus was called Mary’s
firstborn. The account in Luke also described
Jesus as Mary’s firstborn.
Luke 2:6,7:
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days
were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.
“Firstborn” is used of
Mary because she had at least four more sons and two
more daughters.
Matthew 13:54-56:
And when he was come into his own country, he taught
them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished,
and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom,
and these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother
called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and
Simon, and Judas?
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then
hath this man all these things?
Jesus is also referred to as firstborn
of God, but that is in the context of God’s spiritual
family after Pentecost.
Romans 8:29:
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he [Jesus]
might be the firstborn among many brethren. [That’s
you and I and others.]
How wonderful to note that God’s
only begotten son was placed on earth into a wonderful
family. Jesus had a mother and father who raised
him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
That gives me a new appreciation of the value and importance
of families. God thought it was good enough for
His only begotten son, who was also Mary’s firstborn.
He grew up with brothers and sisters and learned a trade
from his father.
God saw to it that His son was raised in a wonderful
family. If it was good enough for Jesus it ought
to be good enough for you and I and our children.
Let’s make our earthly families a haven to foster
godly growth and encourage our children to mature in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
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