SOUNDING OUT: God’s Only Begotten and Mary’s Firstborn
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 monogenes
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 monogenes
is genes 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. 23 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. 24 Then Joseph being raised
from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him,
and took unto him his wife: 25 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. 7 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? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s
son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren,
James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 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.
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.
