Meaning of ONLY BEGOTTEN

It is used in the literal sense, meaning "only son" (Lk. 7:12); "only daughter" (Lk. 8:42); "the only one I have" (Lk. 9:38).

Elsewhere in the NT Jesus Christ is referred to as “the only begotten Son of God” (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9).

Here the emphasis falls on his uniqueness rather than on his Son-nature, although both ideas are certainly present.

He is the Son of God in a way that no one else is. «Monogenês describes the absolutely unique relationship of the Son with the Father in his divine nature; prõtotokos describes the relationship of the Risen Christ in his glorified humanity with man »(Westcott on Heb. 1:6).

The uniqueness of Christ as set forth in the above passages is ambivalent:
(a) he Reveals the Father (John 1:14, 18).
(b) He is the mediator of salvation (1 Jn. 4:9; Jn. 3:16).

The term "monogenês" is also an indicator of an intense affection derived from an intimate father-son relationship (cf. Heb. 11:17).

The reading of "only begotten God" which is found in a quantity of mss. Greeks, although it has considerable textual support, is unlikely, and can be explained as originating from the zeal of the "orthodox" party against the "adoptionist" theses (cf. Grimm-Thayer, "Lexicon"; Westcott, loc. cit.).