A Closer Look At Christianity

What does begotten mean?

If Jesus is not the only begotten son of God and not the only born son of God, then what does begotten or born mean? Should the two words be taken literally? The only way we can justify these words is by looking at the Bible again. In I Peter 1:3 the Bible says,“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The word begotten is also used here. God can beget us unto lively hope. Does the word***“begotten”*** here mean conception? No. It is a form of expression. This word means***“gave rise to”*** or***“brought”.***

Also in Job 38:28 the Bible says,“Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?” Can the drops of dew be begotten? No. It’s just a form of expression. Rain does not have a father nor are drops of dew begotten in a literal sense.

If we cannot take the word begotten in literal sense with David, the drops of dew, or***“us unto a lively hope*** ” then why should we take Jesus as the literal begotten son of God?

Finally, in the book Revelation 1:5 says,“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Why is it that when Jesus is mentioned as being begotten of God it is taken literally, and when he is mentioned that he is begotten from the dead it is not taken literally? The truth is because the word begotten here does not mean any one could be conceived of the dead; it is a form of expression. The same thing with God, He begets not, and this word***“begotten”*** is only a form of expression.