What does 'only begotten Son' mean? How is Jesus God's only begotten Son?

from the old testament

• Several passages from the Old Testament help lay the foundation for understanding the concept of God’s “only begotten Son” and how Jesus holds this unique relationship with God. For example, Psalm 2:7 says, “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” This shows God designating a unique Son who has a special relationship with Him, foreshadowing Jesus as the Son in the New Testament.
• Isaiah 9:6 prophesies the birth of a Son with divine attributes, pointing to the uniqueness of Jesus’ Sonship.
• Proverbs 30:4 reads, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?” This emphasizes the mystery and singularity of God’s Son, implying that the Son’s relationship with God is unlike any other.

from the new testament

• John 3:16 teaches that Jesus is God's "only begotten Son" (King James Version). The Greek term translated "only begotten" is monogenes, a word used nine times in the New Testament that can mean one of a kind or unique.
• For example, Luke uses the term three times to refer to an only child (Luke 7:12; 8:42; 9:38). The writer of Hebrews uses the term to refer to Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the son of the promise (Hebrews 11:17). Modern translations generally translate monogenes in John 3:16 as "one and only Son" or "only Son" to reflect this definition.
• The use of monogenes in John 3:16 is similar to what is seen in other passages of Scripture to refer to Jesus as unique. For example, John 1:14 states, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:18 says, "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." John 3:18 adds, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." First John 4:9 notes, "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him."
• John 1:1-3 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." Jesus was not created.
• Colossians 1:15-17 also emphasizes Jesus creating all things.

implications for today

Does Jesus being God’s only begotten Son mean that Jesus was somehow born or created by God the Father? It does not. Instead, the emphasis is on Jesus as one in unique relationship with the Father. The Bible often uses Father and Son with God and Jesus to explain their relationship in terms we can better understand as humans, but this does not mean Jesus was created by God the Father.

Jesus as a completely unique, uncreated being, was so important in the early church that it was emphasized in one of the earliest creeds, the Nicene Creed: "I believe...in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made." This statement affirmed that Jesus is both eternal and is the one and only Son of God sent to offer salvation to the world.

Understanding that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son matters deeply because it clarifies His divine nature and eternal relationship with the Father. Some groups, like Mormons, argue that “only begotten Son” means Jesus was a created being or a separate god, but the Bible indicates that Jesus is eternal, fully God, and of the same substance as the Father. The Savior who lived, died, and rose again has the authority and power to redeem humanity. If He were just of one purpose or a created being, He would not have had the power and ability to die for all of mankind’s sins and to provide salvation for all who put their trust in Him. For those who are saved, we serve a Savior who is fully God and fully committed to restoring our relationship with Him.