Many of us use the N.I.V. and you probably noticed a different translation of an important word in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

It is usually rendered “only Begotten” and caused quite a stir when the N.I.V. was published. Many felt that it de-emphasized the uniqueness of Jesus, when quite the opposite it true.

The Greek word under fire is “monogenes.” Monogenes comes from monos (only) and genos (kind)–thus “the only one of its kind.” The earliest Latin translators rendered it to be “unique son” and it was actually 318 A.D. when it was first rendered “begotten Son”…and there began the inaccurate Latin rendering of “unigenitus” (only- begotten).

In the New Testament, monogenes appears 9 times and is always translated “only” in the Revised Standard Version. Only 6 times is it rendered “only-begotten” in the King James Version!

THE NINE USES OF THE WORD “MONOGENES” IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

1. The Widow of Nain and Luke 7:12.

“As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out–the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.”

In this story, the fact that her dead son had once been begotten was of course true but now of no consequence; the important thing here was that he was her only son.

What a pathetic situation!  The fact that she was a widow speaks of her past sorrow, but now the realization that the one and only prop of her life, the stay and hope of her widowhood, had been taken from her, shows realistically her present despair. Surely few greater misfortunes are conceivable than the loss of a widow’s only son!

2. Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8:41-42a.

“Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house {42} because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.”

Likewise, we share the concern of the father, for his only daughter was dying! Can anyone mistake the significance of “monogenes” in these passages? Not even the King James translators could!

3. The boy with an evil spirit and Luke 9:38.

“A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.”

Likewise, the comments of items #1 and #2. We cannot help but share the concern of this father.

4. Isaac and Hebrews 11:17.

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son…”

Though the King James Version says “only begotten,” Abraham obviously had begotten other children (Gen. 25:1-2). But the point is: Isaac was the only son of his kind, as far as God’s promise to Abraham was concerned. Thus “monogenes” is justified, and the RSV rendering “only son.”

5 and 6. Jesus and John 1:14 and 1:18.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth….No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”

The question is: doesn’t “only begotten” refer to Jesus’ virgin birth? Never!  Jesus did not become the Son; He became flesh to manifest Himself as God’s eternal Son. Men became the Sons of God because the Son of God became man.

Jesus is certainly the only Son in that there is none like him. He is the Son eternally, He is the Son by nature, and is the same essence with the Father.

7 and 8. Jesus in John 3:16, 18.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life…Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

9. Jesus in 1 John 4:9.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”

When “God sent his only Son into the world,” He did not send one Who became a son only when sent, any more than when God sent forth the Spirit (Gal. 4:6) did He send forth one who became a Spirit only when sent.

* CONCLUSIONS. Let’s let the translators render the words as they fit the context. Let’s not argue about translations…let’s read, study, and apply the book! Let’s realize that Jesus is not merely the Only Son, but the precious beloved Son of God’s embrace, and still God gave Him up! Take all the tenderness, forgiveness and love in the relation of an earthly father to his only child, and in that earth-drawn picture you have yet but a faint approach to the fathomless love of God, as He so loved the world that He gave the ONLY SON HE HAD–and what a precious Son–an innocent Son to be slain for the benefit of guilty men–that He might redeem them from eternal condemnation.

No clearer picture of the deity of Christ, or the love of God can be seen!