The main confusion comes from a lack of knowledge and study of the use of the word "son" and the use of the expression "only begotten". First, we must understand that the term son in regard to Jesus is used in a spiritual and metaphorical sense and not a physical sense. Second, we must understand that the expression "only begotten" comes from the Greek word "monogenes". It does not necessary mean physical birth. The word "monogenes" is made up of two Greek words "mono" and "genes". "Genes" can have the meaning of birth but also of "producing" like a seed produces a plant. A reading of the account of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary in Luke 1:26-35 helps put things into perspective. In the Bible the term "Son of God" is used in a metaphorical sense because of the spiritual connection between Jesus and God. The accounts of Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:22, Matthew 3:17) and transfiguration (Luke 9:35, Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7) show that the fact that he was a son is closely linked with the fact that he was loved and chosen and the object of great pleasure. This is actually the meaning of monogenes, "beloved one". Luke 3:22, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7 all equate the expression "son of me" with "beloved one". Luke 9:35 equates "son of me" with "chosen one". Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5 and Luke 3:22 contain the phrase "with him I am well pleased" in the English but actually is in the past tense in the Greek, so should be "with him I was well pleased". This points to the fact that he was the promised seed of Abraham. God had Christ in mind at the time of Abraham. When God spared Abraham's "beloved son" he was looking into the future because he knew he would be well pleased with Christ. This is further highlighted in Hebrews 11:17 where it says, "By faith, Abraham . . . offered up his only begotten son." But in the Greek the expression "his only begotten son" is simply "ton monogene" from the word "monogenes" meaning "beloved one". It is also highlighted by the fact that in Genesis 22:2, the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament, translated between 250 B.C and 280 B.C.) actually says, "ton agapeton" meaning "loved one" where the English translation is "your only son". This is followed by the words, "hon egapesas" meaning "the one whom you loved" which denotes a choosing. Futhermore the Greek word, "monogenes" is used as "best-beloved" in Josephus (p. 415, Book XX, Chapter II, Section 1) where it was used of the son of a man who had other sons as well. In short we see that in the English language "only son" can be used in a metaphorical sense to express the meaning of "monogenes" or "agapetos".

We do not need to replace "only begotten Son" with "beloved." But we do need to realise that the meanings of "one and only" "only begotten" and "only" in the Greek are actually "beloved" and "unique" or "uniquely produced" or "chosen". It has been pointed out that in Genesis 22 where the English phrase is "your only son", the Greek Septuagint says, "ton agapeton" which means " the beloved". So we need to look more closely at these terms and understand what they mean and what the words were in the original languages. The Bible in the original Greek uses the word "uios" meaning "son" for Jesus' relationship to God many times. The key is to realize that Jesus is called "the Son of God" while I can simply be called "a son of God". The expression "son of" is used around the world in the context of human relationships in a spiritual and metaphorical way, so there shouldn't be any problem of understanding it that way in the case of Jesus' relationship to God.

In Pakistan and even in the Arab world and China, if a man's only child is a daughter and he loves his daughter dearly, he may say, "This is my son." Physically, she is not his son at all! She's his daughter! But everyone knows exactly what he means. She came from him and submits to him. He loves her dearly like no other child, and all that he has may someday be given to her.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV®
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