Jesus is not just “a son of God.” That is how Satan referred to Jesus while tempting him. (Matt. 4:3, 6) Jesus is rightly called “the only-begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16, 18) The Greek word translated “only-begotten” has been defined as “single of its kind, only,” “the only member of a kin or kind,” or “unique.” Jehovah has hundreds of millions of spirit sons. In what sense, then, is Jesus the only one “of a kin or kind”?
Jesus is unique in that he is the sole direct creation of his Father. He is the firstborn Son. In fact, he is “the firstborn of all creation.” (Col. 1:15) He is “the beginning of the creation by God.” (Rev. 3:14) The only-begotten Son’s role in creation is also unique. He was not the Creator, or Originator, of creation. But Jehovah used him as the agent, or means, to create all other things. (Read John 1:3.) The apostle Paul wrote: “There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.”—1 Cor. 8:6.
However, much more is involved in the uniqueness of Jesus. The Scriptures attribute to him many titles or designations that highlight his unique role in God’s purpose.
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