In Psalm 2, 'begotten' refers to Christ's resurrection from the dead, not to His birth at Bethlehem.
Psalm 2:7 records the Father's declaration, 'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.' Acts 13 connects that statement to God raising Jesus from the dead, and Romans 1 declares Him to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection. Les Feldick emphasizes that the common assumption about Bethlehem is biblically incorrect.
Psalm 2:7 — This verse contains the exact phrase 'this day have I begotten thee' that the question asks about.
Acts 13:33 — This verse applies Psalm 2:7 to God raising Jesus from the dead, defining 'begotten' as resurrection.
Psalm 2:7 records God the Father's decree to His Son: "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." The word "begotten" appears in this royal declaration. The same Psalm also identifies this Son as God's appointed King: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion" (Psalm 2:6). Acts 13 directly applies Psalm 2 to Jesus's resurrection: "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Romans 1 then declares Jesus "to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." Scripture itself, therefore, ties the word "begotten" to the resurrection.
Les Feldick teaches that most Christians mistakenly think the phrase "only begotten Son of God" refers to Christ's birth at Bethlehem. He says, "Nothing could be further from the truth." Instead, the biblical explanation in Acts 13 and Romans 1 shows that the title is connected to Christ's resurrection. Les emphasizes reading Acts 13 carefully: "...as concerning that, that Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, He raised Him up from the dead." He then points to Romans 1 as Paul's capstone, where Jesus is declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection. In Psalm 2's setting, after Israel and the nations reject the Anointed One, God will set His King on Zion, a period that follows the wrath and vexation which Scripture designates as seven years.
No. Les Feldick says most people, including church members, think of the "only begotten Son of God" as Christ's birth at Bethlehem. He states plainly, "Nothing could be further from the truth." The biblical explanation, found in Acts 13 and Romans 1, points instead to the resurrection.
Acts 13 says God fulfilled the promise to Israel's children "in that He raised up Jesus again" and then quotes Psalm 2: "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Les stresses the need to read carefully: the phrase "as concerning that" modifies "Thou art my only begotten Son," and it concerns God raising Him from the dead.
Psalm 2 begins with the nations and Israel rejecting the Lord's Anointed, which includes crucifying Him. After that rejection and His ascension to the Father's right hand, God declares, "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." Les connects this to the coming period of wrath and vexation, which Scripture designates as seven years. He also shows from Peter's sermon in Acts that David spoke of Christ's resurrection, so the crucified King remains Israel's King.
Israel's Rejection and the Coming King
Les explains that Psalm 2 places God's King on Mount Zion after a period of wrath and vexation, following Israel's rejection of the Messiah and His ascension to the Father's right hand.
Psalm 2 as Prophetic Outline
Les notes that Acts 13 quotes Psalm 2 and shows God fulfilled the promise by raising Jesus from the dead, using the Psalm as a prophetic benchmark.
Resurrection as the Meaning of Begotten
Les reads Acts 13:34 and Romans 1 to show that 'this day have I begotten thee' refers to the resurrection, when Christ became the only begotten Son of God in power.
Not Bethlehem
Les clarifies that 'this day have I begotten thee' is not about Bethlehem but about being raised from the dead.
Common Misconception Corrected
Les corrects the common Christian assumption that the only begotten Son refers to Bethlehem, insisting the biblical explanation is different.
Resurrection as the Basis of Power
Les connects the title 'only begotten Son' to the power of the resurrection and warns that without the resurrection we have nothing.
Psalm 2: Rejection and Wrath
Les explains that Psalm 2 begins with Jew and Gentile rejecting the Anointed One, and after their confusion God speaks in wrath.
Resurrected King
Les shows from Peter's sermon that David spoke of Christ's resurrection, so the King they crucified is still their King.
Psalm 2:7: I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
This is the core verse containing the phrase 'this day have I begotten thee.'
Acts 13:33: God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
This verse directly connects the Psalm 2 quote to Jesus being raised from the dead.
Romans 1:4: And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
This verse shows the Son of God title is associated with the power of the resurrection.
Psalm 2:6: Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
This verse identifies the begotten Son as the King God has set on Zion.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
This verse is used by Les to show Christ's ascension to the Father's right hand after His rejection.
No. Les Feldick says nothing could be further from the truth. Acts 13 and Romans 1 tie the phrase to Jesus's resurrection from the dead.
It refers to the day God raised Jesus from the dead. Acts 13 links the Psalm quote directly to the resurrection.
Romans 1 says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection. Les teaches that this is when He became the only begotten Son of God in power.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Apostles Stayed in Jerusalem: Israel vs. The Church