The title 'only begotten Son' signifies Jesus' resurrection from the dead—the event that declared Him the Son of God with power.
Scripture connects the phrase to the resurrection, not to Bethlehem. Through God's power, Jesus was raised and thus declared the only begotten Son of God. This resurrection is the foundation of salvation and the basis of our faith.
Psalm 2:7 — Contains the declaration 'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee,' which Acts 13 directly applies to Jesus' resurrection.
Acts 13:33 — Explicitly links God raising Jesus from the dead to the words of Psalm 2.
Acts 13:34 — Further confirms that 'begotten' relates to God raising Him up from the dead.
Romans 1:4 — States that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.
The Bible connects the title 'only begotten Son' with the resurrection. Psalm 2:7 records God's decree, 'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.' Acts 13:33 applies this to Jesus, saying God fulfilled the promise to the fathers by raising up Jesus again, as it is written in the second psalm. Acts 13:34 continues, 'And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead...' Romans 1:4 declares Jesus was 'declared to be the Son of God with power... by the resurrection from the dead.' Acts 4:12 further states there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved, pointing to the risen Christ.
Les Feldick emphasizes that most people mistakenly think 'only begotten Son' refers to Jesus' birth at Bethlehem. He insists the phrase actually refers to His resurrection. It was by the power of God that Jesus was raised, and this resurrection power declares Him to be the only begotten Son of God. That resurrection is the heart of the gospel. If a person believes in Jesus' death but not in His resurrection, they have no basis for salvation, because it all rests on God raising Him from the dead. Les also notes that we know the resurrected Christ, not merely His good earthly life; no one is saved by simply believing Jesus did good.
Les Feldick corrects the common assumption that the title points to Bethlehem. The word 'begotten' is linked in Psalm 2:7 and Acts 13 to the resurrection. God the Father's declaration, 'This day have I begotten thee,' is explained in Acts 13:34 as concerning His raising Jesus from the dead. Therefore, Jesus became the only begotten Son of God in power at the resurrection, not at His birth in Bethlehem.
It was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, and this power declares Him to be the only begotten Son of God. The same divine power works in believers, buying them out of spiritual slavery, setting them free, giving them hope, and placing them securely. This power is also why the resurrection is essential: without it, there is no salvation.
The resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel. If Christ's death is accepted but the resurrection is rejected, a person has no basis for salvation, because it all rests on God raising Him from the dead. Jesus' resurrection is the power by which He becomes the glorified Lord of glory. We are not saved by believing in Jesus' good earthly life, but by knowing the resurrected Christ who died for our sins.
God's Power in Setting Believers Free
Despicable. Totally inhuman. I wouldn't treat my cattle that way. It was beyond human description what those poor folk went through simply because they were slaves. But you see, in the spiritual realm, we were in that same ballpark, and we're going to see that, I don't think today, probably in our next taping, of where we were before we became believers and where we were as the offspring of Adam.
Only Begotten Son Defined Through Acts 13 and Romans 1
Now, "...no more to re" I'll read that again, because this is not just something that you'll see by glancing through it. "...Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, and as concerning that," now what does the that modify? "...Thou art my only begotten Son." See that? And so concerning that, He raised Him from the dead.
Resurrection as the Basis of the Gospel
It was the power of God that raised Him from the dead, that declares Him then to be the only begotten Son of God. See now, this is why the resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel. I don't know how many people I've had approach me over the last 25 years, well I've got a pastor or I've got a Sunday school teacher who believes that Christ died.
Bethlehem Misconception Corrected
We use the term so glibly, but I think most church members, most Christians think of the only begotten Son of God as His birth at Bethlehem. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is not where Christ became the only begotten Son of God. Not at all. But here we have the explanation of what it really refers to.
Psalm 2:7 and the Resurrection
Israel rejects Him and crucifies Him, and He ascends. And the next thing on the order is the tribulation. Now, come back to Psalms chapter 2, so you can follow me. It's just so clearly laid out, I think, in this little short chapter. Yet, verse 6, Have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion? Verse 7, I will declare the decree the Lord has set unto me. Thou art my Son.
Resurrected Christ as Glorified Lord
And see the reason is now that after He had suffered the humiliation of His humanity, and He took upon that humanity the sins of the world, now in resurrection power He becomes again the glorified Lord of glory, and as such is where we know Him. We know the resurrected Christ, the One who died for our sin. Now that's important. I think a lot of people are missing this.
Acts 13:34 and the Resurrection Declaration
And that word, Son, is capitalized, so it's a reference to God the Son, to the Lord Jesus. "...Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Now lock that in, "...this day have I begotten thee." That's what God the Father says. All right, now come back to Acts and we'll get the definition.
Acts 4: No Other Name Apart from the Risen Christ
"...Be it known unto you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead..." And he says that for the benefit of Sadducees especially. "...whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand before you all." Of course it was the power of Christ.
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 verse is the direct source of the phrase 'Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee,' which Acts 13 applies to the resurrection.
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.
Shows that the resurrection of Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 2:7.
Acts 13:34: And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
Continues to connect 'begotten' with 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:
Proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God with power specifically because of the resurrection.
Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Emphasizes that salvation is found only in the risen Christ.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the title points to the resurrection. Scripture connects the Father's declaration in Psalm 2:7 with God raising Jesus from the dead in Acts 13.
The resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel. If Christ died but did not rise, there is no power of resurrection as the basis of salvation. Believing only in His death leaves a person with nothing.
Romans 1:4 says Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. This confirms that the resurrection was the demonstration of His divine sonship.
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