Does Jesus' reference to himself as God's "only begotten Son" infer that he is less than divine than the Father (John 3:16)?
John 3:16 NASB = New American Standard Bible "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 - 21
ESV - 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
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Asked December 07 2020
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
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In discussing this issue, C.S. Lewis asked the reader to picture two books lying one on top of the other, and having been that way from eternity past. The position of the book on the bottom has "begotten" the position of the book on top, but that does not imply that it existed first, or was "greater" than, or superior to, the one on top. This imagery has been very helpful to me in avoiding thinking of Jesus (in His eternal pre-incarnate state) as being somehow "less divine" than God the Father.
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