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unigénito.

5
votes

What does "only begotten" mean?

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updated Feb 27, 2015
edited by ray76
posted by Rey_Mysterio
Sentences begin with a capital letter: "What does...?" - Jubilado, Feb 25, 2015

6 Answers

8
votes

I've heard this used mainly in reference to Jesus Christ being the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. There seems to be a theological distinction in that begotten does not mean created and thus unlike mortals who are created (Jesus is considered both mortal and immortal), Jesus was unique (only) and eternally coming forth from the Father as the eternal word with no beginning. Because this is all a matter of faith, it will not stand the scrutiny of logic or reason that denies a supernatural reality beyond the physical one subject to the laws of physics.

I suppose that in a less theological sense this term could refer to an only child, but I personally have not heard it used that way. If you have a particular source that is not religious in which this is being used, please let me know.

updated Feb 27, 2015
posted by Jubilado
Who's Trinity? - Rey_Mysterio, Feb 25, 2015
The Trinity is the Christian term for one God in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. - Jubilado, Feb 25, 2015
Jubilado: I'm watching Wolf Hall on TV, it's excellent. The king is trying to beget a son, but things are not going well. - annierats, Feb 26, 2015
6
votes

'To beget' means 'to conceive' (as in a child), i.e. 'concebir' (I think it's the same cognate in Spanish).

It's an old word in English, therefore not used in everyday speech, and I suppose some native speakers might not understand it at all.

It conjugates like American English 'to get', hence: I beget, I begot, I have begotten ('to get' conjugates differently in British English, using the past participle 'got').

Thus 'only begotten' refers to the sense of a child being an 'only child' ('hijo unico'). As Jubilado says, it often has a religious connotation, but not necessarily so.

Likewise you might come across the expression 'begotten out of wedlock', referring to a child conceived outside marriage, as an older, politer way of saying 'b***ard' (although I prefer the expression 'born on the other side of the sheets').

updated Feb 27, 2015
posted by Faldaesque
I agre, the word is far from unknown, in horse breeding we can say ' he was got by susch and such a stallion, this clearly being short for begotten. Usually we just say ' He is by Sirius' . - annierats, Feb 26, 2015
Sorry about the typos. Can't find my glasses. - annierats, Feb 26, 2015
The people of the US still use forms of it ,' gotten ' is from it although it fell out of favour after the Pilgrim Fathers went to America but it like a lot of words kept being used long after the English dispensed with them . - ray76, Feb 27, 2015
5
votes

No sé si este es el lugar para discutir las cosas de teología, pero,unas definiciones no le van a dar problemas a nadie.

Juan 3:16. " De tal manera amó Dios al mundo que ha dado a su hijo unigénico para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda más tenga vida eterna" (Ve mi post sobre el amor)

Only-begotten=únigenito. Esto significa que Dios nada más tuvo un hijo. Según dice la Biblia. El creó al hombre de los elementos de la tierra. Los seres humanos no son los "hijos" de Dios, somos su creación. El primer Adán es el padre físico de los hombres, y Eva su madre.

En inglés, "begotten" es el participio pasado de "beget" lo que significa "engendrar" o "procrear" --ser padre.

Dios engengró al niño Jesús mediante El Espíritu Santo. Así pudo engendrar a Jesús en el vientre de María. Por eso decimos que Jesús es tanto hombre como Dios.

Otra vez, según la Biblia, podemos llegar a ser "hijos" de Dios si creemos y confiamos en Cristo como nuestro Salvador. Como lograr esto es cuestión de doctrina. La Iglesia Católica promueve sus creencias y métodos para hacer esto, y las otras denominaciones ofrecen sus opiniones. No las voy a dsicutir ni interpretar aquí.

Sólo trato de contestar la pregunta del significado de "only-begotten" y unigénito.

Ojalá que esto haya sido bastante para clarificar este concepto de "only begotten"

Si deseas saber más, sería buena idea hablar con un sacerdote o un pastor evangélico, que te podrá dar una respuesta más profunda y amplia.

updated Feb 25, 2015
edited by Daniela2041
posted by Daniela2041
is your post about love recent or not? - Rey_Mysterio, Feb 25, 2015
I think I just posted it yesterday. It shows Jesus on the cross. - Daniela2041, Feb 25, 2015
Muy bien dicho, amiga. - Jubilado, Feb 25, 2015
3
votes

It is from the verb to beget.

This might help explain - see other answers too.

La violencia siempre engendra odio.

Violence always breeds (begets) hatred.

updated Feb 26, 2015
posted by ian-hill
Similarity begets friendship.. - annierats, Feb 26, 2015
2
votes

Unigénito

(Del latín unigen?tus)

Hijo único.

Por antonomasia, el hijo de Dios, que es unigénito (hijo único) del Dios Padre en el cristianismo.

Par excellence, the son of God, which is begotten son (only child) of God the Father in Christianity.

updated Feb 25, 2015
posted by LuisCache
La tuya es lo más elegante de todos. "Credo...in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum...." - Jubilado, Feb 25, 2015
Muchas gracias, Jubilado. "Creo en un solo Señor Jesucristo, hijo único de Dios..." - LuisCache, Feb 25, 2015
2
votes

It's a rather archaic way of saying "only child." It hardly used in every day language, except for, as was said, religious and some historical contexts.

updated Feb 25, 2015
posted by Winkfish