Basic HTML Version
Tim. 5:21,
KJV
, the accusative case of
, “partiality,” preceded by
,
“according to,” is translated “preferring one before another” (
RV
, “prejudice”; marg.,
“preference,” lit., “according to partiality”).
ONLY
A. Adjectives.
1.
(
, 3441), “alone, solitary,” is translated “only,” e.g., in Matt. 4:10;
12:4; 17:8; 1 Cor. 9:6; 14:36; Phil. 4:15; Col. 4:11; 2 John 1; it is used as an attribute of
God in John 5:44; 17:3; Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; Jude 4, 25; Rev. 15:4.
See
ALONE
, A.
2.
(
)
, 3439), “only begotten” (No. 1 and
, “offspring”), has
the meaning “only,” of human offspring, in Luke 7:12; 8:42; 9:38; the term is one of
endearment, as well as of singleness. For Heb. 11:17 see
ONLY BEGOTTEN
.
B. Adverbs.
1.
(
, 3441), the neuter of A, No. 1, “only, exclusively,” is translated
“only,” e.g., in Matt. 5:47; 8:8; John 5:18; 11:52; 12:9; 13:9; frequently in Acts, Romans
and Galatians. See
ALONE
, B, No. 1.
2.
(
)
, 4133), “howbeit, except that,” is translated “only that” in the
RV
of
Phil. 1:18 (
KJV
, “notwithstanding”); “only” in 3:16 (
KJV
, “nevertheless”).
Notes:
(1) In Mark 2:7,
KJV
,
, “one” (so
RV
), is translated “only”; in Jas. 4:12,
RV
,
“one only” (
KJV
, “one”). (2) For “only that” in Acts 21:25,
KJV
, see the
RV
. (3) The
conjunction , “if,” with the negative , “not,” is translated “but only” in Luke 4:26,
RV
(
KJV
, “save”); 4:27 (
KJV
, “saving”); “only” in 1 Cor. 7:17 (
KJV
, “but”); in some mss. in
Acts 21:25 (
KJV
“save only”).
ONLY BEGOTTEN
(
)
, 3439) is used five times, all in the writings of the apostle
John, of Christ as the Son of God; it is translated “only begotten” in Heb. 11:17 of the
relationship of Isaac to Abraham.
With reference to Christ, the phrase “the only begotten from the Father,” John 1:14,
RV
(see also the marg.), indicates that as the Son of God He was the sole representative of
the Being and character of the One who sent Him. In the original the definite article is
omitted both before “only begotten” and before “Father,” and its absence in each case
serves to lay stress upon the characteristics referred to in the terms used. The apostle’s
object is to demonstrate what sort of glory it was that he and his fellow apostles had seen.
That he is not merely making a comparison with earthly relationships is indicated by
, “from.” The glory was that of a unique relationship and the word “begotten” does
not imply a beginning of His Sonship. It suggests relationship indeed, but must be
distinguished from generation as applied to man.
We can only rightly understand the term “the only begotten” when used of the Son, in
the sense of unoriginated relationship. “The begetting is not an event of time, however
remote, but a fact irrespective of time. The Christ did not
, but necessarily and
eternally
the Son. He, a Person, possesses every attribute of pure Godhood. This