Jesus Christ holds a unique position in the religious narrative as the Only Begotten Son of God, a distinction that underscores His divine origin and purpose on Earth. This profound title is rooted in the miraculous circumstances of His birth, where Jesus was born to a mortal mother, Mary, and an immortal father, God the Father. This union endowed Jesus with both divine and human natures. From His Father, He inherited divine authority and power (see John 10:17–18), while from Mary, He inherited the vulnerabilities of mortality—experiencing hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, and ultimately, death.
The earthly journey of Jesus Christ commenced with His birth in the humble town of Bethlehem, an event heralded by divine proclamations. According to the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a virgin named Mary, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Gabriel announced to Mary, “Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest… The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” This divine message, recorded in Luke 1:26–27, 30–32, 35 (see also 1 Nephi 11:16–21 and Alma 7:10), affirmed the extraordinary nature of Jesus’ conception and His identity as the Son of God.
Similarly, in the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph was visited by an angel in a dream who reassured him of Mary’s faithfulness and prophesied that she shall “bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins” (see Matthew 1:20–21). This divine communication ensured that both Mary and Joseph understood that their son, Jesus, was indeed the Only Begotten Son of God.
The narrative continues with further affirmations of Jesus’ divine sonship. When Mary visited her relative Elisabeth, who was also miraculously pregnant, Elisabeth, filled with the Holy Ghost, exclaimed, “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (see Luke 1:39–45). From this encounter, Elisabeth recognized the divine nature of the child Mary was carrying.
Numerous witnesses throughout the New Testament received personal revelations confirming Jesus’ unique identity. For example, when Jesus walked on water towards His disciples in a boat, they were awestruck and worshipped Him, declaring, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). Likewise, when Jesus questioned His disciples about His identity, Peter boldly declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15–16).
Furthermore, before performing the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus spoke with Martha, the sister of Lazarus, asking if she believed in Him as “the resurrection, and the life.” She affirmed her faith, replying, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:25, 27).
The Old Testament also foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten. Adam and Eve offered sacrifices as a prophetic symbol of the future sacrifice of Jesus, “the Only Begotten of the Father” (Moses 5:7). Additionally, God instructed Adam on the ordinance of baptism in the name of His Only Begotten Son, emphasizing Jesus’ role as full of grace and truth (Moses 6:52).
In the Book of Mormon, Samuel the Lamanite, a prophet in the Americas, foretold the coming of the Son of God five years before Jesus’ birth, stating, “The Son of God cometh to redeem all those who shall believe on his name” (Helaman 14:2).
The Apostle John encapsulated the divine mission of Jesus in his writings, stating, “The Word [Jesus Christ] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14; see also Doctrine and Covenants 93:11). This profound truth underlines the fundamental Christian belief in the divine origin and mission of Jesus Christ, which is central to many Christian doctrines and teachings.
For supplementary insights and deeper understanding, refer to Gospel Principles (2009), pages 52–53; True to the Faith (2004), pages 87–89; and Richard C. Edgley’s article “The Condescension of God,” published in the Ensign, December 2001, pages 16–21. These sources provide additional context and explanation of the significance of Jesus as the Only Begotten Son of God.
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