youandme4ever81
Have you ever heard of the expression "ibn al'sabil" which literally means
"the son of the road"? All Arabs when using that expression know that the son doesn't have a road, the son in this expression means "traveler".
Likewise, when we Christians read "begotten" when referring to Jesus, we don't think of it in a human or literal sense. The Bible deals with spiritual subjects, using human terminology to describe spiritual relationships.
Why? Because as humans that is the only way we can understand it. The whole concept of the Triune Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), though believed by every Christian and attempted to be explained as to how One God (because we believe in a monotheistic God.. One God, but three persons making up the Godhead.. see we use that concept metaphorically too.. we certainly don't think of him as a person either.. again human terminology to express a spiritual relationship)
Now.. when we hear terms like Father, Son and begotten, we KNOW they are used figuritevely and metaphysically. So in every example that Alpha gave you, there is a very real difference in the way Jesus is referred to as "son" and the way humans are referred to in using the same term. When we think of the term "begotten" as humans, we immediately think of it from the perspective of Jesus having been born of sexual union.. in other words, he like normal humans must have a beginning.
If we were really being specific and trying to convey what we really mean when we call Jesus the "only Son of God" as the second member of the Triune Godhead, it would be better if we expressed it this way
"God is the one and only Divine, eternal and infinite Spirit, with Unity of Essence in a Trinity of Personalities as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, perfect in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth and love.
(Edwin E Calverley, "Christian Theology and the Quran" The Muslim
World47 (1957) p 289
Carol