When reading the Bible, many have asked the question “what does begot mean?”. It is a term that is used in the Bible quite often.
Begot refers to a father being the genealogical or legal ancestor of a son or daughter. It is used to indicate a father-child relationship, or a line of descent. It is used in the sense of ‘to father’, and is a synonym of ‘beget’. The primary usage of begot in the Bible was when referring to the generations of Jesus’ linage which are recorded throughout the Gospels.
In Greek, the relevant terms are ‘genetereo’ and ‘gennao’, as these are often used in the King James version of the Bible. Genetereo is used to describe conception and physical birth, but gennao is used to describe the process of fathering. So when referring to the genealogy of Jesus, the Greek word ‘gennao’ is used.
In the Bible, God is often referred to as a father to His people. For example in Matthew 6:9, when Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray, he says “Our Father who art in heaven”. The use of the father designation may also be seen in Galatians 4:6, which reads “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”. In using “our father” and “Abba”, God is indicating that He is the father of the believers, and that they have a special, spiritual relationship. This also shows that God has begotten them.
God’s use of begot and relationship as a father serves to demonstrate His love for and care over His people, even if His relationship to them may be inexpressible. God uses begot and father to show the extent of His love and relationship, while also establishing a line of believers and descendants in the faith.
The Relationship between Begot and Father in the bible
The relationship between begot and father in the Bible is a close link. Begot provides a way in which God or a man can be known as a father. Whether it is a physical father or an adoptive father, the Bible uses begot and father to refer to these kind of relationships to demonstrate the extent of the love and care of the person being called father, and the relationship that exists between them. Through begot, God is referred to as a father who begets His people.
It is also significant that many times throughout Scripture, the use of begot is intensified by linking it to father. When the Father is in agreement with something, it is especially because He is associated to it in the most intimate and personal way.
In the Bible, father also refers to a head of a family, a provider of guidance and a teacher. So when begot is used in combination with father, it is an indication of a relationship of love, care and protection. It establishes the relationship between the two, a relationship which God and people strive to build and nurture.
Significance of Begot in the Bible
The use of begot in the Bible is significant, as it is one of the many ways in which the Bible talks about the way God relates to His people. It also establishes a line of believers and descendants of the faith.
Begot is significant in how it links the concept of fatherhood to the Creator of the universe. Even though the relationship between a father and a child on the earth is comparatively finite, God’s relationship with those who are begotten of Him is infinite. Through such, it is made known that God is a Father to all, regardless of religion, gender, ethnicity, or physical condition.
One other use of begot that is significant in the Bible is the record of the generations leading to Jesus, which is found in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. This record is important for numerous reasons, such as highlighting Jesus as the promised Messiah, or showing the unique genealogical background of Jesus. It also serves to establish the line of believers and descendants of the faith, so that those who come after may likewise be born into the family of God.
Conclusion
In conclusion, begot is an important word in the Bible which establishes the relationship between God and His people. It is one of the ways used to talk about how God relates to His people, and it serves to demonstrate the extent of love and care of the father-child relationship. It is also significant in its linking the concept of fatherhood to God, and in its recording of Jesus’ genealogy.
Genesis
The book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible and it is the first text in which begot is used. In the first instance of begot in the Bible, found in Genesis 2:24, God is setting the example of how people ought to behave when a husband and wife commit themselves to each other. In this passage, the husband and wife are told to unify and become one flesh, and then they are to beget children. This example shows the importance of the biblical use of begot, and that is to express the relationship between a father and a child.
In Genesis 5:28-31, begot is also used in a more primary sense as well. These text passages contain genealogies tracing the descendants of Adam, demonstrating that begot is used in the Bible in a genealogical sense as well.
Begot in the New Testament
In the New Testament, begot is used in a different way. Rather than in the primary sense or genealogical sense, it is used to indicate spiritual fatherhood.
John 1:12-13 is one example where begot is used in a spiritual sense. Here, Jesus is referring to himself as the son of God as he says “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”. This use of begot serves to demonstrate that even those who have not natural children of their own can also be begotten by God and made children of God.
Romans 8:14-17 is another example of begot being used in the New Testament in a spiritual sense. Here Paul speaks about those who have been adopted by God, saying “…you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. This passage indicates and reinforces the special relationship that exists between God and His begotten children.
Begot in the Old Testament
The use of begot in the Old Testament is primarily to indicate or demonstrate physical fatherhood. This can be seen in a few different places in the Old Testament.
For example, Genesis 25:21-23 uses begot to demonstrate the physical begetting of Jacob and Esau by Isaac. Likewise, in Ruth 4:17, begot is used to demonstrate the physical begetting of Jesse by his father Obed.
In other cases, like in Psalm 2:7, begot is used in a figurative sense to indicate that God is the father of His people. This use of begot in a more spiritual sense as used in the New Testament, as indicated in Rom 8:14-17.
Begot and Adoption
Begot is also used in conjunction with adoption in the Bible, as adoption can be seen as a form of fathering. Adoption is a form of fathering that does not depend on the physical begetting of a child, but rather on the loving commitment of an adult to take a child into their family.
In fact, the idea of universal adoption into God’s family is expressed in Galatians 4:1-7 as Paul explains how believers are no longer slaves, but sons and daughters of God. Here we see a connection between begot and adoption, as even though one has not been physically begotten of God, they can still be adopted and made a part of God’s family.
It is also important to note that while begot is primarily used in the Bible to indicate physical fatherhood and genealogical descent, it also has spiritual significance as it shows that all people, regardless of physical lineage, can be made children of God through adoption.
