μονογενής monogenēs (G3439) means “only” or “one-of-a-kind” and υἱός huios (G5207) means “son”. μονογενής monogenēs translates to “only” or “one-of-a-kind” throughout the Bible. (cf. Judges 11:34 “she was his only child” (he monogenes); Psalm 22:20 “deliver my soul from the sword, my only (monogenes) from the hand of the dog.”; Psalm 25:16 I am an only (monogenes) and poor. Psalm 35:17 “deliver my soul from their mischief, my only (ho monogenes) from the lions”; Luke 7:12 “her only son” (ho monogenes uios); Luke 8:42 “only daughter” (he monogenes thugater) Luke 9:38 “only son” (ho monogenes uios); John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” (ho monogenes uios); John 3:18 “he has not believed in the name of God’s only son” (ho monogenes uios); Hebrews 11:17 “only son” (ho monogenes uios) – since Abraham also fathered Ishmael from the slave girl Hagar; 1 John 4:9 “God sent his only Son (monogenes uios) into the world”
For John 1:18, the King James Version (KJV) reads, “only begotten Son” which is the majority reading. Some translations, like the World English Bible (WEB) reads, “the one and only Son”. In a small number of manuscripts the text here is damaged and does not agree with the majority reading “only begotten son”; The New American Standard Bible (NASB) reads, “only begotten God”, while the NIV, RSV, NRSV, and ESV read, “the one and only God”. The phrases “only begotten Son” (Arian) and “only begotten God” (Trinitarian) are found on both sides during the Christological debates
The primary controversies within the Christian Church between the third and fifth centuries A.D. revolved around the nature of Yeshua the Messiah and the doctrine of the Trinity. Key ecumenical councils, such as Nicaea and Chalcedon, addressed these critical theological questions, leading to significant church divisions. This was the exact time when manuscripts of the Christian Bible were being copied, thus we have no sure way of knowing what the original text was. The phrases “only begotten Son” (Arian) and “only begotten God” (Trinitarian) are found on both sides during the Christological debates. This means we must rely on how this topic regarding whether Yeshua is the only son, the only begotten son, or the only begotten God, or the one and only God is taught throughout the whole of Scripture.
Allen Wikgren (1906-1998) was an American New Testament scholar and professor at the University of Chicago and one of four members of the committee regarding the reading of μονογενὴς υἱός (monogenís yiós) in John 1:18. He wrote the only minority opinion saying, “It is doubtful that the author (i.e., John) would have written monogenes theos (only begotten God), which may be a primitive, transcriptional error in the Alexandrian tradition.” His opinion is based on the ease of confusing the common scribal practice of abbreviating God (theos) to theta-sigma (Υς) , and abbreviating Son (uios) to upsilon-sigma (Θς) in the Greek manuscripts. Because of these abbreviations, called nomina sacra (sacred name) abbreviations, copying errors of “God” to “Son” and “Son” to “God” are frequent in early manuscripts.
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