One and only

[AfterThought]

I read the Bible sometimes but not as often as many of you
Why come to the part where it says he gave his one and only son
I often think to myself could he have meant it in past tense?

 

[chevyontheriver]

I read the Bible sometimes but not as often as many of you
Why come to the part where it says he gave his one and only son
I often think to myself could he have meant it in past tense?

I would see it as perfect tense, as in the eternal Son of the Father, who was and is and will be beyond eternity.

 

[RaymondG]

Yes, Past, future and now.....as God is outside of time...e.g. a day like a thousand years...

 

[SkyWriting]

I read the Bible sometimes but not as often as many of you
Why come to the part where it says he gave his one and only son
I often think to myself could he have meant it in past tense?

How would that differ from other tenses?

 

[Tolworth John]

I often think to myself could he have meant it in past tense

The gift is in the past as that is what we celebrate at Christmas and Easter.
It is why Paul wrote that Christ died Once for All, there is no constant repition of Jesus's death.

Jesus as he is the second person of the trinity is eternaly God the Son.

 

[Yahchristian]

I read the Bible sometimes but not as often as many of you
Why come to the part where it says he gave his one and only son
I often think to myself could he have meant it in past tense?

The Greek word "monogenes" (which means "single of its kind") is translated in most English Bibles as either "one and only" or "only begotten".

So Jesus was the only time God was born ("begotten") as a human.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

The Greek word "monogenes" (which means "single of its kind") is translated in most English Bibles as either "one and only" or "only begotten".

So Jesus was the only time God was born ("begotten") as a human.

another translation I was was "only unique son". I take that to mean at his incarnation.