Unbegotten
Unbegotten identifies the Father in relation to the Son; it does not mean that the Father alone possesses divinity.
Key points
- A personal property distinguishes the Father without dividing the divine essence.
- The term does not imply that the Son began to exist.
Scripture
- John 5:26 — Jesus speaks of the Father having life in himself and granting the Son to have life in himself; the later technical term 'unbegotten' is not in the verse.
Primary sources
John of Damascus explains:
John of Damascus says that unbegottenness marks a different mode of personal existence, not a different essence or dignity.
all the qualities the Father has are the Son's, save that the Father is unbegotten, and this exception involves no difference in essence nor dignity, but only a different mode of coming into existence.
Passage context and translation
John says that the Father's being unbegotten distinguishes the mode of personal existence without introducing a difference of divine essence or dignity between Father and Son.
Before the excerpt
the term 'Only-begotten' because He alone was begotten alone of the Father alone
After the excerpt
These do not differ from each other in nature ... but they differ in the mode of coming into existence.