Preaching from P66

The Begotten God

Based on John 1:18 (P66 Textual Variant)

Original Text (P66 Reading): "No one has ever seen God; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, he has explained him."

(P66 reads - monogenēs theon, meaning "only begotten God," instead of the more common reading  "only begotten Son.")

Sermon Outline: Revealing the Unseen Father

I. The Great Wall: Unseen and Unknowable (John 1:18a)

A. The Absolute Transcendence of God: "No one has ever seen God."

Reference to Exodus 33:20: Moses desires to see God's glory, but God states, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live."

The Barrier of Holiness: Emphasize the infinite gulf between the Holy Creator and finite, sinful humanity. God is too glorious for human eyes to comprehend directly.

B. The Resulting Human Dilemma: How can we know and worship a God who is fundamentally invisible and unapproachable?

II. The Bridge: The Only Begotten God (John 1:18b - The P66 Focus)

A. The Uniqueness of Christ: "The Only Begotten God"

Explain the Term: Discuss the deep significance of Monogenēs—it doesn't just mean "only child," but "unique" or "one of a kind." When paired with "God,"  it declares the divine nature of the Revealer.

The Son is God: Christ is not merely a prophet, an angel, or a created being; he is God, sharing the very essence of the Father. This is the truth the P66 text underscores.

B. The Location of Intimacy: "Who is in the bosom of the Father."

A Picture of Close Relationship: This phrase suggests the deepest possible intimacy, like reclining at a formal dinner, head next to the host's chest (referencing John 13:23).

The Internal Knowledge: Because he is in the Father's "bosom," He possesses perfect, first-hand knowledge of the Father's mind, heart, and nature.

III. The Revelation: He Has Explained Him (John 1:18c)

A. The Mission of Explanation: "He has explained him."

The Greek Verb: The verb used is (exēgēsato), from which we get the English word "Exegesis" (to draw out or explain a text).

Christ is the Divine Exegete: Jesus Christ is God's perfect explanation—the living, walking, breathing interpretation of the invisible Father.

B. The Scope of the Explanation:

Through His Words: (e.g., John 14:9: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.")

Through His Deeds: His miracles reveal the Father's power and compassion.

Through His Person: His life, death, and resurrection reveal the Father's holiness, justice, and love.

Conclusion: Seeing God Through the Begotten God

Final Call: Because the Begotten God has stepped out of the Father's bosom and fully explained Him, we are no longer left in the dark.

Application: To know the Father, we must look to Jesus. To truly worship the invisible God, we must worship the Begotten God who became visible.