September 10, 2023, 12:00 PM

The word begotten does not simply refer to human generation, to fathering a child. It is more than simply replacing “begotten” with the word, “fathered.” While that is effective, it is incomplete. Begotten is also used in the Nicene Creed to emphasize that Jesus Christ has the same nature as the Father. The Father is God, Jesus is God. For example, if a man makes a chair, the chair would not share the human nature of its maker. It is a chair, not a man. Even though a man can make something, we do not normally say he “makes” a son. Instead we say, he begets a son. The child shares his father’s human nature and so he is begotten, not made. So, in the Nicene Creed, when we say Jesus is begotten, not made, we are saying He has always had the divine nature of God the Father. Jesus is not made or created. Begotten is part of a litany in the Nicene Creed: God from God, Light from Light, True God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father. These statements unambiguously show that Jesus is God, He is not a creature. He shares fully in the one divine nature. He is the Light. He is truly God, fully participating in the one divine substance. As children of our parents, we share in human nature. When we receive the Eucharist, we share in the divine nature of the Body of Christ. Now you know!