“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
John 1:18

John has already described the Lord Jesus as the Eternal Word, who spoke everything into existence and who came into this world as the Incarnate Word (John 1:1–3, 14). Now, in our verse, for the first time he uses the title Son. This is extremely important because it is the very reason John wrote his Gospel:

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).

John refers to the Lord Jesus as “the only begotten Son.” This could be better translated the unique Son. It carries the thought of One who stands apart from all others. The word begotten is used of the Lord Jesus at least five times in John’s writings (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). The Lord Jesus is specifically called the Son of God nine times in the Gospel of John (1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 10:36; 11:4, 27; 19:7; 20:31). Our blessed Savior is not only the Son of God, but He is God the Son. Even the demons confessed this truth (Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41).

As you read through the Gospel of John, you will discover six individuals who referred to the Lord Jesus as the Son of God: John the Baptist (1:34), Nathanael (1:49), Peter (6:69), the blind man (9:35–38), Martha (11:27), and Thomas (20:28). If you include the Lord’s own testimony in John 5:25 and 10:36, there are seven witnesses who testify to the truth of His Sonship.

Notice something else that is extremely important in our verse. John declares that the Lord Jesus is “the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father.” The expression “is in the bosom of the Father” is in the present tense. Even while our Lord was here on earth, He was ever in the bosom of the Father. This speaks of the intimacy between the Father and the Son. It speaks of deep affection, perfect fellowship, and unbroken nearness. Some have translated the expression “on the bosom of the Father,” emphasizing the place of closest communion. It reveals the intimate fellowship enjoyed between the Father and the Son.

Anchor For Today:
How precious that you and I are allowed this glimpse into the relationship between the Father and the Son. This is part of the message that has been made known to us through the coming of the Son of God into the world.