Youcat commented through CCC - Question n. 74 - Part I.

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YOUCAT Question n. 74 - Part I. What does it mean to say that Jesus is “the only-begotten Son of God”?

(Youcat answer) When Jesus calls himself “God’s only-begotten Son” (or “only Son”, Jn 3:16) and Peter and others bear witness to this, the expression means that of all men only Jesus is more than a man.    

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 441) In the Old Testament, "son of God" is a title given to the angels, the Chosen People, the children of Israel, and their kings (Cf. Dt 14:1; (LXX) 32:8; Job 1:6; Ex 4:22; Hos 2:1; 11:1; Jer 3:19; Sir 36:11; Wis 18:13; 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 82:6). It signifies an adoptive sonship that establishes a relationship of particular intimacy between God and his creature. When the promised Messiah-King is called "son of God", it does not necessarily imply that he was more than human, according to the literal meaning of these texts. Those who called Jesus "son of God", as the Messiah of Israel, perhaps meant nothing more than this (Cf. 1 Chr 17:13; Ps 2:7; Mt 27:54;  Lk 23:47).    

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) In many passages of the New Testament (Jn 1:14, 18; 1 Jn 4:9; Heb 1:2, and so on) Jesus is called “Son”. At his baptism and his Transfiguration, the voice from heaven calls Jesus “my beloved Son”. Jesus discloses to his disciples his unique relationship to his heavenly Father: “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Mt 11:27). The fact that Jesus Christ really is God’s Son comes to light at the Resurrection.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 444) The Gospels report that at two solemn moments, the Baptism and the Transfiguration of Christ, the voice of the Father designates Jesus his "beloved Son" (Cf. Mt 3:17; cf. 17:5). Jesus calls himself the "only Son of God", and by this title affirms his eternal pre-existence (Jn 3:16; cf. 10:36). He asks for faith in "the name of the only Son of God" (Jn 3:18). In the centurion's exclamation before the crucified Christ, "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mk 15:39), that Christian confession is already heard. Only in the Paschal mystery can the believer give the title "Son of God" its full meaning.    

(This question: What does it mean to say that Jesus is “the only-begotten Son of God”? is continued)