Begotten Irenaeus

The idea Christ was eternally begotten is from a misunderstood passage in Psalms 110:3, the word begotten is translated in the Septuagint.

The Hebrew doesn't have the word begotten, though begotten is viable.

Irenaeus used this verse to declare Christ was begotten before creation in his work "Proof of the Apostolic Preaching" . He incorrectly ascribes the text of Psalms 110:3, for Jeremiah doesn't seem to have morning-star in it.

30. Hither were the prophets sent by God through the Holy Spirit; and they instructed the people and turned them to the God of their fathers, the Almighty; and they became heralds of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, declaring that from the posterity of David His flesh should blossom forth; that after the flesh He might be the son of David, who was the son of Abraham by a long succession; but according to the spirit Son of God, pre-existing86 with the Father, begotten before all the creation of the world, and at the end of the times appearing to all the world as man, the Word of God gathering up in Himself all things that are in heaven and that are on earth.87

and

43. So then we must believe God in all things, for in all things God is true. Now that there was a Son of God, and that He existed not only before He appeared in the world, but also before the world was made, Moses, who was the first that prophesied,117 says in Hebrew: Baresith bara Elowin basan benuam samenthares.118 And this, translated into our language,119 is: "The Son in the beginning: God established then the heaven and the earth." 120 This Jeremiah the prophet also testified, saying thus: Before the morning-star I begat thee: and before the sun (is) thy name; 121 and that is, before the creation of the world; for together with the world the stars were made. And again the same says: Blessed is he who was, before he became man:122 Because, for God, the Son was (as) the beginning before the creation of the world;123 but for us (He was) then, when He |109 appeared; and before that He was not for us, who knew Him not.124 Wherefore also His disciple John, in teaching us who is the Son of God, who was with the Father before the world was made, and that all the things that were made were made by Him, says thus: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made:125 showing with certainty that the Word, who was in the beginning with the Father, and by whom all things were made, this is His Son. 

Such mistakes would mean Irenaeus was uninspired, even though he was well studied and did great work. He was prone to mistakes as all uninspired men are, including myself.

Irenaeus could have used Psalms 110:3 incorrectly. Many modern scholars believe begotten in the Septuagint to be speaking of the saints.The first part of the verse is speaking of the saints.

Psa 110:3  With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee.

If begotten is speaking of the early church then it is used incorrectly by Irenaeus. This would match texts such as

Jas 1:18  For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creature.

Yet, this isn't certain and begotten from the Septuagint could speak of Christ.

It is possible the Septuagint translated from Hebrew to Greek incorrectly, and the word begotten isn't necessary. The Hebrew to English reads without the word begotten,

My theory is that begotten speaks of his time on earth as it reads

"In the brightness of the saints"

This is the time frame that begotten applies.

And the Day star is an application to eternal youth, where Christ stays in a state of eternal youth and energy after his resurrection.

The Hebrew bears this out more succinctly.

Psa 110:3  Thy peopleH5971 shall be willingH5071 in the dayH3117 of thy power,H2428 in the beautiesH1926 of holinessH6944 from the wombH4480 H7358 of the morning:H4891 thou hast the dewH2919 of thy youth.H3208

The dew of his youth being dew produced by the resurrection, whereby the church is begotten.

Irenaeus is a brilliant writer and student, we can all learn from his writing, but he wasn't inspired

 and we can question his applications.

The Church of Christ has believed Christ is eternal, not begotten as if brought forth before creation, except in the sense of his birth, his baptism, and resurrection. He is the first born over all creation. He is first begotten from the dead. He was declared to be the Son of God by holiness at his baptism.

It doesn't seem the word begotten speaks of begotten eternally, as if not truly eternal. Jesus was eternal in the heavens.