In What Way Are We Made In the Image of God?

I love studying the Bible with my kids more and more. Last night we had read from Mark 14 and talked about how the meaning of the Lord's Supper had its historical roots and theological typology in the Passover at the exodus pointing to the atoning sacrifice of the crucifixion of Christ and giving us unity in the Body of Christ. This somehow led to a discussion of how we are created in the image of God. Luke offered a popular speculation that one way we bear God's image is in that we have free will. So I pointed out that while we have free will, our free will is limited to God's created order, but that God's will is not limited by His created order. Hope offered that His will is His created order. (!!!!!) How could I argue with that since God creates all that He wills? God's will is creative. Human will is reactive. What dear children I have.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

I explained to my kids the problem of speculating different ways of how we are made in the image of God is that the Bible doesn't tell us. The best theological answer to the question is, "I don't know." If we focus the answers to questions we have of the Bible to what the Bible doesn't say, then we are likely missing the message that God has for us.

We are made in the image of God and that is enough information for us. Is it not enough to indicate our status as the pinnacle of creation to say that God made us in his image? Did He make anything else in His image? The Bible doesn't say that He did. But I looked to see what the Bible had to say about images.

The Hebrew word translated image in the creation account is Tselem. Elsewhere it is typically used to refer to idols, false gods or statues. The only place it is used positively is with respect to man's image. There are several other words throughout the Hebrew text translated image and they likewise are almost exclusively used to refer to idols and false gods, apparently interchangeably according to the preference of the human author. With this one could observe that wile man being made in the image of God is a good thing, man's creation of false gods in his image is not a good thing.

(Daniel used tselem in the Aramaic, but I have ignored the usage here.)

I looked the word up in the Greek and found the word Eikon used exclusively. The only time eikon was used to translate anything Christ said was when he answered the question about taxes and asked to see a Roman coin. He asked whose likeness was on the coin. The word used here was eikon in Matthew, Mark and Luke. It's notable since Christ's teaching was with regard to the fact that we are made in the image of God and the money was made in the image of Caesar: "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

So, one message that we need to gain from the fact that we are made in the image of God is that we belong to God. One observation I have at this point is that if all human beings belong to God (John 17) then we are all going to heaven. This isn't the case. Therefore, do we all bear the image of God?

John never used the word in his Gospel or the three letters. But he did use eikon several times in Revelation negatively with regards to people worshipping the image of the beast. (John made notable references to Daniel's imagery in Revelation obvious only to those who were familiar with Daniel's writing in the late first or early second century. Since Daniel used tselem in the Aramaic, and it was likely translated eikon in the Septuagint, I checked to see if John merely copied Daniel. He didn't. John's was a new usage of eikon.)

Paul used the word a few times in his letters to the Romans, Corinthians and Colossians. This is where his teaching gets interesting. I've included passages below of all uses of tselem and eikon, but here I'll pull out Paul's usage for commentary:

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 1:21-23

Observation: The true and living God is immortal - some translations read "incorruptible". Man is mortal - some translations read "corruptible". The image of God is a good thing. The image of man is not a good thing except where it perfectly reflects the image of God.

Note: Paul is not making a distinction between fallen man and man before the fall except that man as fallen necessitates his discussion. Just as we cannot generalize the observation of man being made in the image of God in the creation account beyond the fall, we cannot likewise generalize Paul's teachings to man outside of the fall.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:28-29

Observation: Those whom the Father foreknew are at some point in time not in "the image of His Son", but are "predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son". A transformation takes place in some. Question: does the "image of his Son" equate to the creation of man in the image of God in Genesis?

7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:7

Observation: Glory is mentioned alongside image, but Paul seems to make some fine distinction here to prevent demeaning women to a status less than men. Paul's point is rather to draw a parallel between God's relationship with man and a husband's relationship with his wife. Question: Is Paul's observation that a man is the "image...of God" particular in the sense that all people versus some people are made in the image of God or a general statement referencing creation as an apologetic reference for the formation of a principle applied to a marital relationship. I suspect the latter.

49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:49

Observation: This is in the context of a discussion of the resurrection. The "image of the man of dust" is that of a corrupted body that will die. The image of the man of heaven is that of a resurrected body that will not die. Could it be that the image of God is that which is undying and that mankind lost that image in the fall such that everyone born is not born in the image of God, but that we look to the day when we will once again bear a perfect image of God?

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:9-10

Observation: This is pretty straightforward. The image of God is that into which we are being transformed. I would call this sanctification, or the process of making us more holy. God is holy and we are called to be holy as He is holy. Perhaps the image of God is His holiness. That is, man was created holy, set apart from the rest of creation. At the fall, man chose to be set apart from God which is a distortion of that holiness. Sanctification is a restoration of that relationship with God which would be consistent with everything we have read up to this point. This may be what the image of God is all about.

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Colossians 1:15

Observation: Christ is the image of God, which we know from John 1. John uses the word Logos there as a philosophical treatise, but the sense is the same in that Christ is the manifestation of God in creation as He takes on the form of man. He is capable of dying, but demonstrates the incorruptible power over death in His resurrection. He is without sin being the perfect image of God and God Himself in the flesh.


Concluding observations:

1) Bearers of the image of God are called to glorify God.

2) If believers in Christ are being transformed into the image of God then we are not perfectly in the image of God. Man was created in the image of God and under the fall have made images of false gods to worship, whether of metal, wood, false ideologies or even ourselves. Any distortion of the image of God can be said to be a false god of which we are all guilty except Christ who is God.

3) Regarding the will of man being the image of God:

a) I have this contention: that where our will departs from the will of God, we distort the image of God. Where our will agrees with the will of God, we do well to call attention to the will of God. Even Christ, who is God, said, "I have not come to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." How much more should we seek to be able to honestly say the same thing?

b) Being so, we must be humbly certain that we not believe falsely and claim such as the will of God. This most often takes the form of uncertain judgments and poor teachings. But leaders and teachers must be subject to the discernment of fellow believers lest any be led astray. But rather, for any of God's provisions in which we rejoice let us demonstrate our submission to Him by our submission to His word and to His people.

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Relevant Passages:


Hebrew: tselem


Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Genesis 5:3

3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

Genesis 9:6

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed,
for God made man in his own image."

1 Samuel 6:5

5 So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land.

1 Samuel 6:11

11 And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors.

2 Kings 11:18

18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 23:17

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Psalm 39:6

6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

Psalm 73:20

20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

Ezekiel 7:20

20 His beautiful ornament they used for pride, and they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it. Therefore I make it an unclean thing to them.

Ezekiel 16:17

17 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore.

Ezekiel 23:14

14 But she carried her whoring further. She saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,

Amos 5:26

26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves,

Greek: Eikon

Matthew 22:20

20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

Mark 12:16

16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.”

Luke 20:24

24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar's.”

Romans 1:21-23

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 8:28-29

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Corinthians 11:7

7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 1

1 Corinthians 15:49

49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:18

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:4

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Colossians 1:15

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Colossians 3:9-10

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Hebrews 10:1

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

Revelation 13:14-15

14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast m it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Revelation 14:9-11

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

Revelation 15:2

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.

Revelation 16:2

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Revelation 19:20

20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Revelation 20:4

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

All quotes of the Bible were taken from the English Standard Version.

God’s Rest in Hebrews

By the end of Chapter 3, Paul has brought up the Exodus, wilderness wanderings and inheritance of the promised land as a "rest" that was denied to some because of their disbelief. He continues this in the beginning of chapter 4 and by the end of chapter 4 has specified this rest for us as a spiritual (yet very real) one:

16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Paul also stacked this section of Hebrews with several "For"s and "Therefore"s. This is an indication that his point through this section is being made through a progrssive flow of thought that contains sets of quasi-parenthetical statements. It doesn't mean much until one analyzes each comment syllogistically and recognizes it as a premesis for an argument that is either the conclusion of a previous argument or if Paul assumes it is a foregone conclusion with his Hebrew readers. Keeping this in mind, I won't go into every statement, but I have a few select observations.

It would seem that to enter into God's rest is our reward for having been obeidient. In verse 11, Paul indicates that we are to "be diligent to enter that rest". It would seem that we must make some effort. However, entering into God's rest is not the goal. The goal is " so that no one will fall" and they fell "through following the same example of disobedience" as the Hebrews during the exodus. If "diligence" means obedience, then what purpose does the "rest" serve and why write this verse? Paul could have only written "be obedient" and it would have meant the same thing. The "example of disobedience" is "unbelief" (3:19). But it appears as though belief is what causes people to enter the "rest" (4:3). Understand that the premises for the conclusion in 3:11 is a principled link between the keeping of the Sabbath and God's resting on the seventh day after creation (3:10), and the effectiveness of revelation (3:12).

To answer this, observe the pattern in both premises. In verse 10, Paul seems to make a distinction between a child of God "entering His rest" and having "rested from his works, as God did from His." In verse 11, Paul indicates that the living aspect of the revelation of Christ is contingent on its ability to distinguish between soul (psuch) and spirit (pneumato), joints and marrow, and thoughts and intentions. A minor debate exists between dichotomists and trichotomists. The debate is silly. It's like debating whether the Bible is one book, two books, or sixty-six books (as far as Protestants are concerned). Dichotomists claim no distinction between soul and spirit where trichotomists do. Paul clearly makes a distinction here whether that distinction is carried over into other passages that also discuss soul and spirit. This is an open reference to something that Paul’s Hebrew audience would have understood. It’s the same two words used in Jude 19:

“These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded (psucikoi), devoid of the Spirit. (pneuma)”

The concept is that people possess a mind like an animal, a “soul”. However, People also possess a capacity to be receptive to God, transcendent, and yet foundational to, mere existence: spirit. In Jude, the “Spirit” is apparently a reference to God’s Spirit. However, other beings can possess a spiritual nature and human beings among them.

As part of the context of Hebrews 4, this reference to the division of soul and spirit indicates that the word (“logos”, a philosophical term used to refer to Christ in John 1, here used to refer to His revelation to us: the scriptures) of God is able to help us judge, or discern, the difference between our animal thoughts and our spiritual intentions. With regard to the difference between “diligence” and “obedience”, “entering rest” and “resting”, I believe the distinction is the same. We enter rest through diligent spiritual intention (justification) so that through our rest, we may bring our animal minds under obedient subjection to God.

This coming Sunday evening, we’re having a special night of music. I’ve been asked to offer a song and God has led me to pull out an old, but little-known favorite of mine that I arranged for my use (I don’t have the music anymore and can’t seem to find the author). The text is a paraphrase of the words of Christ from Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me all who labor and are heavily laden down,
And I’ll give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me now
For I’m gentle and low in heart,
Here you’ll find rest
You’ll find rest for your weary soul
For my yoke is easy
And my burden’s light
Come to me

This adds an emotional impact to this teaching. Understanding the condescension of Christ, we know that He has been tempted as we are tempted. Even the strongest Christian recognizes his or her need. As sinners we are broken by the conviction of the Holy Spirit and are quickened. As such our intention becomes inclined toward God and we enter into His rest where obedience becomes a matter of great joy.

The Condescension of Christ in Hebrews

From Hebrews 3:

1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;
2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.
3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;
6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

I have small children. They're growing, but for now they have little reason to think that they know better than their mom and I. Nevertheless, they often do. One is capable of discerning to some degree the relative intelligence of someone less intelligent. One cannot discern one's own intelligence relative to someone of greater intelligence without some standard because greater intelligence is, by definition, incomprehensible. My children simply cannot conceive all that I can understand.

While not always overt, the condescension of God is prevalent throughout the scriptures and is the underscore in Hebrews. Theologians and teachers of the Bible often focus on the incarnation while ignoring God's condescension both through Christ Jesus and even the Holy Spirit. It's understandable in that we can hardly fathom our cognitive place relative to an eternal Creator. It's one thing to assent to the truth of it, but another thing to apprehend the truth intuitively. I maintain that temporal minds require bivalent logic to function. However, the eternal Creator is absolute and therefore logically univalent. Such would seem simpler to contemplate, but we need contrasting values.

The bivalence in creation arises from the paradoxical fact that an absolute God creates for coexistence that which is not Himself. This paradox is central to the incarnation. But this paradox also outlines the condescension of God, for it is from univalent eternity to bivalent temporality that He condescends. Therefore, my question at this point is this: How intelligent was Jesus as a man? We know He was wise, but let's not confuse godly wisdom with intelligence. The reason is that our intelligence as fallen human beings must be exceptionally limited. Add to that the mentally deficient God has given us to care for. Does God not save mentally handicapped people? If not, then what about the rest of us? Do we presume that we are intelligent enough to be saved? No. I propose that wisdom and intelligence are mutually exclusive, each with their own scales of maturity. Let's also not confuse either with knowledge, although knowledge can contribute to both.

Christ wrote nothing that we have to read today. Nevertheless, the entire New Testament was written about His actions and teachings and the subsequent writings hinging on Christ's actions and teachings could fill libraries. I suggest that He was exceptionally intelligent and this in conjunction with godly wisdom and a base of knowledge inaccessible to fallen people. But we study the things written of what Christ said because Christ said more than He could have written. The genius of the teaching aspect of his ministry is that He has left it up to others to expound on His teaching. The Sermon on the Mount, for example, is packed with enough material for several books. Christ would have delivered it inside of a couple of hours.

12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
15 while it is said,

"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Despite the crowds and disciples that followed Him, I consider that Christ, possessing exceptional intelligence, would have been a lonely man. For the very intelligent, socialization is unrewarding because most others provide very little cognitive stimulation. Christ could not have received anything from people except such wisdom inspired by the Holy Spirit as the tears and perfume of the sinful woman on His feet at the end of Luke 7. His penchant for communicating with the Father was akin to the domestic parent or child care worker desperate for adult interaction after hours of only small children to converse with. And these, as I have mentioned, think they are capable of challenging adult authority. In truth, children find security when they know where the boundaries are. But we also challenge God, and this not to feel secure, but because of unbelief. We must know that there are things we do not understand, but we too often think that we understand all there is to understand. Jesus didn't need to challenge the Father. If anyone could breach the boundaries of the law, Christ could - and did. And He did it alone. Who better to be our high priest than one who has experienced the great loneliness of a fallen world? Those of us who are partakers of the Body of Christ, coming together as Christ met with Father, should likewise go out to proclaim the gospel of grace. And often we may be lonely. Nevertheless, we will have fellowship with God.

The Narrative Context of Paul's Teaching to the Hebrews

One comment that has always plagued me on composition papers is my utter lack of examples. Perhaps ther reason is that too many examples in other people's writing bore me. Too many nonfiction books written these days for the general reading audience can be condensed into a few paragraphs. That's all I need. Instead, what I find are books of seemingly endless anecdotes as though such accounts constitute proof that the conclusions are true. Certainly, the use of storytelling can be persuasive. However, it lends itself to the current state of anti-intellectualism in which our ideas are propogated.

That said, there is a place for narratives.

Textual critics of the Bible have as their purpose the undermining of the foundation of orthodox Christian doctrine. However, nearly all such theology is derived from the historical narrative of the Bible. Often the Pauline theological applications, gospel accounts, pre-Mosaic narratives and a key prophet or two is generally held under the highest scrutiny. The part of the Bible most left unadulterated by the foolish speculations of the textual critics are the bulk of the narrative.

Hebrews, like many other Pauline texts, contains extensive references to the Hebrew scriptures. The quotes here are usually from the prophets, but the prophets and their prophesies are found in the historical narrative which lend itself hansomely to appropriate context. The Jews to whom Paul wrote would have understood this.

God, however, doesn't offer anecdotal evidence as proof of the the claims made through Paul's teaching. Instead, the history provides incontrovertible substance within which the narrative of God's redemption of His creation through Christ plays out. Therefore, history is not a mere example, it itself constitutes the revelation of Christ. In turn, God's prophets within the historical context spell out the revelation for us.