Bible Students

The Image of God is one of the most interesting parts of the opening chapters of Genesis (which is difficult, because so much of the opening of Genesis is shrouded in mystery). What exactly is the Image of God? How dos that relate to humans? How does that relate to God? How does it connect the two? 

The Image of God, first, is given to all of mankind. It was given to the first two created humans, and after this is not touched on much after. Given what seems to be the context of Genesis (correcting false ideas in religious language the people were familiar with, seen through what is mentioned and what is left out), the Image of God probably had some sort of pagan counterpart which the language was being pulled from. If the concept was not pulled from anywhere, how would it make any sense to the first people reading it? I believe the imagery can be seen in the making of an idol, a representation of a god on earth. The Image in mankind means that man both represents God, without their trying to represent Him, and that mankind is called to represent God. 

Jesus is the perfect example of the Image of God, in His exact Image (Philippians 1). I believe this gives some convincing evidence for what the Image should be understood to be. Jesus perfectly represented God on earth to other creatures and creation, and carried out the will of God on earth. He was a representation, a perfect representation, of who God is. Man is an imperfect representation of who God is, and yet He is still reflected through the representation of mankind on earth. 

Humans are called to subdue the earth and represent God on earth. Mankind represents God by being a little version of Him, made in His image (think of instead of a pagan carved image, a holy image of flesh). Mankind has the responsibility to represent God well, because no matter what humans will represent God, either well or poorly.  This week’s question was helpful for developing a theology of why we are on the earth. We must represent God well, because we are always, especially as Christians, being looked at as a window to God’s character. All people are seen as a window into God’s character. Think of when someone does something evil. People ask, “why would God allow this?” The actions of people reflect who God is, supposedly, to all people around them.