Q&A: Image of God in Genesis 1:26, 5:1

I occasionally write posts in response to questions sent in by readers. Read on to find out how to submit your question.

Here is a question that a reader sent in about the image of God in humans.

The question:

Is this what God looks like?

You invite questions; so here we go:

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

Genesis 5:1-3 says this: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.”

Were we created in God’s or Adam’s image or how do I understand this verse?

Here is my response:

Good job noting the repetition of the “image” theme in Genesis 1:26-27 and 5:1-3.

The author of Genesis was not intending to show a distinction between the image of God in Adam and the image of Adam’s descendants, but rather their similarity.

Just as Adam and Eve were made in the image of God, so also, all their descendants also bear the image of God.

By Jeremy Myers Filed Under Bible Study Written on March 8, 2012

Comment

Baptized for the Dead

A reader named Chuck McKnight recently sent in an email asking about 1 Corinthians 15:29 and Paul’s statement about being “baptized for the dead.” Here is what he wrote:

I wanted to see if you plan on touching on a particular verse regarding baptism? It’s one of the more confusing verses in the Bible, regardless of one’s view of baptism, but I’m particularly interested in what someone from your perspective would make of it.

I’m referring to 1 Corinthians 15:29 and the “baptism for the dead.” This is one I’ve done a good deal of study on, as I did a brief article for it as part of our going through 1 Corinthians 15 in AiG’s biblical authority devotional series. If you’re interested, you can see my perspective on it at the following link: Baptism for the Dead.

Mine is basically a shorter explanation of the same conclusion Albert Barnes came to (Just skip down to verse 29).

I actually had not planned on addressing this Scripture passage, but I suppose that it light of my series on baptism, it would be wise to at least consider this difficult Scripture.

By Jeremy Myers Filed Under Bible Study, Books I'm Reading Written on December 30, 2011

Comment

Paul through Mediterranean Eyes

The study of Scripture in its cultural background has always been a primary interest to me. Even more than grammatical context, the cultural context of Scripture provides keys to properly understanding and applying the Scriptures. I believe that when we begin to understand the culture and history behind a Scriptural figure or book of the Bible, the Scriptures not only come to life but are also more easily applied to life.

And so it was with great excitement when I was recently asked to review Kenneth Bailey’s new book, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians. Kenneth Bailey is one of the leading scholars in the world on cultural background studies of, and his books on Jesus and the parables have been extremely helpful in my own research of Scripture.

Cultural Background of 1 Corinthians

But since I recently finished writing the rough draft of a Commentary on 1 Corinthians, I was especially excited to read what Bailey had to say about the cultural background of 1 Corinthians. I had done my best to uncover as much of the cultural background material as I could for my commentary, and I wanted to see if I had missed anything.

As it turns out, I missed quite a bit. Bailey spent forty years living and teaching in the Middle East, and while much has changed there since the days of Jesus and Paul, there is much that has not changed as well, and these forty years of first-hand experience provide Bailey with a unique perspective on the Scriptures which every reader and teacher of Scripture can benefit from.

By Jeremy Myers Filed Under Bible Study, Jesus Written on December 24, 2011

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The Way of the Kingdom

Herodium complex

When reading about the birth of Jesus in Scripture, many people do not realize that Bethlehem was situated within a mile or two of the Herodium, a huge palace fortress built upon a hill for King Herod, who had set himself up as the King of the Jews. Undoubtedly, as Joseph and Mary worked their way toward Bethlehem, their eyes looked frequently to this fortress upon a hill, reminding them of King Herod’s power, glory, and might.

The contrast between Herod and Jesus could not be more stark.

Herodium Map Herod’s fortress and all the wealth and strength it represented was contrasted by the poverty and weakness of Joseph and Mary struggling to make their way to Bethlehem where they were not even able to find a room to sleep in.

Instead, Mary had to give birth to her son in a dirty stable, surrounded by animals, and the only clothing she had for Him were some strips of linen to wrap Him in.

But this is the way of God and His Kingdom.

This Advent season, if you think that you are too poor, too weak, or too insignificant for God to use, remember Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Their beginnings could not have been more humble. God loves taking the poor, the weak, and the humble people of this world, and using them to bring glory to Himself.

This is an excerpt from A Scripture on Advent: Luke 2:4-7.

By Jeremy Myers Filed Under Bible Study, Jesus Written on December 23, 2011

Comment

His Name will be Called

We looked briefly at Isaiah 9:6 yesterday, and the government of Jesus. In that same Scripture, Isaiah also says that “his name will be called…” and then goes on to list a bunch of names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Most often we tend to think that these are other names of Jesus. But I don’t think this is the best way to understand this Scripture.

First of all, Isaiah say that this child will have one name (singular). But if this is so, why would Isaiah then go on to list four names (or five, or eight, depending on how you count)?

Second, if these are names of Jesus, then we run into some serious problems understanding the text. For example, nobody in Isaiah’s day though that the Messiah was going to be God Himself. And so Isaiah would not have written that the Messiah was “Mighty God” if he meant by this that the Messiah would be “God incarnate.” Even more seriously, the third “name” is “Everlasting Father.” Unless you don’t believe in the Trinity, you are probably not ready to say that Jesus is God the Father.

So in light of these sorts of difficulties, it seems better to understand the “names” of Isaiah 9:6 not as “names” but as descriptions of the one name, Jesus. In this way, Isaiah 9:6 is saying, “And He will be described in this way…”