Man was made in whose likeness?

[1peterlight]

In Genesis who is God referring to when he says let us make man in 'our' image? There is but one so who is the 'our'? Angels? Jesus?

[Guest]

I believe that it is a reference to the Trinity, although They are never called that. GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit.

[xero]

Male and female: image and likeness. Its not so complicated. It doesnt even say let us make man in our image after our likeness in hebrew for Gensis 1:26.

Elohiym amar asah adam tselem dmuwth

God said make man image likeness

Even if it did say let us make man in our image after our likeness that wouldnt be confusing either considering they were made male and female.

God made us like Him a married union of male and female.

Jerusalem from above is called the mother of us all in Galatians 4:26.

If Jerusalem is our mother than by virtue she is the wife of God.

I know that this isnt a common understanding so if this is confusing and you need more passages to confirm my statements please do ask if youre so inclined.

[GoldenEagle]

I believe that it is a reference to the Trinity, although They are never called that. GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit.

I agree Parker1.

[1peterlight]

Elohiym amar asah adam tselem dmuwth

God said make man image likeness

Even if it did say let us make man in our image after our likeness that wouldnt be confusing either considering they were made male and female.

Really? That is how it's worded in hebrew? How did we even get the translation we did then?? That is interesting....I will say I don't really follow the male/female perspective as Genesis leads me to believe Eve wasn't even planned until God saw that Adam needed a mate. And if God was so inclined to say 'our' in genesis as a male/female deity, then why doesn't he stick with that through the rest of the bible? Thank you for the response by the way

[1peterlight]

I believe that it is a reference to the Trinity, although They are never called that. GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit.

You'd think I would have considered this already lol, thank you

[InHisTime77]

I believe that it is a reference to the Trinity, although They are never called that. GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit.

This. Also in the original Hebrew this was an exaltation. God referred to himself in the plural both as a reference to the Trinity and as a sign of his greatness.

[Mcgyver]

OK, now here you've got me questioning on a couple of levels...

Male and female: image and likeness. Its not so complicated. It doesnt even say let us make man in our image after our likeness in hebrew for Gensis 1:26.

Elohiym amar asah adam tselem dmuwth

God said make man image likeness

According to my Hebrew/English interlinear bible it says in Gen 1:26 (excerpt, please forgive the transliterated spelling):

kidmutenu b'salmenu adam na'aseh elohim wa' yomer

to our likeness our image man make God said

So...how is it that you say that God never said: In our likeness or after our image?

The NAS renders Genesis 1:26 thusly: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

The Tanach (JPS 1917 English) also renders Genesis 1:26-27 as: And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.' And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

So I hope you will understand if I am questioning the origin and subsequent interpretation of the scripture you posted.

Even if it did say let us make man in our image after our likeness that wouldnt be confusing either considering they were made male and female.

God made us like Him a married union of male and female.

But yet Jesus says in John 4:23-24: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (emphasis mine)

So how in the world is God a married union of male and female when God is spirit?

Jerusalem from above is called the mother of us all in Galatians 4:26.

If Jerusalem is our mother than by virtue she is the wife of God.

I know that this isnt a common understanding so if this is confusing and you need more passages to confirm my statements please do ask if youre so inclined.

Let's place that verse in context...

Galatians 4:21-28 says:

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren,

You who do not bear!

Break forth and shout,

You who are not in labor!

For the desolate has many more children

Than she who has a husband.”

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

The Apostle Paul even states clearly that he is speaking in a symbolic manner in describing the two covenants...and the background is that Galatians is an apologetic against the Judaizers who were teaching that one had to become a Jew before one could become a Christian....so I don't think your exegesis (as you have written it) holds water. To wit: That Jerusalem is the wife of God.

[xero]

I used a strongs concordance and it says that Genesis 1:26 reads Elohiym amar asah adam tselem dmuwth.

I wasnt aware that there are versions which read differently nor do I know which is closest to the original document.

I concede because Im not going to put the effort in that it would take to find out when each version was published, who translated them and from what text, or the translators doctrinal beliefs.

I still maintain that the image and likeness are male and female respectively.

You mention God is Spirit and indeed this is true but you know that God is also the Word and the Word was made flesh.

If God doesnt have a wife than why are we being called to a wedding? Food for thought.

[Jayyycuuup]

Male and female: image and likeness. Its not so complicated. It doesnt even say let us make man in our image after our likeness in hebrew for Gensis 1:26.

Elohiym amar asah adam tselem dmuwth

God said make man image likeness

Even if it did say let us make man in our image after our likeness that wouldnt be confusing either considering they were made male and female.

God made us like Him a married union of male and female.

Jerusalem from above is called the mother of us all in Galatians 4:26.

If Jerusalem is our mother than by virtue she is the wife of God.

I know that this isnt a common understanding so if this is confusing and you need more passages to confirm my statements please do ask if youre so inclined.

Interesting, commonly when I run across this people are implying that it means God is both male and female, if this is how you view this, then why does the bible depict God as a He?

Also, the bolded statement (above in your post) I do not understand. It says we were made in the IMAGE of God and according to His likeness. Now where do you get the implication that it refers to a "unity" of male and female?

Psalm 139:4 depicts our creation, and how we are wonderfully and fearfully made. Your thoughts?