THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN: MANS REFLECTION OF THE TRINITY

Christopher Freeman THEO 525 Dr. Keith Church October 14, 2011

Thesis God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are imaged individually and uniquely in the creation of man, and thus, man in his three-fold being (body, soul, and spirit) reflects the triune nature of God.

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Table of Contents

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1 The Old Testament References.......................................................................................................2 The New Testament References......................................................................................................3 The Nature of the Image..................................................................................................................4 The Substantive View.........................................................................................................5 The Relational View...........................................................................................................6 The Functional View...........................................................................................................7 Trichotomy or Dichotomy?.............................................................................................................9 The Image of the Trinity in Man...................................................................................................10 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12 Bibliography..................................................................................................................................14

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Introduction In the opening sentences of his monograph on the image of God in man, Anthony A. Hoekema writes, It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of the doctrine of man. It has, of course, always been true that one of the most important questions to which the philosopher addresses himself is, What is man?1 This question demands an answer and there exists a need for further probing in that any study of mankinds creation in the image of God should always lend itself to a higher view of ones fellow man and a deeper respect and love for all who bear Gods image. It is as Hoekema writes, What one thinks about human beings is of determinative significance for his or her program of action.2 In particular, this study attempts to understand the tripartite nature of man and how this nature relates to mans being created in the image of God. In essence, this three-in-one aspect of our being supports the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as, reflects the special attributes of each person of the Godhead. In addition, a proper understanding of the Trinity and the roles played by each person of the Godhead in creating mankind lends itself to a better understanding of Creation and the significance of man within it. In pursuing the answer to the question of how man reflects the triune God, an examination of the relevant Scripture passages concerning the image of God will be made. The doctrine of the Trinity consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will be assumed and will not be examined Biblically, with the exception of a few passages for clarity. An account of the three primary Christian beliefs about the nature of the image of God will be discussed. Afterwards, a breakdown of mans body, soul, and spirit will be compared and contrasted with Anthony A. Hoekema, Created in Gods Image (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 1986), 1.
2 1

Hoekema, 2. 1

2 the individual Persons of the Trinity to determine if and how each nature reflects the Personages of the Godhead. Finally, the implications and applications of such a view will be discussed. It will be argued that knowing ourselves as three-fold beings will help us to better understand the relationship which exists between the Godhead.

The Old Testament References There are only three passages of Scripture which explicitly mention mans creation in the image of God. These three passages are Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-3; and 9:6. Psalm 8 could be thought of as implicitly mentioning the image of God in man. It is important to the nature of this study to understand what these passages say; therefore, each passage will be examined briefly. The first passage, Genesis 1:26-28, reads:
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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. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (KJV).3 In these verses, we have not only the narrative of the creation of man, but also the first mention of mankind being created in the image of God. Also contained within these verses is the first mention of the triune nature of God in the use of the pronouns us and our. This will be discussed in more detail later. The next passage of Scripture to examine is Genesis 5:13: This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations will be taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible : King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 1995), Ge 1:2628.
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3 and female created he them; and blessed them and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. This passage, along with Genesis 9:6, Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man, refutes the notion that the image of God in man was lost as a result of the fall. Thus, it is evident from Scripture that the image of God in man has been and still is present within humanity. Although not a direct reference to mans being created in the image of God, Genesis 3:21 also has implications for the purpose of this paper in that it, along with Genesis 1:26, refers to the plurality of persons within the Godhead. The relatively few verses in the Old Testament which deal with this topic are vague at best. Ryrie notes, What the Old Testament reveals concerning the Trinity is not clear and explicit but intimating and implicit. It is probably best to say that the Old Testament, although it does not reveal the triunity of God, does allow for the later New Testament revelation of it. 4

The New Testament References The New Testament, especially in regard to the writings of the Apostle Paul, views Christ as the image of God. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:4, The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. In Colossians 1:15, Paul again refers to Christ as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. But these are references to Christ as the image of God. Christ Himself being God, one would assume that He would be the express image of God. Does the New Testament speak specifically of mankind, in his natural state after the fall,

Charles C. Ryrie, A Survey of Bible Doctrine (Chicago: Moody Press 1995).

4 being made in the image of God? James speaks to this point when he writes, The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 5 Hoekema writes that this passage clearly teaches that fallen man still bears the image of God and is, therefore, a New Testament echo of the Old Testament material.6 In addition to the explicit references to the image of God, whether in man or in Christs perfection of it, David Cairns makes an interesting point regarding Mark 12:16 and the implication of Jesus words upon the concept of the image of God in man. He writes: The other [New Testament] passage is one which does not actually mention the image but; but appear to make a clear reference to it. When Jesus asked for a denarius (Mark 12:16) and said, Whose likeness and inscription is this? and as a result of the Pharisees answer enjoined, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods, the unspoken argument surely is: Give to Caesar the taxes that are his due. But the image that is printed on you is not Caesars, but Gods therefore you yourselves belong to God. And this is quite clearly the Old Testament use of the term in the mouth of Christ himself.7 Cairns notes, In the New Testament, the image of God is mentioned less than a dozen times. But the teaching on the image is more important than this might lead one to think, for some of the passages are among the greatest in the Bible, and the image of God is often the subject when the term image is not itself used.8 Therefore, the image of God is expressed throughout the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, and is a fundamental concept within the doctrine of man.

The Nature of the Image

5

James 3:8-9, KJV. Hoekema, 19. David Cairns, The Image of God in Man (London: Collins Clear-Type Press 1973), 38. Ibid., 40.

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5 There are differing schools of thought among the various groups within Christianity regarding the nature of the image of God in man. Theologians throughout the centuries have argued over what the image represents, and rightly so, for as C. F. H. Henry contends, The importance of a proper understanding of the imago Dei can hardly be overstated. The answer given to the imago-inquiry soon becomes determinative for the entire gamut of doctrinal affirmation. The ramifications are not only theological but affect every phase of the problem of revelation and reason, including natural and international law, and the cultural enterprise as a whole.9 Henry goes on to argue, Any improper view has consequences the more drastic as its implications are applied to regenerate and to unregenerate humanity, from primal origin to final destiny.10 Therefore, an examination of the three primary views of Christians past and present should be useful in determining how man images the Trinity.

The Substantive View Perhaps the most prevalent view throughout history of what the image of God in man describes is the substantive view. Erickson contends, The common element in the several varieties of this view is that the image is identified as some definite characteristic or quality within the makeup of the human.11 The defining characteristic could be found in mans body, a view the Mormons hold to in their belief that God has a body; or, in a number of other

C.F.H. Henry, Image of God, in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic 2001), 592.
10

Ibid. Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology 2nd (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic 1998),

11

520-521.

6 characteristics that differentiate humans from animals: reason, free will, intellect, personality, or spiritual capacity.12 The substantive view throughout history can be found in the writings of Irenaeus, Augustine, Clement, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. David Cairns provides a summary of each theologians view in his definitive work, The Image of God in Man.13 Hoekema borrows heavily from Cairns work in Created in Gods Image.14 Those scholars interested in a more in-depth study of the substantive view, as well as, the relational and functional viewpoints, should find these resources helpful. Erickson summarizes the substantive view by arguing that, All of the substantive viewswith their widely differing conceptions of the nature of the image of God, agree in one particular: the locus of the image. It is located within humans as a resident quality or capacity.

The Relational View The relational view describes the image as mans ability to relate to his fellow man, the rest of creation, and to God. Erickson writes of the relational view, This is not an entity that a human possesses so much as the experience that is present when a relationship is active.15 James Estep agrees and writes, The relational view asserts that the imago Dei is seen in humanities social or relational capacity. The imago Dei means the relational capacity between humans, e.g., male and female as a collective reflection of Gods image.Ultimately, it is
12

Erickson, 521. David Cairns, The Image of God in Man (London: Collins Clear-Type Press 1973).

13

Anthony A. Hoekema, Created in Gods Image (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 1986).
15

14

Erickson, 527.

7 expressed throughout the pages of Scripture in our relationship with God. In this view, we reflect His image by being in relationship with one another and Him.16 The relational view is the view espoused by many modern theologians.17 Karl Barth and Emil Brunner were both proponents of the relational view of the image and wrote extensively on the subject. Joel B. Green writes of the imago Dei as fundamentally relational.18 Reflecting on community, Kenneth Boa writes, Since God made us in his image and likeness, we have been created for community with him and with one another. The Bible is unique in its portrayal of God as a covenant maker and keeper. As we enter into the benefits of the new covenant through the blood of Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Luke 22:20), we become members of a new community that is called to reflect the glory of the Godhead in its corporate unity (John 17:22-26).19 Boa would seem to have the relational view in mind as the description of the image.

The Functional View The functional view understands the image of God in man as something man does instead of something inherent to mans nature or in the experiencing of relationship with God or other humans.20 According to Erickson, the functional view of the image, has had quite a long history

James R. Estep, Christian Anthropology: Humanity as the Imago Dei, in Christian Formation: Integrating Theology and Human Development, ed. James R. Estep and Jonathan Kim (Nashville: B&H Publishing 2010), 18.
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16

Ibid., 523.

Joel B. Green, Body, Soul, and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic 2008), 63. Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan 2001). 417.
20 19

18

Erickson, 527.

8 and has recently increased in popularity.21 Essentially, the functional view looks at the context of Genesis 1:26-28 and draws the description of the image from these verses. Thus, mans exercise of dominion over creation is the content of the image.22 According to Erickson, the functional view was propounded by the Socinians and included in their Racovian Catechism. As God is the Lord over all creation, humans reflect the image of God by exercising dominion over the rest of creation. The image of God is actually an image of God as Lord.23 More recent proponents of the functional view are J. Richard Middleton and Paul Sands. Middleton defines the image functionally as the status or office of the human race as Gods authorized stewards, charged with the royal-priestly vocation of representing Gods rule on earth by their exercise of cultural power.24 Sands also relates the image of God vocationally to the dominion granted mankind over creation writing, Human beings thus image God as they fulfill their royal vocation to mediate Gods rule in the earth.25 While all three viewssubstantive, relational, and functionalhave served to explain the image of God in man, each falls short in its own way. Gregg Allison explains: The problem is the all of these ideas tend to reduce the image of God to one particular part or aspect of our humanness; thus, they miss a key point: we human beings are not made in a piecemeal way and put together, like the many pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Rather, in our humanness, we are constructed holistically with a wholeness and

21

Ibid. Erickson,528. Ibid.

22

23 24

J. Richard Middleton, The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1 (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press 2005), 235.
25

Paul Sands, The Imago Dei as Vocation, Evangelical Quarterly 82, no. 1 (2010): 36.

9 completeness that does not allow us to be divided into this part or that part. We are human beings in our entiretyare created in the image of God.26 Estep answers such criticism: The imago Dei is not defined by its components, functionality, relational capabilities, or its teleological dimension. Perhaps all of these views are, in fact, pieces of the whole portrait of Gods image in humanity.27

Trichotomy or Dichotomy? The purpose of this paper is to compare mans three-fold being or body, soul, and spirit with the different personages of the Trinity to see how man reflects in his being the tripartite nature of God. Since God Himself declared, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, (Genesis 1:26), it should prove interesting to see how God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one and all expressed in mans being. However, there is much debate about whether man is, in fact, a tripartite being. The question of mans trichotomy or dichotomy has always been on the minds of theologians. Trichotomists argue that man consists of body, soul, and spirit; whereas, dichotomists claim that soul and spirit should not be separated and defined individually but, rather, as two different words referring to the same immaterial part of man. In order to shed light upon this controversy, it is important to understand Pauls use of the terms spirit (pneuma), soul (psyche), and body (soma) in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. This distinction can also be found in Hebrews 4:12. As Estep notes, It is difficult to conceive of Paul simply being redundant in his use of terminology and the author of Hebrews simply speaking of dissecting something that does not require

Gregg R. Allison, Humanity, Sin, and Christian Education, A Theology for Christian Education, James R. Estep, Jr., Michael J. Anthony, and Gregg R. Allison, eds. (Nashville: Broadman-Holman 2008), 180.
27

26

Estep, 19.

10 separation (if, in fact, the soul and spirit are synonymous).In some respects, we are a dichotomymaterial and immaterial; but the question remains: is the immaterial divided? Scripture would seem to indicate that our immaterial component is indeed divided into soul and spirit.28 Esteps idea that the spirit is not a wholly separate component but one within the soul should serve to quell the controversy over dichotomy or trichotomy. Regardless, it will be the model used for the present discussion. What are the implications of this conditional unity between body, soul, and spirit?29 Erickson argues that the conditional unity of human nature, referred to by Erickson as contingent monism, should affect how we approach medicine and ministry, as well as, how we view the concept of total depravity. Of the relation to total depravity, Erickson writes: Religious development or maturity does not consist in subjugating one part of human nature to another. No part of the human makeup is evil per se. Total depravity means that sin infects all of what a human is, not merely the body or mind or emotions. Thus, the Christian does not aim at bringing the body (which man erroneously regard as the only evil part of human nature) under the control of the soul. Similarly, sanctification is not to be thought of as involving only one part of human nature, for no one part of the person is the exclusive seat of good or of righteousness. God is at work renewing the whole of what we are. Consequently, ascetism, in the sense of denying ones natural bodily needs simply for its own sake, is not to be practiced.30

The Image of the Trinity within Man How does man reflect the Trinity? The Trinity of the Godhead consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Man consists of soul, body, and spirit. Respectfully, God the Father is reflected in mans soul, God the Son is reflected in mans body, and God the Holy

28

Estep, 28. Erickson, 557. Ibid.

29

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11 Spirit is reflected in mans spirit. Further elaboration should show that these comparisons are not as far-fetched as some might think. The soul is described Biblically as the seat of mans intellect, emotions, will, and morality. Calvin argued that the soul consists of two parts, the intellect and the will. The office of the intellect being to distinguish between objects, according as they seem deserving of being approved or disapproved; and the office of the will, to choose and follow what the intellect declares to be good, to reject and shun what it declares to be bad.31 If this is the case, the soul, essentially, is the seat of wisdom and will. Wayne Grudem states, The role of God the Father in creation and redemption has been to plan and direct.32 Thus, the Father wills (John 5:30; 6:39). Planning takes intellect, directing involves the will. Therefore, God the Fathers image is reflected in mans soul. The body or physical part of man is probably the easiest aspect of man to compare to one of the Persons of the Trinity, since only one Person has a physical body. Thus, God the Sons image is reflected in mans body. In similar fashion, the body is the means whereby the soul and spirit connect to the world. The bodys sensessight, smell, taste, touch, and hearingeach allow mankind to understand and take in a part of his world. Hebrews 4:15 states, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Jesus body allowed Him to step into time, to interact within the world, and to feel what man felt. The shedding of His blood and the death of His body purchased mankinds redemption; through the resurrection of His body, mankind was

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997). Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan 1994), 249.
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12 given hope that he too could one day escape deaths grip. For centuries, theologians have overlooked the body as being made in the image of God; however, it was the body of a man, not an animal, which God chose to use to bring about the redemption of creation. Of this tendency to neglect the bodys relationship to the image, we would have to agree with G. C. Berkouwers assessment that, Scriptures emphasis on the whole man as the image of God has triumphed time and again over all objections and opposing principles. Scripture never makes a distinction between mans spiritual and bodily attributes in order to limit the image of God to the spiritual. Finally, God the Holy Spirits image is reflected in mans spirit. According to Grudem, the Holy Spirit, [sustains] and [manifests] Gods immediate presence in his creation.33 It is through mans spirit that he is able to worship God, for God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Paul Tillich goes so far as to speak of the Manifestation of the Divine Spirit in the human spirit and goes on to write, no doctrine of the Divine Spirit is possible without an understanding of spirit as a dimension of life in which the Divine Spirit dwells and works.34

Conclusion In conclusion, the understanding of the Trinity, uniquely and individually reflected in the three-part nature of man as body, soul, and spirit has implications for a better understanding of the nature of the Godhead and the respective roles of the individual Persons within the Godhead. This, in turn leads to a more comprehensive view of the doctrine of the Trinity. Erickson writes, In the doctrine of the Trinity, we encounter one of the truly distinctive doctrines of Christianity.
33

Grudem, 249.

Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology Vol. 3: Life and the Spirit, History and the Kingdom of God (Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1976), 111.

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13 Among the religions of the world, the Christian faith is unique in making the claim that God is one and yet there are three who are God.The doctrine of the Trinity is crucial for Christianity. It is concerned with who God is, what he is like, how he works, and how he is to be approached.35 It quickly becomes apparent in the doctrine of the Trinity that God Himself is an organism, that is, a unity of distinct parts.36 In addition, as man comes to understand his own trinity of nature, he begins to understand that what affects one aspect of his nature has subsequent affects upon his entire being. It is important for ministry, in particular, to take into account this conditional unity of mans being for the gospel is an appeal to the whole person.37 Likewise, as Erickson contends, Any attempt to deal with peoples spiritual condition apart from their physical condition and mental and emotional state will be only partially successful, as will any attempt to deal with human emotions apart from peoples relationship to God.38 Thus, a proper understanding of mans three-fold being, as well as, how man reflects the Trinity in his being, is necessary for effective ministry.

35

Erickson, 347. Ibid., 355. Ibid., 557. Ibid.

36

37

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14 Bibliography Allison, Gregg R. "Humanity, Sin, and Christian Education." In A Theology for Christian Education, edited by Jr., James R. Estep, Michael J. Anthony, & Gregg R. Allison. Nashville: Broadman-Holman, 2008. Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001. Cairns, David. The Image of God in Man. London: Collins Clear-Type Press, 1973. Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997. Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 2nd. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998. Estep, James R. "Christian Anthropology: Humanity as the Imago Dei." Chap. 1 in Christian Formation: Integrating Theology and Human Development, edited by James R. Estep, & Jonathan H. Kim, 9-35. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2010. Green, Joel B. Body, Soul, and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994. Henry, C.F.H. "Image of God." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 591-594. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. Hoekema, Anthony A. Created in God's Image. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing, 1986. Middleton, J. Richard. The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2005. Ryrie, Charles C. A Survey of Bible Doctrine. Chicago: Moody Press, 1995. Sands, Paul. "The Imago Dei as Vocation." Evangelical Quarterly 82, no. 1 (2010): 28-41. Tillich, Paul. Systematic Theology Vol. 3: Life and the Spirit, History and the Kingdom of God. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1976.