To whom it may concern:

Regarding Genesis 1:26 “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.”
I believe that God was not speaking with Jesus the Son. There are two other groups of people who believe two different views concerning this passage.
1. God was speaking to himself as one would speak to oneself while working on something.
For example, if I had a couple of options of paint for a room that I was planning to paint – I would probably ask myself, “Let’s see, what color should we paint this wall?”
Just because I said what color should we paint this wall…does not prove that there is someone else present with me. I’m simply using terms to speak to my conscience to come up with a conclusion of the kind of paint color I’m about to use for the room.
In the same manner some believe that God was speaking to himself just like you and I would.
2. God was speaking to the angels. This view is the one I hold on to.
The book of Job tells us, “then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “…Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? …while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” Job 38:1-7 (NIV).
In Genesis 18:2 Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo three men stood by him. These were the same men of whom two of them went to visit Lot to save him and his family from the disaster that was about to come upon Sodom and Gomorrah. They were angels, but they had the form of men which is why the men from the city wanted to sexually abuse of them (Genesis 19).
Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (NIV) In other words, people were entertaining angels without even knowing it because they looked like normal human beings.
With these few scriptures mentioned above I have concluded that angels probably look like us in the sense of shape or form.

On the other hand, if God was truly speaking to Jesus, the Son – then how do you explain the fact that the Son wasn’t even born until thousands of years later in a town called Bethlehem at the time that king Herod ruled - through a virgin named Mary?

Mathew 2:1-23 & Luke 2:1-20 therefore disproves the belief that God was speaking to the Son in the beginning of Creation because the Son was not born yet.

Commentary by Cisco
Posted on: 1/7/2010 23:29 pm

What a piece of work is a man:
“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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen 1:26-27

The fact that God refers to Himself as Us indicates both His majesty and His tri-unity. The literal definition of ‘Elohiym (gods) also supports this (see my commentary on Gen 1:1).
I think that the image means that man is a trinity in a manner similar to God being a Trinity. The Trinity of the Godhead is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The trinity of man is soul, body, and spirit. The soul can also be divided into a trinity of mind, will, and emotions (“If I only had a brain, a heart, the nerve”). Contrast the trinity of man to the duality of animals. The beasts only have a body and soul. Which is one reason why if you don’t believe in God, then you think that human life is on par with chicken life. Without a spirit, we would be on par. It’s a sad commentary on a society that treats their pets like children, but treats their children like pets.
It helps me to think of the image issue in terms of consequences. If I sin, then what are the possible results? The wages of sin is death. This could be a physical death; something that harms the body. Another side effect is mental scarring which corresponds to the soul. Imagine a health class for young adults. The teacher tells them to avoid certain behavior because it is possible to catch a transmitted disease and thus harm the body. The teacher might even go as far as to warn the students about future regret or mental abuse. But how many teachers would tell a student to avoid an act because it is a sin against God? That is where the spiritual consequences come into play. Even if a morning after pill were available to cure all physical and mental ills, there would remain sin.

Having dominion over the earth speaks to our stewardship. Just because human life is above par compared to animals does not mean we are to be inhumane. We also need to treat the environment better and avoid pollutants. Off on a tangent: I don’t agree that humans are the main cause of global warming. The earth has cycles and now it’s in a warming trend. Also, volcanoes spewing out their smoke do more than humans. Never the less, someone will reap the consequences of poor stewardship.

Commentary by Terik Q
Posted on: 2/20/2009 21:43 pm

1)The creation account begins with Time,Space & Matter in Gen.1:1.In verse 26,we find the climax of God’s creation-creation of man.
2)God created everything by Himself without the assistance of anybody.Read Isaiah 44:24.”All things were made by him;and without him was not anything made that was made.”John 1:3.
3)Man was created in the image of God.Gen.1:26,27;9:7;1 Cor.11:7;James 3:9.In olden days,the Emperor wished that his statues be erected in different parts of his Empire to symbolize his power & authority in the region.Man was placed on the earth as God’s representative to demonstrate His reign in this world.
4)Man was made in the likeness God.Gen.1:26.Adam was made in the likeness of God.Gen.5;1.Adam begat a son in his own likeness,after his image and called his name Seth.Gen.5:3.”..put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”Eph.4:24.We can assume that Adam was created in righteousness & true holiness.The descendants of Adam have inherited the sinful nature because of the fall of Adam & his wife.

Commentary by Alex
Posted on: 11/3/2008 00:08 am

Let us make man . Although the tense here used is the future, all must acknowledge that this is the language of one apparently deliberating. Hitherto God has been introduced simply as commanding; now, when he approaches the most excellent of all his works, he enters into consultation. God certainly might here command by his bare word what he wished to be done: but he chose to give this tribute to the excellency of man, that he would, in a manner, enter into consultation concerning his creation. This is the highest honor with which he has dignified us; to a due regard for which, Moses, by this mode of speaking would excite our minds. For God is not now first beginning to consider what form he will give to man, and with what endowments it would be fitting to adorn him, nor is he pausing as over a work of difficulty: but, just as we have before observed, that the creation of the world was distributed over six days, for our sake, to the end that our minds might the more easily be retained in the meditation of God’s works: so now, for the purpose of commending to our attention the dignity of our nature, he, in taking counsel concerning the creation of man, testifies that he is about to undertake something great and wonderful. Truly there are many things in this corrupted nature which may induce contempt; but if you rightly weigh all circumstances, man is, among other creatures a certain preeminent specimen of Divine wisdom, justice, and goodness, so that he is deservedly called by the ancients mikri>kosmov, "a world in miniature." But since the Lord needs no other counsellor, there can be no doubt that he consulted with himself. The Jews make themselves altogether ridiculous, in pretending that God held communication with the earth or with angels. The earth, forsooth, was a most excellent adviser! And to ascribe the least portion of a work so exquisite to angels, is a sacrilege to be held in abhorrence. Where, indeed, will they find that we were created after the image of the earth, or of angels? Does not Moses directly exclude all creatures in express terms, when he declares that Adam was created after the image of God? Others who deem themselves more acute, but are doubly infatuated, say that God spoke of himself in the plural number, according to the custom of princes. As if, in truth, that barbarous style of speaking, which has grown into use within a few past centuries, had, even then, prevailed in the world. But it is well that their canine wickedness has been joined with a stupidity so great, that they betray their folly to children. Christians, therefore, properly contend, from this testimony, that there exists a plurality of Persons in the Godhead. God summons no foreign counsellor; hence we infer that he finds within himself something distinct; as, in truth, his eternal wisdom and power reside within him.

In our image, etc . Interpreters do not agree concerning the meaning of these words. The greater part, and nearly all, conceive that the word image is to be distinguished from likeness. And the common distinction is, that image exists in the substance, likeness in the accidents of anything. They who would define the subject briefly, say that in the image are contained those endowments which God has conferred on human nature at large, while they expound likeness to mean gratuitous gifts. But Augustine, beyond all others, speculates with excessive refinement, for the purpose of fabricating a Trinity in man. For in laying hold of the three faculties of the soul enumerated by Aristotle, the intellect, the memory, and the will, he afterwards out of one Trinity derives many. If any reader, having leisure, wishes to enjoy such speculations, let him read the tenth and fourteenth books on the Trinity, also the eleventh book of the "City of God." I acknowledge, indeed, that there is something in man which refers to the Fathers and the Son, and the Spirit: and I have no difficulty in admitting the above distinction of the faculties of the soul: although the simpler division into two parts, which is more used in Scripture, is better adapted to the sound doctrine of piety; but a definition of the image of God ought to rest on a firmer basis than such subtleties. As for myself, before I define the image of God, I would deny that it differs from his likeness. For when Moses afterwards repeats the same things he passes over the likeness, and contents himself with mentioning the image. Should any one take the exception, that he was merely studying brevity; I answer, that where he twice uses the word image, he makes no mention of the likeness. We also know that it was customary with the Hebrews to repeat the same thing in different words. besides, the phrase itself shows that the second term was added for the sake of explanation, ‘Let us make,’ he says, ‘man in our image, according to our likeness,’ that is, that he may be like God, or may represent the image of God. Lastly, in the fifth chapter, without making any mention of image, he puts likeness in its place, (Genesis 5:1.) Although we have set aside all difference between the two words we have not yet ascertained what this image or likeness is. The Anthropomorphites were too gross in seeking this resemblance in the human body; let that reverie therefore remain entombed. Others proceed with a little more subtlety, who, though they do not imagine God to be corporeal, yet maintain that the image of God is in the body of man, because his admirable workmanship there shines brightly; but this opinion, as we shall see, is by no means consonant with Scripture. The exposition of Chrysostom is not more correct, who refers to the dominion which was given to man in order that he might, in a certain sense, act as God’s vicegerent in the government of the world. This truly is some portion, though very small, of the image of God. Since the image of God had been destroyed in us by the fall, we may judge from its restoration what it originally had been. Paul says that we are transformed into the image of God by the gospel. And, according to him, spiritual regeneration is nothing else than the restoration of the same image. (Colossians 3:10, and Ephesians 4:23.) That he made this image to consist in righteousness and true holiness, is by the figure synecdochee; for though this is the chief part, it is not the whole of God’s image. Therefore by this word the perfection of our whole nature is designated, as it appeared when Adam was endued with a right judgment, had affections in harmony with reason, had all his senses sound and well-regulated, and truly excelled in everything good. Thus the chief seat of the Divine image was in his mind and heart, where it was eminent: yet was there no part of him in which some scintillations of it did not shine forth. For there was an attempering in the several parts of the soul, which corresponded with their various offices. In the mind perfect intelligence flourished and reigned, uprightness attended as its companion, and all the senses were prepared and moulded for due obedience to reason; and in the body there was a suitable correspondence with this internal order. But now, although some obscure lineaments of that image are found remaining in us; yet are they so vitiated and maimed, that they may truly be said to be destroyed. For besides the deformity which everywhere appears unsightly, this evil also is added, that no part is free from the infection of sin.

In our image, after our likeness . I do not scrupulously insist upon the particles b, (beth,) and k, (caph. ) I know not whether there is anything solid in the opinion of some who hold that this is said, because the image of God was only shadowed forth in man till he should arrive at his perfection. The thing indeed is true; but I do not think that anything of the kind entered the mind of Moses. It is also truly said that Christ is the only image of the Fathers but yet the words of Moses do not bear the interpretation that "in the image" means "in Christ." It may also be added, that even man, though in a different respects is called the image of God. In which thing some of the Fathers are deceived who thought that they could defeat the Asians with this weapon that Christ alone is God’s, image. This further difficulty is also to be encountered, namely, why Paul should deny the woman to be the image of God, when Moses honors both, indiscriminately, with this title. The solution is short; Paul there alludes only to the domestic relation. He therefore restricts the image of God to government, in which the man has superiority over the wife and certainly he meant nothing more than that man is superior in the degree of honor. But here the question is respecting that glory of God which peculiarly shines forth in human nature, where the mind, the will, and all the senses, represent the Divine order.

And let them have dominion . Here he commemorates that part of dignity with which he decreed to honor man, namely, that he should have authority over all living creatures. He appointed man, it is true, lord of the world; but he expressly subjects the animals to him, because they having an inclination or instinct of their own, seem to be less under authority from without. The use of the plural number intimates that this authority was not given to Adam only, but to all his posterity as well as to him. And hence we infer what was the end for which all things were created; namely, that none of the conveniences and necessaries of life might be wanting to men. In the very order of the creation the paternal solicitude of God for man is conspicuous, because he furnished the world with all things needful, and even with an immense profusion of wealth, before he formed man. Thus man was rich before he was born. But if God had such care for us before we existed, he will by no means leave us destitute of food and of other necessaries of life, now that we are placed in the world. Yet, that he often keeps his hand as if closed is to be imputed to our sins.

Commentary by John Calvin
Posted on: 10/22/2008 21:09 pm

1)Sex was created before the entrance of sin into the world.After everything has been made,God saw that it was very good.Gen.1:31.
2)Man was made a little lower than the angels.Ps.8;5.Man was made a little lower than God Himself.
3)Man was made to be intellectual,moral & spiritual.His conscience speaks to him.He has the capacity to think & to make decision.He has the ability to know what is right & what is wrong.He can commune with God.
4)Man was given dominion & rule over all things & creatures.He was given the privilege to rule as God’s representative on this earth.He was given authority.He was given wonderful privileges of honor & glory.
5)David sings with amazement about this lofted position of honor & lordship of man in Psalm 8.

Commentary by Alex
Posted on: 10/10/2008 00:09 am

1)The creation account of Genesis 1 formed the basis for Psalm 8.Special attention was given in that Psalm to verses 26 to 28 of Gen.1.We can find beautiful poetic comments in that Psalm of David.
2)The climax of creation was on the sixth day.(Please note that on the 3rd day God made the land,grass,herbs &trees.Gen.1:12)There is connection between those two days of creation.
3)On the sixth day first God made the beasts,cattle & the creeping things.
Gen.1:25.Then He created man -male & female.
4)It is significant to note that the Hebrew word ‘bara’ (create=to fashion anew)is used only in Gen1:1,21&27.In verse 27, it is used thrice.Verse 27 is a poetry of 12 words in 3 lines in the Hebrew Bible.
5)Please refer commentaries for verse 27&28 & for Psalm 8:3-6.

Commentary by Alex
Posted on: 10/9/2008 23:57 pm

1) A complete understanding of how God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one is incomprehensible to humans in our physical plane. That would be like having a two dimensional picture understand how we can exist in three dimensions. However, an analogy that provides some insight (though is far from perfect) is the way steam and ice are both water, though they have different forms and properties. In a similar manner, God and Jesus are essentially the same, but have different properties.
2) I presume you mean to compare Gen 1:26 and Gen 2:7, given that 1:2 makes no mention of any step of actual creation. Some people would have you believe that Gen 2:7 is simply stating what happened in 1:26 in greater detail. I personally believe these were two separate acts, as 1:26 uses a Hebrew word that means “to create” whereas 2:7 uses words that specifically relate to forming out of an existing material, especially in terms of a potter forming an object out of clay.
During the other creation steps, God spoke and the creation step occured immediately, there was no time taken in the creation. In Gen 2:7, God clearly takes some time in His creation of Adam.
Finally, in Gen 1:26 God clearly creates male and female at the same time, whereas in Genesis 2, there is clearly some time (greater than a day) between when Adam was formed and Eve was formed.
I know these three points in and of themselves are not irrefutable evidence, but these are three significant points that at least suggest a review of the traditional creation should be in order.
3) I’m not sure where you’re getting the idea that Man was first created as all spirit. When this verse says “let Us make man in Our image,” it’s not referring to creating a spirit-entity. Nothing else that was created in chapter one was of spirit-matter; interpreting this verse as man being spirit-matter is inconsistent with proper analysis procedures, and is inconsistent with other parts of Scripture. This verse is simply stating that physically and spiritually, man was fashioned after the likeness of God.

Commentary by David
Posted on: 9/9/2007 05:58 am

Dear Sir.

Right now I’m asking the Holy Spirit to guide me to questions in concerns;
1)How are God and Jesus One?
2)Explain Gen. 1:2 and Gen. and Gen.2:7
3)”Question” according to Gen.1:2, “man was first created as all spirit; it seem to me that Man was then formed in Gen.2:7 and if that’s so, “is this the same spirit in Gen.1:1 and the same spirit that resurrected Jesus?
4)Was there any time when God and Jesus not as one while Jesus walk on earth? Also, ‘when Jesus said, “when you see me, “you also see the Father.

Commentary by andrew delk
Posted on: 9/9/2007 00:48 am

I don’t think this is difficult at all. John 1 states, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In chapter 17 verse 5, John quotes Jesus as saying “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was,” indicating that Jesus was with the Father at Creation.

Put simply, the “us” used here refers to God the Father and Jesus the Son, as well as the Holy Spirit, the presence of whom is indicated in verse 2 of this chapter, “and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” this is the first indication of the triune nature of God.

Commentary by David
Posted on: 7/5/2007 03:17 am

Let us, indicates multiple beings. Would this mean that God is part of a society? Is it the royal, we?
Our immage, mentally, or phisically or both?
Literalists will have a hard time with this line.

Regards
DL

Commentary by Greatest I am
Posted on: 6/2/2007 18:42 pm