Genesis 2:2 7
to their k inds, the livestock according
to t heir k
inds, and all the creat ures
that move a
long the ground according
to t heir kinds. And God saw that it was
good.
26 T hen God said, “Let us make man
kind in our image, in our likeness, so
that they may rule over the fish in the
sea and the birds in the sky, over the
livestock and all the wild animals, a and
over all the creatures that move a long
the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own
image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God b
lessed them and said to them,
“Be fruitf ul and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over
the fish in the sea and the birds in the
CREATION
ERA 1
sky and over every living creature that
moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-
bearing plant on the face of the whole
earth and every tree that has f ruit with
seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30 And to all the b
easts of the e
arth and all
the b
irds in the sky and all the creatures
that move along the g
round — everything
that has the breath of life in it — I give
every g
reen p
lant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it
was very good. And t here was evening,
and there was morning — the sixth day.
2
Thus the heavens and the e
arth were
completed in all their vast array.
2 By the seventh day God had finished
the work he had been doing; so on the
a 26
Probable reading of the original Hebrew text
(see Syriac); Masoretic Text the earth
IMAGE OF GOD (IMAGO DEI)
Genesis 1:27
SYNOPSIS
God created humanity in His own image. This doctrine is a key to understanding the sa-
credness and dignity of every human life.
STATEMENT OF THE DOCTRINE
Among all the creatures of the earth, only human beings are made in God’s own image and
likeness. The Creator established a unique relationship with humanity, giving to humans
a special moral status and vesting them with dignity and respect.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Historically, there are several prominent interpretations of the imago Dei. First, the relational
view highlights God’s closeness to human beings in personal relationship. Second, the
structural view of the image of God points to certain qualities or abilities that distinguish
humans from animals: rational capacity, volition, moral awareness, and consciousness, for
instance. Finally, the functional view focuses on the functions humans are called to serve
in God’s created order: namely, to be dominion stewards over the earth (Genesis 1:28).
There is truth in all of these options. The most important point to make, however, is that
human beings, and only human beings, are imagers of God. This accords every human
being special status in God’s eyes (see Psalm 8) and requires that they be treated with
dignity and respect.
ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS
Human beings are, by nature, religious. They may even know that a powerful Deity exists
(see Romans 1:19–20 and Acts 17:22–28). Yet, as Augustine famously said, “[O]ur heart is
restless until it rests in you [God].” 1 Furthermore, God loves human beings. He sent His
own Son in human flesh to die for human beings. Finally, He is concerned for the ways
humans treat one another. The doctrine of the sanctity of every human life and the notion