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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
March 1926
------------------------ -------------------------------- — — Anthropology: or the Doctrine of Man MAN CHEATED IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD Dr. F. E. Marsh, London, England The third in a series of articles on a theme regarding which every Christian should be informed, and be able to meet from the Scripture the many absurd and utterly illogical claims which are being put forth in these days by so-called “ scientists" as to the origin o f man. ------------- ------
"Nature,” not “ Character" “ The Image of God,” therefore, according to these Scrip tures, does not necessarily include moral and spiritual perfection, though it nuist include the possibility of achiev ing it. It reveals the Divine purpose that man should achieve it; but man, even after he has sinned, still retains "the image of God” in the sense in which it is attributed to him in the Hebrew Scriptures. It belongs to his nature, not to his character. Man was made in the image of God because he is a free,
SYLLABUS OF ART ICLE : Man’s identity w ith God.—What is meant by ‘likeness’ ?—Dr. Parkhurst’s comment.—T o fashion one thing like another.—What is revealed by ‘image’ ?—R epre sentation— Dr. Dale on Im a g e ’.—Nature, not character.— Fallen man retains the image because, like God, he is Indestructible.— God could not have become man, Unless man had been made in the Image o f God.—Christ made ‘like’ to us.— Has God form ?— Tertullian’s and another’s comment. |AN '8 identity with God is clearly stated in the Scripture, for man is said to be made in His image and likeness. This statement at once separates man from the rest of creation and places him on
intelligent, self-conscious and moral personality. Some of these attri butes may be found, in an inferior degree, in inferior races; but what ever premonitions of his greatness a savage may exhibit, he stands alone and supreme; and in virtue of this solitary supremacy, man, under God, is the sovereign of creation. When we turn to the New Testa ment we find man is still said to be in the image and likeness of God. The G r e e k word for image ( “ eikon” ) signifies a “ statue” a “ profile,” i.e., “ one thing which by its resemblance is a representation of another thing.” The word is derived from a root which means a resemblance, as a copy is a fac simile of the original. This word “ eiko” is translated “ like” in James 1:6, 23, in calling attention to a wavering man being “ like” the sea, and the mirror re flecting the likeness of a man who looks into it. The derived word "eikon,” always translated "image,” occurs twenty-three times and is used in five different ways: (1) erally when one thing is like an other ( M a t t h e w 22:20; M a r k 12:16; L u k e 16:20; R o m a n s 1:23; R e v e l a t i o n 13:14, 15;
a level with God. What are we to understand by “ image’’ and “ like ness” ? “ Likeness.” Dr. Parkhurst says: “ The general idea of this difficult and extensive root seems to be “ even” ; to “ put on a level” ; “ to be uniform” ; "to be equal." The word is rendered "fashion” in 2 Kings 16:10; “ similitude” in 2 Chron. 4:87, and “ after the man ner” in Daniel 10:16. The meaning of the word “ like ness” is undoubtedly “ to make one thing like another” (See Isaiah 40: 18; Ezek. 1:5, 10, 13, 16, 22, 26, 28). “ Image” signifies “ a shadow” , “ a picture” , “ a p o r t r a l t", or "statue,” which is recognized as a representation. Dr. Dale says: “ It is important to remember that the image of God was not lost, however seriously It may have been impaired by the fall. In Gen.. 5:1-3 we read ‘In the day that God created man, in the like ness of God made He him; male and female created He them * * * and called their name Adam. * * * And Adam * • • begat a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth,’ meaning that, as Adam was created in the image of God, Seth inherited that image.”
THE OCEAN VAST Crossing the North Atlantic, look ing out upon its heaving mass o f water, as it was glow ing under a late summer’s sun, and crested white w ith beautiful foam , the follow in g lines suggested themselves to the w riter: I look upon the ocean wave, Its heaving bosom grand; Across its deep no shore is seen, And yet it laves some strand. It speaks to me of God's great love, So deep and true and real; So far beyond my puny thought, And yet its power I feel. I look upon the ocean’s waves, As crested white they rise; The sun it kisseth them with warmth, Yea, all is glad surprise! Again I hear the voice of Love, Of Him who made the sea. And praise the Lord who died for me, The Man of Galilee. I look upon the love of God, As seen in Jesus Christ; It gloweth in the Man of men, On cross of Calvary’s tryst. In drops of blood, in Life Divine, He loved me to the death; Such love, so deep, so vast, so true, Shall have my life and breath. —F. E. Mftrsh.
In descri
W ritten in M id-Atlantic, between the North o f Ireland and Canada, September 1, 1926.
14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). (2 ) Of Christ as being the Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15). (3 ) Of the spiritual correspondence to the Holy Spirit and Christ which should be in the believer as to life and character (Col. 3:10; 2 Cor. 3:18 ). (4 ) Of the bodily resemblance there will be between Christ and the redeemed in the glorified state (Roin. 8:29; 1. Cor. 16 :49 ); and ( 6 ) Of the image of God in man as the Creator and Orig inator of his imperishable being; hence, man is said to be “ the image and glory of God” (1 Cor. 11 :7 ), and to have "borne the image of the earthy” (1 Cor. 16:49), in refer ring to the e a r t h - c o n d i t i o n s of God’s offspring.
After the flood, God is represented as saying, “ Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God made He man” (Gen. 9 :6 ). Murder is a kind of sacrilege; to kill a man is to destroy the life of a creature created in the Divine image; the crime is to be punished with death. James, too; in his epistle, insists that the desperate wick edness of the tongue is shown in its reckless disregard of the Divine image in man. "Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made in the image of God” (James 3 :9 ). In cursing men we therefore show a want of reverence for God Himself in whose image they were created, and are guilty of a certain measure of sacrilege.
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