Imago Dei: the image of God in man

The first account in Genesis records the divine counsel, “Let us make man to our image and likeness,” and the creation of man, male and female, with dominion over the other creatures. It is the foundation text of the doctrine. It bears on the teaching that man is made in the image of God and that man and woman share one dignity as persons.

And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.

The second account in Genesis tells that the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Body and breath are named together. It bears on the teaching that man is one being of body and soul, the soul being given by God.

And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

In Genesis God declares that it is not good for man to be alone and brings the woman, taken from Adam, to him; they shall be two in one flesh. The Church reads the passage of the creation of man and woman for each other. It bears on the teaching that they are made for a communion of persons.

And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself.

And the Lord God built the rib which he took from Adam into a woman: and brought her to Adam. And Adam said: This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh.

Ecclesiasticus recalls the creation: God made man of the earth after his own image, gave him a number of days and power over all things upon the earth. The sacred writer takes up Genesis in a later age. It bears on the teaching that man bears the image of God while formed of earth.

God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image. And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself. He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power over all things that are upon the earth.

The Book of Wisdom says that God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his own likeness he made him. The text joins the image to the original gift of immortality. It bears on the teaching that the image was marred by sin and that man was made for incorruption.

For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his own likeness he made him.

In the Epistle to the Romans Paul says that those whom God foreknew he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son, the Firstborn amongst many brethren. The image is the Son’s, and the faithful are conformed to it. It bears on the renewal of the image in Christ.

For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn amongst many brethren.

The Epistle of James says that with the tongue we bless God and curse men who are made after the likeness of God. The apostle appeals to the likeness to forbid contempt of any person. It bears on the teaching that every human being has dignity because made in the likeness of God.

By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men who are made after the likeness of God.

In the Epistle to the Ephesians Paul bids the faithful be renewed in the spirit of their mind and put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth. It bears on the teaching that the image is renewed in Christ.

And be renewed in spirit of your mind: And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.

In the Epistle to the Colossians Paul bids the faithful strip off the old man with his deeds and put on the new, who is renewed unto knowledge according to the image of him that created him. The image is the measure of the renewal. It bears on the restoration of the image in Christ and in baptism.

Lie not one to another: stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds, And putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him.