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how do new testament writers refer back to this creation account, particularly regarding humanity?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Genesis 1:26-28

“Then 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 birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."”

This passage is from the opening chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible, which describes the creation of the world by God. Specifically, it details the creation of humanity as the pinnacle of God's creative acts, made in a unique relationship with their Creator and given a specific role within creation.

What does being made in the 'image of God' mean for human responsibilities in the world today?

Then — the setting

Genesis was likely compiled and written down over centuries, reaching its final form during or after the Babylonian exile (6th-5th century BCE). This account would have offered comfort and identity to an ancient Israelite audience grappling with their place in the world and God's plan, especially when surrounded by other creation myths that often depicted humanity as an afterthought or a means to serve the gods. The concept of 'image of God' (צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים, tzelem Elohim) likely conferred royal dignity and responsibility to humanity, contrasting with other ancient Near Eastern ideas where only kings were considered divine images.

Across the Testaments

The New Testament frequently references and builds upon the Genesis creation account, especially regarding humanity. Jesus himself references the male and female creation in discussions about marriage (Matthew 19:4-6). Paul, in particular, draws on Genesis 1-3 to speak about human nature, sin, and redemption. In Romans 5, he contrasts Adam's sin and its consequences for all humanity with Christ's obedience and its offer of righteousness. For Paul, Christ is the 'image of the invisible God' (Colossians 1:15), implying that humanity's original imaging of God was somehow marred or incomplete and is now being renewed in Christ (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24). This doesn't negate the initial Genesis statement but reinterprets how that image is fully expressed and restored.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 8:4-6
Echoes humanity's exalted status and dominion, despite apparent frailty.
Colossians 3:9-10
Connects being made in God's image to renewal in knowledge and righteousness.
James 3:9-10
Highlights the inconsistency of blessing God and cursing people made in His likeness.

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