thinking bible.

You asked

what did 'image of god' mean to ancient near eastern audiences, beyond modern understandings?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 1:26-27

God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. 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.

These verses come from the first chapter of Genesis, part of the creation account in the Hebrew Bible. It describes the creation of humanity as the pinnacle of God's work, after forming the heavens, earth, and all living creatures.

What does being entrusted with dominion over the earth mean for how we live and interact with the natural world today?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

  • Psalm 8:4-8

    This psalm marvels at humanity's exalted, yet small, place in creation, echoing Genesis 1's themes of dominion and glory.

  • James 3:9

    This New Testament verse reminds believers that people are made in God's likeness, implying a standard for how we speak about and treat one another.

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