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what were the common ancient near eastern views on the origins of life and human existence?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Genesis 1:26-28

“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, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, 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, which begins the Hebrew Bible. It describes God's creation of the cosmos, culminating in the creation of humankind on the sixth day. It sets the stage for understanding humanity's place and purpose within the created order.

What does being made "in God's image" mean for how we understand our own value and our relationship to the rest of creation?

Then — the setting

The book of Genesis was likely compiled and written over many centuries, with its final form possibly emerging during or after the Babylonian exile (6th-5th centuries BCE). It was addressed to an ancient Israelite audience, offering a foundational understanding of their identity, their God, and their place in the world. This creation account provided a distinct theological perspective compared to the surrounding polytheistic cultures (e.g., Mesopotamia, Egypt), which often depicted creation as a result of divine conflict or the byproduct of lesser gods, and humans as servants to temperamental deities. Genesis 1 presents a single, sovereign God creating purposefully and declaring creation 'good.'

Across the Testaments

This passage is from the Old Testament, providing Israel's foundational narrative of origins. The New Testament affirms this foundational creation account, often referencing it to establish theological points. For instance, Jesus refers to Genesis's creation of male and female to discuss marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:4-6), grounding human institutions in the created order. Paul speaks of the 'image of God' in relation to humanity's original state and then reinterprets it in Christ, who is the 'image of the invisible God' (Colossians 1:15), implying a restoration or perfected imaging through him. While the Old Testament emphasizes humanity's divinely appointed role and special status, the New Testament deepens this by connecting that image to Christ, seeing him as the true and perfect 'image' and calling believers to be conformed to his image.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 8:4-8
Reflects on humanity's exalted, yet small, place in creation.
John 1:1-3
Connects creation with the Word (Logos), offering a New Testament perspective on origins.
Colossians 1:15-17
Presents Christ as the one through whom all things were created and hold together.

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