The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 273

THE NEO-KOHLBRUGGIANS

233

The wood may be said to be in the image, covered by it from all sides. Again, the sculptor actually chisels the image, in his mind, or posing as a model, about tJu mard/e until it encloses the whole block. In like manner it may be said that Adam, upon his first awakening to consciousness, was enclosed by God's image not externally, and he only its reflection, but its ectype penetrating his whole being. bronze.

;

The

correctness of this exegesis appears from Gen. v. 1-3, the

Here

contents of which, tho often overlooked, settle this matter. Scripture brings

Adam's

creation in direct connection with his

own

begetting a son after his

God

created man, in the likeness of

He them and

female created

We

likeness.

read

:

"

In the

God made He him

;

blessed them, and called their

;

own

day that male and

name

day when they were created. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth." In both instances the Hebrew word zelem, image, is used. Hence to obtain a clear and correct understanding of the statement, " to be created in the image and after the likeness of God," Scripture invites us to let the child's resemblance to the father assist us. And the father's likeness lies in the child's being, is part of it, and does not merely beam from the father upon the child externally. Even in his absence or after his death the resemblance of features

Adam,

in the

continues.

Hence to beget a child in our image and after our likeness means to give existence to a being bearing our image and resemblance, altho as a person distinct from us. From which it must follow that when Scripture says, regarding Adam, that God created him in His image and after His likeness, using the same words " image" {zelem) and " likeness" (demoetk), it can not mean that the divine image shone upon him, so that he stood and walked in its light but that God so created him that his whole being, person, and state reflected the divine image, since he carried it in himself. ;

remarkable that the prepositions used in Gen. i. 26 appear Rendering the preposia" " in," as in Gen. i. 26, it reads: " He begat a son in his like-

It is

also in this passage, but in a reversed order. tion

"

And

ness and after his image." utterly unfair

it is

to

different prepositions.

image

of

God

"

this is conclusive.

It

shows how

deduce a different meaning from the use of

Even

—the sense

is

if

the

we

translate

same

;

"

?"

—

by " /«" image

in both, the

" in

is

the

not a

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