Image
Images and Idolatry
The most common use of "image" in the Old Testament refers to objects of idolatrous worship. The second commandment is explicit: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" (Exodus 20:4). This prohibition extends to "molten images" (metal idols cast from molds), "pillars" (standing stones used in Canaanite worship), and household idols (teraphim).
Israel's persistent temptation to worship images is a major theme throughout the Old Testament. The golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32), Jeroboam's golden calves at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28-30), and the widespread idol worship condemned by the prophets all represent violations of this fundamental command. Isaiah mocked the absurdity of idolatry: a man cuts down a tree, uses half for firewood, and with the other half carves an idol, saying, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" (Isaiah 44:14-17). The Psalms declare, "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see" (Psalm 115:4-5).
Created in God's Image
Far more theologically significant than the prohibition of carved images is the stunning declaration that humanity itself bears God's image. "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness'... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27).
This foundational statement establishes the unique dignity and worth of every human being. While the Hebrew words for "image" and "likeness" are sometimes distinguished by theologians, in their biblical usage they appear to be synonymous, together conveying that humans bear a genuine resemblance to their Creator. This resemblance is not primarily physical but relational, moral, and functional: humans are capable of knowing God, making moral choices, exercising creativity, and stewarding creation.
The image of God in humanity is reaffirmed after the Fall. Genesis 9:6 grounds the prohibition of murder in the fact that God made humans in His image. James 3:9 echoes this in the New Testament, warning against cursing people "who are made in the likeness of God." The image, though marred by sin, is not destroyed.
What the Image of God Includes
Throughout church history, theologians have debated what precisely the image of God entails. Some have emphasized rationality and intellect — the capacity for abstract thought, language, and reasoning that distinguishes humans from animals. Others have focused on moral capacity — the ability to discern right from wrong and to choose freely. Still others point to the relational dimension — humans are created for relationship with God and with one another, reflecting the relational nature of God Himself.
The functional interpretation highlights Genesis 1:28, where God immediately commissions image-bearers to "have dominion" over creation. Just as ancient kings placed their images (statues) in distant provinces to represent their authority, God placed His image-bearers on earth to represent His rule and care for creation. To be made in God's image is to be appointed as His representative.
The most complete understanding encompasses all these dimensions: rationality, morality, relationality, and representative authority. Together they describe beings uniquely equipped to know God, reflect His character, and carry out His purposes on earth.
Christ as the Image of God
The New Testament takes the concept of divine image to its ultimate conclusion in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul declares that Christ "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15). In 2 Corinthians 4:4, he speaks of "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." The author of Hebrews writes that the Son is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3).
Unlike humanity, which bears a derivative and marred image of God, Christ is the perfect and complete image — the visible expression of the invisible God. In Jesus, we see what God is truly like: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Christ does not merely reflect God's image; He is that image in its fullness.
Being Transformed into the Image
The gospel promise is that believers are being progressively restored to the image of God through Christ. Paul writes, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Romans 8:29 reveals that God's ultimate purpose for believers is to be "conformed to the image of his Son."
This transformation is both a present process and a future hope. Colossians 3:10 speaks of the new self being "renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." But the full realization awaits the resurrection: "Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:49). The biblical story of image thus moves from creation (Genesis 1:26-27) through corruption (the Fall) to restoration (conformity to Christ) — a complete narrative arc that reveals God's unchanging purpose for humanity.
Biblical Context
The concept of image appears in two major streams throughout Scripture. The prohibition of idolatrous images runs from the second commandment (Exodus 20:4) through the prophets (Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:1-16) to the New Testament (Acts 17:29; Revelation 13:14-15). The image of God in humanity is established in Genesis 1:26-27, reaffirmed in Genesis 5:1-3 and 9:6, and developed in the New Testament through Christ as the perfect image (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3) and believers being transformed into that image (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Theological Significance
The image of God is one of the most important concepts in Christian theology. It establishes the dignity and sanctity of every human life, regardless of race, gender, age, or ability. It provides the foundation for human rights, ethics, and the prohibition of murder (Genesis 9:6). The revelation of Christ as the perfect image of God shows that the incarnation reveals God's character more fully than any other medium. The doctrine of progressive transformation into Christ's image (2 Corinthians 3:18) gives believers both a present calling and a future hope. The prohibition of idolatrous images teaches that God refuses to be reduced to human-made representations — He has already created His own image: humanity, and supremely, His Son.
Historical Background
The ancient Near East was saturated with images of deities. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Canaanite religions all featured elaborate idol worship, with images believed to house the spirit of the deity. The concept of a king as the 'image' of a god is well attested in ancient texts — Pharaohs were called the 'image of Amun' and Mesopotamian kings were described as the 'image of Marduk.' This background illuminates Genesis 1:26-27: while pagan cultures reserved 'image of god' language for kings, Genesis democratizes it — every human being bears God's image. Archaeological discoveries throughout the biblical world have uncovered countless examples of carved and molten images, from Canaanite fertility figurines to Babylonian divine statues, confirming the ubiquity of image worship against which the biblical prohibition was directed.