Gênesis 1
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 1
Henry - Man was made last of all the creatures: this was both an honour and a favour to him. Yet man was made the same day that the beasts were; his body was made of the same earth with theirs; and while he is in the body, he inhabits the same earth with them. God forbid that by indulging the body, and the desires of it, we should make ourselves like the beasts that perish! Man was to be a creature different from all that had been hitherto made. Flesh and spirit, heaven and earth, must be put together in him. God said, "Let us make man." Man, when he was made, was to glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Into that great name we are baptized, for to that great name we owe our being. It is the soul of man that especially bears God's image. Man was made upright, Ecclesiastes 7:29. His understanding saw Divine things clearly and truly; there were no errors or mistakes in his knowledge; his will consented at once, and in all things, to the will of God. His affections were all regular, and he had no bad appetites or passions. His thoughts were easily brought and fixed to the best subjects. Thus holy, thus happy, were our first parents in having the image of God upon them. But how is this image of God upon man defaced! May the Lord renew it upon our souls by his grace!
Gênesis 1
Henry applies the progression of life forms from lesser to more advanced - The work of creation not only proceeded gradually from one thing to another, but rose and advanced gradually from that which was less excellent to that which was more so, teaching us to press towards perfection and endeavour that our last works may be our best works. NET NOTE on man - The Hebrew word is אָדָם (’adam), which can sometimes refer to man, as opposed to woman. The term refers here to humankind, comprised of male and female. The singular is clearly collective (see the plural verb, “[that] they may rule” in v. 26b) and the referent is defined specifically as “male and female” in v. 27. Usage elsewhere in Gen 1–11 supports this as well. In Ge 5:2 we read: “Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called their name ‘humankind’ (אָדָם).” The noun also refers to humankind in Ge 6:1, 5–7 and in Ge 9:5–6. In Our image...according to our likeness - The two prepositions translated “in” and “according to” have overlapping fields of meaning and in this context seem to be virtually equivalent. In 5:3 they are reversed with the two words. The word צֶלֶם (tselem, “image”) is used frequently of statues, models, and images—replicas (see D. J. A. Clines, “The Etymology of Hebrew selem,” JNSL 3 [1974]: 19–25). The word דְּמוּת (démut, “likeness”) is an abstract noun; its verbal root means “to be like; to resemble.” In the Book of Genesis the two terms describe human beings who in some way reflect the form and the function of the creator. The form is more likely stressing the spiritual rather than the physical. The “image of God” would be the God-given mental and spiritual capacities that enable people to relate to God and to serve him by ruling over the created order as his earthly vice-regents. NET NOTE on and let them rule - Following the cohortative (“let us make”), the prefixed verb form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result (see Gen 19:20; 34:23; 2 Sam 3:21). God’s purpose in giving humankind his image is that they might rule the created order on behalf of the heavenly king and his royal court. So the divine image, however it is defined, gives humankind the capacity and/or authority to rule over creation. Man (0120) adam means man (as opposed to woman - Ge 2:18, Eccl 7:28), mankind, generically the human race (Ge 1:27; Nu 8:17; Ps. 144:3; Isa. 2:17), son of man in Ezekiel (cf Ezek 2:1,3, et al). Adam uses in Genesis - Gen. 1:26; Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:5; Gen. 2:7; Gen. 2:8; Gen. 2:15; Gen. 2:16; Gen. 2:18; Gen. 2:19; Gen. 2:20; Gen. 2:21; Gen. 2:22; Gen. 2:23; Gen. 2:25; Gen. 3:8; Gen. 3:9; Gen. 3:12; Gen. 3:20; Gen. 3:22; Gen. 3:24; Gen. 4:1; Gen. 5:1; Gen. 5:2; Gen. 6:1; Gen. 6:2; Gen. 6:3; Gen. 6:4; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 6:6; Gen. 6:7; Gen. 7:21; Gen. 7:23; Gen. 8:21; Gen. 9:5; Gen. 9:6; Gen. 11:5; Gen. 16:12 Image (06754)(tselem) means an image, a form, a likeness, a model, a drawing, a shadow, a statue (images of false gods - 2Ki 11:18, Amos 5:26, Ezek. 7:20; 16:17, Israel was to destroy - Nu 33:52). Man in God's image (Ge 1:26, 27; 5:3). Man continued to be in God's image after the fall, although it was marred (Ge 9:6). This truth still serves as the basis of the prohibition not to kill human beings. Figuratively tselem depicts men as shadows, phantoms, or unknowing, senseless, fleeting beings carrying out the motions of life (Ps. 39:6) unless they have hope in God (see Ps. 39:7). In a similar vein, the wicked before the Lord are considered as mere dreams or fantasies (Ps. 73:20). Of images of Babylonians on the wall! (Ezek 23:14). Gilbrant - Meaning "model" or "image," the noun tselem occurs seventeen times in the OT. In most of its contexts, tselem refers to the image of a pagan idol. (Other synonyms for idol include gillûl [HED #1585], which characterizes the idol's shape, and ʿatsav [HED #6322]). The noun emphasizes the idol's physical representation of a pagan deity (Num. 33:52; Ezek. 7:20; Amos 5:26). Fashioning a likeness of any god was prohibited, even if it would be of Yahweh. Since God is unseen and no man has the capacity to comprehend his likeness, we should not dishonor the Creator by any such attempt. The creation of man in the likeness or image of God is another use of tselem. Mankind exerts authority over the rest of creation because of this image (Gen. 1:26f). Murder is therefore a violation of God's creation because the killer displays contempt for God as well as his neighbor (9:6). Similarly, children bear the image of their earthly parents (5:3). On one occasion, tselem describes the golden models of rats and tumors which terrorized the Philistines because they stole the Ark of the Covenant (1 Sam. 6:5, 11). (Complete Biblical Library) Tselem - 16x in14v - form(1), image(5), images(6), likenesses(3), phantom(1).Gen. 1:26; Gen. 1:27; Gen. 5:3; Gen. 9:6; 1 Sam. 6:5; 1 Sam. 6:11; 2 Ki. 11:18; 2 Chr. 23:17; Ps. 39:6; Ps. 73:20; Ezek. 7:20; Ezek. 16:17; Ezek. 23:14; Amos 5:26 Likeness (01823)(demut from damah - to be like, to resemble) means likeness, shape, form, figure, pattern. Demut is a simile comparing two unlike things - wickedness of people and the venom of a snake (Ps. 58:4), sound of God's gathering warriors and of many people (Isa 13:4), an angelic messenger and a human being (Da 10:16). Describes the likeness of Seth to Adam (Ge 5:3). Ezekiel uses demut to describe his visions by comparing what he saw to something similar on earth (Ezek. 1:5, 16; 10:1). W E Vine on demuth - First, the word means "pattern," in the sense of the specifications from which an actual item is made (2Ki 16:10, nasb). Second, demût means "shape" or "form," the thing(s) made after a given pattern. In 2Chr 4:3 the word represents the "shape" of a bronze statue. In such passages demût means more than just "shape" in general; it indicates the "shape" in particular. In Ezek. 1:10, for example, the word represents the "form" or "likeness" of the faces of the living creatures Ezekiel describes. In Ezek. 1:26 the word refers to what something seemed to be rather than what it was. Third, demût signifies the original after which a thing is patterned: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" (Isa. 40:18). This significance is in its first biblical appearance: "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…" (Gen. 1:26). Fourth, in Ps. 58:4 the word appears to function merely to extend the form but not the meaning of the preposition ke: "Their poison is like the poison of a serpent…" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Victor Hamilton - Although this substantive is used only twenty-six times in the OT, it is a very important word. It appears in the theophanic section of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:5, 10, 13, 16, 22, 26, 28; Ezekiel 10:1, 10, 21, 22), and quite often in juxtaposition with kemarê like the appearance of." Ezekiel is very careful never to say that he saw God, ʾĕlōhîm (as did Isaiah in his prophecy, Isaiah 6:1, the object or content of Isaiah's vision is ʾădōnāy) but only that he saw the likeness of God or the likeness of the entourage that surrounds God. In such practice he is comparable to Daniel (Daniel 10:16) and John in the Apocalypse (Rev. 1:13), and perhaps Hebrews 7:3 (the introduction of Melchizedek). All of the above references in Ezekiel refer to visual similarities, but Isaiah 13:4 shows that demût can be used also for audible similarities, and structural similarities in the sense of being a pattern or model (2 Kings 16:10, parallel with tabnît). Finally we note two important passages in which man is said to be created in "(the image and) likeness of God" (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 5:1), and one passage where Adam fathered a son, Seth, "in his likeness" (Genesis 5:3). Our purpose here is not to examine per se the doctrine of imago Dei. The studies on this have been legion. Specifically, we shall attempt to ascertain the relationship between ṣelem ("image," q.v.) and demût ("likeness") in Genesis. Nowhere else in the OT do these two nouns appear in parallelism or in connection with each other. The following suggestions have been made. (1) Roman Catholic theology has maintained that "image" refers to man's structural likeness to God, a natural image, which survived the Fall and "likeness" refers to man's moral image with which he is supernaturally endowed; and it is this likeness that was destroyed in the Fall. (2) The more important word of the two is "image" but to avoid the implication that man is a precise copy of God, albeit in miniature, the less specific and more abstract demût was added. demût then defines and limits the meaning of ṣelem (Humbert, Barr). (3) No distinction is to be sought between these two words. They are totally interchangeable. In Genesis 1:26, which is God's resolution to create, both words are used. But in Genesis 1:27, the actual act of creation, only ṣelem is used, not demût. The two words are so intertwined that nothing is lost in the meaning by the omission of demût. Also, the LXX translates demût in Genesis 5:1 not by the usual homoiosis but by eikon, the Greek counterpart for Hebrew ṣelem (Schmidt). (4) It is not ṣelem which is defined and limited by demût but the other way around. Two things are important here: (a) the similarity between dem ut and the Hebrew word for "blood" dām; (b) in Mesopotamian tradition the gods in fact created man from divine blood. Genesis then represents a conscious rejection of and polemic against pagan teaching by asserting that ṣelem specifies the divine similarity to which demût refers, viz., man's corporeal appearance and has nothing to do with the blood that flows in his veins (Miller). (5) The word "likeness" rather than diminishing the word "image" actually amplifies it and specifies its meaning. Man is not just an image but a likeness-image. He is not simply representative but representational. Man is the visible, corporeal representative of the invisible, bodiless God. demût guarantees that man is an adequate and faithful representative of God on earth (Clines). (See TWOT) Demut - 24x in 21v - figure(1), figures like(1), figures resembling(1), form(4), like(4), likeness(8), pattern(1), resembling(1), something resembling(1), which resembled(1), who resembled(1). Gen. 1:26; Gen. 5:1; Gen. 5:3; 2 Ki. 16:10; 2 Chr. 4:3; Ps. 58:4; Isa. 13:4; Isa. 40:18; Ezek. 1:5; Ezek. 1:10; Ezek. 1:16; Ezek. 1:22; Ezek. 1:26; Ezek. 1:28; Ezek. 8:2; Ezek. 10:1; Ezek. 10:10; Ezek. 10:21; Ezek. 10:22; Ezek. 23:15; Dan. 10:16 Rule (07288)(radah) means to have dominion, to rule, to dominate, to subjugate, to tread down (Joel 3:13), prevail against. The idea is to exercise dominion, control, authority over another whether legitimate or not. Authority of priests (Jer 5:31), of slave owners (Lev 25:43), supervisors (1Ki 9:23), king over his kingdom (1Ki 4:24). Man over the creation (Ge 1:26, 28). Generally rādâh is limited to human rather than divine dominion (Psalm 110:2, et al.) The root is used of the rule of Israel over its enemies (Isaiah 14:2) and of the Gentile nations' rule over subject peoples (Isaiah 14:6). Gilbrant - rādāh occurs in a variety of contexts meaning "to rule." Genesis 1:28 contains the command to "have dominion over the fish of the sea." This passage describes a manner in which humans reflect the image of God. Other occurrences of rādhāh with human subjects include the dominion of Israel over their subjects (Isa. 14:6) and the command for the psalmist to rule his enemies (Ps. 110:2). Israel is repeatedly warned against conquering countrymen (Lev. 25:43, 46, 53; Ezek. 34:4). Isaiah 41:2 speaks of the rule of the king-messiah: "and made him rule over kings." Lamentations 1:13 should read, "He sent fire in my bones and it ruled over them." Rādhāh also occurs meaning "to take out." Judges 14:9 refers to Samson's "taking out" honey: "He told not them his parents that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion." Since the honey had been touching a carcass, it was ceremonially unclean, and Samson should not have touched or eaten it—particularly since he was dedicated to the Nazirite vows (cf. Lev. 2:11; 11:39f). (Complete Biblical Library) Radah - 23x in 23v - dominated(1), had dominion(1), have dominion(1), prevailed(1), rule(12), ruled(4), ruling(1), subdued(1), subdues(1). Gen. 1:26; Gen. 1:28; Lev. 25:43; Lev. 25:46; Lev. 25:53; Lev. 26:17; Num. 24:19; 1 Ki. 4:24; 1 Ki. 5:16; 1 Ki. 9:23; 2 Chr. 8:10; Neh. 9:28; Ps. 49:14; Ps. 68:27; Ps. 72:8; Ps. 110:2; Isa. 14:2; Isa. 14:6; Isa. 41:2; Jer. 5:31; Lam. 1:13; Ezek. 29:15; Ezek. 34:4 Larry Richards - This verse introduces several important themes. First, it introduces a peculiar feature of the term, Elohim. For in Hebrew Elohim is plural, not singular. Hebrew scholars typically describe this as a “plural of majesty” rather than a true plural. That is, this plural does not suggest that there are several gods, but rather that the one God so indicated is to be exalted above all. In fact, the Hebrew noun Elohim is consistently used with singular verb forms, singular adjectives, and singular pronouns. However, here in the very first chapter of Genesis, God speaks and says, “Let Us make man in Our own image” (v. 26; emphasis mine). And what is special about the plural Elohim is that in this word we have a term capable of communicating the unity of the one God while also allowing for a plurality of persons. While the nature of Scripture’s one God as a trinity of persons was unveiled later in Scripture, here in the first chapter of Genesis God is identified by a plural name found in no other Semitic language! No single name of God reveals all that may be known about Him. But the name Elohim identifies God as the Creator, and in its uniqueness sets the stage for future revelations of His nature and character. (Every Name Of God In The Bible) QUESTION - What does it mean when God said, “Let Us make man in Our image” (Genesis 1:26)? ANSWER - Genesis 1 details the creation account of the all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign God. When God reaches His crowning creative act—the formation of human life—His wording changes from the impersonal “let there be” to the deliberate and intimate expression, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” God’s plan for humans included giving them responsibilities on the earth: “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26ESV). Human beings—both men and women—are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27; 5:1–3; 9:6; James 3:9). “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us,” says Genesis 1:26 in the NLT. We did not evolve from other lower forms of life. We were created directly by God to represent Him on the earth and have dominion over every other creation in His name (Genesis 1:26–28). Having God’s image means we are fashioned to resemble and represent God on the earth. Some Christians like to say we are “imagers of God.” Our likeness with God is not a physical resemblance. Instead, God’s likeness denotes our capacity to rule over creation and be in relationship with God and other humans and to exercise reason, intelligence, speech, moral consciousness, creativity, rationality, and choice. Since the beginning of time, God has desired to bless us and enjoy close fellowship with us, and for this reason He made us like Himself. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the preeminent and perfect image of God: “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God” (Hebrews 1:3, NLT; see also 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15). To see Jesus is to see the Father (John 14:9). To know Christ is to know God. Jesus Christ shows us what God meant when He said, “Let Us make man in Our image.” The original Hebrew word for “God” in Genesis 1 is the plural masculine noun Elohim. God, our Creator, chose to introduce Himself to us with a plural title. In Genesis 1:26—the first time in the Bible that God speaks about Himself—He uses the plural pronouns Us and Our. This passage is not the only instance in which God refers to Himself in plural terms (see Genesis 3:22; 11:7; and Isaiah 6:8). We find the plural Elohim more than 2,550 times in the Bible. We know from Scripture that there is only one God, there is no other God, and He is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5, 6, 18; Mark 12:32; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5). So how can we understand the plurality of His name Elohim together with His statement, “Let Us make man in Our image?” Bible scholars present several possible explanations: Some believe that in Genesis 1:26 God refers to Himself and includes the heavenly assembly of angels, as in Job 1:6; 1 Kings 22:19–20; and Psalm 89:5. However, this theory falls apart because nowhere in Scripture does God say that the angels are made in His image or likeness. Another hypothesis suggests that the plural form is used to convey dignity and splendor, a language device called “plural of majesty.” Others chalk up the plural language to a technique known as “plural of deliberation,” used when a speaker consults with himself as the Lord does in Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’” The conviction of the early church fathers was that Elohim's statement, “Let Us make man in Our image,” communicates a complex and unified expression of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity holds that God is One in three Persons: God the Father; God the Son, Jesus Christ our Savior; and God the Holy Spirit. Here in Genesis 1:26, the “Us” and “Our” indicate God the Father speaking in the fullness of His divine creative power to the Son and the Holy Spirit. A similar conversation among the Godhead is seen in Genesis 3:22: “And the LORD God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.’” Only humans are uniquely created in the image and likeness of God, distinguishing them from all other earthly beings. We were made like Him so that we could be in relationship with Him—the one and only triune God. GotQuestions.org Excerpt (click for full article) - Gerhard F. Hasel, “The Meaning of ‘Let Us’ in Genesis 1:26,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 13 (1975):58–66. The plural "let us" in the phrase "let us make man" in Gn 1:26 has a long history of interpretation, reaching into pre-Christian times. What does the plural "us" in this enigmatic phrase indicate? Should it be changed to the singular or does it indeed have a plural meaning? If it has a plural meaning, is its intention to express an address between gods, or between God and heavenly beings, or between God and earth or earthly elements? Is it a plural of majesty, a plural of deliberation, or a plural of fullness? These suggestions and their supporting arguments will receive critical consideration with an attempt to evaluate their cogency. Jewish scholars produced for King Ptolemy the "corrected version of the sacred Scriptures with the rendering "let me" in the singular.' Christian exegetes have left a rich history of interpretation. Justin Martyr found in the plural a reference to Christ. Later Irenaeus includes in the plural the Son and the Holy Spirit and a similar trinitarian explanation of the expression is found in Theophilus of Antioch. Tertullian includes in the plural the activity of the incarnate Word, i.e. Christ. In short, in the Early Church the predominant interpretation understood the plural as expressing the trinity or triunity of God. The First Council of Sirmium (AD. 351 )affirmed that Ge 1 :26 was addressed by the Father to the Son as a distinct Person and threatened excommunication for all those who denied it.7 This trinitarian interpretation has become the traditional view but is widely questioned today even among Roman Catholic scholar^.^ This introduction provides the background for a consideration of current views..... Hasel goes on in the remainder of the article to discuss the following 6 interpretations of "Us"... (click for full article) 1. The Mythological interpretation 2. Address to Earthly Elements 3. Address to Heavenly Court 4. Plural of Majesty 5. Plural of Deliberation 6. Plural of Fullness QUESTION - What is the majestic plural (PLURAL OF MAJESTY), and how is it used in the Bible? ANSWER - The majestic plural, also called the royal plural, is the use of a plural word (such as the pronoun we or us) to refer to a single person. As a type of nosism, the majestic plural emphasizes something or honors someone in a stylistic way. Basically, when a member of royalty, referring to himself, says, “We” instead of “I,” he is using the majestic plural. For example, Queen Victoria, upon hearing a tasteless joke, is said to have replied, “We are not amused.” The ancient Hebrews used the majestic plural, and some examples are found in the Old Testament. But the construction is not unique to Hebrew. The Latin language also had what the Romans called pluralis maiestatis (“the plural of majesty”), and, as has been noted, English sometimes uses it as well. Other modern languages using the royal plural include Punjabi, Hindustani, Telugu, and Egyptian Arabic (in which the President of Egypt is referred to as “Your Excellencies”). The effect of the majestic plural is to indicate greatness, power, and prestige. It is normally reserved for use by nobles, kings, popes, and other persons of high rank when speaking in an official capacity or by those of lower rank when speaking of or to their betters. In the Bible, we find four verses in which God refers to Himself using plural pronouns. The most well-known passage is Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’” See also Genesis 3:22; Genesis 11:7; and Isaiah 6:8. The One God is speaking of Himself in plural form: us and our. This is a perfect example of the majestic plural. God’s divine greatness and transcendence are emphasized through the simple use of pronouns. The majestic plural is also found in one of God’s most common names in the Old Testament, Elohim. The word itself is plural (the singular is Eloah), and it is sometimes translated as “gods” (when referring to a plurality of false gods). When it refers to the One True God, Elohim (plural) is correctly translated as “God” (singular). Deuteronomy 4:35 says, “The LORD is God”—literally, “Yahweh is Elohim.” And the famous Shema says, “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Again, we have the singular Lord coupled with the plural Elohim, and this time in a verse that is crystal clear that there is only one God. His name’s plural form indicates His sovereign supremacy, His matchless might, and His exceeding eminence. We carefully note that the majestic plural in the Old Testament was not meant to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. It is simply a linguistic tool that God employed to accentuate His greatness. However, the use of plural constructions to refer to God leaves open the possibility of God’s triune nature. Later, when the doctrine of the Trinity is revealed in the New Testament, the use of the majestic plural fits right in. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Why does God refer to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22? SEE RELATED VIDEO ANSWER - Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’” Genesis 3:22 states, “And the LORD God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us.’” Elohim, one of the primary titles of God in the Old Testament... is in the plural form. There are other passages in the Old Testament in which God refers to Himself using plural constructions. It is also interesting to note that Elohim, one of the primary titles of God in the Old Testament (occurring over 2,500 times), is in the plural form. Some people have used these verses to hypothesize that there are more than one God. However, we can rule out polytheism (belief in multiple gods), because that would contradict countless other Scriptures that tell us that God is one and that there is only one God. Three times in Isaiah 45 alone, God states, “I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me” (Isaiah 45:5, 6, 18). A second possible explanation for God’s referring to Himself in the plural is that God was including the angels in His statement. In saying “us” and “our,” God was speaking of all the heavenly host, Himself included. However, the Bible nowhere states that angels have the same “image” or “likeness” as God (see Genesis 1:26). (ED: SEE ALSO NOTE BY GRUDEM) That description is given to humanity alone. The Old Testament hints at the plurality of God, and the New Testament clarifies this plurality with the doctrine of the Trinity. Since the Bible, and the New Testament especially, presents God as a Trinity (three Persons but only one God), Genesis 1:26 and Genesis 3:22 can only represent a conversation within the Trinity. God the Father is having a “conversation” with God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament hints at the plurality of God, and the New Testament clarifies this plurality with the doctrine of the Trinity. Obviously, there is no way we can fully understand how this works, but God has given us enough information to know that He does exist in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. GotQuestions.org Wayne Grudem on Genesis 1:26 -The Doctrine of the Trinity Is Progressively Revealed in Scripture 1. Partial Revelation in the Old Testament. The word trinity is never found in the Bible, though the idea represented by the word is taught in many places. The word trinity means “tri-unity” or “three-in-oneness.” It is used to summarize the teaching of Scripture that God is three persons yet one God. Sometimes people think the doctrine of the Trinity is found only in the New Testament, not in the Old. If God has eternally existed as three persons, it would be surprising to find no indications of that in the Old Testament. Although the doctrine of the Trinity is not explicitly found in the Old Testament, several passages suggest or even imply that God exists as more than one person. For instance, according to Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” What do the plural verb (“let us”) and the plural pronoun (“our”) mean? Some have suggested they are plurals of majesty, a form of speech a king would use in saying, for example, “We are pleased to grant your request.” (#1) Old Testament Hebrew there are no other examples of a monarch using plural verbs or plural pronouns of himself However, in Old Testament Hebrew there are no other examples of a monarch using plural verbs or plural pronouns of himself in such a “plural of majesty,” so this suggestion has no evidence to support it. (#2) Another suggestion is that God is here speaking to angels. But angels did not participate in the creation of man, nor was man created in the image and likeness of angels, so this suggestion is not convincing. The best explanation is that already in the first chapter of Genesis we have an indication of a plurality of persons in God Himself. The best explanation is that already in the first chapter of Genesis we have an indication of a plurality of persons in God Himself. (#3) We are not told how many persons, and we have nothing approaching a complete doctrine of the Trinity, but it is implied that more than one person is involved. The same can be said of Genesis 3:22 (“Behold, the man has become like one of Us knowing good and evil”), Genesis 11:7 (“Come, let Us go down, and there confuse their language”), and Isaiah 6:8 (“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”). (Note the combination of singular and plural in the same sentence in the last passage.) (For full discussion of the Trinity see Systematic Theology) #1 Both Alexander the Great (in 152 B.C.) and King Demetrius (about 145 B.C.) refer to themselves in this way, for example, in the Septuagint text of 1 Macc. 10:19 and 11:31, but this is in Greek, not Hebrew, and it is written long after Genesis 1. #2 See E. Kautzsch, ed., Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar 2d ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910), Section 124g, n. 2, with reference to the suggestion of a plural of majesty: “The plural used by God in Genesis 1:26, 11:7, Isaiah 6:8 has been incorrectly explained in this way.” They understand Gen. 1:26 as “a plural of self-deliberation.” My own extensive search of subsequent Jewish interpretation in the Babylonian Talmud, the targumim and the midrashim showed only that later Rabbinic interpreters were unable to reach agreement on any satisfactory interpretation of this passage, although the “plural of majesty” and “God speaking to angels” interpretations were commonly suggested. The plural “We’ was regarded by the fathers and earlier theologians almost unanimously as indicative of the Trinity #3 “The plural “We’ was regarded by the fathers and earlier theologians almost unanimously as indicative of the Trinity” [Keil and Delitzsch, Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers and Authors, n.d.], 1:48, with objections to other positions and an affirmation that Gen. 1:26 contains “the truth that lies at the foundation of the Trinitarian view”). NIV—New International Version GOTQUESTIONS.ORG - What is the majestic plural, and how is it used in the Bible? The majestic plural, also called the royal plural, is the use of a plural word (such as the pronoun we or us) to refer to a single person. As a type of nosism, the majestic plural emphasizes something or honors someone in a stylistic way. Basically, when a member of royalty, referring to himself, says, “We” instead of “I,” he is using the majestic plural. For example, Queen Victoria, upon hearing a tasteless joke, is said to have replied, “We are not amused.” The ancient Hebrews used the majestic plural, and some examples are found in the Old Testament. But the construction is not unique to Hebrew. The Latin language also had what the Romans called pluralis maiestatis (“the plural of majesty”), and, as has been noted, English sometimes uses it as well. Other modern languages using the royal plural include Punjabi, Hindustani, Telugu, and Egyptian Arabic (in which the President of Egypt is referred to as “Your Excellencies”). The effect of the majestic plural is to indicate greatness, power, and prestige. It is normally reserved for use by nobles, kings, popes, and other persons of high rank when speaking in an official capacity or by those of lower rank when speaking of or to their betters. In the Bible, we find four verses in which God refers to Himself using plural pronouns. The most well-known passage is Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.’” See also Genesis 3:22; Genesis 11:7; and Isaiah 6:8. The One God is speaking of Himself in plural form: us and our. This is a perfect example of the majestic plural. God’s divine greatness and transcendence are emphasized through the simple use of pronouns. The majestic plural is also found in one of God’s most common names in the Old Testament, Elohim. The word itself is plural (the singular is Eloah), and it is sometimes translated as “gods” (when referring to a plurality of false gods). When it refers to the One True God, Elohim (plural) is correctly translated as “God” (singular). Deuteronomy 4:35 says, “The LORD is God”—literally, “Yahweh is Elohim.” And the famous Shema says, “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Again, we have the singular Lord coupled with the plural Elohim, and this time in a verse that is crystal clear that there is only one God. His name’s plural form indicates His sovereign supremacy, His matchless might, and His exceeding eminence. We carefully note that the majestic plural in the Old Testament was not meant to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. It is simply a linguistic tool that God employed to accentuate His greatness. However, the use of plural constructions to refer to God leaves open the possibility of God’s triune nature. Later, when the doctrine of the Trinity is revealed in the New Testament, the use of the majestic plural fits right in. Related Resource: Why does God refer to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What does it mean that God gave humanity dominion over the animals? ANSWER - The word dominion means “rule or power over.” God has sovereign power over His creation and has delegated the authority to mankind to have dominion over the animals (Genesis 1:26). David reinforces this truth: “You made [mankind] rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” (Psalm 8:6). Humanity was to "subdue" the earth (Genesis 1:28)—we were to hold a position of command over it; we were placed in a superior role and were to exercise control over the earth and its flora and fauna. Mankind was set up as the ruler of this world. All else was subjugated to him. God’s command to subdue the earth and the animal life in it is a command to have the mastery over all of it. A true mastery (of anything) cannot be accomplished without an understanding of the thing mastered. In order for a musician to master the violin, he or she must truly understand the instrument. In order for mankind to attain mastery over the animal kingdom, we must understand the animals. With the authority to rule comes the responsibility to rule well. There is an inherent accountability in the command to subdue the earth. Man has a duty to exercise his dominion under the authority of the One who delegated it. All authority is of God (Romans 13:1-5), and He delegates it to whomever He will (Daniel 4:17). The word subdue doesn’t have to imply violence or mistreatment. It can mean “to bring under cultivation.” Man is to be the steward of the earth; he is to bring the material world and all of its varied elements into the service of God and the good of mankind. The command to subdue the earth is actually part of God’s blessing on mankind. Created in the image of God, Adam and Eve were to use the earth’s vast resources in the service of both God and themselves. It would only make sense for God to decree this, since only humans were created in God’s image. When God gave humanity dominion over the animals, it was in order to care for, tend to, and use those animals to their fullest potential in a just manner. At the time that God gave mankind dominion over the animals, humans did not eat meat (Genesis 1:29). Eating meat did not begin until after the Flood (Genesis 9:1–3), and it was at that time that animals started to fear humans. However, although God changed the way we interact with animals, in that they are now “meat,” we still bear a responsibility to treat animals humanely. Human rule over animals does not mean we have the right to mistreat or misuse those animals. Having dominion over the animals should entail a humane management of them as the resource God has ordained them to be. We should consider that mankind was given the task (and blessing) of representing God in this world. We are the caretakers. We hold sway over all the earth, and we (bearing God’s image) bear a responsibility to act as God would. Does God misuse His creation? No. Is God unwise in His management of resources? No. Is God ever cruel or selfish or wasteful? No. Then neither should we be. Any misuse or mistreatment of God’s creation is the result of sin, not the result of following God’s original command. We must fulfill our duty to manage the earth wisely until that time when the wolf shall lie down with the lamb in the kingdom of Christ (Isaiah 11:6). GotQuestions.org Related Resources all from Gotquestions.org What does the Bible say about animal rights? What does the Bible say about animal/pet euthanasia? What does it mean that a righteous person cares for the needs of animals (Proverbs 12:10)? Is it wrong to kill spiders or step on bugs? What does the Bible say about pets? Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. in His own image: Ps 139:14 Isa 43:7 Eph 2:10 4:24 Col 1:15 male and female He created them: Ge 2:21-25 5:2 Mal 2:15 Mt 19:4 Mk 10:6 1Co 11:8,9 Genesis 1 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries IMAGO DEI NOT "IMAGO SIMIAE"! Imago Dei is Latin for the Image of God. Imago simiae is Latin for the image of ape (simiae). Do you not see how even the suggestion of evolution from apes is an absolute affront and insult to the glory of our great and awesome God! Play and ponder the song Imago Dei. God created (bara'; Lxx - poieo) man (adam) - In the Septuagint the verb poieo is aorist tense indicating past completed action, so that even this tense refutes the foolishness of evolution! Man was created fully formed, not progressively evolved! A literal (normative) reading of the text refutes the lie of evolution! As noted above man is used generically of mankind, of men and women as the last clause of this verse substantiates.