QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

​GENESIS 1

GENESIS 1:26
​

"LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE”
​

​Question
Why does God speak of Himself as more than one person?
Answer
  • God may be referring to Himself and the angels. This seems unlikely given the rest of Scripture's depiction of angels. These beings are presented as servants and messengers, not creators or rulers.
  • Could be what scholars call a plural of self-exhortation or self-encouragement, meaning He is referring only to Himself. This would also be referred to as "the royal 'we”
  • God is speaking as a Trinity, of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. According to Scripture as a whole, the full Trinity was present at creation. Genesis 1:2 describes the Spirit of God hovering over the waters, and John 1:1–3 reveals that the Word, Christ, was active in the creation of all things.

​GENESIS 1:26

​“OUR IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS”

Question
Did God make us to look like him?
​Answer
  • This statement does not mean that God created humans to resemble Him physically (John 4:24) God endowed humans with a certain kind of awareness, one which animals and birds and fish were not given. We have capacity for reason, morality, language, personality, and purpose. In particular, the ability to use morality and spirituality are unique to human beings.

​GENESIS 1:27 
​

SO GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED THEM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM:

Question
​Why does it say “his, he”, is God male?
​Answer

​​GENESIS 1:29 

​​​THEN GOD SAID, 'I GIVE YOU EVERY SEED-BEARING PLANT ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH AND EVERY TREE THAT HAS FRUIT WITH SEED IN IT. THEY WILL BE YOURS FOR FOOD:

Question
​God does not instruct humans to use animals for food. Are they vegetarians in the Garden of Eden?

Answer