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Part 3: The Early Church Fathers And Genesis 1:26
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God ('elohiym) created the heaven and the earth.
The word used for God in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim. We cannot forget that it was the Holy Spirit who has inspired all Scripture, and here He used a word for in a plural form:
ELOHIM 430. 'elohiym, el-o-heem'; plur. of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but spec. used (in the plur. thus, esp. with the art.) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
In verse 2, we see see the word Elohim used again:
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God ('elohiym) moved upon the face of the waters.
In this verse, we see that it was the Spirit of Elohim who "moved upon the face of the waters." In other words, the words "the Spirit of God" partly describes the plurality that is described in verse 1.
Gen 1:26 And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (KJV)
Who is God speaking to? "Us" is clearly "first person plural." And "Elohim" is plural. Was He speaking to angels? If so, then they must have been "creators" as well. However, the Bible is very clear that God created all things through Jesus Christ (John 1:1,2, Eph. 3:9, Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:2). Even the angelic beings point to God alone as creator (Rev. 4:11, Rev. 10:6). God Himself states clearly that He alone is responsible for creation (Neh. 9:6, Isa. 44:24).
Here is Justin's view (early 2nd century) concerning Genesis 1:26 (From the Dialogue with Trypho - a Jew):
"CHAPTER 62
“And the same sentiment was expressed, my friends, by the word of God (written) by Moses, when it indicated to us, with regard to Him whom it has pointed out, that God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: 'Let Us make man after our image and likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creeping things that creep on the earth. And God created man: after the image of God did He create him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and said, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have power over it. And that you may not change the (force of the) words just quoted, and repeat what your teachers assert, — either that God said to Himself, 'Let Us make,' just as we, when about to do something, oftentimes say to ourselves, 'Let us make;' or that God spoke to the elements, to wit, the earth and other similar substances of which we believe man was formed, 'Let Us make,' — I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that conversed with some one who was numerically distinct from Himself, and also a rational Being. These are the words: 'And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.' In saying, therefore, 'as one of us,' (Moses) has declared that (there is a certain) number of persons associated with one another, and that they are at least two. For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy which is said to be among you is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that (God) spoke to angels, or that the human frame was the workmanship of angels. But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His creatures and as Offspring by God, who has also declared this same thing in the revelation made by Joshua the son of Nave(Nun). Listen, therefore, to the following from the book of Joshua, that what I say may become manifest to you; it is this: 'And it came to pass, when Joshua was near Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and sees a man standing over against him. And Joshua approached to Him, and said, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said to him, I am Captain of the Lord's host: now have I come. And Joshua fell on his face on the ground, and said to Him, Lord, what commandest Thou Thy servant? And the Lord's Captain says to Joshua, Loose the shoes off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. And Jericho was shut up and fortified, and no one went out of it. And the Lord said to Joshua, Behold, I give into thine hand Jericho, and its king, its mighty men.'”
Here, also is a quote from Tertulian:
TERTULLIAN, AGAINST MARCION, BOOK V, CHAPTER 12
If the number of the Trinity also offends you, as if it were not connected in the simple Unity, I ask you how it is possible for a Being who is merely and absolutely One and Singular, to speak in plural phrase, saying, “Let us make man in our own image, and after our own likeness;” whereas He ought to have said, “Let me make man in my own image, and after my own likeness,” as being a unique and singular Being? In the following passage, however, “Behold the man is become as one of us,” He is either deceiving or amusing us in speaking plurally, if He is One only and singular. Or was it to the angels that He spoke, as the Jews interpret the passage, because these also acknowledge not the Son? Or was it because He was at once the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, that He spoke to Himself in plural terms, making Himself plural on that very account? Nay, it was because He had already His Son close at His side, as a second Person, His own Word, and a third Person also, the Spirit in the Word, that He purposely adopted the plural phrase, “Let us make;” and, “in our image;” and, “become as one of us.” For with whom did He make man? and to whom did He make him like? (The answer must be), the Son on the one hand, who was one day to put on human nature; and the Spirit on the other, who was to sanctify man. With these did He then speak, in the Unity of the Trinity, as with His ministers and witnesses In the following text also He distinguishes among the Persons: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him.” Why say “image of God?” Why not “His own image” merely, if He was only one who was the Maker, and if there was not also One in whose image He made man? But there was One in whose image God was making man, that is to say, Christ's image, who, being one day about to become Man (more surely and more truly so), had already caused the man to be called His image, who was then going to be formed of clay — the image and similitude of the true and perfect Man."
IRENAEUS, AGAINST HERESIES, BOOK IV, PREFACE
"But now, since the last times are (come upon us), evil is spread abroad among men, which not only renders them apostates, but by many machinations does (the devil) raise up blasphemers against the Creator, namely, by means of all the heretics already mentioned. For all these, although they issue forth from diverse regions, and promulgate different (opinions), do nevertheless concur in the same blasphemous design, wounding (men) unto death, by teaching blasphemy against God our Maker and Supporter, and derogating from the salvation of man. Now man is a mixed organization of soul and flesh, who was formed after the likeness of God, and molded by His hands, that is, by the Son and Holy Spirit, to whom also He said, “Let Us make man.” This, then, is the aim of him who envies our life, to render men disbelievers in their own salvation, and blasphemous against God the Creator."
CHAPTER 20
1. As regards His greatness, therefore, it is not possible to know God, for it is impossible that the Father can be measured; but as regards His love (for this it is which leads us to God by His Word), when we obey Him, we do always learn that there is so great a God, and that it is He who by Himself has established, and selected, and adorned, and contains all things; and among the all things, both ourselves and this our world. We also then were made, along with those things which are contained by Him. And this is He of whom the Scripture says, “And God formed man, taking clay of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life.” It was not angels, therefore, who made us, nor who formed us, neither had angels power to make an image of God, nor any one else, except the Word of the Lord, nor any Power remotely distant from the Father of all things. For God did not stand in need of these (beings), in order to the accomplishing of what He had Himself determined with Himself beforehand should be done, as if He did not possess His own hands. For with Him were always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things, to whom also He speaks, saying, “Let Us make man after Our image and likeness;” He taking from Himself the substance of the creatures (formed), and the pattern of things made, and the type of all the adornments in the world."
Genesis goes on to tell us that it was God Himself who created man.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (KJV)
It is quite clear then that the "us" and "our" first personal plural pronouns all refer to God Himself! Therefore, God (Elohim) is a plurality! Their is no escaping this fact! Since God's statement, "let US make man in OUR image and after OUR likeness" absolutely requires a cooperation among a plurality of beings, all of which are included in the plural title, "Elohim," we are forced to conclude that God the Creator is a plural being. Each part of the Godhead can think and communicate with the others. This verse shows independant thought and cooperation within a plural being. Yet, Elohim moves and works as one, to accomplish one purpose, creation.
The second chapter is just as important to our study. There is a rule in Biblical interpretation called the "Rule of First Mention." Basically, this is the idea that the best way to understand a particular word or concept in Scripture is to find where it is first mentioned in Scripture. Since a major part of our study concerns the difference between what it means to be absolutely solitary, vs., what it means to be UNITED, God provides us with the perfect example, contrasting these two ideas, and defines the terms for us.
Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be ALONE; I will make him an help meet for him. ...
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (KJV)
The word "alone" in verse 18 is the Hebrew word "bad" which means "solitary." This is exactly what "Oneness" folks claim for God. However, God said this was not a good situation for His creature, Adam. So, He made a woman from Adam's rib. She was "bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh." Why do you think God did this? Why didn't He just make a woman from the dust as He had made Adam? I submit that it is an illustration of the unity found in God. As the Trinitarian creeds state, the Son is of "one substance" with the Father, just as Eve was "one substance" with Adam. Adam was not alone any more. God says that it is His plan that husband and wife become "one" flesh when they marry. The word "one" is translated from the Hebrew word "echad" which is nearly identical to our English word "one." It can mean the number "one," or it can mean united. In this case, since it is used in opposition to the idea of being "alone," and is the REMEDY for being "alone," it is clear that Adam and Eve became "united."
While the above passage does not directly give us revelation knowledge of God Himself (apart from typology), it does define the Hebrew terms that God later used to describe Himself.
As we progress through the Torah (books of Moses), we find that by far the most common referrence to "God" is the word "Elohim" (the plural title for "God"). It is used over 800 times, second only to the name "Jehovah" (YHVH) which is used about 1800 times. So, this plural title for God is never far from the reader of the Hebrew Torah.
The next significant statement regarding God's essense is found in Deut. 6. For the sake of clarity, I am going to use the Hebrew plural title "Elohim" as well as the name "Jehovah" for the Hebrew, YHVH.
Deut 6:1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which JEHOVAH your ELOHIM commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2 That thou mightest fear JEHOVAH thy ELOHIM, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as JEHOVAH ELOHIM of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: JEHOVAH our ELOHIM, JEHOVAH is one:
5 And thou shalt love JEHOVAH thy ELOHIM with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (KJV)
Since "Elohim" is a plural word, it is clear that Moses is saying that Jehovah is UNITED. He is NOT three Gods. The creation account, where God said, "let US make man...," and the use of the plural "Elohim" could lead one to conclude that Israel worshipped multiple Gods. Not so, says Moses! While not denying the plurality of God, Moses has actually said that the name "Jehovah" is ONE, belonging to "Elohim." In other words, "Jehovah" is the name of the unified "Elohim." Up to this point, all revelation of Elohim was plural! So, the assumption could easily be made that there were separate Gods. But, Moses indicated that Jehovah is one. He used the same word God used to refer to husband and wife being "one" flesh. There are other cases where this word "one" (echad) refers to a compound unity, that is a unit made up of several. At the Tower of Babel, God said the people are "one." Such usage of the word "echad" indicate that it does not mean absolutely solitary, but like our English word "one" it can mean united.
We must ask, what is the significance of Moses' statement about Jehovah's being "one?" If he meant to teach "Oneness," then he used a very poor choice of words. The Hebrew word "bad" (alone) or "yachiyd" (solitary) would have been much better choices. If Moses was teaching "Oneness" in the sense of denying the Trinitarian "compound-unity" idea, then the normal use of language would require him to use a word which absolutely forbids a plurality. The choice of words must eliminate the possibility of plurality. But he chose no such word! Instead he chose a word that was actually used to CONTRAST the idea of being "alone." Therefore, there is no logical reason to assume from this verse that God is anything other than "one" in the same sense that husband and wife are "one" flesh. You see, the burden of proof is clearly on the Oneness folks to prove that God is absolutely a solitary being. Why? Because PREVIOUS REVELATION has already portrayed Him as a plural being! It is obvious then that Oneness folks simply do not have the goods here. The apparent superficial "proof" that Oneness folks claim by pulling this verse out of the context of the Torah, suddenly evaporates when seen with the backdrop of what God had already revealed!
(The above was written from a forum message by Tim Warner.)