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by a personal examination of all the occurrences of the key words, so that the matter may
be given the fullest examination. Adam was a `shadow' only, just like the typical
sacrifices. A "shadow of good things to come" indeed, but "not the very image"
(Heb. 10: 1), and just as Christ sets aside the `shadows' of the sacrificial law, by coming
in the flesh, and offering Himself, so as "the second Man" and "the last Adam" he sets
aside the frail type, and is revealed as THE IMAGE of the invisible God, in Whose
likeness it is the Divine will that every one of the redeemed shall one day be fashioned.
The wonder will grow as we allow the truth to enter, and the glory of the goal of the
ages, focused as it is in the idea of one day being conformed to the image and likeness of
the Son of God, will enable us to appreciate perhaps as never before, what lies behind and
what leads up to the words,
"That God may be all in all".
No.10.
The Teaching of the N.T. regarding the "Image".
pp. 161 - 164
There are many references to `image' and `likeness' in the O.T. that await
examination, but some of them will come under the head of practical application of the
truth involved, and therefore we pass from the O.T. usage to that of the N.T., where we
shall find the interpretation and fulfillment of what is intended by the Lord in these two
significant words. The words employed by the Septuagint Version for `image' and
`likeness' are eikon and homoiosis. Eikon is derived from an almost obsolete root eiko
`to be like' which occurs in James 1: 6 and 23:
"He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea."
"He is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass."
Homoiosis is derived from homoioo `to be, or to make like'. This word occurs in
James 3: 9 where we read:
"Men, which are made after the similitude of God."
The distribution of the word `image' in the N.T. is significant. The first group is that
of the Gospels (Matt. 22: 20; Mark 12: 16; Luke 20: 24). The second group the
Epistles of Paul, and the third group- that of the Revelation (Rev. 13:-16:, 19: and 20:).
1st Group. The image of Caesar. Gentile dominion recognized by the Lord. "Render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's."
2nd Group. The doctrinal steps that lead to the goal of the ages.
3rd Group. The image of the "Beast". Worship demanded and denied. Gentile
dominion comes to a terrible end. Caesar at length set aside, for "the Kingdoms
of this world" must become "the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ".