Stamped With His Image AAA Resource Toolbox Enter Archives Print Article Email the Author Discuss Column Email to a Friend RSS Feed God said, “Let us make men in our image, in our likeness,… So God created men in his image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26,27 The Mishnah, an interpretive body of Jewish scriptural ordinances in the Talmud, records a rabbinic saying that gives insight into a reply Jesus made to a trick question posed to him by his opponents concerning taxes. Attempting to diminish his reputation among the masses, they asked, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?”; who was a repressive – often cruel – foreign occupier. Jesus asked to examine the coin used to pay such a tax and asked in return, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” Caesar’s, was the answer; technically making this particular coin the property of the government which minted it. Jesus then instructed them to, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Mark 12:13-17 More to the point of this discussion, it’s important to understand that paying taxes to Caesar was not just about financially supporting the government he represented. It was equally about showing veneration of the “god” he was said to be by the Romans and all he stood for as such. In paying “tribute” to him you could also be said to be paying homage to him. (Thus the opinion among many Jews that his coinage was a graven image, outlawed by the 2commandment, disqualifying it for use in paying the Temple tax or much of anything else.) The aforementioned rabbinic observation being, “…a king mints many coins with a single seal, and they are all alike. But the King of kings… minted all human beings with that seal with which he made the first person, yet not one of them is like anyone else.”; displaying the infinite glory of a God who stamps us all with his image yet leaves room for our own personal uniqueness.1 Kings engraved their images on coins to, at least in past, show that they owned or exercised control over those who used them, either by choice or force; in effect, branding them with the mark of his reign. Wherever his coins circulated marked the boundaries of his territory, at least to his way of thinking. In making this parallel, could Jesus have been insinuating that there was more to his answer than instruction on paying taxes and giving tithes to the church? Was he pointing out that since God had stamped us with his image, imprinting us with his likeness, He owns us? (God’s reign being far more expansive and inclusive than anything Caesar could ever imagine!) The idea not being to merely impress someone with an idea by causing interest and gaining approval, but to imprint an ideal in them that will be long-lasting and instill a change of character. (See Deuteronomy 4:9 & 6:7-9; Psalm 32:8, Luke 12:12 & 21:13,14; Ephesians 6:1-4) Ephesians 4:24 gives some insight into the practical meaning of what it means to be God’s coinage circulating around the world. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,… (and) be made new in the attitude of your minds;… (being) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Is that a reasonable expectation? Jesus exhorts us to, “Be perfect,… as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 But he knew that wasn’t possible, as the application of mercy and grace through his substitutionary sacrifice was the focus of his coming. Peter voicing the more achievable goal when he writes, “…just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” The Old Testament verse he references is Leviticus 19:2, coming in the midst of directives to be consecrated and obedient to God’s decrees; and even though we live according to the dictates of grace and faith expressed throughout the New Testament, there are still expectations of obedience from us. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set(ting) your hope fully on the grace to be given you…” But, “As obedient children, no not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (Rather) just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:13-16 Since we can’t be perfect, we must be holy. The difference? At least to my way of thinking, holiness is the attempt at perfection. And no, I am in no way discounting the efficacy of the blood that makes our approach to the throne of God possible, nor am I suggesting that we can earn our way to heaven; but we must be different than we were before our conversion. The Holy Spirit leading us to nonconformity with the world and compliance with Christ’s will. Which is done in large part, by offering our bodies – our sense of self and willfulness – as living sacrifices. (Romans 12:1,2) In taking on the character of Christ, we will certainly be something other than our pre-salvation personality, as in imitating God we will live a life grounded in love. (Ephesians 5:1 & Philippians 2:5-8) Much of the obedience expected of us being realized in the command to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 “…do (ing) to others what you would have them do to you,…” Summing up the expectations of the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12) In much of the ancient world – and sad to say, even today – life was cheap; either considered recyclable via reincarnation or inconsequential as a mere reflection of the actions of the “gods” in paradise. The Jewish ideal, relayed to them by the One True God, that men and women were his image-bearers and consequently had intrinsic value and deserving of respect, was radical; changing not just how Jews thought about one another but how countless other societies would view themselves and their fellow citizens. (Finally morphing into an appreciation of all human beings – hopefully.) The laws of Israel reflecting God’s concerns for people all the way down to the weakest, most vulnerable members of society. (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:15-21 & 26:12) Which the church has rightly carried forward into its own belief-system. (See James 1:27) The paradoxical nature of our relationship with God is that – compared to the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God that we worship – we are but dust; yet we somehow reflect his glory. The quintessential Man – Adam – literally formed by God from the dust of the earth (ah-dah-mah being the Hebrew word for ground or soil), was commissioned by God to work the adamah and then return to it when dead. Mysteriously, however, God brought Adam to life by blowing his very own breath into him, setting him and the rest of humanity apart in a very unique way.2 Impressed, stamped, imprinted with the very essence of God. 1Quoted by Lois Tverberg in, Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:31:55 +0000
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