Man was said to be created in the image of God. Is this a statement of anthropology or theology? If we are made in his image then can we better learn about God by studying man? Would we better understand man by means of theology? Man also fell and became estranged from the God in whose image he was made. Even if mans essence was the image of God his existential situation has become estrangement from God. Man seems to have tainted or broken this sacred image that he had been given. Later in scripture we find Jesus the Christ referred to as the image of the invisible God. I read that and I wonder how that is different than mankind as image bearing. I began thinking that Jesus is that original image of God. Jesus lives within our estranged and fallen world and miraculously retains that image that we lost. 1 Timothy says that "the man Christ Jesus" is the only mediator between God and man. Jesus as the Christ is that human that knows our predicament and yet continues to be that image for us. We humans are free and are responsible for our predicament. Tillich wrote "God does not need to be reconciled to man, but he asks man to be reconciled to him." It isn't so much that Jesus is going to God on our behalf but that he is coming to us on the Fathers behalf. Jesus demonstrated what man was created to be. He lives before us as one united with God. He doesn't live by law because his very being is the standard from which laws would be derived. Jesus is what man 'ought to' be. Jesus, like law, is calling us to that essence from which we have fallen. Jesus as the Christ is that image of the invisible God. Fallen man immediately hides himself in the Genesis story. He is estranged and responsible for it. Guilt overtakes man and in his shame he hides himself. Jesus has become for us both the place to hide and the way to restore that image that we were created to bear at the same time. In our guilt we hide 'in Christ' and we are once again those who will bear His image.
Our theology points us back into an anthropology. Jesus is that human in whom we might see the image of God and therefore what is most essential about mankind. Our theology and our anthropology are both to be shaped and informed by Christology. We too often look at ourselves to understand God and make the mistake of anthropomorphizing God while we might do better to look at Jesus to understand ourselves instead. He shows us God by showing us what it looks like to really be human.
Our theology points us back into an anthropology. Jesus is that human in whom we might see the image of God and therefore what is most essential about mankind. Our theology and our anthropology are both to be shaped and informed by Christology. We too often look at ourselves to understand God and make the mistake of anthropomorphizing God while we might do better to look at Jesus to understand ourselves instead. He shows us God by showing us what it looks like to really be human.
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