THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN - Tyndale House

68 TYNDALE BULLETIN
5. Self-deliberation or self-summons
It may reasonably be argued that since no other beings have
been mentioned in Genesis 1, God must be addressing Hirnself. 71
Self-address (or ‘self-objectivization’) is not uncommon in the
Old Testament (e.g. Ps. 42:5); but it is extremely rare to find a
plural form in such a case.
We do indeed in colloquial English use the first person plural
in self-encouragement, e.g. 'Let's see', and L. Koehler has noted
similar uses in Swiss German. 72 Can such a use be found in
Hebrew? A most unlikely source provides a close parallel:
Song of Songs 1:9ff. 'I compare you, my love, to a mare of
Pharaoh's chariots. . . .Let us make [הֶ ׂשַעַנ as in Genesis 1:26]
ornaments of gold studded with silver.' 73 The lover here speak's
of himself in the first person plural. Perhaps we have here
colloquial language, but if so, it is strange to find it in Genesis 1.
A similar usage is to be found in 2 Samuel 24:14, where David
speaks of himself in the plural: 'Let us fall (הָלְּפִנ) into the hand
of the Lord . . . but into the hand of men let me not fall (הָלֹּפֶא). 74
Perhaps we could add Genesis 11:7: ‘Let us go down.’
The rarity of parallels gives us little confidence in the correctness
of this view, but it has the great advantage that it removes
the difficulty of the singular of verse 27. God says 'Let us' in
verse 26 simply because this is an idiomatic way of expressing
self-encouragement or self-deliberation. If we accept this view,
it will be not for its merits, but for its comparative lack of
disadvantages.
6. Duality within the Godhead
It is only because other solutions prove so unsatisfactory that
we suggest, with some hesitation, an explanation which raises
as many problems as it solves, but nevertheless seems no worse
than the other possibilities, and may furthermore be turned to
good account in our exposition of the meaning of the image, as
we shall later see.
K. Barth, indeed, has been very bold in seeing here a plurality
within the deity, a 'unanimity of intention and plan'. 75
71
Cf. Genesis Rabbah 8.3 (Soncino ed. I 57) : 'He took counsel with his own heart.'
72
L. Koehler, TZ 4 (1948) 22.
73
Noted by W. H. Schmidt, Schöpfungsgeschichte 130.
74
Noted by U. Cassuto, Genesis 55.
75
K. Barth, CD III/1 192. Cf. M. J. Lagrange: 'If he uses the plural, this sup-