December 24 - Image of God

December 24 – Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4)

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

There are some extraordinary words in this sentence.  Doxa is the Greek word that is translated as ‘glory.’  There are several definitions for the word: brightness, splendor, radiance; the idea of a human being in a transcendent, heavenly experience; being in the next life; reflecting the radiance of God; recognition of status or fame – honor; being magnificent (Solomon in all his glory … Mt. 6:29); a majestic, transcendent being.  That’s quite a few definitions to choose from when looking at the context of a word in the Greek New Testament.

This sentence combines a few thoughts … the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. 

The word ‘gospel’ is translated from the Greek word, “evangellion.”  You can see the word evangelism in there.  It is also translated as good news. This is news that shines with the greatness of Christ. 

While I don’t want to spend much time today on the beginning phrase of this sentence, the god of this age is Satan and he continues to blind the minds of unbelievers.  As we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Messiah to earth, that this still happens is heartwrenching.

Luke 2:32 quotes Simeon as saying that he has seen God’s salvation (in Jesus) who is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles …”

Matthew 4:16 tells us in quoting Isaiah 9:1-2, that Jesus fulfills prophecy in that, “the people living in darkness have seen a great light;”

John uses the imagery of light a great deal in the first chapter of his Gospel when referring to Jesus.  “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

Looking deeper into the Corinthians passage, we find that Paul asserts Jesus is the image of God.  This is not an item that has been created to look like another item – such as a sculpture or a painting … this is a living image … and the light that is coming from Jesus is the light of God’s glory that is reflected so that we can see it.

 Jesus said in John 6:57, “Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father …”

He is the living image of God, sent to earth to bring light to mankind.  He reflects the light of God so that the earth will no longer be in darkness.  There are those who are blind to this light.  While Jesus was on earth, there were those who remained blind to His light.  We must always watch for ways to show the light of Christ – that reflected light of God – to the world so that their eyes may be opened.