Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of "likeness" in the Bible is deeply rooted in the creation narrative and carries significant theological implications throughout Scripture. The term is often associated with the image of God in humanity, the nature of Christ, and the transformation of believers.
Creation and the Image of GodThe foundational reference to "likeness" is found in the creation account in Genesis.
Genesis 1:26-27 states, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Here, "likeness" is closely associated with the "image of God," suggesting a reflection of God's attributes in humanity, such as rationality, morality, and relational capacity.
The Fall and Its ImpactThe fall of humanity introduced sin, which marred the likeness of God in man. However, the intrinsic value and dignity of human beings as bearers of God's image remain.
Genesis 5:1-3 reiterates this concept: "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness. Male and female He created them, and He blessed them. And in the day they were created, He called them 'man.' When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and he named him Seth." This passage highlights the transmission of likeness from one generation to the next, albeit now affected by sin.
Christ as the Perfect LikenessIn the New Testament, Jesus Christ is presented as the perfect image and likeness of God.
Colossians 1:15 declares, "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." Christ embodies the fullness of God's nature and character, serving as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity.
Hebrews 1:3 further affirms, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word."
Transformation of BelieversBelievers are called to be conformed to the likeness of Christ.
Romans 8:29 states, "For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." This transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit, who renews believers into the likeness of Christ, restoring the image of God in them.
2 Corinthians 3:18 describes this process: "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Eschatological FulfillmentThe ultimate fulfillment of being made in the likeness of God will be realized in the eschaton. 1
John 3:2 offers a glimpse of this hope: "Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." This future transformation assures believers of their destiny to fully reflect the glory and likeness of God in eternity.
In summary, the biblical concept of "likeness" encompasses the creation of humanity in God's image, the impact of sin, the redemptive work of Christ, the transformative process in believers, and the ultimate restoration in the life to come.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity; as, the likeness of the one to the other is remarkable.
2. (n.) Appearance or form; guise.
3. (n.) That which closely resembles; a portrait.
4. (n.) A comparison; parable; proverb.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
LIKE; LIKEN; LIKENESS; LIKINGlik, lik'-n, lik'-nes, lik'-ing:
(1) As a noun, "like" in modern English is virtually obsolete, except in the phrase "and the like," which is not found in English Versions of the Bible. "The like," however, occurs in1 Kings 10:20 parallel2 Chronicles 9:192 Chronicles 1:12;Ezekiel 5:9;Ezekiel 18:10 (the Revised Version (British and American) "any one of these things"-the text is uncertain); 45:25:00;Joel 2:2; The Wisdom of Solomon 16:1 (the Revised Version (British and American) "creatures like those"); Sirach 7:12. "His like" is found inJob 41:33; Sirach 13:15; "their like" in Sirach 27:9. "And such like" (Galatians 5:21) is only slightly archaic, but "doeth not such like" (Ezekiel 18:14) is quite obsolete.
(2) As an adjective "like" is common in the King James Version in such combinations as "like manner" (frequently), "like weight" (Exodus 30:34), "like occupation" (Acts 19:25), etc. Modern English would in most cases replace "like" by "the same," as has been done in1 Thessalonians 2:14 the Revised Version (British and American) (compareRomans 15:5Philippians 2:2). So the Revised Version (British and American) has modernized the archaic "like precious faith" of2 Peter 1:1 by inserting "a" before "like." The King James Version's rendering of1 Peter 3:21, "the like figure whereunto," could not have been very clear at any time, and the Revised Version (British and American) has revised completely into "after a true likeness" (margin, "in the antitype").
(3) As an adverb "like" is used inJeremiah 38:9, "He is like to die";Jonah 1:4, "like to be broken." the Revised Version (British and American) could have used "likely" in these verses. Most common of all the uses of "like" is the quasi-prepositional construction in "He is like a man," etc. This is of course good modern English, but not so when "like" is enlarged (as it usually is in the English Versions of the Bible) into the forms "like to" (Daniel 7:5), "like unto" (very common), "like as" (Isaiah 26:17, etc.). These forms and the simple "like" are interchanged without much distinction, and the Revised Version (British and American) has attempted little systematizing beyond reducing the occurrences of "like as" (compareMatthew 12:13, and the American Standard Revised VersionIsaiah 13:4Jeremiah 23:29).
(4) The verb "like" has two distinct meanings, "be pleased with" and "give pleasure to." The latter sense occurs inDeuteronomy 23:16 (The King James Version, the English Revised Version), "in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best," and inEsther 8:8Amos 4:5 the King James Version; Sirach 33:13 (the American Standard Revised Version has "pleaseth" in the three Old Testament passages). The other use of "like" belongs also to modern English, although in a much weakened sense. On account of this weakening,1 Chronicles 28:4 the King James Version, "liked me to make me king" andRomans 1:28 the King James Version "did not like to retain God," have become in the Revised Version (British and American) "took pleasure in" and "refused to" (margin "did not approve"). It would have been better ifDeuteronomy 25:7, 8, "like not to take," had been modified also into "hath no wish to take." From this use of "like" is derived liking in the modern sense in The Wisdom of Solomon 16:21, tempered itself to every man's liking" (the Revised Version (British and American) "choice"). In 1 Esdras 4:39, "All men do well like of her works" is a further obsolete use.
(5) Liken and "make like" are common. To be noted only is that, inHebrews 7:3, "made like unto the Son of God," the sense really is "likened to," "presented by the writer with the qualities of." Likeness normally means "a copy of," but inPsalm 17:15 it means the actual form itself ("form" in the American Standard Revised Version, the English Revised Version margin); compareRomans 6:5;Romans 8:3Philippians 2:7, and perhapsActs 14:11. Closely allied with likeness" is an obsolete use of "liking" (quite distinct from that above) inJob 39:4 the King James Version the English Revised Version, "Their young ones are in good liking"Daniel 1:10, "see your faces worse liking." The meaning is "appearance," "appearing," and the American Standard Revised Version renders "their young ones become strong," "see your faces worse looking." Likewise varies in meaning from the simple conjunction "and" to a strong adverb, "in exactly the same way." the Revised Version (British and American) has made some attempt to distinguish the various forces (e.g. compare the King James Version with the Revised Version (British and American) inLuke 22:36;Luke 15:7;Luke 22:20). But complete consistency was not attainable, and in certain instances was neglected deliberately, in order to preserve the familiar wording, as inLuke 10:37, "Go, and do thou likewise."
Burton Scott Easton
Greek
3665. homoiotes --likeness, in like manner...likeness, in like manner. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: homoiotes
Phonetic Spelling: (hom-oy-ot'-ace) Short Definition:
likeness, resemblance
...3669. homoiosis -- a making like,likeness
... a making like,likeness. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: homoiosis
Phonetic Spelling: (hom-oy'-o-sis) Short Definition: making like,likeness...
3667. homoioma -- that which is made like (something)
... made like (something). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: homoioma Phonetic
Spelling: (hom-oy'-o-mah) Short Definition: alikeness, form, similitude...
1504. eikon -- an image, ie lit. statue, fig. representation
... representation. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: eikon Phonetic Spelling:
(i-kone') Short Definition: an image,likeness, bust Definition: an...
5481. charakter -- a tool for engraving
... 5481 -- properly, an engraving; (figuratively) an exact impression (likeness)
which also reflects inner .... exact representation, exactlikeness....
2471. isotes -- equality
... Cognate: 2471 -- equality (likeness), proportional. See 2470 ().... equality.Likeness
(in condition or proportion); by implication, equity -- equal(-ity)....
38. hagiasmos -- consecration, sanctification
... derived from 40 , "holy") -- (the process of advancing in ); use of the believer
being progressively transformed by the Lord into Hislikeness (similarity of...
4756. stratia -- an army
... Feminine of a derivative of stratos (an army; from the base of stronnumi, as encamped);
camp-likeness, ie An army, ie (figuratively) the angels, the celestial...
Strong's Hebrew
1823. demuth --likeness, similitude... 1822, 1823. demuth. 1824 .
likeness, similitude. Transliteration: demuth
Phonetic Spelling: (dem-ooth') Short Definition:
likeness.
...8544. temunah --likeness, form
... 8543, 8544. temunah. 8545 .likeness, form. Transliteration: temunah Phonetic
Spelling: (tem-oo-naw') Short Definition: form.... image,likeness, similitude....
1825. dimyon --likeness
...likeness. Transliteration: dimyon Phonetic Spelling: (dim-yone') Short Definition:
like. Word Origin from damah Definitionlikeness NASB Word Usage like (1)....
4915b. moshel --likeness
... moshel. 4916 .likeness. Transliteration: moshel Short Definition: like. Word
Origin from mashal Definitionlikeness NASB Word Usage like (1). 4915a, 4915b...
8403. tabnith -- construction, pattern, figure
... 8402, 8403. tabnith. 8404 . construction, pattern, figure. Transliteration:
tabnith Phonetic Spelling: (tab-neeth') Short Definition:likeness....
8404. Taberah -- "burning," a place in the desert
... Word Origin from baar Definition "burning," a place in the desert NASB Word Usage
Taberah (2). figure, form,likeness, pattern, similitude....
5566. semel -- an image, statue
... figure, idol, image. Or cemel {say'-mel}; from an unused root meaning to resemble;
alikeness -- figure, idol, image. 5565, 5566. semel or semel. 5567 ....
Library
The FamilyLikeness
... THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER THE FAMILYLIKENESS.... Shall we not try to be like the Father
of our spirits, and seek for His grace, to bear thelikeness of sons?...
Image andLikeness.
... First Chapter. INTRODUCTION IV. Image andLikeness. "Let Us make man in
Our image, after Ourlikeness." "Genesis 1:26. Glorious...
WhetherLikeness is a Cause of Love?
... OF THE CAUSE OF LOVE (FOUR ARTICLES) Whetherlikeness is a cause of love? Objection
1: It would seem thatlikeness is not a cause of love....
TheLikeness of Christ to the Father is Asserted on the Authority...
... Thelikeness of Christ to the Father is asserted on the authority of St.? Thelikeness
of Christ to the Father is asserted on the authority of St....
That Man is aLikeness of the Divine Sovereignty .
... III."Philosophical Works. V. That man is alikeness of the Divine
sovereignty . 1. It is true, indeed, that the Divine beauty...
For Christ-Likeness.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN CXI. For Christ-likeness. 8.6.8.6 James Montgomery. For
Christ-likeness. Son of the living God, display. Thy glory in this place,....
WhetherLikeness is a Cause of Pleasure?
... OF THE CAUSE OF PLEASURE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whetherlikeness is a cause of pleasure?
Objection 1: It would seem thatlikeness is not a cause of pleasure....
Whether "Likeness" is Properly Distinguished from "Image"?
... THE END OR TERM OF THE PRODUCTION OF MAN (NINE ARTICLES) Whether "likeness"
is properly distinguished from "image"? Objection 1: It...
We must Reserve theLikeness of the virtues in Ourselves. ...
... Book I. Chapter XLIX. We must reserve thelikeness of the virtues in ourselves.?
We must reserve thelikeness of the virtues in ourselves....
TheLikeness of God
... SERMON XXIV."THELIKENESS OF GOD. Ephesians 4:23, 24.... That, is after the pattern
of God, in the image of God, in thelikeness of God....
Thesaurus
Likeness (52 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) The state or quality of being like; similitude; resemblance; similarity;
as, the
likeness of the one to the other is remarkable.
...Resembling (19 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 1:5 And out of its midst 'is' alikeness of four living creatures, and this
'is' their appearance; alikeness of man 'is' to them, (See NAS)....
Graven (61 Occurrences)
... Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or anylikeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is...
Expanse (18 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 1:22 Over the head of the living creature there was thelikeness of an expanse,
like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads...
Similitude (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The quality of being similar or like;
resemblance;likeness; similarity; as, similitude of substance....
Firmament (17 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 1:22 And thelikeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature
was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their...
Figure (19 Occurrences)
... fig'-ur, fig'-yur (cemel, cemel; tupos): The translation of cemel, or cemel, "a
likeness or image"; perhaps a transposition of tselem, the usual word for...
Resembled (18 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 1:26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was thelikeness of a throne,
as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on thelikeness of the throne...
Counterfeit (3 Occurrences)
... counterfeit philanthropist. 4. (n.) That which resembles or is like another
thing; alikeness; a portrait; a counterpart. 5. (n.) That...
Sapphire (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 1:26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was thelikeness of a throne,
as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on thelikeness of the throne...
Resources
What does it mean that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God (imago dei)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that Jesus is the second Adam? | GotQuestions.orgLikeness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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