צֶלֶם / דְּמוּת (Tselem / Demut)

MEANINGImage / Likeness. The two words of Genesis 1:26 --- 'in our image, after our likeness.' Together they establish that humanity is genuinely like God and represents him in the world. The theological basis for genuine moral agency.

GRAMMARTselem: from a root meaning physical representation --- statue, carved image. In Genesis 1:26-27, humanity is God's tselem in the world --- his physical representative. Demut: from damah (to resemble). Qualifies and slightly softens tselem: we are like God in a derivative, analogous way, not in identity. Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9 apply both terms to post-Fall humanity --- the image persists after the Fall.

SIGNIFICANCEThe imago Dei is Thread 4's foundation: if humanity images a God who genuinely desires, genuinely responds, and genuinely acts, then image-bearers must possess analogous genuine capacities. Total depravity damages but does not destroy the image (Genesis 9:6 post-Flood; James 3:9 post-cross). Genesis 4:7 (God giving Cain mashal over sin) confirms: unregenerate image-bearers retain genuine moral authority.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESGenesis 1:26-27; 5:3; 9:6; Psalm 8:5-6; James 3:9.

CROSS-REFERENCESGenesis 1:26-27 · Genesis 4:7 (mashal --- capacity flows from image) · Genesis 9:6 · James 3:9