Re: EIKWN
Wes.Williams@twcable.com
Fri, 18 Oct 96 09:39:14 MST
>>Subject: Re: firstborn in Col. 1:15
>>You cannot make an image of that which is invisible.
>Lee,
>If I may comment on this. The English word *image* is now
>used in connection with cinema, computers, mirrors, politics etc.
>It has more to do with appearance than reality.
>In Heb 10:1 you can see that *image* => *reality*.
>In earlier times the image (three dimensional corporeal figure)
>in the temple was, to many, not just a visual aid but the real thing.
>I take it that Col 1:15 says that Christ is the visible reality of
>the (otherwise) invisible God.
>Peter
While it is true that EIKWN can mean "substance," it does not always mean that.
As with so many words, context must be considered. In Col 3:10, Christians
living on earth become more KATA EIKONA (of God) by putting away the things
described in vss. 5, 8, namely, fornication, covetousness, wrath, etc. Here,
EIKWN (of God) is used as a likeness of personality and characteristics, clearly
not a "physical" image. Since this is in the context of Col 1:15, it is more
likely that the image of 1:15 refers to likeness (cf. TDNT; EIKWN - Kittel's
concluding comments).
Wes Williams