CatholicTheology.info

Choose a topic from Part 1:

• God and His Attributes
• The Blessed Trinity
  • 27. The Proceeding of the Divine Persons
  • 28. The Divine Relations
  • 29. The Divine Persons
  • 30. The Plurality of Persons in God
  • 31. Terms for unity and Plurality in God
  • 32. Our Knowledge of the Divine Persons
  • 33. The Person of God the Father
  • 34. The Person of God the Son
  • 35. The Son as Image of the Father
  • 36. The Person of God the Holy Ghost
  • 37. "Love" as the Name of the Holy Ghost
  • 38. "Gift" as the Name of the Holy Ghost
  • 39. Persons and Essence in God
  • 40. Divine Relations and Divine Persons
  • 41. Our Notions of the Divine Persons as Operating
  • 42. The Equality of the Divine Persons
  • 43. The "Mission" or "Sending" of the Divine Persons
• Creation
• The Angels
• The Days of Creation
• Man
• The Divine Government

35. The Son as Image of the Father

1. The name image in God implies a relation, for an image refers to what is imaged. And this relation includes a contrast or relative opposition between image and thing imaged. Now, such a relation in God must be subsistent; that is, it must bea person. Hence, the name image in God refers to one of the three divine Persons. It is a personal, not an essential name.

2. The Person to whom the name image is proper is God the Son. Scripture (Col. 1:15) calls the Son, "the image of the invisible God," and (Heb. 1:3) "the figure of God's substance." Thus the Son is the image of the Father. We notice that while man is made to or in the image of God,the Son is the image of the Father. The image of a ruler is impressed on the coins of his country; his image is also found in his living child. This illustrates very imperfectly the difference between the image of God in man and the image of the Father in God the Son.

"O Lord, my God, who will seek you with simple and pure love, and not find that you are all one can desire, for you show yourself first and go out to meet those who seek you? "
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

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"Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God."
Thomas á Kempis

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"To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself. "
Thomas á Kempis

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