In illud: Secundum imaginem et similitudinem

On the phrase “according to the image and likeness” Previously our discourse touched in part upon the contemplations in creation, but it slipped away from its proper state due to the confusion of the crowds. For nothing so diminishes the power of what is said as the disorder of the crowds, and nothing so nourishes the confidence of the speaker as stability, calm, and quiet, which grant leisure to the speaker and perception to the hearers. Therefore, lend your ears to what is said and spread out silence like earth for the rain of teaching. For just as, if the farmer does not cut a deep furrow, he cannot place the seeds in the depth of the soil, so too, if deep silence does not give room to the proclamation, it both muddies the mind of the speaker and damages the souls of the hearers. Hence, behold. Both Moses and the priests and the Levites, as the text says, when about to proclaim, cried out directly opposite the divine doctrines, as it bears witness with a clear voice: “Be silent and hear, O Israel.” Likewise, the blessed David, wishing to show that it is not possible to receive the divine oracles otherwise than with leisure, cries out and says through the text: “Be at leisure and know that I am God.” Therefore, give leisure to the teaching through silence, O lovers of Christ.

We have said before that God made the heaven and the earth, not by using pre-existing matter, but by bringing matter itself forth from non-being by his own power, and after bringing it forth, he formed it perfect by adorning it. Secondly, it was argued that God does not construct his creation in the manner of men, nor does he first fix foundations and then put on the roof. But since he is himself both the craftsman and the foundation and the constitution of things that come into being, he first made the roof, and then laid the earth beneath. Thirdly, it was set before us that he placed the air beneath the heaven, and set the water under the earth—not laying foundations proportionally or in accordance with the magnitude of the visible things, but foundations strengthened and held together by divine power, truly bearing witness to the activity of the maker. Fourthly, the wondrous Moses set forth for us that he mentioned neither angels nor archangels nor any of the higher powers at all in the account of creation. For his purpose was to correct the error concerning all visible things. Since the sun, the moon, the stars, rivers, springs, mountains, and sea were being worshipped, the wondrous man, weaving the account of creation in sequence and order, fittingly sets forth only the visible things, passing over the invisible in silence, so that in the guise of teaching he might both reveal the worker and proclaim the works.

Again we have said that God gave this world as a school to men, so that through these elements we might learn the all-wise knowledge. For the heavens declare the glory of God, and the whole creation proclaims the wisdom of the craftsman. And see the wonderful thing. God did not give the heavens a mouth and articulate tongue. For if they had received the prophoric word, the teaching would necessarily have had only one tongue, and it would happen that only those acquainted with that one tongue would benefit. But he gave sight instead of voice, and the beauty of what is seen instead of a tongue, and it is not seen differently by some and otherwise by others, but is equally apprehended by all. Sixth, we have said that creation itself also strikes the ungrateful. Seventh, that a pious soul displays all the beauties of creation in bloom, the comeliness of the whole workmanship. For such men are also called luminaries, as Paul says: "In whom you appear as luminaries in the world, holding the word of life." And they shine like the sun and like the moon for eternity, as God bears witness to Adam with a promise here saying: "And his throne is like the sun before me and like the moon perfected for eternity.

The chorus of the righteous likewise imitates all the other beauties on earth, according to what is said: "How beautiful are your houses, Jacob, your tents, Israel, like shady groves and like a paradise by rivers and like cedars by waters." Again, the saints imitate even the swiftness of the eagle: "Your youth will be renewed like the eagle's." And they have the strength of lions, for "the righteous trusts like a lion." The imitation ascends even to angels. Those on earth imitate the divine dances of the heavenly choirs, just as the blessed David, indicating the equal honor of the saints with angels, says: "I will confess to you, Lord, with my whole heart, and I will sing to you before angels." And they do not stop at the imitation of angels, but they even become imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, as Paul says: "Become imitators of me, as I am of Christ." Consider to what great honor man attains, having been made according to the image of God, as we have heard the great lawgiver recounting man. For when he depicted in word, as in an image, the heaven adorned with its own stars, and the earth blossoming with flowers, the mountain peaks shaded by deep forest, and in short all the visible order, then finally he brings forth man, who is to be honored above all visible things. So man is fashioned, last in creation, but first in dignity.

It seems necessary to you to examine with us the matter under investigation. Why did he not first make the man who was to be appointed ruler? Because it was not right for the world to be handed over to man desolate, but flourishing and shining and lacking nothing of the whole. For just as, brothers, one who invites a friend to a feast first prepares the house and adorns it and, having made ready everything suitable for the table, thus introduces the invited one into ready festivity, so also God, having prepared everything beforehand, introduces man into his own creation, his own friend, his own image, and hands over to him the enjoyment of all goods. Moreover, brothers, and according to another reasoning, God necessarily did not create man before the others. For Adam ought not to see how things come into being, lest he become arrogant. For this reason he did not see the variety of the construction: he did not see the earth being established, nor the heaven being raised, nor the sea being separated; he did not see the earth generating cattle and the other wild beasts; lest he become arrogant, as if the creation were being delivered before his eyes. For this reason he makes all his creatures older than the one who possesses them, so that, on the one hand, because the things that come into being are older, he may recognize his own lowliness, and, on the other hand, through the provision, he may marvel at the beneficence of the wonder-worker, as we have already said.

he made creation and then brought in man. And just as bodyguards precede a king, and the king follows last—last in appearance but first in power—so God made creation precede man, and the one who was to be ruler of creation follow. But let us come to the very voice of the Creator: "Let us make man." He constructs all other things by word, as we have heard. God said, "Let there be light," and light came to be. And he said, "Let there be a firmament," and the word became deed. And he said, "Let the earth sprout," and the thing came forth and produced nature. He said, "Let the waters bring forth birds," and at the command the creation concurred. He said, "Let the earth bring forth quadrupeds and wild beasts and reptiles," and everything came to be in fact. But the other things he brought forth by word; when he was about to construct man, see what he says: "Let us make man according to our image and likeness," so as to show that he introduces a special council when he constructs him.

And it is necessary, brothers, to inquire why it is that in the case of all other creations, the demonstration of the works follows upon the formation of the thing. For example, God said, "Let there be a firmament," and it was so. And God said, "Let there be light," and it was so. And similarly with the others. In the case of man, however, the account of his construction did not follow the promise completely. Pay close attention. God said, "Let us make man according to our image and likeness." It would have been proper, following the previous sequence, for the historian to say, "And it was so." But he did not say this; rather, he brought forward only half of the subject. Does he then make a promise in one way and prepare in another? Far from it. But precise examinations reveal to us the theory of the creation. He promised to construct man according to image and according to likeness. But he did not add "And it was so," leaving much and precise contemplation for the lover of learning. For since he fixed the boundaries in nature for all other things, but gave to man free will along with nature, he joined "according to image" to nature, and granted "according to likeness" to free will, so that man might fulfill the promise of creation through his own labors. Here "according to likeness" is fulfilled through virtuous conduct and diligence in works. And to show the whole from a part, divine scripture says, "Become a father to orphans, and a husband to their mother, and you will be a son of the Most High.

See how the likeness is perfected in the commandments and is rightly granted to free choice. Listen to the evangelist suggesting and teaching these things. For the Lord, wishing to establish the likeness of his own image, says to his disciples: "Become compassionate as your heavenly father, and you will be perfect as our father." And the apostle says: "Become imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved you." And through countless proofs it is possible to see that the likeness of the image is the perfection of the virtues. Come then, let us again examine the force of what has been said and diligently investigate what this image is and in what the "according to the image" consists. God made man according to his own image, as scripture says. In what then is man according to the image of God? Is it according to the formation of the body? Far from it. The human body is described with limbs and is subject to shapes; but God is simple, indivisible, uncompounded, and formless. And just as this visible common light is not delineated by shapes and limbs, but is entirely luminous throughout, showing unvarying equality and similarity throughout, so also God is simple in all respects, indivisible and uncompounded, entirely flashing with intelligible light throughout.

One must know that parables and examples do not bear exact correspondence in every respect. For what is compared is not like the parable, but often from a small and dim image it presents what is sought. But let us come to the matter at hand. If this perceptible light is simple and indivisible, much more does the worker of light surpass every simplicity proclaimed by word and go beyond it. Therefore, when you hear "Incline your ear, Lord, and open your eyes and see," do not suppose that there are ears and eyes like ours. For with God, hearing is the same, seeing is the same; and simply everything, so to speak, that is said about God is proclaimed according to capacity, but is not interpreted according to grace. But if this seems difficult to you for understanding hearing and seeing, take understanding from a pitiful thing, not serving the parable entirely. The sea is a simple element and visible. And being simple in our sight, it works and arranges many great things: it roars without a mouth, runs without feet, rises to a height without wings, holds sailors without hands, seizes many and drowns them without arms. If, then, this element, appearing simple to the eye, works so many things, how much more does God, being simple, indivisible, and unshaped, both see and hear and work, surpassing every interpretation of tongue and every thought of reasonings.

If, then, God is simple, man could not be an image according to the body, nor indeed according to the soul. And hear how. The soul is altered often. For at one time it thinks temperate thoughts, at another licentious ones, at one time just, at another unjust, at one time right, at another perverse. That which changes and is altered could not be an image of Him who says, "I am and I am not altered." Since some define the mind as separate from the soul and say that man was made in the image of God according to the mind, it is necessary not to pass over this argument without examination. First, then, I say this, that among all who are nurtured in piety, the mind is considered within the account of the soul. For what the eye is in the body, that the mind is in the soul. Since some attempt to distort the soul and introduce another hypostasis of the mind, and say that man consists of three parts—soul, body, and mind—let us persuade them that neither according to the mind could man come to be in the image, so far as nature is concerned. And hear how. For base things, and the sting, and shameful things, and unjust things—all that are contrary to the virtues—are borne by the mind, as Paul testifies here, speaking of those who are perverted: "Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith." If the mind of a man is corrupted, and the mind of the incorruptible God is incorrupt, tell me how it could be an image and likeness.

If, then, man is an image of God neither according to the soul nor according to the mind, the phrase "according to the image" is found in the commandments. It is clear that also in matters, whatever he has by nature he receives through the perfection of the virtues. Now, truly, the phrase "according to the image and likeness" the Word assigned to the virtues. But the first pledge of the image and the first sign of the "according to the image" is the honor and dominion given to him over all things. This God himself interprets. For having said, "Let us make man according to our image and likeness," and wishing to show in what he makes him according to the image, he immediately added: "And let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the wild beasts, and over the cattle, and over the whole earth." This is dominion. The phrase "according to the image" is inscribed, and you defile the likeness in our nature. So in man's ruling over all things, he is an image of God. "Let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds, and over the wild beasts, and over the whole earth.

But perhaps the hearer will say: And where is the "according to the image"? Why is not everything subject to man? If we were rulers of all things and of the beasts, would a lion plot against the image, or a bear attack, or a leopard, or a wild boar, or the other smaller creatures? If we were rulers, would a serpent bite the one it took as ruler? Would a viper or a scorpion strike? Would any evil beast plot against the image? We are warred upon by all. But do not seek the definition of the image after the transgression, but seek its condition before the transgression. When Adam had not yet transgressed, God brought all the cattle and all the beasts, and he imposed names upon all as a master over his own servants. The lion was present, fawning upon its own master. The beasts were present, bowing their heads to their own ruler. All the reptiles were present, looking upon and honoring the image of God. Just as we, even if the king is not present, honor the image of the king, so also creation, not seeing the invisible one who came into being according to the image, honored him. Water revered him and was abashed; fire revered him and was abashed and felt shame. All the beasts recognized him and rendered honor.

But when the one who was made in the image of God debased his own worth and, forgetting his own honor, lost the original beauty of the creation, he made himself like the creatures that are ruled over. For man, while being held in honor, did not understand; he was classed with the beasts, with the irrational creatures, and became like them. When he slipped from the image and was brought down to the likeness of the irrational, it was fitting that the irrational creatures also, as though he were like them, held him in contempt. For nothing, brothers, respects what is like itself. But rather, it honors what is superior, fears that one, serves that one, bows down before that one’s footsteps, and blushes at that one’s anger. As long, then, as Adam preserved the character of the divine image, the wild beasts feared him and always came to him, and they came as to a master. And just as now a dog is fierce toward strangers but gentle toward its own, so the wild beasts, as long as he ruled, possessing the image, would fawn upon him and tremble at his authority and respect the master’s face as the image of God. But when he slipped, he was thereafter trampled by the irrational creatures and spat upon.

If he had remained in his original dignity, the irrational creatures would have remained in their proper subjection. And let it not be thought that this testimony is plausible and that the argument is contrived, nor that we are simply guessing at things because the past irrational creatures are concerned. But if you wish to learn that if he had remained in obedience, everything would have been subject to him in the same way, take for me the saints as guarantees of the proof. Daniel achieved piety, and lions fawned upon him; for they saw the image raised up. Those around Ananias achieved it, and the fire bent its back, and the burning flame restrained its activity; it saw piety and honored it. Let us also question the fire, imitating the voice of David: "What is it to you, O fire, that you fled, and to you, O flame, that you turned backward?" For the fire will answer us accordingly: "I fled from the face of the Lord." For the face of the Lord is the righteous, the image of truth. For these the fire bent its back. And to show that it did not change its nature, but preserved those who bore the character of piety, it respected the master within, but outside, upon emerging, it devoured the Chaldeans. And the flame kept the martyrs inside unharmed, but the Chaldeans, when it approached, it quickly seized, to show that it did not change its nature, but honored piety.

And observe the wonder. Since, as I have often said among us, fire is composed of two powers and energies, from the burning and the illuminating. For fire, as we all know, both burns and gives light. Fire divides its energy. It kept the light for the saints. For light is for the saints always. But it assigns the flame to the impious. For coals of fire will fall upon them; you will cast them down into fire. O the divine grace, how much it can do. It cuts fire into flame and light; and it placed the light around the righteous, and let loose the flame upon the impious. And then truly it fulfilled what was said by David: There was a voice of one cutting through a flame of fire. Do you see, brother, that creation respects the royal character? How many has the sea swallowed? And it saw Moses and was divided. For those men were unworthy of the strange crossing. For they did not enter the sea because of righteous conduct, but because of God's love for humanity. And that they entered being unworthy, David testifies, saying: And they embittered as they went up in the Red Sea. Do you see the sea raging and respecting the lawgiver? It laid its back beneath Moses, because he was a friend of the master; for God spoke to Moses as one speaks to a friend.

Look at the sea, how it is calm; look at those sailing, how they are at rest. Look at the fire, how it is still. Stoop down, if you wish, even to the rivers. And see the proof of the truth shining from every side. The river Jordan saw Jesus bearing the image of the Savior, and seeing the manner and the name, it divided itself and gave passage on dry land. And not only these things are shown to be subject to man. For if he had remained in the image, the sun would have been subject to him and the moon would have served him. And experience bears witness to this; the Scripture speaks truth. For Jesus, a man who perfected the character in virtue, cries out with boldness: "Let the sun stand still," and the voice of a man stopped the sun. Likewise, brothers, now snakes and scorpions and dragons plot, not hating the nature, but denouncing the transgression. Perfect virtue and you will tread upon these. And the psalm says to you: "You will step upon the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample the lion and the dragon." Likewise, brothers, when the blessed Paul once entered the island of the barbarians, God, wishing to show by a sign to those who were ignorant, arranged that a viper, coming out of the brushwood, should fasten itself to the right hand of the saint and do no harm, so that from the experience itself they might learn the power of the virtue of the saints.

Why again did a viper bite Paul, but lions did not bite Daniel? In that case, it is admittedly because Daniel was given over to destruction. Here, if the beast had not appeared and bitten, the worth of the faithful herald would not have been shown. For this reason the viper touched his hand. But the saint suffered nothing shameful, in order to show that it will be utterly unable to wrong or harm the image of God. Do you see that if it had remained in the image, the whole creation would have been subject to it? But when a Jew, the enemy of the church, the companion of the old law, hears these things: "Do you see how the heralds of the law trampled fire?" he says. "How Daniel overcame lions? How the three youths trampled the flame of fire? Why did the martyrs of Christ not prevail similarly to the martyrs of the law?" For the enemy, brothers, does not seek benefit from the words, but to seize something against the speaker, to find and devise something against the truth. If the Jew or some other enemy immediately says: "There is a great superiority of the ancient righteous over the martyrs of Christ; for these were consumed by beasts, examined by kings, swallowed by the sea, and devoured by rivers, while the martyrs of the old covenant were respected by the whole creation.

Therefore, brothers, if they accuse the master of weakness because the martyrs were handed over to afflictions, let us say to them: And if the martyrs were handed over because of Christ’s weakness, does it not teach according to your definition […] because of Christ’s weakness? The Maccabees belong to the old covenant. If the martyrs were overthrown by those persecuting the church because of Christ’s weakness, and the martyrs […] were being killed, how does he purify the altars? And how are prophets also killed and slaughtered? For Elijah says: Lord, they have overturned your altars and killed your prophets, and I alone have been left behind, and they seek my life. And if the martyrs were handed over because of Christ’s weakness, those also were handed over because of weakness. But let us not condemn the power of Christ as weakness. For our God is powerful, and our Lord is great, and his strength is great. The same arrangement applies both to the ancients and to the moderns. For it is the same God who arranged both the old and the new. It is not that the ancient things belong to the Father and the new to the Son, but both those and these belong to the same divinity and are of the same economy. For what does the Father say? What is yours is mine, and what is mine is yours.

The three youths were rescued from the furnace. The Maccabees were handed over to various tortures. And through those rescued from dangers, he showed his own power; through those perfected, he proclaimed the steadfastness of piety. Similarly, one may see it in recent times. The martyrs were burned, but other martyrs escaped the flame. What happened concerning four saints in two stories, God brought together into one evangelical virgin. Daniel himself and the three youths share the miracles: he who muzzled the lions, they who trampled the fire. One evangelical virgin maiden bound together the crowns of the two contests. For the holy Thecla both trampled beasts and extinguished the flame of fire. Many other martyrs were also rescued. And the holy Paul repelled countless dangers. He escaped all of them. He was often handed over to death, and the power of Christ drove out his own servant. "If," he says, "I fought with beasts in Ephesus as a man, and again I die daily as far as concerns human matters," and again the same one proclaims somewhere, saying: "In my first defense, no one stood by me, but all abandoned me. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me and rescued me from the mouth of the lion, and will rescue me from every form of evil and save me into his heavenly kingdom." To him is the glory and the power unto the ages of ages. Amen.