There were three mysteries. First, human beings were created in the
image and the likeness of God [Genesis 1 : 26 ]; what is that image and
what is that likeness? Second, animals and birds, whether noble or not,
are born with knowledge that relates to every drive or love they have;
why then are human beings born without any knowledge that relates to
any drive or love they have? Third, what does the tree of life mean, what
does the tree of the knowledge of good and evil mean, and what does eat-
ing from them mean [Genesis 2 : 9 , 16 – 17 ; 3 : 6 ]? Below these points it said,
“Connect these three into a single statement, write it on a new sheet of
paper, put it on this table, and we will look at it. If on balance your state-
ment seems well considered and accurate, each of you will be given a
prize for your wisdom.”
After they had read this aloud the two angels walked away and were
lifted up into their respective heavens. Then the people on the chairs
began to discuss the mysteries set before them and to unravel them. They
took turns speaking. Those sitting on the north side went first, then
those sitting on the west side, then those sitting on the south side, and
finally those sitting on the east side.
The group took up the first topic for discussion: “Human beings
were created in the image and the likeness of God; what is that image
and what is that likeness?” First the following verses from the Book of
Creation were read before the whole group:
God said, “Let us make human beings in our image,according to our
likeness.”And God created human beings in his own image;in the like-
ness of Godhe made them. (Genesis 1 : 26 – 27 )
On the day that God created human beings, he made them in the
likeness of God.(Genesis 5 : 1 )
[ 3 ] Those sitting on the north side spoke first. They said, “The
image of God and the likeness of God are the two kinds of life that
God has breathed into us all: the life in our will and the life in our
intellect. We read, ‘Jehovah God breathed a soul of livesinto Adam’s
nostrils, and the human being turned into a living soul’ (Genesis 2 : 7 ).
We believe this means that willing what is good and perceiving what is
true were breathed into Adam—this is how he received ‘a soul of lives.’
Because the life breathed into Adam came from God, the image and the
likeness mean a purity of love and wisdom, and of justice and judg-
ment, in Adam.”
§48 god the creator & creation 67