Theological Connections between <i>Imago Dei</i> and the Tabernacle associated with and Reflected in Jesus Christ

Abstract

This thesis investigates the theological connections between the concepts of the Imago Dei and the tabernacle as representational of God in the way they are associated with and reflected in Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God who came to tabernacle with humankind. The indwelling presence of the divine within the constraints of human temporality and sin underpins God’s connection with the Imago Dei via the tabernacle and Jesus Christ, and in turn, humankind’s connection with God. However, the problem is that historical interpretations have influenced scholars to question a literal reading of the biblical narrative. This has resulted in a plethora of historical views that have depersonalised the Imago Dei and allegorised the tabernacle instead of validating the biblical position that God’s presence can and indeed does, dwell with fallen humankind. Despite scholars pondering over the Imago Dei for more than two centuries, extrapolating a clear anthropology from a handful of direct biblical references remains elusive. It appears that a predisposition to long-held Greek philosophical first principles placing divine transcendence in juxtaposition with divine immanence, the lack of a broader understanding of being human, the absence of a more inclusive approach of existing views, and the allegorizing of the biblical record have obscured the biblical veracity of God’s presence with humankind. A plain reading of biblical record actually validates the view of the Imago Dei as representational of God, particularly in its association with Jesus Christ, and provides a broader and more inclusive systematic approach that can be corroborated by other representations like the tabernacle. Backed by biblical and scholarly support, this thesis then applies and compares the same representational approach to the tabernacle in its shared association with Jesus Christ. As a result, this thesis demonstrates how applying a representational methodology to the Imago Dei and the tabernacle corroborates their theological connections in Jesus Christ as the image of the invisible God who came to tabernacle with humankind. Further, it shows that such an approach will provide a broader scope toward a biblically faithful anthropology as well as a wider lens to a view of God that is consistent with the biblical narrative. This thesis also uncovers several characteristics that the Imago Dei, the tabernacle, and Jesus Christ share as being representational of God. As images and copies of heavenly originals, the Imago Dei and the tabernacle serve as representations of God’s priestly intent to tabernacle with and indwell humankind thereby making God’s holiness present and accessible to fallen humankind. They are also representational of God’s glory-Spirit at work in humankind to reconcile humankind to himself and ultimately restore them to their designated authority of servant-rulership. Thus, instead of depersonalizing the Imago Dei or allegorizing the tabernacle, viewing them as representational of God, they validate the biblical position that God’s presence, can and does dwell with fallen humankind, which, in turn, is vividly demonstrated by Jesus Christ, the image of God who came to tabernacle with us.