There is a mystery behind one of the most intriguing verses in the Bible. In this short video lecture, we explore Genesis 1:26, where God says, “Let us create humankind in our image.” What does this “us” really mean? From the Trinitarian perspective in Christianity to the traditional Jewish understanding, this study takes a closer look at the Hebrew language, the plural term Elohim, and the fascinating interplay between singular and plural references to God. If you’ve ever wondered why the Bible uses plural language for a singular God or how ancient and modern interpretations align and differ, this video is for you. Together, we’ll unravel the theological, grammatical, and cultural layers behind this profound passage. Don’t miss this engaging journey into the heart of Scripture!

Lately, I’ve been focusing much of the lecture hall videos on understanding Genesis chapter one, which, of course, is the Creation account. So far, there have been three lectures uploaded and they go from verse 1 to verse 25. 

In verse 26 the focus of creation shifts over to human beings, and so, I want to take a little more time with this particular section because it contains both the introduction of human beings into God’s creation and God’s intended purpose for creating us. I think the best way forward is to ease our way into this one. Here are my notes, aka the transcript to the video lecture.

In Genesis chapter 1, verse 26, God refers to Himself in the first person plural: “Let us create humankind.”

Christians interpret this from a Trinitarian perspective, understanding “us” to refer to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. While Christians may interpret it this way, we must also consider how the Jews understood this Scripture passage. After all, they had it thousands of years before Christianity was born.

 

To understand this use of the first-person plural pronoun, we need to examine Genesis 1:1, where the term for God is  plural.

The sentence reads, בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ,  (Don’t worry about reading this – I just felt it was important for you to see). Genesis 1:1 is traditionally translated as “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In Hebrew, the term for God here is plural, not singular. The singular word for god is אֱל (El), while the plural is אֱלֹהִ֑ים (El-o-him) literally meaning “gods.” This raises the question: Why isn’t Genesis 1:1 understood as “in the beginning gods created”?

One possible answer to why Genesis 1 isn’t understood as — In the beginning gods created, is theological rather than grammatical. By using the plural term, the Hebrew Scripture is expressing God’s divine characteristic of being all-encompassing—God is infinite, and defining such a being would be an inexhaustible task. Thus, instead of אֱל, the plural אֱלֹהִ֑ים is used. In this manner, theology is over and against grammar.  But still, if the term for God in genesis 1:1 is grammatically plural, Some could argue that it should be gods. Well, let’s entertain this arguement and approach the text grammatically then.

Typically, plural nouns take plural pronouns—we, us, or them. One would expect this to be consistent throughout a text such a Genesis chapter one. However, in Genesis 1:5, God is referred to with the singular pronoun He,  “and the darkness He called night.” This same singular pronoun usage appears again in verse 10.

This creates an intriguing grammatical tension: Why is God plural in verse 1 but referenced with singular pronouns elsewhere? Again, one explanation is that the plural form expresses God’s all-encompassing nature. Further, It’s important to note that the Jews, to whom this Scripture was entrusted, understood Genesis 1 as speaking of one God.

In closing,  both Jews and Christians share an understanding of God as all-encompassing, expressed through plural language, though each interpret this plurality differently.