Without a doubt, one of the most difficult mysteries for beginning theology students to unravel is that of the trinity and the incarnation. That is, how God the father and God the Son are one in essence and yet two in manifestation. In the text of Heb. 1:3 it is stated that Jesus is "the express image" of God. This is the King Version. The RSV translates this; "The very stamp of his nature." and the New English Bible: "the stamp of his very being." In both of these the Greek text this word stamp is "character" and is derived from a sharpening tool or "sharpened to a point" like an engraving tool to stamp an exact or perfect likeness of the original.
There is a story of a little boy who asked his mother what the picture of God looked like. She tried to explain that in the time of Jesus on earth they had no photography and that no one had a picture of Jesus. Yet right there on the wall of their home was that famous Holman-Hunt paint of Jesus. Looking at the framed "picture", the little boy stated firmly, "Well, that sure looks like him!"
No, we don't have a picture. But we do have a scripture, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" II Cor. 5:19; and we do have part of a song, "Stamp thine own image deep on my heart", and "O to be like Thee". That's where belief really counts!
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