Balancing Human Analogies with God's Sovereignty in Theology
Theological discussions often grapple with the tension between describing God using human analogies and affirming God's absolute sovereignty. While humanity is created in God's image, there are clear biblical statements that emphasize the incomparable nature of God [4].
The book of Job, for instance, directly addresses the impossibility of comparing humanity to God. Job 25:4 asks, "Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?" [1]. Similarly, Job 9:2 states, "howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?" [2]. These passages highlight a fundamental distinction: human beings, by their very nature, cannot measure up to divine perfection or power. John Gill, commenting on Job 40:9, further emphasizes this by asking, "Hast thou an arm like God?" referring to God's infinite, almighty, and uncontrollable power, and questioning whether one can "thunder with a voice like him?" [10]. This underscores that God's attributes, such as power and voice, are unique and beyond human capacity.
Despite this clear distinction, the Bible also presents humanity with significant dignity, often using language that draws parallels to God's own attributes. Psalm 8:5 declares that humanity was made "only a little lower than God" and crowned with "glory and honour" [4, 6]. This dignity is rooted in the creation account, where humanity was given dominion over the created world (Genesis 1:26-28) [4, 6]. This "image of God" in humanity, however, is not meant to equate humans with God but rather to reflect certain divine qualities and responsibilities [3].
The ideal human, who fully embodies God's purposes, is Jesus Christ [4, 9]. The author of Hebrews applies Psalm 8:4-6 to Christ, transitioning from His divine nature to His humanity, asserting that He fulfills what fallen humanity could not: true dominion over creation [5]. In Christ, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" [8]. This concept of Christ as the "consummate human being" [5] demonstrates how divine attributes can be perfectly expressed within a human form, yet this is unique to Christ's divine-human nature.
The reconciliation offered through Christ is also described as "all things" being "of God," who "reconciled us to himself through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:18) [7]. This reconciliation is a provision of God's love, not a change in God's character, further emphasizing God's initiative and sovereignty in salvation [7]. Therefore, while human analogies can help us understand aspects of God's character and our relationship to Him, they must always be balanced with the recognition of God's incomparable and sovereign nature.
Sources
- Job “Job 22:2 (DRC) — Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?”
- Job “Job 9:2 (Geneva1599) — I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.31: and fourteenth books on the Trinity, also the eleventh book of the “City of God.” I acknowledge, indeed, that there is something in man which refers to the Father and the Son, and the Spirit: and I have no difficulty in admitting the above distinction of the faculties of the soul: although the simpler division into two parts, which is more used in Scripture, is better adapted to the sound doctrine of piety; but a definition of the image of God ought to rest on a firmer basis than such subtleties. As for myself, before I define the”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 8:5: 8:5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God: Humans bear God’s image; the Lord has endowed humans with dignity and charged them to rule (Gen 1:26-27). Hebrews 2:6-8 applies these words to Jesus Christ, the ideal human who fully realized God’s purposes.”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 2:5: 2:5-9 The author of Hebrews uses Ps 8:4-6 to transition from the discussion of Christ’s exalted divinity (Heb 1:5-14) to the discussion of his humanity (2:10-18). Psalm 8 is often presented with Ps 110:1 (see Heb 1:13) to speak of the submission of created things to Christ (see 1 Cor 15:25-27; Eph 1:20-23). Christ is the consummate human being. In his exaltation, he fulfills what fallen humanity could not: true dominion over the created order. 2:5 it is not angels: Cp. 1:13.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 8:5: God has placed man next in dignity to angels, and but a little lower, and has crowned him with the empire of the world. glory and honour--are the attributes of royal dignity (Psa 21:5; Psa 45:3). The position assigned man is that described (Gen 1:26-28) as belonging to Adam, in his original condition, the terms employed in detailing the subjects of man's dominion corresponding with those there used. In a modified sense, in his present fallen state, man is still invested with some remains of this original dominion. It is very evident, however, by the a”
- 2 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Corinthians 5:18: all--Greek, "THE." things--all our privileges in this new creation (Co2 5:14-15). reconciled us--that is, restored us ("the world," Co2 5:19) to His favor by satisfying the claims of justice against us. Our position judicially considered in the eye of the law is altered, not as though the mediation of Christ had made a change in God's character, nor as if the love of God was produced by the mediation of Christ; nay, the mediation and sacrifice of Christ was the provision of God's love, not its moving cause (Rom 8:32). Christ's blood was the ”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 2:9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This is to be understood, not of the doctrine, or Gospel of Christ, as being a perfect revelation of the will of God; but of Christ, and particularly of his human nature, as consisting of a true body and a reasonable soul, in which the Godhead dwells in a most eminent manner: God indeed is everywhere by his powerful presence, was in the tabernacle and temple in a very singular manner, and dwells in the saints in a way of special grace; but resides in the human nature of Christ, in the highest and most exalt”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 1:1: Pss 1–8 Psalms 1 and 8 form an inclusio (set of literary bookends) that describes what God expects of the ideal person (cp. Pss 19; 33; 104; 145), contrasts the godly person with the wicked, and extols the godly person’s dignity. Jesus the Messiah (Ps 2)—the sovereign Lord (Heb 2:6-8; see 1 Cor 15:27) and perfection of humanity—embodies this ideal. Pss 1–2 The first two psalms are an introduction to the entire Psalter. Psalm 1 introduces the Lord’s instruction in wisdom, while Ps 2 introduces God’s rule over a rebellious, sinful world. Together, these psalms invite”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 40:9: Hast thou an arm like God?.... Such power as he has, which is infinite, almighty, and uncontrollable, and therefore there is no contending with him; as he has an arm on which good men may lean on and trust in, and by which they are supported, protected, and saved, so he has an arm to crush like a moth all that strive with him or against him; or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? thunder is his voice; see Job 37:4, &c. and is expressive of his power, Job 26:14; and his powerful voice may be observed in calling all things out of nothing into being in creation; in ”