Homo Loquens Coram Deo [3] "Let there be..."

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.""

Verses 26-28
This is the first time that God is portrayed as talking to godself. A first-person "Let us..." instead of "Let there be ..." and similar third-person phrases. I can't help feeling that this is significant.

Language really implies community. There is no such thing as a language with one speaker, unless it is a dying language that once had many. The point is that we don't leart to speak unless there is a language community to learn from and with. Language is a collective possession belonging to all who use it [notwithstanding the attempts to police it by the grammar-marms and 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells']. So, though I know it's theologically perilous, I can't help seeing a plurality implied in God being portrayed as speaking; it's not a royal 'we' [and I'm not sure any language but English does that anyhow, I may be wrong in that ...] it's a simple recognition of a linguistic community. And it seems to imply that the communicative community that is God is being widened to include humans. Especially as God goes on to instruct the newly-formed divine-image bearers directly: second-personwise.

So it also seems to me interesting that the divine image seems to be associated with communication and therefore personal relationality. So to me, it doesn't seem at all far-fetched to find here a hint at personal relationality and community 'in' God. And it seems to me that we have the embryo of human beings being invited to share in the divine community-life.

Much as I would like to comment on 'ruling over' the earth and 'subduing' it, it would be outside the scope of this series, so I will refrain. Except to note that these are not about naming. As I noted in the previous reflection, I remain unconvinced of the idea that naming is about power over things, rather it seems to me a more contemplative and agapaic act. Here, it is the being included in God's [speech-]community that brings with it a share in God's privilege of ruling, rather than acting linguistically by naming things.

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Filed in: Genesis God linguistics language
Genesis
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linguistics
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