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WHAT IS MAN?
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psa. 8:3-4). Since he seems so insignificant in comparison to the vast extent of the universe. As such, he appears of seemingly little consequence.
“What a chimera then is man?” Blaise Pascal echoes the biblical inquiry. “What a novelty! What a monster, what a chaos, what a contradiction, what a prodigy. Judge of all things, imbecile worm of the earth; depository of truth, a sink of uncertainty and error; the pride and refuse of the universe.”
A chimera in Greek mythology was a monstrous fire breathing creature, composed of parts of three animals—lion, snake, and goat. It came to be applied to a creature of disparate parts, as implausible as it might seem. Pascal thought that man eminently qualifies.
“What a novelty!” Emphatically so. In this regard, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over all the earth.’ So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:26-27). “Humans, bearing the image of God, therefore are truly like God, but they are not identical with God” (John Hartley, Genesis, p. 47).
As for their likeness to God, they are peculiarly endowed with the capability of governance. As for the latter, they are finite creatures. Then, subsequently, impaired by their defection (cf. Isa. 55:8).
Likewise, “what a monster.” As a threat to other living creatures, and the environment they share. As one is reminded by the terrorist, who without discrimination kills and injures non- combatants. Or a society that ignores the threat of global warming.
Moreover, “what a chaos.” Recalling that in its early state the creation was “formless and empty” (Gen. 1:2). Then described in identical fashion of the devastation created by foreign invaders (Jer. 4:23). As if a return to the primal chaotic conditions. Thus to serve as a reminder that our neglect of divine order leads to social chaos.
Then, too, “what a contradiction.” Created with so great a capacity to do good, but not uncommonly opting for evil instead. Depicted in Jewish tradition by an angel sitting on one shoulder, and a demon on the other. While persons chose which they will listen to.
No less, “what a prodigy.” As concerns one with exceptional talents. Consequently, the subject of amazement and wonder. As for apt commentary, “Human life—so ordinary, so familiar, so natural, and yet so extraordinary. Looking for mystery in things bizarre, we feel cheated when later we learn that a hoax or a simple process explains it away. All the while we miss the awesome events occurring before, or even within, our very eyes. The extraordinary within the ordinary” (David Myers, “The Mystery of the Ordinary,” Psychology of Religion—H. Newton Malony, ed., p. 412).
“Judge of all things,” with distinctive ability for perception and choice. Conversely, “Imbecile worm of the earth.” “Depository of truth,” while “a sink of uncertainty and error”—again by way of contrast. “The pride and refuse of the universe,” still again by way of contrast.
“‘What is man?’ inquires the psalmist. Thomas Huxley characterizes this as the question of questions. As such, (it) appears so pervasive as implicated in all other inquiries, so intensive as to demand our attempt to answer, and so extensive as to persist regardless of changing time and circumstances” (Morris Inch, Man: The Perennial Question, p. vii).
So I am reminded when gazing in the mirror. What strange creature is this, that we often take for granted. To be understood only in conjunction with being created in God’s image, and charged with serving as a steward of his creation. Otherwise, to turn our attention to trivial pursuits, or worse yet, destructive behavior. Consequently, may we expect great things from God, and undertake great things in his name.
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