This section reveals many truths about man as God intended him to be. He was to be God's Representative (image), he was to be God's Revealer (likeness). He was to Rule for God (have dominion). He had Responsibility to be "fruitful, and multiply" (1.28).
These features of the 'ideal' man are seen perfectly in "the man Christ Jesus".
As the Representative, He is the "image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation".
The term "firstborn" refers to His rank, not His origin. He is ranked above Creation as being it's Creator (see Col 1.15-16). He represented God in His creation work.
As the Revealer of God, the scriptures confirm that "no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" (John 1.18 NKJV). To see Him was to see the Father (John 14.9).
As the Ruler for God, we "see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour" (Heb 2.9) and the assurance of God's Word is that "He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15.25).
What about his Responsibility? Has He been fruitful for God?
As to natural posterity, Isaiah records "who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isaiah 53.8), but as to His spiritual progeny "He shall see His seed ... He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied" (Isaiah 53.10-11).
The fruitfulness of the Lord will be seen in a filled heaven. The "travail of His soul" was His suffering for our sins upon the Cross.
The human family has failed in most of these responsibilities, but One Man has been what God intended. He is "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God" (Acts 2.22).
Thank you that's very helpful. AW
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