Romans 8:3 – likeness, ὁμοίωμα, homoiōma


For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Likeness (3667) (homoioma from homoioo = to make like) refers to shape, similitude (= a visible likeness, a thing or sometimes a person that is like or the counterpart of another) or a resemblance. 

Thomas Constable is careful to point out that…

“Likeness” (homoioma) does not mean exactness (eikon 5104). Even though Jesus had a fully human nature, that nature was not sinful. Every other human being has a sinful human nature. Moreover Jesus had a divine nature as well as a human nature.” (Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible)

Later in Romans Paul adds that…

“what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness (homoioma = “likeness” is crucial, for it indicates that Jesus was a true man but not a sinful man) of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh (Ro 8:3note)

How important is this doctrinal truth? John explains that…

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; (1John 4:2)

 

Reference: https://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_25-11.htm#likeness

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