Likeness (3667) (homoÃoma from homoios = similar) means resemblance or similitude (correspondence in kind or quality = a visible likeness, a thing or sometimes a person that is like or the counterpart of another). Correspondence in details. State of either having a common experience (Ro 5:14, 6:5) or of being similar in appearance (Dt 4:16). Strong's Lexicon writes that homoioma is (1) that which has been made after the likeness of something. (1a) a figure, image, likeness, representation (as used in Ro 1:23, Rev 9:7). (1b) likeness i.e. resemblance, such as amounts almost to equality or identity (as in Ro 5:14, 6:5, 8:3, Phil 2:7). In the present context the idea is that even they might not have broken a direct command, written or verbal, Paul teaches that death still reigned over them because of Adam’s transgression. In other words, here Paul is using homoioma to describe a state of having a common experience. Before there was even a written law, men were disobedient to the "law" which God wrote on the heart of every man. Though they might not have broken a direct written command, death still reigned over them because of Adam’s transgression. Because Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden after they sinned, they had no more opportunity to disobey God’s single prohibition. They no longer had access to the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, nor have any of their descendants. Consequently, it has been impossible for any human being, either before or after Moses, to have sinned in the likeness of the initial offense of Adam. In Romans 1:23-note we read... (men who had professed to be wise but were fools) exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form (or likeness - homoioma) of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Ro 1:23) Comment: Here Paul uses homoioma to describes the state of being similar in appearance - the same idea is seen in the use of homoioma in the Septuagint (LXX) of Psalm 106:20 "Thus they exchanged their glory for the image [homoioma] of an ox that eats grass" referring to the Israel's making the idolatrous golden calf in Ex 32:1ff. Aaron sought to present this golden calf to Israel as the image, of the gods they left behind in Egypt Thayer... a. that which has been made after the likeness of something, hence, a. a figure, image, likeness, representation (Ps 105:20-note); of the image or shape of things seen in a vision, Rev 9:7 (Ezek 1:5,26,28) b. “likeness i.e. resemblance” (inasmuch as that appears in an image or figure), frequent such as amounts almost to “equality or identity”: Ro 6:5; 8:3; Php 2:7; eikonos, a likeness expressed by an image, i.e. an image, like, Ro 1:23; in the same manner in which Adam transgressed a command of God Ro5:14. — Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon TDNT states that homoioma is... “what is made similar,” “copy.” The word is rare in secular Gk.. It occurs in Plato, Aristotle, Epicur., and occasionally papyrus., and always has the concrete sense of “copy” rather than the abstract sense of likeness or correspondence. It is thus synonymous to eikon. Eikon and homoioma are often used as equivalents (but see Constable's note above)...(and) are in Plato the earthly copies of the heavenly prototypes. But there is often a distinction between the two words. This may be formulated as follows: eikon represents the object, whereas homoioma emphasizes the similarity, but with no need for an inner connection between the original and the copy. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Homoioma - 6x in 6v - NAS = appearance(1), form(1), likeness(4) Ro 1:23-note = an image in the form of corruptible man Ro 5:14-note = who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam Ro 6:5-note = we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death Ro 8:3-note = sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh Phil 2:7-note = being made in the likeness of men Rev 9:7-note = The appearance of the locusts was like horses Homoioma - 32x in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Ex 20:4; Deut 4:12, 15, 16, 17, 23, 25; 5:8; Josh 22:28; Jdg 8:18; 1 Sam 6:5; 2 Kgs 16:10; 2 Chr 4:3; Ps 106:20; 144:12; Song 1:11; Isa 40:18f; Ezek 1:5, 16, 22, 26, 28; 8:2f; 10:1, 8, 10, 21; 23:15; Da 3:25For example Moses records... "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness (LXX = homoioma) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. (Ex 20:4) "Then the LORD spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form (LXX = homoioma) -- only a voice." (Deut 4:12) In Daniel we see a usage that almost certainly refers to an appearance of the pre-incarnate Messiah... He (Nebuchadnezzar) answered and said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like (LXX = homoioma) a son of the gods!" (Da 3:25) MacArthur adds that homoioma refers to that which is made to be like something else, not just in appearance (cf. Php 2:7) but in reality. Jesus was not a clone, a disguised alien, or merely some reasonable facsimile of a man. He became exactly like all other human beings, having all the attributes of humanity, a genuine man among men. (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press) It is important to realize that the resemblance signified by homoÃoma in no way implies that one of the objects in question has been derived from the other. In the same way two men may resemble one another even though they are in no way related to one another. The Amplified Version (I utilize it much like a "mini-commentary" - remember [brackets] signify clarifying words or comments not actually found in the original text and (parentheses) signify additional phrases of meaning reflecting the original words) helps understand this phrase writing... even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. (Eerdmans) This same section in the New Living Translation (NLT) (which I also think can be a useful adjunct to your study if used with discretion realizing it is a paraphrase albeit in my opinion a relatively accurate paraphrase) (NLT - Tyndale House) they all died anyway—even though they did not disobey an explicit commandment of God Adam and Eve disobeyed a very explicit commandment. God spoke directly to Adam commanding him that... from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." (Ge 2:17) Because Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden after they sinned, and prevented from returning, they had no more opportunity to disobey God’s explicit commandment. Neither they nor their offspring any longer had access to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Consequently, became impossible for any human being to sin in the likeness of the offense of Adam. Baxter remarks, It is indeed interesting to compare, on Scripture authority, Adam as the root of sin and death to all, with CHRIST, who is to all true Christians the root of holiness and life. WHO IS A TYPE OF HIM WHO WAS TO COME: os estin (3SPAI) tupos tou mellontos. (PAPMSG) This final clause introduces the reader to the Adam-Christ typology, as a preparation for what is to follow in the next section.