Le Visage de Dieu (The Face of God)

by Niko Pena


What is a face? Is it merely the front part of a person's head from the forehead to the chin? Is it the surface of a thing, esp. one that is presented to the viewer or has a particular function? Well, yes and no. Yes, because indeed these are correct definitions of the word “face”, but these are not the kinds of faces we are referring to when we mention the Face according to the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. In fact, in studying Levinas, we are faced with a synecdoche when he refers to the Face. A synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part may represent the whole or vise versa. Levinas uses the former version of a synecdoche, using the “face” to represent the whole of the reality that is the Other.

Why use the face, then? Why use something so small and seemingly insignificant to represent something so much more complex? I believe Levinas has used the word “face”, because it is something that is so relatable to us. It is something that is so universal and human that by using this as a visual cue, Levinas could then lead us to a more pressing point: the Face, that is, the reality of the Other.

But why is it that the face is vital and how does it relate to Levinas’ point? Through much reflection and by reviewing my notes from class, I was able to come up with two points that may guide us in making a better connection between the physical face and Levinas’ the Face.

The first point: the face easily identifies us and distinguishes us from each other. It is the same reason why people would wear masks or use make-up to hide and/or alter their faces, because without which, these people would be identified as who they really are.

The second point: the face has a power over us in such a way that it binds us to the Other. One might ask questions like “why is it that I cannot look someone in the eye when I’ve done something to harm or offend them?” or “why do I feel so self-conscious when I see strangers looking at me?” or even “why is it that it is so easy for me to do what I want when no one is looking?” There is just something in the face that makes us so self-aware and alert, something beyond the physical, something that belongs to the ethical and social realm that would always make us think twice of our actions.

So what do these two points have to do with Levinas’ the Face? The first point reminds us that the Other is external from us, something beyond us, ungraspable, uncontainable. The Other is someone whom we cannot integrate with because they are not us, being completely unique and different from us. Also, one person is quite different from another. The same principle would apply: we also cannot integrate one person with another because of their inherent uniqueness from each other.

The second point also notes that we are not alone in this world and, more importantly, that we are not only living for ourselves. Conversely, we are actually being called to live for the Other. And here we encounter a myriad of paradoxes that all stem from the very presence of the Other. For in encountering the Other, we receive demands that are not actually demands, have debts without actually incurring a debt and more strikingly, receiving resistance where there is no actual resistance. There is something in the Other that seems to say, “please don’t take advantage of me” or “please show me your mercy”. We feel these words bite into our hearts and embed themselves in our heads without the Other lifting a single finger. By being more keen to these “calls” and “demands”, we are taking steps to being more ethical and compassionate. We are taking steps to what it truly means to be human and cultured.

It is often said that we are all created in God’s image. But what does it really mean to be made as such? In the few years that I have been on this earth, I have learned that to be in God’s image is to be loving, merciful and compassionate. I have learned that to be God-like or Christ-like is really to live in such a way that caters to the Other.

I’ve recently watched a commentary by Fr. Robert Barron on YouTube. Fr. Robert Barron is a priest from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. He is also an author, scholar and Catholic evangelist. In his commentary entitled, “The God Who Doesn't Need Us”, he explains that the Christian God is very distinct from other gods, simply because, as the commentary’s title states, He doesn’t need us. He explains that other gods, particularly those from pagan cults, thrive on the sacrifices and praises they receive from humans. He further states that these gods would have the tendency to abuse us and manipulate us for their purposes because of their eternal need of our services. The Christian God is not like that. He doesn’t need any of us, our sacrifices or our praises. He didn’t need to create the world or the rest of the universe. He created everything for us.


This reminds me of a verse from Hosea regarding the sacrifices of the Israelites to the altar of God. The verse states: I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).  Another verse says something similar: The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40). These verses and pretty much anything regarding compassion and ethics, brings us back to what the Other demands from us. How must we truly relate to the Other exactly? Shall we take advantage of them and manipulate and abuse them for our selfish purposes? Of course not! We must relate to the Other with compassion, understanding, acceptance and mercy. We must regard them with love. Obviously not the romantic kind of love, but the kind of love where we would want the good of the Other to be realized. The kind of love where the focus is the Other and not the self. The kind of love where one enters a “give-and-give” relationship rather than a “give-and-take” relationship. The kind of love that drives one to solely live for the Other. This I believe is the bottom line of Levinas’ philosophy. Everything is for the Other. Everything is for the sake of the Face.