Creatio Ex Nihilo … REALLY?

A POPULAR, BUT TOTALLY ERRONEOUS TEACHING propounded by Churchianity, based on the well-known text in Hebrew 11:3, is that the universe was “created out of nothing”, from the Latin, Creatio Ex Nihilo”.

Hebrew 11:3 reads: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” What does the Holy Spirit reveal about the creative acts of the Eternal? Does this text really affirm that the universe was created out of nothing?

Note that the word nothing does not appear in the text! Neither does it appear in this entire chapter. In Greek there are words for “nothing”. If the CREATOR CAUSED the physical universe to be brought forth, or to be created, “out of nothing” He would have inspired Paul to use the Greek words meaning nothing.

It might assist us to appreciate what Paul was inspired to write by expounding some of the Greek he used.

Paul says “we understand” [mentally grasp], that the worlds were formed [created] …”

“Worlds” refer to two things. Firstly, the ages (aiōnas); by implication the physical universe.

But “worlds” is very commonly used [over a hundred times] in the New Testament to designate time, or the ages. In Hebrews 1:2 it indicates that Christ “made the worlds” and only since the worlds came into being did time come into being. Thus TIME [ages] and WORLDS [physical creation, or space] is inexorably linked from the creation of the universe.

Before the simultaneous creation of worlds [space] and time, neither the universe nor time, as we know it, existed; only eternity existed, and only the Godhead occupied eternity. This is stated in Isaiah 57:15: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that [Heb: permanently] inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place …”

“Worlds” therefore refer to the universe [space and all that occupies it] and the time it occupies since its existence. The “worlds” therefore means the universe and the time periods [ages, epochs] from the initial physical creation [Gen 1:1] and continue beyond into the Christ Kingdom [the Messianic age] and on into eternity future. The “ages" thus is "the immeasurable content of immeasurable time" (Delitzsch).

The Eternal framed an outline of time [ages] for the physical universe in which to exist in its various DYNAMIC states. It is a universe, Paul declares, that is katērtisthai – that is, thoroughly completed and adjusted to fulfil its divine function. Every star, planet, black hole, galaxy, comet, asteroid, moon, is set in a specific place [occupying space] to perform a specific function at a specific time. And, this is all held together by the power of Christ’s word!

“Sustaining [UPHOLDING] all things [THE UNIVERSE] by his powerful word” [Hebrews 1:3, NIV]; He holds everything together BY HIS POWERFUL DYNAMIC FORCE; HIS MIRACULOUS and incomprehensible POWER.

BUT, WAS ALL THIS CREATED OUT OF NOTHING? Let’s read the text again.

Heb 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen [Gr: blepo] were not made of things which do appear [Gr: phaino].” Because the universe [seen things, blepo] was not made out of “things which do appear” [that which is clearly seen, phaino], it does not imply that it was formed out of nothing. It merely means that it was made of something but that something cannot be perceived with our senses. And, because we cannot perceive it it does not mean it is nothing and that the universe was thus created out of nothing –“creatio ex nihilo”—or something non-existent!

The text says that the visible [blepo] was made out of the non-visible, not out of the non-existent!

Was Paul a Greek illiterate? Hardly. Was the Holy Spirit unfamiliar with Greek – especially considering people were empowered to speak and interpret any language in the world! [Acts 2.] It’s an insult to the Eternal to even contemplate the idea He would not know Greek. The point being this: In Greek there are at least two words that Paul could have used to state directly that the worlds were made out of nothing. The Greek words Paul could have used for nothing [words which were part of his regular vocabulary and used elsewhere in his writings], are oudeis [Heb. 2:8, Heb. 7:14] and medeis [2Co 6:10; 1Th 4:12].

Yet, Paul did not use either word that depicted “nothing”. Therefore it should be plain, even to a partially functioning mind, that Paul, through the Holy Spirit could have plainly stated that the universe was created out of nothing – “Creatio Ex Nihilo”. But, Paul did not say so. The Holy Spirit did not inspire him to utter such a nonsensical unscientific aberration.

WHY NOT? Because Paul understood that the Eternal did not create the universe out of nothing—i.e., creatio ex nihilo—but He made it out of something! But that SOMETHING was NOT SEEN—not visible—NOT MATERIAL. That something was SPIRIT in substance!

Having checked 33 different translations not a single one translates Hebrews 11:3 as the universe being made out of nothing! But it was made out of something – something very real! That something, however, is NOT SEEN; it does not APPEAR, because it is spirit.

The word Paul used in Hebrews for visible or appear is phainomenōn, literally to lighten, or show, or manifest. Our English word phenomenon derives directly from this Greek word and means any observable fact that can be scientifically described, such as the universe.

The text and the language is very clear – “things which are seen were not made of things which appeared [are seen].” Or, “what is visible does not owe its existence to that which is visible.” The visible came out of the invisible, but the invisible is not something non-existent!

Here are some variations from several bible translations:

what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen

so that the visible has its origin in the invisible

things... seen came into being out of those things which are unseen

from invisible things visible things might be made

that what is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible

Not once is there a hint that the creation was made out of that which does not exist but only out of invisible things!

The Eternal is not seen [JOHN 1:18] – it does not mean He consists of nothing! Equally the entire cosmic host – angelic beings, archangels, all spirit beings, the seraphim and cherubim – all are invisible, “not seen”. They, though unseen, are not nothing.

They were all created by the Eternal, not out of nothing but out of his very own composition, i.e. spirit! Similarly the physical universe was made out of the very composition or substance of the creator, i.e. spirit.

“Creatio ex nihilo” is a fallacy. It advances the oxymoronic concept that God seemingly “took nothing” to create something out of nothing whereas, contrariwise, the concept of creating something out of that which is invisible is quite a different concept. The Eternal made out of invisible substance – spirit substance – the seen substance of the universe. By his command, i.e. through Christ the WORD [Col 2:16].

Rom 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made [visible]...”

Col 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him...” .

OUT OF WHAT DID CHRIST CREATE ALL THINGS?

He simply converted some of His eternal spiritual substance which forms the substance of his eternal being into matter which is visible and can be scientifically measured, weighed and observed. Thus, things which are seen were made out of something UNSEEN! The invisible was used to make the visible.

Since matter – the visible universe – “came into being” it means that matter did not exist before that point in eternity when we read in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens [plural, there being three heavens] and the earth.” As matter---the universe---came into being by the command of the Eternal, so the universe will ultimately vanish as a physical phenomenon in a post-messianic age. Then it will be RECONSTITUTED INTO A NEW UNIVERSE.

The heavens will disappear [perish] with a roar [a great noise, with a rushing sound, with a crash]. The elements

[the orderly arrangement OF THE UNIVERSE] will be destroyed [dissolved, burn with great heat] and "shall vanish away" (James 4:4). The whole earth will be consumed by fire and its works will be "laid bare" [BURNED UP] and "shall not be found".

2 Pet. 3:11 "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, [melt away, predestined to be destroyed] what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away [liquefy ] in fervent heat?" At that time the heavens will be set on fire and will be destroyed. Everything that makes up the universe will burn up and melt.

All matter, all energy, will undergo a renewing and be reconstructed, probably back to its primal pristine state as when the Eternal originally separated it from His spirit essence to form matter by which to shape and order the universe. Then He will reshape, restructure, reorganize the entire universe for his eternally living, divinely begotten, resurrected-reconstituted family of overcomers, to inhabit eternity with Him.

Therefor we look forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness [verse 13].

For centuries the usually inordinately well remunerated, subordinate, corporate churchian dogsbodies – generally having entitled themselves as priests, presbyters, preachers, priors, prelates, prophets, pastors, parsons, clergymen, ministers, reverends, vicars, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and even popes! -- have insisted that “God made everything out of nothing” when, in fact, the scripture say nothing of the sort!

Such thoughts are part of minds seemingly operating ex nihilo!