Re: Summary: Something from Nothing

From: Jim Beale (jbeale@gdeb.com)
Date: Mon Feb 19 1996 - 14:31:12 EST


On Will Wagers wrote:
 
> No one commented on the creation in Jn 1:1 which refers to the logos as an
> essential ingredient, but not as the only one.
>
> Therefore, creation ex nihilo seems to have no support in the NT without
> unnecessarily extending the range of the references.

I haven't really been following this thread very carefully, but it
seems to have reached a conclusion that seems to me to be false.

   All things were made by him; and without him was not
   any thing made that was made.
   (John 1:3)

It seems to me that this is quite strongly worded: If PANTA DI' AUTOU
EGENETO is ambiguous, it seems that John eliminates any confusion by
explicitly including the contrary phrase as well: XWRIS AUTOU EGENETO
OUDE EN hO GEGONEN. It seems that the only "things" excluded from being
made are the Persons of the Trinity.

   And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men
   of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should
   turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made
   heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
   (Acts 14:15)

What else is there besides TON OURANON and THN GHN and THN QALASSAN
and PANTA TA EN AUTOIS? If God did not create these things from nothing
then, who created the preexistent matter from which they are created?

   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, and for him:
   (Colossians 1:16)

EN AUTW (in him) EKTISQH TA PANTA ... is this not explicit?

   Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
   power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
   they are and were created.
   (Revelation 4:11)

hOTI SU EKTISAS TA PANTA ...

In all of these verses, the word PANTA or the words TA PANTA are used. It
is my understanding that this phrase is not meant to exclude anything, so
that one can immediately infer that there is nothing that was not made by
God, and so that (crassly speaking) there was a time when nothing but God
existed. Now other things exist, so, whatever is made is made from nothing.

Can PANTA in John 1:3, or TA PANTA in the other verses be taken in any other
way?

Jim Beale



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