In
Lightfoot's translation of 1 Clement, we read the following:
Thou through
Thine operations didst make manifest the everlasting fabric of the world. Thou, Lord, didst create the
earth. Thou that art faithful throughout all generations, righteous in Thy
judgments, marvelous in strength and excellence, Thou that art wise in creating
and prudent in establishing that which Thou hast made, that art good in the
things which are seen and faithful with them that trust on Thee, pitiful and
compassionate, forgive us our iniquities and our unrighteousnesses and our
transgressions and shortcomings. (1 Clement 60:1)
The Greek
for the portion in bold is:
Σὺ γὰρ τὴν ἀέναον τοῦ κόσμου σύστασιν διὰ τῶν
ἐνεργουμένων ἐφανεροποίησας
In this
text, God did not create out of nothing, but instead, "manifested" (ἐφανεροποίησας,
from φανεροποιέω, "to explain, to reveal") "the everlasting
fabric of the world" (τὴν ἀέναον τοῦ κόσμου σύστασιν). While not as explicit as Justin Martyr, his is an early witness to creatio ex materia, not
ex nihilo.