Now that the essential argument has been presented, the author will develop the theme through a series of colorful examples. First, however, he cites God’s almighty power to create and explains that God created the world out of formless matter. This idea in some ways matches Gen 1:1-2 but is in contrast with other biblical depictions of creatio ex nihilo, creation out of nothing (2 Macc 7:28). It does correspond to Greek notions of the eternity of primordial matter (the concept that matter has existed for all eternity), yet the author makes no clear claims in this direction. St. Augustine resolves the discrepancy by positing a two-stage creation: “First there was made confused and formless matter so that out of it there might be made all the things that God distinguished and formed.” (Mark Giszczak, Wisdom of Solomon [Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2024], 123-34, emphasis in bold added)
