By faith we understand that the worlds were
prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things
which are visible. (Heb 11:3 NASB)
Heb 11:3 is
a common proof-text for creation ex
nihilo. In his Anchor Bible commentary on Hebrews, Craig Koester is quick
to note that:
Some argue that the visible “has come into
being” where nothing existed before. The preposition ek would mean that God created the visible world “out of
nothingness” . . . It is not clear, however,
that invisibility means nonexistence. (Craig R. Koester, Hebrews: A New Translation with Introduction
and Commentary [AB 36; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001], 474,
emphasis in bold added)
Instead,
Koester argues that “what cannot be seen” refers to the power of God’s word:
The elements in 11:3 are presented in a
chiastic pattern in which “what cannot be seen” corresponds to “the word of God”
(Ellingworth).
|
(1) was fashioned |
(1’) came
into being |
|
(2) the
universe |
(2’) that
which can be seen |
|
(3) by the
word of God |
(3’) by
what cannot be seen |
Although “word” is singular and “what cannot
be seen” is plural, the neuter plural could convey a singular idea (Smyth, Grammar §1003). The plural generalizes
what was said about the word into a principle capable of broader application
(Zerwick, Biblical Greek §7). Similar
generalizing occurs in 11:5, where the author moves from Enoch to “the one who
approaches God" t” “those who seek him.” The dative case of “word”
corresponds to the ek that modifies “what
cannot be seen,” indicating cause: “by” (BAGD, 235 [3e]). Thus the creative
power of God’s word is an invisible force that produces visible results (P.E.
Hughes, Commentary, 452; Rose, Wolke, 156-59). (Ibid., 474)
For articles
discussion creation ex materia vs. ex nihilo, see:
Ex Materia or Ex Nihilo? Creation in Genesis 1:1-2
Daniel O. McClellan, James Patrick Holding refuted on Creation Ex Nihilo