Creation from nothing
God freely gives existence to the world. Creation is not a piece of the divine nature or a rival eternal power.
Key points
- Only God is uncreated; creatures receive existence as a gift.
- The doctrine of creation from nothing is a theological reading of the whole biblical witness, not a claim that Genesis 1:1 alone settles every question about the verse's grammar.
Scripture
- Genesis 1:1 — The opening of Genesis names God as creator; its wording alone does not state the full later ex nihilo formula.
- John 1:3 — All created things came to be through the Word.
- Hebrews 11:3 — Athanasius cites this verse when explaining creation without pre-existing matter.
Primary sources
Athanasius writes in On the Incarnation:
Athanasius says that God brought the universe into existence from nothing through the Word.
out of nothing, and without its having any previous existence, God made the universe to exist through His word
Passage context and translation
Athanasius argues against a rival eternal matter and cites Genesis 1:1, the Shepherd, and Hebrews 11:3. The excerpt records his theological interpretation; Genesis 1:1 alone is not presented as a grammatical proof of the full doctrine.
Before the excerpt
because God is not weak; but that
After the excerpt
as He says firstly through Moses