To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: creatio ex nihilo
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 22:49:35 -0500
On 2 Feb 01, at 11:03, David Stabnow wrote:
> While the account in Genesis does not require ex nihilo, this doctrine was
> reinforced, for the Christian, in Hebrews 11:3 -- "what is seen has been
> made from things that are not visible" (EIS TO MH EK FAINOMENWN TO
> BLEPOMENON GEGONENAI). I say this only to explain why some hold the
> position, not to argue for it.
I am curious how this verse was seen as supporting ex nihilo. I'd have
thought that "things that are not visible" are not the same as "nothing";
that
a thing is not visible does not mean that is no-thing. (I ask this not to
argue
the position, but to understand how the verse was understood by those
who took the position.)