Creation ex nihilo

The psalm sings that the heavens were established by the word of the Lord and the spirit of his mouth, and that he spoke and they were created. As part of the psalter it belongs to the Church’s liturgical prayer. It bears on the teaching that God created by his Word and Spirit.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:

For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.

The opening of Genesis in the literal sense: God creates heaven and earth, the spirit of God moves over the waters, and God speaks and light is made. It is the first page of the sacred text, to which later teaching on creation refers. It bears on the teaching that God created all things, with the Word and the Spirit present in the act.

In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said: Be light made. And light was made.

At the close of the sixth day Genesis records God’s own judgment that all he had made was very good. The sentence ends the account of the work of the six days. It bears on the teaching that creatures are good because they come from the Creator.

And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day.

In 2 Machabees the mother of the seven martyrs bids her son know that God made heaven and earth and all in them out of nothing. The Fathers and theologians cite it as the plainest scriptural statement of creation ex nihilo. It bears on the teaching that creation was out of nothing.

I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them, and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind also:

In Romans the Apostle speaks of God who calls those things that are not as those that are, and closes with “of him, and by him, and in him, are all things.” Read of the Creator, the words bear on the teaching that all things have their being from God alone.

(As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations), before God, whom he believed: who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things that are not, as those that are.

For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.

In Colossians the Apostle calls the Son the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, in whom all things were created and by whom all things consist. It bears on the teaching that creation is through the Son and that creatures are held in being by him.

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and in him. And he is before all: and by him all things consist.

The opening of Hebrews says God has spoken by his Son, by whom he made the world, who upholds all things by the word of his power. The sacred writer names creation and conservation together. It bears on the teaching that the Word creates and conserves.

In these days, hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. Who being the brightness of his glory and the figure of his substance and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high:

In Hebrews the writer says that by faith we understand the world was framed by the word of God, that from invisible things visible things might be made. Creation is here an object of faith. It bears on the teaching that the world has its origin in the word of God alone.

By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God: that from invisible things visible things might be made.

The prologue of John takes up the first words of Genesis: the Word was in the beginning with God, and all things were made by him. It is the principal New Testament text on the Word as the one through whom the Father creates. It bears on the teaching that creation is the work of the Trinity.

In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.