'Calls into being what does not yet exist' (4:17): Jewish creation language
Says Abraham believed "the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist" (4:17, BSB): καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα (kalountos ta mē onta hōs onta).
Jewish texts join creation and resurrection. A martyr's mother bids her son know ὅτι οὐκ ἐξ ὄντων ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ὁ θεός, "that God did not make them out of things that were," and so face death in hope (2 Macc 7:28; cf. 7:23); whether she means absolute nothing is debated. 2 Baruch addresses God, "that hast called from the beginning of the world that which did not yet exist" (2 Bar. 21:4). Philo says God called what was not into being (Spec. 4.187), yet also speaks of formless matter (Opif. 21–22). Joseph and Aseneth praises God for bringing the unseen into light (Jos. Asen. 12:1–2). Wisdom instead has the world created ἐξ ἀμόρφου ὕλης, "out of formless matter" (Wis 11:17).
Implies Scripture teaches that God made all things by his word, not from anything visible, and that nothing made exists apart from him (Gen 1:1; John 1:3; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:11).
Uncertain Does 4:17 itself speak of creation out of nothing? The lean is to God's creative call, bringing into being what does not exist, with creation out of nothing as background, since Paul pairs it with giving life to the dead, as 2 Macc 7 does. The alternative reads ὡς ὄντα as "as though they were": God names the promised nations before they exist (4:17–18).
Claims
- SaysRom 4:17 says Abraham believed the God who gives life to the dead and calls (καλοῦντος) the things that are not (τὰ μὴ ὄντα) ὡς ὄντα.
- ImpliesScripture teaches that God made all things by his word, not from anything visible, and that nothing made exists apart from him (Gen 1:1; John 1:3; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:11).
- UncertainWhether Rom 4:17 speaks of creation out of nothing; the lean is God's creative call that brings into being what does not exist, with creation out of nothing as its background (paired with giving life to the dead, as in 2 Macc 7); the alternative reads ὡς ὄντα as 'as though they were', God naming the promised nations before they exist (4:17–18).
Citations
- BSB public domain Rom 4:17–18; Gen 1:1; John 1:3; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:11
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 4:17
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 2 Macc 7:28 ("ὅτι οὐκ ἐξ ὄντων ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ὁ θεός"), LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 3 (1905), p. 682; Wis 11:17 ("ἐξ ἀμόρφου ὕλης"), LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 2 (1896), p. 623. English: team rendering of Swete
- APOT public domain vol. 2: 2 Bar. 21:4, p. 493 (trans. Charles; checked on the page image)
- Philo (Yonge) public domain Spec. 4.187; Opif. 21–22 (paraphrased)
- Brooks, Joseph and Asenath public domain Jos. Asen. 12:1–2: ch. XII, p. 40; verse numbers per modern editions (paraphrased)
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-30
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