Who Created the World?

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For by him all things were created (Colossians 1:16a).

The word for God in Genesis 1:1 and the Old Testament is elohim, which is the plural of the Hebrew el. The verb create is singular, however, so we cannot translate the verse “the gods created,” but rather we must see the plural elohim as referring to a singular Being. Because elohim is used, however, many expositors in church history believe this is a cloaked reference to the Trinity.

The Bible makes it clear that all three Persons of the Godhead were involved in the creation, and so it is felt that the use of a plural word here and elsewhere in the Old Testament is a hint of the tri-unity of God. We cannot be dogmatic about this, however, since in Hebrew the plural form is often a plural of majesty, as when a king uses we to refer to himself.

Christians often believe that creation was the work of the Father, redemption of the Son, and sanctification of the Spirit. Actually, all three Persons are involved in each. We saw a few days ago that the Holy Spirit was actively involved in creation as He hovered over the waters. Today let us consider the work of the second person of the Trinity in creation.

Notice how the gospel of John begins: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1–3). It is no accident that John commences his gospel with the same words that open the book of Genesis. John is saying that the Word created all things with the Father and the Spirit.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul makes the same point. Speaking of the Son, he writes: “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible … all things were created by him and for him” (1:16). He made all things, and all things are for Him. Therefore, in Christ, creation finds its origin, its destiny, and its meaning.



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