New creation (theology)

The new creation (Gk καινὴ κτίσις) is a concept found in the New Testament, related to the new life (ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς) and new man (καινός ἄνθρωπος) but with reference also to the Genesis "old creation".

In the letters of Paul

The language of a new creation is not limited to the two verses in the KJV that include that actual phrase (Gal. 6:15, 2 Cor 5:17). Other passages, such as Galatians 6:12-16, 2 Corinthians 5:14-19, Ephesians 2:11-22, Ephesians 4:17-24, and Colossians 3:1-11 present new creation teaching also, without that exact phrase. Consider Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."^[1] The old, Adamic creation could not be said to be in any sense "in Christ" (even though brought into being by Him in the person of the Son prior to the incarnation (Col. 1:16)), so this must therefore be speaking of new creation.

Often the themes of the Genesis creation and new creation are contrasted, as, per N. T. Wright, in Colossians chapter 1, where the old creation and new creation in Christ (1:15-20) are compared with the new creation (vv. 21-23)^[2]

Other NT references

The first words of Matthew may also be an allusion to the idea of a new creation, with a double entendre in Matthew's word genesis (γένεσις) between the meanings of "origin", "Genesis" (the first book of Moses) and "genealogy":

• Genesis 1:0 Septuagint: The Book of Creation [of Moses] (Βίβλος γενέσεως [Μωσέως])
• Matthew 1:1 Koine Greek: The Book of Creation of Jesus Christ (Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ)^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

References

1. ^ John Locke, A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St Paul to the Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, posth. 1705-1707 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987),
2. ^ Wright N. T. The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon p44
3. ^ Douglas R. A. Hare Matthew 1993 p5 "1:1 — 4:11 The Genesis of Jesus Christ"
4. ^ Lange P.L. The Life of the Lord Jesus Christ, Volume 5‎ 2008 P224 "1), or even to the very beginning of Genesis, inasmuch as he gives us the book of the genesis of Jesus Christ."
5. ^ Ulrich Luz, Helmut Koester, James E. Crouch Matthew 1-7: a commentary Hermeneia 2007 p70 "[Matthew] writes a "Book of Genesis," but his book does not have the same content as the biblical book; at issue here is the "genesis of Jesus Christ."
6. ^ Bruner F.D. Matthew a Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1-12‎ 2004 p4 "Luz translates more simply: “The Book of the 'Genesis' of Jesus Christ...” He sees the Greek word genesis really meaning “Genesis,”." ...I too prefer the long title (with other interpreters from Zahn 39, to Boring 125-126). but see the short and medium titles included in the long.
7. ^ Horton R.F. A Devotional Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew‎ 2009 p15