Of God and His Creaturesou genomenon ex oudenos (not made out of anything) is not equivalent to genomenon ek tou mêdenos (made out of nothing). The former notion would be applicable to a Creature created from eternity, if there were such: the latter would not. The former denies pre-existent material, the latter affirms a previous condition of nothingness. The former implies creation, the latter implies the lapse of a finite period since creation.