Lexical Summary ktistés: Creator Original Word: κτίστης Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Creator. From ktizo; a founder, i.e. God (as author of all things) -- Creator. see GREEK ktizo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2939 ktístēs – properly, one who creates out of nothing (Latin ex nihilo); the Creator (used only in 1 Pet 4:19). See 2936 (ktizō). 1 Pet 4:19: "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will (2307 /thélēma) of God (2316 /theós) shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator (2939 /ktístēs) in doing what is right" (NASU). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ktizó Definition a creator NASB Translation Creator (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2939: κτίστηςκτίστης (on the accent, cf. Winers Grammar, § 6, 1 h. (cf. 94 (89); especially Chandler §§ 35, 36)), κτιστου, ὁ (κτίζω), a founder; a creator (Aristotle, Plutarch, others): of God, 1 Peter 4:19 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 122 (116)); (Judith 9:12; Sir. 24:8; 2 Macc. 1:24, etc.). Topical Lexicon Root ConceptΚτίστης names God as the One who brings things into being that did not previously exist. Not only the origin of matter but the continuing ground of existence is implied. The term therefore gathers under one heading the doctrines of creation, providence, sovereignty, and covenant faithfulness. Biblical Occurrence Only 1 Peter 4:19 contains the word in the Greek New Testament: “So then, those who suffer according to the will of God should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do what is good”. The rarity of the noun “Creator” heightens its rhetorical force, calling persecuted believers to take the widest possible view of their circumstances: the God who designed the universe still governs it and can be trusted with their lives. Old Testament Background Scripture opens with creation (Genesis 1:1) and repeatedly recalls it as the supreme evidence of God’s uniqueness and power. “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28). Psalms celebrates Him as “the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—He remains faithful forever” (Psalm 146:6). By linking faithfulness to creation, the Psalm anticipates Peter’s coupling of the same two ideas. New Testament Context The apostolic writings keep the Old Testament emphasis while revealing Christ as the divine Agent of creation: “For in Him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16), “Through faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command” (Hebrews 11:3). Revelation sets worship before the throne with the proclamation, “You created all things, and by Your will they exist” (Revelation 4:11). Against this wide theological canvas, 1 Peter 4:19 brings the cosmic truth of creation down to the level of the individual sufferer. Theological Themes 1. Creator and Redeemer are one. The verse assumes that the God who fashioned souls can also guard them. Relation to Suffering and Holiness The epistle of Peter repeatedly ties suffering to holiness (1 Peter 1:6–7; 1 Peter 3:14). The title “Creator” strengthens that link: just as the first creation proceeded by divine decree, so the character of believers is being newly “created” through fiery testing (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 4:12). Holiness is therefore seen not as self-improvement but as the outworking of the Creator’s craftsmanship. Christological Significance While κτίστης refers to God generically, the broader New Testament identifies the Son as co-Creator (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Thus the faithful Creator of 1 Peter 4:19 is implicitly the same Lord whom Peter saw risen and glorified; the comfort offered to persecuted Christians is mediated through a Creator who has Himself entered creation and suffered. Historical Church Usage Early creeds defended creatio ex nihilo against Greco-Roman notions of eternal matter. The singular employment of κτίστης in Scripture proved sufficient; paired with the verb κτίζω, it provided a linguistic cornerstone for affirming both the act of initial creation and the ongoing reality of new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Pastoral Application • Assurance in trial: God’s creative faithfulness grounds confidence when circumstances are chaotic. Doctrinal Implications 1. Anthropology: Human souls derive from and belong to the Creator; life is sacred. Conclusion Κτίστης, though appearing only once in the New Testament, crystallizes the scriptural witness that the God who spoke the worlds into existence is utterly trustworthy with the destiny of His people. Trust in the “faithful Creator” converts present suffering into a forge of holiness and anchors hope to the same omnipotent love that once said, “Let there be light.” Forms and Transliterations κτιστη κτίστη κτίστῃ κτίστης κυάθους κύαμον ktiste ktistē ktístei ktístēiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |