The Bible speaks ten times of the casting down (Greek: katabole) of the world. Does this downfall concern a judgment that has come upon a world that existed before ours, as is sometimes supposed? Or is it different? We already saw in the previous blog that in the texts where the expression the casting down of the world occurs, the term is not explained. So we will have to look further.
foundation
But how did the translators come to translate katabole with foundation? Is that without any basis? If katabole means casting down, then this seems to be the exact opposite of foundation. When we think of foundation we think of laying a foundation, the beginning of something. Casting down, on the other hand, is reminiscent of breaking down and destroying.
In the only Scripture where the word katabole appears without the addition: casting down of the world, it has a positive meaning.
Hebrews 11
11 By faith Sarah also received power to throw down seed, and she bred beyond her stature, because she esteemed Him who promised.
throwing down seed
This literal translation sounds a bit strange, but the idea is clear. Sarah believed in God’s promise that she would conceive a son, even though her human body was no longer able to do so (Rom.4:19).
The translators have translated to throw down seed, to become a mother (KJV), to conceive (Revised State Translation), to give seed (KJV), etc.
We think of seed (Greek: spermatos) as the male part in fertilization, but here it is said of Sarah that she would receive the power to cast down seed. Similarly, in connection with Eve, her seed is spoken of (Gen.3:15). The seed apparently points not only to the man’s part in sexual intercourse, but also to fertilization and the production of the child.
birth
Sarah’s casting down of seed was the birth of Isaac. In the animal world, when we talk about giving birth to young, in Dutch we also talk about werpen (>to throw). In humans it is called bevallen and it contains the word falling. In Hebrews 11:11, casting down has the meaning of birth.
If we apply this meaning to the expression the casting down of the world, it concerns the birth of the world. In Genesis the account of creation is signed:
Genesis 2 (State Translation)
4 These are the birhts of the heavens and the earth when they were created; in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heaven.
kataballo
The verb kataballo which is derived from the noun katabole appears only twice in the New Testament. The first time it has the negative meaning of getting into trouble (2 Cor.4:9). But in the other text it has the meaning of laying a foundation.
Hebrews 6
1 Therefore, leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, we should be brought to maturity, not casting down again the foundation of contemplation of dead works, and of faith in God.
lay the foundation
The writer of Hebrews wanted to share more with his readers than the first principles (5:12) and also wanted to feed them with solid food after milk (5:14). He wanted to go further and in this context he speaks about: not casting down (>kataballo) the foundation again. Here is the idea, that of laying the foundation. We also talk about laying or pouring a foundation.
conclusion
Katabole means casting down and should be translated that way. But whether that is positive, in the sense of foundation, or whether it is negative, must be clear from the context. And if that does not appear, as in the expression the casting down of the world? Then we don’t even have to choose. The casting down of the world concerns the birth of the heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1; 2:4), but it is also the moment that God subjected creation to vanity and corruption (Rom. 8:20). ), rightly a casting down. Both meanings apply to the creation of the world.