In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered (or will soon cover), and maybe you've missed. Please review my blogs to read more...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
__________________________
A dictionary or lexicon is the not the most authoritative place to find the true definition of a word. Especially if the word in question makes or breaks a particular controversial doctrine, such as:
Is punishment of the wicked for a period of time that ends, or for eternity?
In many Bibles the Greek word: "aion" is translated as "forever," and "aionion" is translated into English as "everlasting," or "eternal".
Strong's Greek Dictionary defines "aion" as follows:
"properly an age, by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end."
Strong's Dictionary defines the adjective form of aion, which is: aionion as follows:
"perpetual, eternal, forever, everlasting."
Are these definitions good scholarship or religious bias?
Imagine defining the word "white" like this:
"white, whiter, whitest, white light, bright, maximum lightness, brilliant, blanch, off-white, shaded, light gray, dark gray, between light and dark, dark gray, dark, COAL BLACK."
Does anyone see a problem with that definition of "white?"
Does anyone see a problem with Strong's definition of "aion / aionios"?
_________________________
This discussion on the English word "eternal" or "eternity" was one of the first doors I had to go through many years ago. Believe me... it's a tedious discussion.
I do not intend on putting you through everything I went through to get to the bottom of the arguments on both sides. It literally took me at least a year on this one topic alone... I don't have a year to get my point across to you - only a series of short blogs.
This may be something you also will need to dig on yourself in order to come to grips with it. Hopefully, I can help with resources, etc., but for now - I'm only going to show you what I've found... not every single detail though... that would take literally hundreds of pages of notes.
________________________
Let me start by saying:
"We are not promised "eternal", or "everlasting" (as in an "eternity") life."
For example, Jesus said:
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me has everlasting [G166 - aionion] life.
Shocked? (I was!)
Don't be though... we ARE promised "immortality" and "eonian" [Greek: aionion] life.
1 Cor 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption [G861 - aphtharsia, incorruptibility, unending existence], and this mortal must put on immortality [G110 - athanasia, deathlessness]. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
You might be thinking, "well isn't that the same thing as eternal?"
No - for one, we are promised aionion life... life pertaining to specific aions.
Believers are promised life during the Millennial Reign and the New Heaven / New Earth... unbelievers are not. Those are two special aions for believers... aionion life!
Our bliss does not end at the conclusion of these aions but it is not "eternal" life that extends life beyond these two aions - it is immortality which extends life... deathlessness...
Unbelievers are promised aionion chastisement. Chastisement that pertains to a specific aion. Which aion is that? They are resurrected at the conclusion of the next aion, which is the Millennial Reign.
The aion following the Millennial Reign begins with the Great White Throne Judgment... it is THIS aion when their aionion chastisement will be implemented. They do not live during the Millennial Reign, and they will not live during the New Heaven / New Earth aion but will endure their aionion punishment until the conclusion of that aion.
Now... back to immortality:
Immortality may pertain to some of the same ideals as our English word eternal, or eternity, but notice the original language used above. Immortality refers directly to deathlessness... NOT eternal.
God's Word, in the original language, is very specific. God's Word in our English translations, in some cases, has been lost in translation which you'll soon see.
In brief, "eonian" is an adjective of "eon" [English].
Just as "aionion" is an adjective of "aion" [Greek].
An eon is an "age" (a specific period of time).
An aion is an "age" - unfortunately, "age" is difficult to express in it's adjective form in English, which is why you'll see some literal translations use "age-abiding", "age-lasting", or "age-during" for the Greek word: aionion, or aionios.
Our English word eonion however, perfectly relates to eon.
Eonian is the adjective form of eon and relates to, pertains to, describes that particular eon.
The same is true for aionion... it relates to, pertains to, or describes that particular aion ("age").
However long the specific eon is (or age), that is how long eonian life is.
Here's a good illustration:
________________________
Suppose your company is going to buy you and everyone in your company an all-expense paid trip to Europe for one month. EVERYBODY gets that trip.
However, because you are such a fabulous worker and such a asset to the company, your boss is going to send you on the trip to Europe for three whole weeks BEFORE everyone else goes on their trip.
This is a special, BONUS trip. Not many get to go on this particular bonus trip, only a few.
You get to go THREE WEEKS earlier than the rest. When they arrive, you have already been their enjoying yourself for THREE WEEKS.
When the others arrive to begin their vacation, does your vacation END? No.
Only your "three week" vacation ends. But you CONTINUE to vacation in Europe just as long as the rest. Your hotel reservation is not cancelled after three weeks.
That is not a perfect illustration, but maybe you get the point.
"Aionion" or "Age-lasting life" is a SPECIAL gift from God that only a relatively few ever receive (believers).
It is LIFE in God's Kingdom BEFORE the masses are brought into God's Kingdom.
What allows those who are given "eonian life" to continue living even AFTER the eons are past, is not the promise from God of "eternal life" but rather "IMMORTALITY".
All of God's children will be given IMMORTALITY and INCORRUPTION, so that they will NEVER DIE. However, those who are given immortality before the rest, receive it ages (or eons) IN ADVANCE of the rest.
That gift pertains to an "age" (a specific period of time) BEFORE the next "age" (a separate, specific period) begins.
_______________________
Much like every language, in the Greek language, many do not realize that the ending of a word / noun (inflection) are to indicate it's mood, case, gender, etc. in order to determine it's usage.
Therefore, "aion" (as any Greek root word [noun]) may appear in the original texts with different endings.
For example, "aionion", "aioniou", and "aionios" are all different inflections of the adjective form of the noun "aion".
The noun "aion" in the Greek has always meant an indeterminate period of time.
It could be as short as the three days and nights that Jonah spent in the belly of the fish, the length of a man's life, or as long as an entire age.
_________________________
The Bible speaks of at least five specific aions. If there were aions "in the past", then those aions must have an end, versus being eternal in nature.
If there are aions in the future, those aions must have a beginning and end also.
Here is a simple summary before I move into the details:
There was a time before God made any eons (1 Cor 2:7). Then God made the eons (Heb 1:2). There were eons in the past (Col 1:26). We are living in this present wicked eon (Gal 1:4). Satan is the god of this eon (2 Cor 4:4). Christ, not Satan, will reign a thousand years in the next eon (Luk 1:33). The thousand years will come to an end (Rev 20:3). Christ will reign in the eon that follows the thousand years (Rev 22:5 and Luk 1:33). Hence, He reigns for the "eons" (the next two) "of the eons" (all others).
Now... try using the word "eternity", or any of its forms in those verses above... good luck sorting that out!
Now to the details of the summary above:
The New Testament writers spoke of "the present wicked aion" (Gal 1:4) which which is the aion we're living in.
If there are aions to come, then this aion in which we live - will come to an END (there ARE aions yet to come).
There is a verse which tells us the aions will come to an end - "the consummation of the aions".
But you wouldn't know that from our KJV English translation:
KJV 1 Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [G165 - aion] are come.
It doesn't take much research to see the KJV is wrong in the translation above.
LITV ... on whom the ends of the ages [G165 - aion] have come.
NASB ... upon whom the ends of the ages [G165 - aion] have come.
Rotherham ... unto whom, the ends of the ages [G165 - aion], have reached along.
Young's Literal Translation ... to whom the end of the ages [G165 - aion] did come,
CLV ... to whom the consummation of the eons [G165 - aion] have attained.
The CLV is the most precise translation (from the Greek into English) above.
I didn't bother listing all of the different translations that disagree with the translators of the KJV and even the MKJV (Modern KJV).
What about the coming aion (NOT "world" as translated below)
KJV Luk 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world [G165 - aion] to come life everlasting [G166 - aionios].
How about oncoming aions (future)?
KJV Eph 2:7 That in the ages [G165 - aion] to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Before moving on... look at the two passages above - both are from the KJV.
How did they justify translating the exact same Greek phrases both "in the world" in one instance, yet "in the ages" in the next?
I know why they read differently (in English)... someone knew that they couldn't fit it into their Theological box.
The KJV translators also fully KNEW, and KNOW - that there's already a Greek word for "world"...
... it's [G2889 - kosmos]. They've translated it as such on many different occasions, except when it didn't fit inside their Theological box!
How about "conclusion of the" aion (present)?
KJV Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [G165 - aion]; and the reapers are the angels.
Here is "the secret concealed from the aions" (past)?
KJV Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world [G165 - aion] has been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ:
One last example (for now)...
Does Christ reign "for ever and ever"?
KJV Rev 11:15 ... The kingdoms of this world [G2889 - kosmos] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever [G165 - aion] and ever [G165 - aion].
Wow... HOW did the KJV translators get away with this one (more detail in later blogs)?
We see the "world" translated correctly this time from kosmos, and now the Greek noun aion means "forever" and also "ever", but no longer "world"?! WHAT?!
More importantly, doesn't this one verse in the Revelation conflict with what Paul said?
Paul said that Jesus will hand over His reign to the Father...
KJV 1 Cor 15:25-28 For He must reign, UNTIL He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He says all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, THEN shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Christ does not reign for an "eternity". He gives up the Kingdom to His Father and His reign ceases as the Father becomes ALL in ALL.
_______________________
I won't leave it at this... Whence Eternity? - Part 3 is upcoming.
I'll give you a ton of examples in upcoming blogs, but in this blog I'm hoping that you see CLEARLY the Greek word aion CANNOT mean the same as our English word eternal - no beginning, no end.
Since grammar rules also dictate that an adjective cannot take on a greater force than it's noun form, it's also going to become CLEAR to you that aionion in any of it's adjective forms CANNOT mean everlasting or anything else remotely indicating an unending time period.
For example:
The adjective "hourly" cannot mean "pertaining to days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, etc."...
... "hourly" pertains to "hours" just as "heavenly" pertains exclusively to "heaven".
___________________________
More later...
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
__________________________
A dictionary or lexicon is the not the most authoritative place to find the true definition of a word. Especially if the word in question makes or breaks a particular controversial doctrine, such as:
Is punishment of the wicked for a period of time that ends, or for eternity?
In many Bibles the Greek word: "aion" is translated as "forever," and "aionion" is translated into English as "everlasting," or "eternal".
Strong's Greek Dictionary defines "aion" as follows:
"properly an age, by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end."
Strong's Dictionary defines the adjective form of aion, which is: aionion as follows:
"perpetual, eternal, forever, everlasting."
Are these definitions good scholarship or religious bias?
Imagine defining the word "white" like this:
"white, whiter, whitest, white light, bright, maximum lightness, brilliant, blanch, off-white, shaded, light gray, dark gray, between light and dark, dark gray, dark, COAL BLACK."
Does anyone see a problem with that definition of "white?"
Does anyone see a problem with Strong's definition of "aion / aionios"?
_________________________
This discussion on the English word "eternal" or "eternity" was one of the first doors I had to go through many years ago. Believe me... it's a tedious discussion.
I do not intend on putting you through everything I went through to get to the bottom of the arguments on both sides. It literally took me at least a year on this one topic alone... I don't have a year to get my point across to you - only a series of short blogs.
This may be something you also will need to dig on yourself in order to come to grips with it. Hopefully, I can help with resources, etc., but for now - I'm only going to show you what I've found... not every single detail though... that would take literally hundreds of pages of notes.
________________________
Let me start by saying:
"We are not promised "eternal", or "everlasting" (as in an "eternity") life."
For example, Jesus said:
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me has everlasting [G166 - aionion] life.
Shocked? (I was!)
Don't be though... we ARE promised "immortality" and "eonian" [Greek: aionion] life.
1 Cor 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption [G861 - aphtharsia, incorruptibility, unending existence], and this mortal must put on immortality [G110 - athanasia, deathlessness]. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
You might be thinking, "well isn't that the same thing as eternal?"
No - for one, we are promised aionion life... life pertaining to specific aions.
Believers are promised life during the Millennial Reign and the New Heaven / New Earth... unbelievers are not. Those are two special aions for believers... aionion life!
Our bliss does not end at the conclusion of these aions but it is not "eternal" life that extends life beyond these two aions - it is immortality which extends life... deathlessness...
Unbelievers are promised aionion chastisement. Chastisement that pertains to a specific aion. Which aion is that? They are resurrected at the conclusion of the next aion, which is the Millennial Reign.
The aion following the Millennial Reign begins with the Great White Throne Judgment... it is THIS aion when their aionion chastisement will be implemented. They do not live during the Millennial Reign, and they will not live during the New Heaven / New Earth aion but will endure their aionion punishment until the conclusion of that aion.
Now... back to immortality:
Immortality may pertain to some of the same ideals as our English word eternal, or eternity, but notice the original language used above. Immortality refers directly to deathlessness... NOT eternal.
God's Word, in the original language, is very specific. God's Word in our English translations, in some cases, has been lost in translation which you'll soon see.
In brief, "eonian" is an adjective of "eon" [English].
Just as "aionion" is an adjective of "aion" [Greek].
An eon is an "age" (a specific period of time).
An aion is an "age" - unfortunately, "age" is difficult to express in it's adjective form in English, which is why you'll see some literal translations use "age-abiding", "age-lasting", or "age-during" for the Greek word: aionion, or aionios.
Our English word eonion however, perfectly relates to eon.
Eonian is the adjective form of eon and relates to, pertains to, describes that particular eon.
The same is true for aionion... it relates to, pertains to, or describes that particular aion ("age").
However long the specific eon is (or age), that is how long eonian life is.
Here's a good illustration:
________________________
Suppose your company is going to buy you and everyone in your company an all-expense paid trip to Europe for one month. EVERYBODY gets that trip.
However, because you are such a fabulous worker and such a asset to the company, your boss is going to send you on the trip to Europe for three whole weeks BEFORE everyone else goes on their trip.
This is a special, BONUS trip. Not many get to go on this particular bonus trip, only a few.
You get to go THREE WEEKS earlier than the rest. When they arrive, you have already been their enjoying yourself for THREE WEEKS.
When the others arrive to begin their vacation, does your vacation END? No.
Only your "three week" vacation ends. But you CONTINUE to vacation in Europe just as long as the rest. Your hotel reservation is not cancelled after three weeks.
That is not a perfect illustration, but maybe you get the point.
"Aionion" or "Age-lasting life" is a SPECIAL gift from God that only a relatively few ever receive (believers).
It is LIFE in God's Kingdom BEFORE the masses are brought into God's Kingdom.
What allows those who are given "eonian life" to continue living even AFTER the eons are past, is not the promise from God of "eternal life" but rather "IMMORTALITY".
All of God's children will be given IMMORTALITY and INCORRUPTION, so that they will NEVER DIE. However, those who are given immortality before the rest, receive it ages (or eons) IN ADVANCE of the rest.
That gift pertains to an "age" (a specific period of time) BEFORE the next "age" (a separate, specific period) begins.
_______________________
Much like every language, in the Greek language, many do not realize that the ending of a word / noun (inflection) are to indicate it's mood, case, gender, etc. in order to determine it's usage.
Therefore, "aion" (as any Greek root word [noun]) may appear in the original texts with different endings.
For example, "aionion", "aioniou", and "aionios" are all different inflections of the adjective form of the noun "aion".
The noun "aion" in the Greek has always meant an indeterminate period of time.
It could be as short as the three days and nights that Jonah spent in the belly of the fish, the length of a man's life, or as long as an entire age.
_________________________
The Bible speaks of at least five specific aions. If there were aions "in the past", then those aions must have an end, versus being eternal in nature.
If there are aions in the future, those aions must have a beginning and end also.
Here is a simple summary before I move into the details:
There was a time before God made any eons (1 Cor 2:7). Then God made the eons (Heb 1:2). There were eons in the past (Col 1:26). We are living in this present wicked eon (Gal 1:4). Satan is the god of this eon (2 Cor 4:4). Christ, not Satan, will reign a thousand years in the next eon (Luk 1:33). The thousand years will come to an end (Rev 20:3). Christ will reign in the eon that follows the thousand years (Rev 22:5 and Luk 1:33). Hence, He reigns for the "eons" (the next two) "of the eons" (all others).
Now... try using the word "eternity", or any of its forms in those verses above... good luck sorting that out!
Now to the details of the summary above:
The New Testament writers spoke of "the present wicked aion" (Gal 1:4) which which is the aion we're living in.
If there are aions to come, then this aion in which we live - will come to an END (there ARE aions yet to come).
There is a verse which tells us the aions will come to an end - "the consummation of the aions".
But you wouldn't know that from our KJV English translation:
KJV 1 Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [G165 - aion] are come.
It doesn't take much research to see the KJV is wrong in the translation above.
LITV ... on whom the ends of the ages [G165 - aion] have come.
NASB ... upon whom the ends of the ages [G165 - aion] have come.
Rotherham ... unto whom, the ends of the ages [G165 - aion], have reached along.
Young's Literal Translation ... to whom the end of the ages [G165 - aion] did come,
CLV ... to whom the consummation of the eons [G165 - aion] have attained.
The CLV is the most precise translation (from the Greek into English) above.
I didn't bother listing all of the different translations that disagree with the translators of the KJV and even the MKJV (Modern KJV).
What about the coming aion (NOT "world" as translated below)
KJV Luk 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world [G165 - aion] to come life everlasting [G166 - aionios].
How about oncoming aions (future)?
KJV Eph 2:7 That in the ages [G165 - aion] to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Before moving on... look at the two passages above - both are from the KJV.
How did they justify translating the exact same Greek phrases both "in the world" in one instance, yet "in the ages" in the next?
I know why they read differently (in English)... someone knew that they couldn't fit it into their Theological box.
The KJV translators also fully KNEW, and KNOW - that there's already a Greek word for "world"...
... it's [G2889 - kosmos]. They've translated it as such on many different occasions, except when it didn't fit inside their Theological box!
How about "conclusion of the" aion (present)?
KJV Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [G165 - aion]; and the reapers are the angels.
Here is "the secret concealed from the aions" (past)?
KJV Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world [G165 - aion] has been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ:
One last example (for now)...
Does Christ reign "for ever and ever"?
KJV Rev 11:15 ... The kingdoms of this world [G2889 - kosmos] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever [G165 - aion] and ever [G165 - aion].
Wow... HOW did the KJV translators get away with this one (more detail in later blogs)?
We see the "world" translated correctly this time from kosmos, and now the Greek noun aion means "forever" and also "ever", but no longer "world"?! WHAT?!
More importantly, doesn't this one verse in the Revelation conflict with what Paul said?
Paul said that Jesus will hand over His reign to the Father...
KJV 1 Cor 15:25-28 For He must reign, UNTIL He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He says all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, THEN shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Christ does not reign for an "eternity". He gives up the Kingdom to His Father and His reign ceases as the Father becomes ALL in ALL.
_______________________
I won't leave it at this... Whence Eternity? - Part 3 is upcoming.
I'll give you a ton of examples in upcoming blogs, but in this blog I'm hoping that you see CLEARLY the Greek word aion CANNOT mean the same as our English word eternal - no beginning, no end.
Since grammar rules also dictate that an adjective cannot take on a greater force than it's noun form, it's also going to become CLEAR to you that aionion in any of it's adjective forms CANNOT mean everlasting or anything else remotely indicating an unending time period.
For example:
The adjective "hourly" cannot mean "pertaining to days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, etc."...
... "hourly" pertains to "hours" just as "heavenly" pertains exclusively to "heaven".
___________________________
More later...
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
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