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.
_______________________
Ok... I've gone through the Introduction and Part 2 of Whence Eternity?
Let's really dig into this now... if you're still reading, you must be interested in what I've learned.
Why is it so important to make sure that aion and it's adjective aionion definitions are clearly understood?
Because the English translations of these words are used to define, and accepted as the authoritative and definitive doctrine of everlasting punishment in hell.
In previous (and future) blogs I'm trying to establish that there's no such place as an eternal hell.
In another (yet future) blog I will show you the difference between the original Greek words for our English translated words: punishment and chastening.
The Bible, in fact does not speak of judgment, condemnation, death and destruction, hades and gehenna, or any of these serious consequences of sin, as unending (eternal).
It may refer to them as not having the end in our view, but none of these fearful works of God can keep Him from achieving His will (1 Tim 2:4); reconciling all through the blood of Christ’s Cross (Col 1:20, and becoming ALL in ALL (1 Cor 15:28).
The only way you can come the conclusion of unending is if you depart from the original languages and depend on the English translations, specifically the KJV.
For now... let's continue with aion and aionion.
______________________________
How did this endless (eternal) business become the norm?
I'll give you this brief history quote from my notes concerning the earlier usages of aionion:
Some centuries . . . after the death of Origen, that great theologian in his own esteem, the Emperor Justinian, directed Mennas, the Patriarch of Constantinople, to call a local council in the year 544 to condemn the errors of Origen.
Among these errors was the doctrine of universal salvation. Justinian, in his letter to Mennas, presents an elaborate argument against that doctrine among others, and concludes it with a careful statement of the true faith.
Here, now was a call for an unambiguous word to denote eternal, as applied to life and punishment.
The emperor, writing in Greek, had his choice of words.
What word, then, from the full vocabulary of Greece, did he select?
Did he rely on the word aionios as, of itself, sufficient for his purpose?
Not at all.
As if aware that it could denote simply “pertaining to the world to come,” he prefixes to it a word properly denoting eternal, so that his language is this,
“The Holy Church of Christ teaches an endless aionian life to the righteous, and endless punishment to the wicked.”
Here the word used to denote endless in both cases is ateleutetos.
In the case of punishment he omits aionios entirely.
To denote the endless life of the righteous he uses the same unambiguous word ateleutetos, but prefixes it to aionios . . . .
It deserves . . . particular notice, that, in a deliberate and formal effort to characterize the punishment of the wicked as strictly eternal, he does not rely on or use the word aionios at all, but employs an entirely different word, ateleutetos.
This is but one example...
______________________
Are there other Greek words, used in Scripture, which suggest endless duration?
aperantos - used once in Scripture
1 Tim 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless [G562 - aperantos] genealogies, which minister questions, rather than Godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
[G562 - aperantos] unfinished, that is, (by implication) interminable: - endless.
Some argue that this is the strongest Greek term expressive of duration, and this word occurs only once and is in connection with "genealogies".
akatalutos - used once in Scripture
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless [G179 - akatalutos] life.
[G179 - akatalutos] indissoluble, that is, (figuratively) permanent: - endless.
Used only in Hebrews 7:16, translated as "endless" though it really means "indissoluble". This meaning is required by context to provide the necessary direct opposite of "carnal".
The point in question is of character rather than duration.
aidios - used twice in Scripture
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal [G126 - aidios] power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting [G126 - aidios] chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
[G126 - aidios] everduring (forward and backward, or forward only): - eternal, everlasting.
It's meaning is "perpetual". In Romans 1:20 we read of God's "everlasting Power and Divinity". It should go without saying that His Power and Divinity are interminable (endless); the Apostle, however, is not so much concerned with the inherent properties of those unseen things of God - he's more concerned with their seen, or visible expressions from the creation of the material universe.
With regards to Jude 1:6 - the context of the verse itself clearly expresses duration limits to aidios.
The chains will not last for an eternity... it tells us at the end of the verse that the chains only last until Judgment Day.
____________________________
Now, back to aion and aionion.
I can't give you every single use... we'd be here forever. Let's start with a few.
These should all read "age" or "eon". From the KJV:
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world [G165 - aion], and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world [G165 - aion]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world [G165 - aion], according to the will of God and our Father:
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world [G165 - aion], according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
In two instances Paul refers to a mystery once hid from "ages and generations" but now revealed to the saints.
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] hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages [G165 - aion] and from generations, BUT NOW is made manifest to his saints:
Since this secret is made known in the course of "this age", but was concealed from "ages", it follows that the present age was preceded by earlier ages... not eternal time periods.
We also read of ages to come. These are aions that haven't even begun yet... how can they be eternal in nature since their beginning hasn't even occurred yet?
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world [G165 - aion] to come eternal [G166 - aionios] life.
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [G165 - aion], but also in that which is to come:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages [G165 - aion] to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world [G165 - aion] to come,
"This age" and "that age" are mentioned side by side and contrasted by Jesus:
Luk 20:34-35 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world [G165 - aion] marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world [G165 - aion], and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Surrounding "this present evil age", on either side of it, there are other "ages".
Here is conclusive proof that an aion is a limited period; and that the totality of "all the aions" DO end is proven by the repeated mention of a "before" and a "beyond" the ages.
__________________________
The adjective aionion, a derivative of aion, carries within itself its own solution.
I've covered this briefly before but aionion is simply what belongs, or relates, to the aions - "of the ages", "age long", "age-lasting", or "age-abiding" - in the same manner that "hourly" belongs exclusively to "hours"... or, "heavenly" belongs exclusively to "heaven".
This makes it impossible for aionion to carry a duration greater than the aion it's pertaining to as an adjective.
Meaning, if these ages (aions) are limited periods, some of which are already past, while others are yet to come, the adjective aionion CANNOT refer to infinity (eternity)!
This in no way affects the true eternity of bliss for God's people because that promise in no way depends upon the meaning of the word aionion.
Luk 20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal [G166 - aionion] life [life pertaining to that age... yet to come!]:
Rom 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Cor 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.
2 Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Are you still following me?
Try explaining these two translations:
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Does that contradict Jesus?
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
It certainly contradicts if you believe in the English translation of the KJV!
Which is it? Does this world end, or not?
How do these passages look in a literal translation (Young's Literal Translation) of the original language?
YLT Eph 3:21 to Him is the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen.
YLT Mat 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is a full end of the age, and the reapers are messengers.
How about even more literal?
CLV Eph 3:21 to Him be the glory in the ecclesia and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of the eon of the eons! Amen!
CLV Mat 13:39 Now the enemy who sows them is the Adversary. Now the harvest is the conclusion of the eon. Now the reapers are messengers.
Guess what?
No more contradiction whatsoever.
_______________________
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.
_______________________
Ok... I've gone through the Introduction and Part 2 of Whence Eternity?
Let's really dig into this now... if you're still reading, you must be interested in what I've learned.
Why is it so important to make sure that aion and it's adjective aionion definitions are clearly understood?
Because the English translations of these words are used to define, and accepted as the authoritative and definitive doctrine of everlasting punishment in hell.
In previous (and future) blogs I'm trying to establish that there's no such place as an eternal hell.
In another (yet future) blog I will show you the difference between the original Greek words for our English translated words: punishment and chastening.
The Bible, in fact does not speak of judgment, condemnation, death and destruction, hades and gehenna, or any of these serious consequences of sin, as unending (eternal).
It may refer to them as not having the end in our view, but none of these fearful works of God can keep Him from achieving His will (1 Tim 2:4); reconciling all through the blood of Christ’s Cross (Col 1:20, and becoming ALL in ALL (1 Cor 15:28).
The only way you can come the conclusion of unending is if you depart from the original languages and depend on the English translations, specifically the KJV.
For now... let's continue with aion and aionion.
______________________________
How did this endless (eternal) business become the norm?
I'll give you this brief history quote from my notes concerning the earlier usages of aionion:
Some centuries . . . after the death of Origen, that great theologian in his own esteem, the Emperor Justinian, directed Mennas, the Patriarch of Constantinople, to call a local council in the year 544 to condemn the errors of Origen.
Among these errors was the doctrine of universal salvation. Justinian, in his letter to Mennas, presents an elaborate argument against that doctrine among others, and concludes it with a careful statement of the true faith.
Here, now was a call for an unambiguous word to denote eternal, as applied to life and punishment.
The emperor, writing in Greek, had his choice of words.
What word, then, from the full vocabulary of Greece, did he select?
Did he rely on the word aionios as, of itself, sufficient for his purpose?
Not at all.
As if aware that it could denote simply “pertaining to the world to come,” he prefixes to it a word properly denoting eternal, so that his language is this,
“The Holy Church of Christ teaches an endless aionian life to the righteous, and endless punishment to the wicked.”
Here the word used to denote endless in both cases is ateleutetos.
In the case of punishment he omits aionios entirely.
To denote the endless life of the righteous he uses the same unambiguous word ateleutetos, but prefixes it to aionios . . . .
It deserves . . . particular notice, that, in a deliberate and formal effort to characterize the punishment of the wicked as strictly eternal, he does not rely on or use the word aionios at all, but employs an entirely different word, ateleutetos.
This is but one example...
______________________
Are there other Greek words, used in Scripture, which suggest endless duration?
aperantos - used once in Scripture
1 Tim 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless [G562 - aperantos] genealogies, which minister questions, rather than Godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
[G562 - aperantos] unfinished, that is, (by implication) interminable: - endless.
Some argue that this is the strongest Greek term expressive of duration, and this word occurs only once and is in connection with "genealogies".
akatalutos - used once in Scripture
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless [G179 - akatalutos] life.
[G179 - akatalutos] indissoluble, that is, (figuratively) permanent: - endless.
Used only in Hebrews 7:16, translated as "endless" though it really means "indissoluble". This meaning is required by context to provide the necessary direct opposite of "carnal".
The point in question is of character rather than duration.
aidios - used twice in Scripture
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal [G126 - aidios] power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting [G126 - aidios] chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
[G126 - aidios] everduring (forward and backward, or forward only): - eternal, everlasting.
It's meaning is "perpetual". In Romans 1:20 we read of God's "everlasting Power and Divinity". It should go without saying that His Power and Divinity are interminable (endless); the Apostle, however, is not so much concerned with the inherent properties of those unseen things of God - he's more concerned with their seen, or visible expressions from the creation of the material universe.
With regards to Jude 1:6 - the context of the verse itself clearly expresses duration limits to aidios.
The chains will not last for an eternity... it tells us at the end of the verse that the chains only last until Judgment Day.
____________________________
Now, back to aion and aionion.
I can't give you every single use... we'd be here forever. Let's start with a few.
These should all read "age" or "eon". From the KJV:
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world [G165 - aion], and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world [G165 - aion]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world [G165 - aion], according to the will of God and our Father:
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world [G165 - aion], according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
In two instances Paul refers to a mystery once hid from "ages and generations" but now revealed to the saints.
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] hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages [G165 - aion] and from generations, BUT NOW is made manifest to his saints:
Since this secret is made known in the course of "this age", but was concealed from "ages", it follows that the present age was preceded by earlier ages... not eternal time periods.
We also read of ages to come. These are aions that haven't even begun yet... how can they be eternal in nature since their beginning hasn't even occurred yet?
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world [G165 - aion] to come eternal [G166 - aionios] life.
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [G165 - aion], but also in that which is to come:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages [G165 - aion] to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world [G165 - aion] to come,
"This age" and "that age" are mentioned side by side and contrasted by Jesus:
Luk 20:34-35 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world [G165 - aion] marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world [G165 - aion], and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Surrounding "this present evil age", on either side of it, there are other "ages".
Here is conclusive proof that an aion is a limited period; and that the totality of "all the aions" DO end is proven by the repeated mention of a "before" and a "beyond" the ages.
__________________________
The adjective aionion, a derivative of aion, carries within itself its own solution.
I've covered this briefly before but aionion is simply what belongs, or relates, to the aions - "of the ages", "age long", "age-lasting", or "age-abiding" - in the same manner that "hourly" belongs exclusively to "hours"... or, "heavenly" belongs exclusively to "heaven".
This makes it impossible for aionion to carry a duration greater than the aion it's pertaining to as an adjective.
Meaning, if these ages (aions) are limited periods, some of which are already past, while others are yet to come, the adjective aionion CANNOT refer to infinity (eternity)!
This in no way affects the true eternity of bliss for God's people because that promise in no way depends upon the meaning of the word aionion.
Luk 20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal [G166 - aionion] life [life pertaining to that age... yet to come!]:
Rom 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Cor 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.
2 Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Are you still following me?
Try explaining these two translations:
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Does that contradict Jesus?
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
It certainly contradicts if you believe in the English translation of the KJV!
Which is it? Does this world end, or not?
How do these passages look in a literal translation (Young's Literal Translation) of the original language?
YLT Eph 3:21 to Him is the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen.
YLT Mat 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is a full end of the age, and the reapers are messengers.
How about even more literal?
CLV Eph 3:21 to Him be the glory in the ecclesia and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of the eon of the eons! Amen!
CLV Mat 13:39 Now the enemy who sows them is the Adversary. Now the harvest is the conclusion of the eon. Now the reapers are messengers.
Guess what?
No more contradiction whatsoever.
_______________________
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...
No comments:
Post a Comment