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Eystein
Feb 23, 07 - 9:48 AM |
Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
I have started studying New Testament Greek at my faculty and I have been reminded of a few facts concerning the language. The Greek of the New Testament is unique and is a different study than classical Greek. This is because it was not written by Greeks, but by Hebrews using the Greek language which was the world language at the time and is highly influenced by Hebrew usage and idiom. Understanding the language of the New Testament requires knowledge of the Septuagint and other contemporary Greek/Hebrew writers (like Josephus and Philo) and not as much knowledge of Homer, Plato or Aristotle. I'm going somewhere with this, please have patience. There has been much debate about the meaning of aion/aionios, whether they signify age(during) or ever(lasting), if they are the same word in different forms (noun/adjective) or whether the adjective carry more weight than the noun. The Greek poets understood by aion to be the life of men, or the world of time. Philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato understood them to (also) mean the life of the god/s or the timeless realms. In the Septuagint they are both simply used to translate one Hebrew word with flexible meaning: olam. In my opinion, this word is in fact the key to the whole enigma. It's derived from alam, meaning hidden, and it came to have the meaning of duration without any visible ends past or future. Thus “from olam” would usually mean from times immemorial (Gen 6,4). “For olam” would mean indefinitely. When used as a regular noun it could signify any longer or shorter period of time (an age) in the plural a succession of such ages (Ecc 1:10; Ps 145:13). With the article it could be used to signify the entire ocean of time (the world or the history of the world. Ecc 3:11?) or immeasurable time (immeasurable because timeless- eternity. It may be used in this way in Ecclesiastes 3:11). In this sense it could also be used to describe immeasurable duration that literally will last forever (Psalm 106:1) but it is not at all bound by this meaning. Hebrew is a very clean and simple language and does not have many technical terms, unlike Greek and Latin. They used poetry and figures from everyday life to describe the holy and divine and thus they would use the term olam poetically to describe the immeasurable quality of the life and “time” of God (Deut 33:27; Is 40:28), or of God as being ever present in and throughout the ocean of time as the omnitemporal. The phrase “from the olam and to the olam” as in Psalm 90:2 “From Olam and to olam Thou art God” would mean the entire course of time (and beyond). From the beginning to the end God changes not. In later Judaism the concept of the “age to come” (olam’haba) in which the Messiah would rule, restore Israel and bring righteousness to the earth became more universally understood and thus the age or he’olam would also come to signify the messianic age. In the Old Testament olam’haba does not occur, but he’olam might be used in this sense in Psalm 133:3 and 1 Chronicles 17:14 that seem to speak of the messianic age. An important question is then whether the age to come is to be understood as the millennium or all the successive ages from the return of Christ and into eternity. The term “the olam of the olams” which only occurs in Daniel 7:18 could also be used of the messianic age, or perhaps the age of the new heaven and the new earth. In the New Testament most if not all of the meanings of olam is carried on in the words aion and aionios Aion is used of any longer or shorter age of unknown duration or nature, usually of immeasurably great duration. Rotherham defines it as “duration indefinitely extended.” (Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible p. 268) Eis ton aiona (for the age) as in Hebrew means for an indefinite (long) period of time or for a specified age. Ap’ aionos (from the age) means from ancient times. Aionios likewise refers to that which belongs to an age or ages, but in the New Testament it seems to almost always refer to the age/ages to come. This assumption is further strengthened by the different endings of the two most widely recognized creeds: The Apostles Creed ends with “Pisteuo… zoen aionios (I believe in… life eonian) and the Nicene Creed ends with “Pisteuo… zoen tou mellontos aionos” (I believe in… life of the eon to come) which suggest they were regarded as synonym expressions. Thus the famous proof text of Matthew 25, 46 simply refers to a correction of the age to come, not necessarily punishment lasting throughout it. Aionios is here possibly qualitative and not quantitative. Off course, the age in this context could be either the millennial age or a judgment age, and a quantitative understanding of aionios would still not undermine a Universalist interpretation of this text. The eonian life is life during the millennium. The eonian correction is chastening in the outer darkness during the millennium. When it is used of God (Rom 16, 26) it seems from the context that it refers to God as present throughout the course of time rather than his timelessness. In Romans the subject is the God who is at work in history. Paul who wrote to Greek gentiles and not Hebrews might have used the more philosophical meaning of timeless in 2 Cor 4, 18 and 5, 1. Yet a possible interpretive translation of 4, 18 can also be: “We do not consider the things we can see, for those are passing away quickly. We rather consider the things we cannot see, for those are of the age (to come).” Even the gentile Christians must have been familiar with the hope of the age to come in which the things hoped for but not seen (Heb 11, 1) would be given. A name of the one God in Greek Philosophy was in fact the Aion, derived from aei and on, the Ever-Being. Aionios had in Greek philosophy therefore also the meaning of Divine, or that which comes from God. Since this usage is never apparent in the Septuagint I have not given it much consideration, but since the usage does exit it deserves to be mentioned. The meaning of “eis tous aionas ton aionon” (for the ages of the ages), used to describe the torment of the lake of fire in Rev 20, 10, but also the duration of the life and glory of God, is still uncertain since it’s a purely Biblical phrase. If we understand the ages as having a beginning and an end it could be used of the final ages after which the purpose of the ages is completed. Gregory MacDonald suggests that it is an expression for a very long duration, but do not proclaim this with any certainty (The Evangelical Universalist p. 128). George MacDonald might offer a Universalist interpretation of Rev 20, 10 without imposing a limited understanding of “eis tous aionas ton aionon.” He writes: “The wrath will consume what they call themselves; so that the selves God made shall appear." (Unspoken Sermons 1, p. 44) Whatever men call themselves or have made themselves, be it devil or beast, murderer or idolator will be forever consumed in the lake of fire, but the selves God made in His very image will be made new. There is no contradiction between Rev 21, 5 and 8. My short conclusion from this research is that no matter how we look at the meaning of aion/aionios or olam, either from a Greek or Hebrew perspective neither can still be used to prove endless punishment. |
Mike Burke
 Feb 24th, 2007 - 6:17 AM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
[Quote] There has been much debate about the meaning of aion/aionios...In the Septuagint they are both simply used to translate one Hebrew word with flexible meaning: olam. In my opinion, this word is in fact the key to the whole enigma. It's derived from alam, meaning hidden, and it came to have the meaning of duration without any visible ends past or future. [unquote] Thank you Eystein, I too believe this is the key here. Many have tried to set dates, but the end of this age remains hidden. The beginning and end of the millennial age remain hidden. The sum of our years on earth remain hidden to us, and eternity (being beyond our comprehension) is surely hidden from us. I believe olam, aion, and aionios all contain the idea of hidden, obscure, or incomprehensible, and I thank you for your comments here. |
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Andrew
Feb 25th, 2007 - 12:14 PM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
Thanks very much for that explanation, Eystein. It was very helpful! |
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Darroll
Feb 25th, 2007 - 2:48 PM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
Many are correct in pointing out that aion is the Greek translation of the Hebrew olam. However, it would not be practical to use the Septuagint as a base text for the study of the New Testament. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. While the Greek version of the OT many add some to the knowledge of the Hebrew OT. It is my opinion that the Septuagint does not add much to the understanding of New Testament in this matter. Olam simply means an unknown length of time. Aion refers to an age, regardless of its length. Michael has covered this very well. |
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Mike Burke
Feb 25th, 2007 - 4:38 PM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
[Quote] Many are correct in pointing out that aion is the Greek translation of the Hebrew olam. However, it would not be practical to use the Septuagint as a base text for the study of the New Testament. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. [unquote] That's true (and I would be cautious about lending too much weight to the Septuagint text of the Old Testament), but I think what Eystein is saying is that by the time the New Testament was written, aionios and aionian had aquired certain conotations from their usage in the Septuagent, and I think he's right. [Quote] Olam simply means an unknown length of time. Aion refers to an age, regardless of its length. [unquote] True again, but there are times when the adjectival form of aion seems to rise above age-lasting, such as in Heb. 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the aionian Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! [Quote] Michael has covered this very well. [unquote] I've tried, and I thank you for your kind words. I also thank both you and Eystein for contributing to this discussion. God Bless. |
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Darroll
Feb 25th, 2007 - 6:23 PM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
Your reply to my response was very good. |
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pam
Aug 19th, 2008 - 9:55 AM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
Thank you for this post, Eynstein it is very interesting. While reading it I was also struck by the comparison to other words used to denote periods of time in the Bible such as day and week. Though they denote a period of time the length of that period is variable and many prophetic events are shrouded in these variable periods of time. Somehow, I think this relates to the eternal aspect of God and His not being subject to time. It is as if He sets a period of when this will be accomplished and the period will last as long as it takes to be accomplished. God does not work according to a clock abd there is no passing of time with Him, all simply is. I believe that ages, weeks, days are given to us to enable us to form a context of understanding and the ability to see God's work in the world from our viewpoint which is subject to time. However, all of God's work is eternal as He is eternal and can't be wholey defined within our context of understanding. In short, who can know the mind of God? His ways are higher than our ways and are past our finding out! What a wonderful God Who, though far exceeding in greatness above those He has created, seeks so dilligently to communicate with them and give them a glance into the wonderful work He is doing in redeeming His Creation from sin and death. |
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Mike Burke
Aug 24th, 2008 - 10:50 AM |
Re: Understanding Biblical Greek - On the meaning of aion
Interesting thoughts Pam. Thank you (and G-d Bless.) |
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