Just how long is ‘eternal’? A study on the meanings of Αιων and Αιωνιος (part 4 of 5)

Part 3: https://universalistheretic.blogspot.com/2022/07/just-how-long-is-eternal-study-on.html

     As we saw earlier in this study, the Greek words αιων and αιωνιος are used in the Old Testament (LXX) to describe periods of indeterminate — but never infinite — length. This usage is retained in the New Testament, although with a more specialized usage of these words, to describe eschatological periods with a determined beginning and end, becomes dominant in the NT. It is extremely inconsistent to assume, as non-universalists do, that αιωνιος must refer to a period without end when applied to the punishment of unbelievers, but elsewhere refers to periods as short as seventy years (Jer. 25:9) or even three days (Jon. 2:6) and is rarely, if ever, used to describe periods of infinite duration!

    In this final part of our study on αιων and αιωνιος, we will substantiate the claim that these words indicate a non-infinite duration when applied to the punishment of unbelievers, by taking a look at specific phrases and passages in the New Testament which are thought to prove the everlasting nature of punishment.

    The translational inaccuracies of “for ever” and “for ever and ever”

One of the terms thought to indicate eternity, or everlasting duration, in scripture is “εις τον αιωνα” — literally, “for the age.” Most Bible versions translate this term as “for ever,” this making it appear to describe an infinite duration of time. However, this is very inaccurate in light of what we have already seen; in the LXX, εις τον αιωνα is used to translate olam in dozens of places where neither of these terms can refer to an everlasting period (such as the reign of a king, or the servitude of bondmen). Furthermore, Exodus 15:18 (LXX) states that God shall reign “τον αιωνα και επ’ αιωνα και ετι,” translated literally as “for age upon age and further”! If there is a “further” beyond εις τον αιωνα, it should be evident that this term cannot, in itself, be describing an everlasting period.

    This term is used the same way, to describe an indefinitely long duration, in extrabiblical and deuterocanonical literature as well. For example, 1 Maccabees 14:41 states that the Jewish people resolved that Simon should be their leader and high priest “εις τον αιωνα”; that is, “until another trustworthy prophet should arise.” Clearly, this cannot refer to an everlasting timespan, because the period being described as εις τον αιωνα is immediately said to have an end (cf. Isa. 32:14-15).

    Even in the New Testament, there are many other instances where the term εις τον αιωνα is used to describe a period that has an end. The epistle to the Hebrews repeatedly states that Jesus has become a heavenly high priest εις τον αιωνα (5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21, 24, 28), which is translated in most Bible versions as “for ever.” However, the work of a high priest is to deal with sin (Heb. 2:14; 5:1), and so Jesus will only remain a high priest as long as there is still sin. Does this mean that sin will remain forever, and God will never truly defeat sin and death? No, because Jesus will only remain a high priest “for the age” — that is, until the end of the Messianic Age, after which sin and death are defeated (1 Cor. 15:24-28).

    Furthermore, to translate εις τον αιωνα as “for ever” is entirely inconsistent with how similar terms are used elsewhere in the New Testament. The plural version of this term, εις τους αιωνας (lit. “for the ages”) appears nine times in the NT: Matt. 6:13; Lk. 1:33; Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27; 2 Cor. 11:31; Heb. 13:8; and Jude 25. If εις τον αιωνα means “for ever,” then εις τους αιωνας must mean “for evers,” a clearly meaningless expression (there cannot be more than one consecutive everlasting period). But if, instead, the NT usage of εις τον αιωνα refers to a period spanning a single eschatological age, then εις τους αιωνας refers to a period spanning multiple ages. Yet even these ages shall have an end eventually, for Jesus will reign “for the ages [εις τους αιωνας]” (Lk. 1:33), and both His reign and the ages which it spans are said to eventually end (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Heb. 9:26).

    Another term thought to describe an everlasting duration is εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων (lit. “for the ages of the ages”), which is typically translated as “for ever and ever.” If this translation is taken literally, we again run into the same problem that we saw with εις τους αιωνας, which is that there cannot be more than one consecutive everlasting period. The word “and” is not even present in the original Greek, which shows the imprecision of the translation “for ever and ever”; if translated consistently, it should be “for evers of evers,” which is another meaningless expression.

    Instead, we should look to other instances in the Bible where the construct “thing(s) of thing(s)” is used. For example, we read about the “holy of holies” (Exod. 26:33; Heb. 9:3), the “holies of holies” (Heb. 9:25 some mss.), the “song of songs” (Song 1:1), the “King of kings” and the “Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16). In each of these cases, “thing(s) of thing(s)” acts as an intensifier, not referring to an infinite number of ‘things’ (as “the ages of the ages” is usually interpreted) but instead to the most preeminent of all ‘things’. Thus, the phrase “the ages of the ages” refers to the most preeminent of all ages, the two future ages during which Jesus will be reigning over the kingdom of God, and believers together with Him.

    This interpretation of “the ages of the ages” is supported by its usage throughout the NT. This term is used interchangeably to describe things which are elsewhere said to exist for “the [coming] ages,” like the reign of Christ over the kingdom of God (2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 1:8; 13:21; 1 Pet. 4:11; Rev. 1:6; 5:13; 11:15 cf. Lk. 1:33) and the reign of the saints and believers with Him (Rev. 22:5 cf. Eph. 2:6-7). And according to Paul’s prophecy in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, the reign of Christ and believers over the kingdom of God will eventually end, when all rule, power, and authority is abolished and Christ voluntarily subjects Himself to the Father. Therefore, the phrase “for the ages of the ages” seems to be another designation for the oncoming ages, which will eventually have an end; the translation “for ever and ever” is very imprecise and inaccurate.

    The Αιωνιος God

One argument for the position that the terms αιωνιος (“pertaining to/of the ages”), εις τους αιωνας (“for the ages”), and εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων (“for the ages of the ages”) do refer to everlasting periods is the fact that these expressions are applied to God Himself throughout the New Testament. God Himself is described as αιωνιος (Rom. 16:26; 1 Tim. 1:17), as is His spirit (Heb. 9:14) and His honor and might (1 Tim. 6:16). Likewise, the doxologies throughout the NT often describe God’s glory and blessing as “for the ages” (Matt. 6:13; Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27; 2 Cor. 11:31) or “for the ages of the ages” (Gal. 1:5; Php. 4:20; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Pet. 5:11).

    Do these passages prove that these terms must always describe an everlasting or eternal period? No. At the most, they prove that these terms describe an everlasting or eternal period when applied to God, but this does not contradict the many instances in which these terms do not describe an everlasting period, as discussed earlier in this study. However, I believe that it can be shown — as with olam — that these terms, even when applied to God, are not referencing His eternal nature but instead His nature as it pertains to the ages. See the following texts:

The Lord reigns for age upon age and further [τον αιωνα και επ’ αιωνα και ετι]. (Exod. 15:18 LXX)

I adjure you by the great God, the αιωνιον and more than αιωνιον, and Almighty, and the [One] exalted above the exalted gods. [1]

Very similar to what we saw with the characterization of God as olam in the Hebrew Bible, these two texts show that ancient Jewish and Christian writers did not consider the terms εις τον αιωνα and αιωνιος to fully encompass the period of God’s existence (and so did not consider these terms as referring to periods without beginning and/or end). Thus, although God is αιωνιος — He created the ages and works through them — He is by no means confined to the ages; He is both αιωνιος and more than αιωνιος.

    Interestingly, in the one instance in the NT where God is described as αιωνιος, the focus is on His works in the past and future ages:

Now to Him who is able to establish you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to a revelation of a mystery, which has been kept silent in times of ages, but now manifested, and through the prophetic scriptures, according to a command of the Αιωνιου God, for obedience of faith which was made known to all the Gentiles — to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, is the glory for the ages. Amen. (Rom. 16:25-27)

Paul writes that God has kept hidden the mystery of the gospel in the times of ages (χρονοις αιωνιοις, referring to the past age[s] and current age), and that He will receive the glory throughout the future ages. It is in the middle of this doxology that Paul establishes God as “the Αιωνιος God,” a title which refers to God’s work throughout all past and future ages. And yet, just because God is αιωνιος does not mean that He is confined to the ages, any more than His being “the Lord of all the earth” (Josh 3:11, 13) contradicts the fact that He is not contained by even the highest heavens (2 Chron. 2:6). This is because He is not only αιωνιος, but even more than αιωνιος (as the inscription quoted above establishes).

Part 5: https://universalistheretic.blogspot.com/2022/07/just-how-long-is-eternal-study-on_01453834532.html

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[1] Taken from a third-century inscription found at Adrematum in ancient Byzacium. See Deissmann, Adolf. Bible Studies: Contributions Chiefly from Papyri and Inscriptions to the History of the Language, the Literature, and the Religion of Hellenistic Judaism and Primitive Christianity, p. 275. T & T Clark, 1903.