HOW OLD IS YOUR GOD? AND HOW LONG IS ETERNAL LIFE?

HOW OLD IS YOUR GOD?

-AND‑

HOW LONG IS YOUR ETERNAL LIFE?

1 John 5:20—"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

 

1.                  The problem of time and eternity is not a new one. It is as old as the human race. It is old in the sense that it was important to our first parents, and it is new in the sense that it is perennially fresh as the morning sun. As long as transient beings are being born to live and yet are living to die, though in the midst of their dying they are longing to live, time and eternity will never cease to be important to them. Of those who have heard the message of the Gospel and have believed it in order to live for eternity, no special problem has ever confronted them as they read the Standard English Versions of the New Testament. Nearly all those problems were solved by the translators before the divine record ever reached the hands of the reader. So he reads the English translation with perfect confidence that the infallible words of the ever-existent God are in his hands. And indeed such words are in his hands insofar as the translation faithfully conveys to his mind the sense of the original. But for those who read the original many serious problems confront them, problems of translation that survive in spite of the knowledge, diligence and sincerity of the translators to eliminate them. One of these problems gathers about the original words aion and aionios of the New Testament.

2.                  The solution of this problem is not an easy one. At regular intervals someone who finds himself at cross-purposes with the general tenor of the Book, and at the same time discovering that he has a useful method of relieving his difficulties and reducing his doctrinal abhorrence’s to ashes by adducing so-called learning of the original language, plays upon this factor with such effectiveness that he introduces confusion into the minds of the simple readers of the English text. He thinks to solve the problem by mere reference to the original and very often by uniform renderings of the original into the English. He proceeds upon the theory that there are equivalents in one language for expressions in another, little realizing that the matter is not nearly as simple as all that. He does not realize that God brought a major judgment upon the human race at Babel, and as a result one of the greatest problems of communication today is the problem of translation. No mere show of education will solve the problem of aion and aionios such as that displayed by Mr. Knoch, who some years ago brought forth the Concordant Version of the Scriptures. Without doubt this version is a monumental example of the way the problem cannot be solved.

3.                  The actual solution must be sought by a combination of methods into what is generally called today "the historical approach." By analysis this consists of dealing with words from the standpoint of their origin, career, and usage. By origin is meant the derivation and etymology of a word. This takes one back to the very root of the word, notes the meanings of other roots combined with it, indicates the changes that take place as the various combinations are made. This is not always easy, due to lack of information. By career, is meant the history of the word and the change that takes place during the course of its history. While a word may start out with a basic meaning, because of the need in society for a multiplicity of words to express ideas, some words therefore change their meaning over a period of centuries. The tracing of this history is not only interesting, but it is also illuminating. Those that advocate the KJV only version are unaware of this change in the meaning of words from the English to the American usage. By usage is meant the particular way in which a word is used at the time the literature in question came into existence. This is always final and conclusive. No matter where a word may start, its usage is the final criterion of its meaning. In this paper we shall try to follow this procedure.

I. THE ORIGINAL WORDS OF THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT

1.    The Origin

The derivation and etymology of the words aion and aionios are not too clearly established. Aristotle declared that aion is derived from the root adverb aei with the participle on from the verb eimi, meaning "to be." Hence the word from etymological sense means "always being." Aristotle was a Greek and lived some centuries before the scholars of the present day, and his word may be more valuable. However, his judgment has been challenged and many think that this word is derived from the verb ao or aemi, meaning to breathe or blow, as for instance to denote probably that which causes life or vital force; hence the word means duration. But still another suggestion has been made, and this is to revert to the first explanation, namely, that the word is derived from the adverb aei, meaning always. It should be noted, however, that whether one takes one or another of these explanations, etymologically he arrives at the same conclusion. The word means continuation of state or duration. Inasmuch as aionios is simply an adjective made upon the same stem, it means that which possesses the quality of continuation of state or duration.

2.    The Career

The history and change in this word is not nearly so easy to chart. Among the Greek authors from Homer on down this word meant an age, a human lifetime, life itself, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity. This word is recognized as being comparable in meaning with the Hebrew word holam. In early Greek history, chronos, a synonym of aion, was the general designation for time, which could be divided up into portions, each in turn a chronos, while aion signified a lifetime or an age. In Attic prose and philosophical speech aion differed from chronos by denoting time unlimited and boundless, which is not conceived as divisible into aiones. Achronos, meaning independent of time above and beyond all time, is synonymous with aionios.

Aidios, which is a synonymous of aionios, covers the complete philosophic idea - without beginning and without end; also either without beginning or without end; and as respects the past, it is applied to what has existed time out of mind. The root of this word is precisely the same as the root of the word aion. From Plato on down, aionios gives prominence to the immeasurableness of eternity, and is accordingly adapted to super sensuous things.

3.                    The Usage

It has already been asserted that usage determines the meaning of a word. And this we affirm. In this paper we are especially concerned with its usage in the Scriptures. The first thing, then, is to note the various ways the word has been translated in the New Testament. Aion appears 124 times in the New Testament. In the Authorized Version it is rendered age 3; beginning of the world 2; world 2; course 1; world 32; eternal 2; world began 1. In phrases: forever 27; for evermore 2; ever 1; while the world standeth 1; forever and ever 1; forever and ever 20; for evermore 1; ever 1; never 7; world without end 1.

Aionios appears 68 times in the New Testament. In A. V. it is rendered eternal 42; everlasting 25; forever 1.

In the Septuagint aion appears 390; aionios 121.

II THE ORIGINAL WORDS ARE TEMPORAL IN MEANING

1.    In the first place, the etymology and usage of the word aion demand the primary sense of time. In this argument no attempt is made to prove how long or how short the time may be. It is simply to point out the fact that the primary sense of the word aion is temporal. Since the root of the word aion is aei, meaning ever, always, but always with the sense of unceasingly or perpetually, as of successive occurrences or on every occasion. This is clearly illustrated in every instance of its use in the New Testament (Mark 15:8; Acts 7:51; 2 Cor. 4:11; 6:10; Tit. 1:12; Heb. 3:10; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Pet. 1:12). Two of the eight instances will suffice to demonstrate the meaning of the word. Mark 15:8, "And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever (aei) done unto them." This was the multitude crying out for Pilate to release a prisoner to them in the place of Christ, just as he had done on every other occasion of the Passover in the past, while he was governor. Titus 1:12, "One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said. The Cretans are always (aei) liars, evil beasts, slow bellies." From these it is evident that the root and primary sense of aion is time in the sense of a succession of events.

2.    The general usage of the word aion in the New Testament can admit of no other primary sense than that of time.

(1) World began. Five times in the New Testament the phrase "world began" or "beginning of the world" appears (Luke 1:70; John 9:32; Acts 3:21; 15:18; Eph. 3:9). In each case it is a translation of the phrase ap' aionos ek ton aionos in the original. Now the phrase must be understood in the temporal sense or in the material sense. In every case the temporal sense has been given to it by the translators of the Authorized Version, though they used the word "world" which is ambiguous to an English reader, whether it means time or substance. But by substituting the word "thing" in the translation, it will become quite clear that any such meaning is absolutely preposterous. One passage alone will make this clear, although the same result would be achieved with every passage. Eph. 3:9, "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the thing (ap' aionos) hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." By putting the word "age" in the place of "world" the sense of the passage becomes quite understandable.

(2) Forever. In every case where the word aion appears in a phrase rendered into the English by the words "forever" or some such phrase, the sense of time must be understood, or the whole sentence becomes a jumble of words. All one need do is substitute the word thing or things in every one of the 63 instances of such use in the New Testament, and this becomes obvious. Let me cite three such instances: Mark 3:29, "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath" not into the thing (eis ton aiona) "forgiveness, but is in danger of thingly (aionos) "damnation." Luke 1:33, "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob" into the things (eis tous aionas). Gal. 1:5, "To whom be glory" into the things of the things (eis tous aionas ton aionon). For the sake of contrast, just substitute the word "age" or "ages" in any one or all of these places, and the passages make sense to a sane and sober mind.

(3) "End of the world." One other instance will suffice for this point, namely, the sense of the phrase "the end of the world." This particular phrase appears five times in the New Testament (Matt. 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20). And due to the English translation no little confusion has arisen in the minds of simple readers who attached to the word "world" the sense of things. Invariably it has been concluded that the world of things would be blotted out of existence. But this idea comes into definite conflict with other teaching in the Scripture. Annihilation is not taught in the Bible. But a rearrangement of things is taught. Yet in this phrase the word "end" gives one the sense of annihilation, if by the world "world" one understands things. However, the difficulty is alleviated immediately when one substitutes the word "age" for world. Then he reads the "end of the age," or better yet, "the consummation of the age." There is therefore no other alternative than that aion is temporal in meaning.

3. One other temporal aspect of the word needs to be mentioned here. In two passages of the New Testament, it is very obvious that the timely aspect of this word was larger than the sense we give to our word "time." In Heb. 11:3 we read, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." It is very obvious from the use of the word aionas in this passage that the writer did not have in mind the mere abstract idea of time such as we think of. This he makes clear by following up the word "worlds" with the word "things." There is of necessity a relationship between the two. And that relation seems to be of the container to the contained. To put it more clearly, the aionas are periods of time filled with a succession of events. And events are things in their relation to each other. Therefore the writer of Hebrews wrote at the very outset of his treatise, "God . . . Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1, 2). Since the Son was appointed the heir of all things, there must be a consummation. And if there is a consummation, then there is commencement and continuation of these things, namely, a container of these things, which is termed the ages. We pass, then, to the next thought.

III. THE TEMPORAL SENSE OF THE ORIGINAL IS A SERIES OF AGES

1. The New Testament writers used the word aion in the singular in the sense of a period of time. This is evident from the various expressions in which this word appears. The writers refer to "the age" (Matt. 13:22; Eph. 2:2), "this age" (Matt. 12:32; Mark 4:19; Luke 16:8; 20:34), "the new age" (1 Tim. 6:17; 2 Tim. 4:10; Tit. 2:12; Jude 25), "this present age" (Gal. 1:4). Other things that are predicated of the aion makes this even clearer. The age had a beginning (Luke 1:70; John 9:32; Acts 3:21; 15:18), and it has a course (Eph. 2:2), and also a consummation (Matt. 13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28: 20). There is a transition from this age to a "coming age" (Matt. 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Heb. 6:5), which new age is referred to as "that age" (Luke 20:35). Though the very obvious conclusion is that the word aion refers to a specific period of time, still the precise limitations of beginning, continuation, and end are not given. The exact length of time is not computed, except for the fact that it is long, immeasurable and unknown.

2.  Besides this, the New Testament writers refer clearly to two definite ages. The one is referred to as "the age" (Matt. 13:22; Eph. 2:2), "this age" (Matt. 12: 32; Mark 4: 19; Luke 16: 8; 20: 34; Rom. 12: 2; 1 Cor. 1:20; 1 Cor. 2:6, 8; 3:18; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 1:21; 6:12), "the now age" (1 Tim. 6:17; 2 Tim. 4:10; Tit. 2:12; Jude 25), and "this present age" (Gal. 1:4). The other age is referred to as "that age" (Luke 20:35) and "the coming age" (Matt. 1232; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Heb. 6:5). Such Scriptures as the following make this very clear: Matt. 12:32, "It shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come"; Eph. 1: 20, 21, ". . . and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above . . . every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." The dividing point between these two ages is the Advent of the Messiah. The disciples understood this, for they asked, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3). "The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do Iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:39-43).

3.  Moreover, it should be pointed out that the New Testament writers strongly imply, if they do not specifically state, that there is a series of ages, beyond the two just named. Thus they speak of the creation of the ages (Heb. 1:2; 11:3), the King of the ages (1 Tim. 1:17), the purpose of the ages (Eph. 3:11); the coming age (Eph. 2:7), the continuation of the ages (Gal. 1:5; Phil. 4:20; Rev. 15:7). The only conclusion is that history of the world is conceived as a development through a succession of ages. A series of such ages precedes the advent of the Messiah, which introduces a new series of ages. This second series of ages does not have any end. The first series is spoken of as having an end, in which end Christ died (Heb. 9:26), and in which Christians are living (1 Cor. 10:11). But no such mention is made of the second series. The state of men and angels is then fixed. The wicked are tormented into the ages of the ages (Rev. 20:10, 15; 21:8). The Christ reigns into the ages of the ages (Rev. 11:15), and the righteous reign with Him into the ages of the ages (Rev. 22:5).

IV. A DEFINITE CHRONOLOGY MAY BE CHARTED FROM THESE WORDS

1. There was a time antedating the ages. Paul speaks of "the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the (ages) unto our glory" (1 Cor. 2:7). Jude writes, "Now unto him . . . be glory and majesty, dominion" and authority, before all the age and now and into all the ages (Jude 24, 25). This is equivalent to the expressions "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4), "before the world was" (John 17:5), and "before all things" (Col. 1:17). This designates a time which is technically not time, but is before time, and is referred to under philosophical terms as eternity.

2.  There was a point of time when the ages were created. The King of the ages (1 Tim. 1:17), the Father of the ages (Isa. 9:6) framed them by His own creative power (Heb. 1:2; 11:3) by bringing into existence all things and thus starting the course of history. Not until this point did time exist in the Biblical sense, and apart from creation, time in the Biblical sense has no existence. In the original creation was every potentiality for the successive ages of existence.

3.  According to the New Testament writers there has been a continuation of the ages. Most often the writers will use the preposition "from" in connection with age or ages, thus denoting the point of time at which creation was brought into existence, and from which point history moves on its course. Thus Luke writes, "As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began" (Luke 1:70). "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" (Acts 15:18). And as Paul writes, "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints" (Col. 1:26).

4.  According to the New Testament, there is a present age which is even now running its course (Gal. 1:4). As has already been pointed out it is sometimes called "the age" (Matt. 13:22 ARV), "this age" (Matt. 12:32), "the now age" (1 Tim. 6:17), and "this present age" (Gal. 1:4). It is an age which reaches back into the distant past, perhaps back to the origin of sin, at least in the human race, and is now moving to a near and imminent consummation. It is called "evil" (Gal. 1:4). Satan is its God (2 Cor. 4:4). Principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places are arrayed against believers during this age (Eph. 6:12).

5.  But there is to be a consummation of this present evil age. This consummation is going to be precipitated by the coming of the Son of man (Matt. 24:3). It will be marked by harvest, with the angels performing the work of reapers (Matt. 13:39), gathering together the wicked who have been masquerading as righteous (Matt. 13:40-43). This will consist of a dividing of the sheep from the goats, a sifting of the living populace of the earth, and a purging out of the wicked so that the kingdom of the Messiah can be properly established (Matt. 13:49). Penal judgment will be meted out to the wicked and they will be placed in the depository for moral rubbish (Matt. 13:50), while the righteous will shine forth in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. 13:43).

6.  The Advent of the Messiah ushers in the coming ages (Matt. 13:39-43). Many will be ushered into this period by means of resurrection (Luke 20:34-35). For those who have been guilty of the unpardonable sin, there will continue to be no forgiveness (Matt. 12:32). In this coming period, age-long life will continue for the righteous (Luke 18:30; Mark 10:30), and they shall enter into full experience of the powers which characterize this age (Heb. 6:5). In fact, like Christ, who is even now crowned with glory and honor, the pledge of the same for men who are joined to Him, believers will be exalted above the angels and crowned with glory and honor and placed in control of the works of God's hands (Heb. 2:5-9).

7.  Best of all, the coming age or ages is without any time limitations. Never a word is uttered in Scripture about the consummation of the period ushered in by the advent of the Messiah. Not even the events at the close of the millennium destroy the continuity of this period. In the book of the Revelation every appearance of the word "age" seems to bear this out. It always appears there in the phrase "into the ages of the ages." After ascribing glory and dominion to Christ into the ages of the ages, at the outset of the book (Rev. 1:6), and after recording the words of the resurrected and glorified Christ, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive" into the ages of the ages (Rev. 1:18), every appearance of this phrase relates to events after the Advent of the Messiah.

The living creatures and the twenty-four elders give adoration to Him who lives into the ages of the ages (Rev. 4:9, 10). Every creature in the universe as well as the beasts and the elders ascribe honor to the Lamb into the ages of the ages, for He is one who lives into the ages of the ages (Rev. 5:13-14). This is repeated again at a later point (Rev. 7:12; 10:6). At the moment the Christ takes over power in heaven and assumes His divine prerogatives to rule and reign in the universe, it is asserted that He shall reign into the ages of the ages (Rev. 11:15). Because of the wrath of the Lamb (Rev. 15:7), the wicked shall suffer torment into the ages of the ages (Rev. 14:11; 19:3; 20:10), but the righteous shall rule and reign with Christ into the ages of the ages (Rev. 22:5).

V. THE CONNOTATION OF AION AND AIONIOS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

1.  In concluding the argument in respect to these words, let it be asserted again, that the connotation depends absolutely and finally upon its usage in its context. While etymologically the word aion does not mean an age without end, and in some of its uses it can only mean an age with beginning and end, it can be most emphatically asserted that it means duration. In the great majority of its uses—in fact 91 out of 124 appearances—the very clear reference is to an unlimited period of time. Only 33 appearances of the word signify limited time, and then the reference is to this age. When the word refers to God, Christ, the Word, His reign, His life, His glory, there is no question at all concerning the length of time. The aion is always the duration of the One to whom the word is attached. And in the case of the things just mentioned, there is no end. Any other solution of the problem would be a direct attack upon the only sober, and sane, and scientific method of solving the linguistic difficulties.

2.  The connotation of the adjective aionios must be drawn from the noun aion, following the same procedure as for the noun. Etymologically, it comes from the same root, and will therefore signify duration, the length of the duration dependent always upon the duration of the thing it modifies. Only the context and doctrinal consideration can settle this matter. It should never be affirmed, then, that aionios of itself means endless or everlasting. It rather means enduring through or pertaining to a period of time. But by usage the word may acquire the sense of endless and everlasting. A study of the passages in the New Testament leads to only one conclusion: that so far as the New Testament writers are concerned, they never used the term aionios in any other sense but everlasting.

3.  Since the usage of the word aionios in the New Testament is so interesting, it is only right that we should at least survey it in brief.

(1)   It is in point to call attention to a definite contrast, which in a sense, perhaps an absolute sense, marks out the meaning of this word. Paul is writing to the Corinthians, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:17-18). Specifically Paul declares that the things which are seen are for a time, a season, a limited period. But in contrast to that he declares that the things that are not seen are aionios, more than age-long, rather, as long as all the ages—eternal.

(2)   Even more definitely the New Testament writers speak of God and Christ. Rom. 16:26 reads, "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." No one can doubt in this instance that the age of God is without beginning and without end. Of the Son of God, John declares, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). Thus, God is everlasting; Christ is the true God. And He Himself is eternal life. ("For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and skew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John 1:2).

(3)   Because the Son of God is the true God and eternal life. He wrought out and provided everything pertaining to salvation. Before eternal times He purposed in Himself (2 Tim. 1:9) the grace He promised us then (Tit. 1:2), and kept it silent through the age long times until He was ready to reveal it (Rom. 16:25), Then in the fullness of time He became incarnate (Gal. 4:4) and wrought eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12). Thus in His own blood He effected the eternal covenant (Heb. 13:20), becoming the author of eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9). He sent this forth in the proclamation called the everlasting Gospel (Rev. 14:6), inviting men to an eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:15), with everlasting consolation (2 Thess. 2:16), in an everlasting kingdom (2 Pet. 1:11), in everlasting habitations (Luke 16:9) and enjoying a house eternal in the heavens (2 Cor. 5:1) with eternal glory (2 Cor. 4:17; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:10) in fellowship with the saved forever (Phile. 15).

(4)   All of this is possible because Christ ministers eternal life to believers through His own eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14). "And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:11-12). The Son is the true God and eternal life, a life that never began and will never end (1 John 5:20). So this life is God-life, never-ending life, the life one gets when he is born again. This is, indeed, eternal life in the most absolute sense that one can think of spiritual life. Since it is the very life of God ministered through the operation of the eternal Spirit, the moment one gets it he is lifted out of the stream of history marked by one age succeeding another into the unbeginning and unending age which belongs to God. Forty-two times out of the 68 appearances of aionios in the New Testament, this gracious, encouraging, positive declaration is made. Its meaning cannot be mistaken.

(5)   To those who have rejected Christ there will be meted out a punishment which begins but has no ending. Because of the eternal sin of unbelief (Mark 3:29), an eternal judgment will determine the degree of wickedness (Heb. 6:2), the purpose of which is to inflict everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46). The nature of this punishment is thrice declared to be everlasting fire (Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7). And we may be certain that the result will be just what the Scripture says, everlasting destruction (2 Thess. 1:9), a marring of the image, a ruination of the personality, an injuring of the very being of man. Spiritual death, the separation of the soul from God, will become permanent, and the second physical death, the separation of the body and soul, will be experienced, and this state will be eternally fixed.

(6) No vicious purpose should be ascribed to God for this definite discrimination between believers and unbelievers. The purpose is good. This is all looking forward to "the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen" (1 Tim. 6:14-16).

CONCLUSION

What is the conclusion? It is this. The translation of the Authorized Version brings out the meaning of the words aion and aionios so well that only in a few cases is there any danger that the reader will be led very far astray. The American Revised Version corrects this only in a few places. The New Revised Standard Version almost eliminates all the difficulties. We can rest assured of certain things. The triune God is without beginning or end. There is an eternal life which in itself had no beginning, although it has beginning in us, and it will never end. There is a punishment for the wicked that will begin but will never end. And both eternal life and eternal death will stretch out through the unceasing cycles of history ushered in by the coming of the Messiah in glory.

In view of the fact that some will be sure to have difficulty with this subject in spite of the foregoing explanation, I feel constrained to add a few more paragraphs.

1.    In the first place, it should be remembered that we are interpreting a Jewish book couched in the language of the Oriental and setting forth the thought-content of the Oriental. It is therefore absolutely imperative that we discover the meaning of the writer and his message. Exegesis is our task, and exegesis must be as far from us as the East is from the West. We dare not read into the Scriptures our individual and Occidental ideas in order that we may finally get back in return what we read into the Scripture.

2.    In the next place, it should be emphasized that Biblical terminology stands quite in contrast with philosophical terminology. And for the most part, we occidentals are given to thinking in terms of philosophical terminology. We speak of eternity past, and mean a time antedating creation. And we speak of eternity future, and mean rather indefinitely a time postdating creation. Perhaps for want of some better way to express ourselves we must go on using these expressions. But the facts remain that the Bible knows nothing about eternity past, a time antedating creation. Time and eternity belong to creation. Whatever that was before creation we do not know, and time does not describe it nor does the term eternity. Our human limitations make it impossible for us to think of what that was. Paul termed it a horizon (declared) (Rom. 1:4) because all we can see is up to a certain point and from there is mystery unless explained. It belongs to God and to Him alone. As for eternity future, a time postdating creation, there will be no such thing. Creation will not come to an end, so time and eternity will go on forever.

3. Finally, it should be brought to our attention that Biblical terminology is scientific and accurate, whereas any other method of chronology is not only unscientific and inaccurate but is something which does not adapt itself to human limitations of thinking. I mean that men do not and cannot think of duration apart from commencement, continuation, and consummation. And the Bible was written for men. And the facts are that time is therefore associated with things. It had a beginning, when things were created; it is having its continuation as things move in relation to each other; and it will have a consummation as divine purpose is realized and endures. There is therefore no other way to think of time except as a succession of ages, divine purpose being realized in each and merging into the next until final purpose is realized and endures through successive and unending ages.

Since the Bible carefully defines by context and content the meaning and usage of its words, we may rest assured that our God who is without beginning and without end, and who manifested Himself in the person of Christ, imparts to every believer a life that is without beginning and without end, having beginning in us but no end. For Christ is the true God and eternal life. Those who reject the Son of God are guilty of an eternal sin (Mark 3:29) and must therefore suffer unending punishment (John 3:36).