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The Greek Septuagint uses the word aion in this verse:
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
That word forever (here from the KJV) is where you will find the word aion in the Greek Septuagint.
Here is a translation from the Greek Septuagint (Apostolic Bible):
"And now, lest at any time he might stretch out the hand, and should take from the tree of life, and should eat, and will live into the eon -"
The reason this is interesting is that the eon is mentioned in reference to being in the paradise of God.
Makes sense. In Matthew 25:46 And these shall go into eternal [aion] punishment, but the righteous shall go into eternal [aion] life. UR'ers can't have it both ways. If the damned go into temporary punishment, then the righteous, likewise, go into temporary bliss. If the righteous go into everlasting (forever-having no end) life, then the damned go into (forever-having no end) punishment. But you can't have one group (damned) going into temporary torment while the righteous go into without-ending life if the same word, aion is used for both the sheep and the goats. Of course, UT'ers can argue, "Well, from the context of other verses we can can see that Jesus was inferring that the damned would eventually be restored to eternal life just like the righteous, so both inherit everlasting life, one just a little later than the other." There are all sorts of rationalizations that can be invented for interpreting the verse any way you want.
Makes sense. In Matthew 25:46 And these shall go into eternal [aion] punishment, but the righteous shall go into eternal [aion] life. UR'ers can't have it both ways. If the damned go into temporary punishment, then the righteous, likewise, go into temporary bliss. If the righteous go into everlasting (forever-having no end) life, then the damned go into (forever-having no end) punishment. But you can't have one group (damned) going into temporary torment while the righteous go into without-ending life if the same word, aion is used for both the sheep and the goats. Of course, UT'ers can argue, "Well, from the context of other verses we can can see that Jesus was inferring that the damned would eventually be restored to eternal life just like the righteous, so both inherit everlasting life, one just a little later than the other." There are all sorts of rationalizations that can be invented for interpreting the verse any way you want.
That verse is using aionios - not aion. And in that case aionios is referring to a continuing point. Meaning that the punishment continues past this age and the life continues past this age. That is how the word can be used in both places. Besides "ETERNAL" means to have no beginning or no end. So if your sticking to aionos meaning "ETERNAL" then that means the punishment has ALWAYS BEEN, IS and ALWAYS WILL BE. Also, the word for punishment in that verse is Kolasis which is a punishment as a result of Kolazo which is a curtailing punishment - a punishment meant to curtail. So if the punishment never ends then that would mean that curtailment never happens.
Since grammar rules mandate an adjective CANNOT take on a greater force than its noun form, it is evident that "aionion" in any of its adjective forms (ios, ou, on) CANNOT possible mean "everlasting" or anything remotely indicating eternity or unending time.
Seems to me that would indicate both torment AND bliss will be of temporary duration.
KAI APELEUSONTAI OUTOI EIS KOLASIN AIÔNION, OI DE DIKAIOI EIS ZÔÊN AIÔNION
And these will go away into punishment eternal, but the just into life eternal.
Another thought:
Quote:
If we take Him to mean that our life in Him is eternal - everlasting, without end - then it seems most reasonable to understand Him to be teaching that the punishment of the unrighteous is also eternal - everlasting, without end.
Thus, Jesus tells us that the eternal hope of the righteous is in Him, just as eternal punishment awaits the unrighteous who are apart from Him. And since we know none are righteous (Rom 3:10), our only hope is in Christ - for our faith alone justifies us (declares us righteous) in God's sight (Rom 3:20 ff.).
Last edited by thrillobyte; 08-27-2009 at 12:04 PM..
Makes sense. In Matthew 25:46 And these shall go into eternal [aion] punishment, but the righteous shall go into eternal [aion] life. UR'ers can't have it both ways.
The fallacy here is in believing that a given word means either temporary or everlasting. Obviously aionion does not mean "temporary" since God is called aionion. Obviously aionion does not mean "everlasting" since Christ came to restore and rebuild aionion wastes of sin.
Seems to me that would indicate both torment AND bliss will be of temporary duration.
KAI APELEUSONTAI OUTOI EIS KOLASIN AIÔNION, OI DE DIKAIOI EIS ZÔÊN AIÔNION
And these will go away into punishment eternal, but the just into life eternal.
Another thought:
That would be applying an ENDPOINT to the meaning of aionios. As I said before AIONIOS doesn't specify and ENDPOINT but rather a CONTINUING Point. Meaning that something continues beyond the age.
I examined the use of the phrase eis ton aiôna in the LXX, see the link
Exodus 21:6, Psalm 73:12 (or maybe 72:12 according to chapter counting) and Micah 4:5 are especially interesting.
Quote:
In Matthew 25:46 And these shall go into eternal [aion] punishment, but the righteous shall go into eternal [aion] life. UR'ers can't have it both ways.
the German Professor Ströter has a good argument concerning this:
Makes sense. In Matthew 25:46 And these shall go into eternal [aion] punishment, but the righteous shall go into eternal [aion] life. UR'ers can't have it both ways. If the damned go into temporary punishment, then the righteous, likewise, go into temporary bliss. If the righteous go into everlasting (forever-having no end) life, then the damned go into (forever-having no end) punishment. But you can't have one group (damned) going into temporary torment while the righteous go into without-ending life if the same word, aion is used for both the sheep and the goats. Of course, UT'ers can argue, "Well, from the context of other verses we can can see that Jesus was inferring that the damned would eventually be restored to eternal life just like the righteous, so both inherit everlasting life, one just a little later than the other." There are all sorts of rationalizations that can be invented for interpreting the verse any way you want.
The above is sooooo easy to answer. But it takes God to take the blinders off.
The aionios chastening which the NATIONS get (not because they didn't believe in Jesus but because they withheld help from His brethren) is the same duration as the aionios life the NATIONS enjoy (not for believing in Jesus but for giving a cup of water to His brethren).
Both the chastening and the life the nations get is pertaining to the eon which is the 1000 year long eon. It is that simple.
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