Is The Gospel Age-During or Eternal?

[robbyyoung]

Hello All,

Here's my question: Is Revelation 14:6 depicting a "Age-during, or Eternal Gospel?

YLT: And I saw another messenger flying in mid-heaven, having good news age-during to proclaim to those dwelling upon the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people,

NASB: And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who [fn]live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;

From the greek, this is what I've discerned thus far:

In the Greek language, the transliterated noun aiōn is equivalent to the Anglicized word eon or its equivalent age, meaning an indefinite period of time. The adjective form of aiōn is aiōnion; its Anglicized equivalent is eonian or its equivalent age-lasting or age-during, meaning it qualifies something as existing in time or that lasts for a period of time.

Just consider some of the words that are translated from aiōn and aiōnion: eternal, everlasting, forever, world, and age. Do you notice something odd about this list? They have different meanings. An age refers to an indefinite period of time but with an end in view. Eternal refers to endlessness or that which is outside of time and has no end. World refers to an orderly arrangement or system.

Any of you notable Greek students have an answer to the question?

God Bless.

[backwoodsman]

Any of you notable Greek students have an answer to the question?

You might want to read the article by Heleen Keizer that comes up from time to time in the hell discussions:
http://www.theos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=53316#p53316

Regarding your question, it's not immediately obvious (to me, at least) why it matters, i.e. what difference it would make in anything about the gospel or our future. If you'd care to explain that, I might be able to answer your question.

[dizerner]

[user account removed]

[Paidion]

Here's my question: Is Revelation 14:6 depicting a "Age-during, or Eternal Gospel?

I think this is a false dichotomy. "Age-during" implies a limited time. "Eternal", in one of its usages, implies an endless time. But the Greek word "αιωνιος" doesn't have time as a factor at all. The word simply means "lasting". The word "lasting" can apply to things that have a temporal existence and also to things which have an everlasting existence. Josephus applied the word to Jonathan's prison sentence which is said to have lasted three years. The word is also applied to God who is everlasting.

So the passage in Revelation speaks of a lasting gospel. As I see it, whether that gospel is temporary or everlasting is not clear from the context.

[robbyyoung]

Regarding your question, it's not immediately obvious (to me, at least) why it matters, i.e. what difference it would make in anything about the gospel or our future. If you'd care to explain that, I might be able to answer your question.

Hi Backwoodsman,

In my OP I said, "Just consider some of the words that are translated from aiōn and aiōnion: eternal, everlasting, forever, world, and age. Do you notice something odd about this list? They have different meanings. An age refers to an indefinite period of time but with an end in view. Eternal refers to endlessness or that which is outside of time and has no end. World refers to an orderly arrangement or system."

There are many ages still in our future: Hebrews 1:1-2, Eph 2:7

If this Gospel is Age-During and not Eternal, is has a consummated end. The Greek seems to denote Rev 14:6 as Age-During, Not Eternal. We know the "age to come" was the New Covenant back in 70AD at the fall of the Old. It's as if Rev 14:6 denotes the transition period 30AD to 70 AD as the Age-During gospel and afterwards, post 70AD we began another age, one of many to come - Eph 2:7.

I'm just thinking out loud here.

God Bless.

[robbyyoung]

Here's my question: Is Revelation 14:6 depicting a "Age-during, or Eternal Gospel?

I think this is a false dichotomy. "Age-during" implies a limited time. "Eternal", in one of its usages, implies an endless time. But the Greek word "αιωνιος" doesn't have time as a factor at all. The word simply means "lasting". The word "lasting" can apply to things that have a temporal existence and also to things which have an everlasting existence. Josephus applied the word to Jonathan's prison sentence which is said to have lasted three years. The word is also applied to God who is everlasting.

So the passage in Revelation speaks of a lasting gospel. As I see it, whether that gospel is temporary or everlasting is not clear from the context.

Hi Paidion,

Thanks. The translators of the YLT and others give different meanings. It can't be suggested as "Everlasting and Temporal"? I'm not creating the dichotomy, I'm pointing out the clear difference in the current translations.

God Bless.

[Paidion]

I'm not creating the dichotomy, I'm pointing out the clear difference in the current translations.

I meant that the translation is not limited to either "eternal" or "age-enduring", but you probably understood that.

My position is that the translation "lasting" adequately covers every use of the word both within the New Testament, and in other Greek literature of the same period. The noun from which the word is derived definitely means "age". And even the word "world" can mean "age". For example, when we speak of "the ancient world", we mean a particular period of history.

I think the poorest, and least accurate translation of the Greek adjective "aiōnios" is "eternal" or "everlasting".

[robbyyoung]

I think the poorest, and least accurate translation of the Greek adjective "aiōnios" is "eternal" or "everlasting".

Yes, it sure seems to be. I haven't done an exhaustive study on "Olam" but it's meaning is likewise least to refer to eternal or everlasting.

God Bless.

[TheEditor]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when I was a JW this whole "aionian" thing was a big deal. They were clear to change their nomenclature from "new world" to "new system of things": as the word also seemed to indicate "quality" or "spirit" particularly of an age. Therefore, "aionian life" was a reference to "quality" as opposed to "duration" although the two could exist together.

Regards, Brenden.

[robbyyoung]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when I was a JW this whole "aionian" thing was a big deal. They were clear to change their nomenclature from "new world" to "new system of things": as the word also seemed to indicate "quality" or "spirit" particularly of an age. Therefore, "aionian life" was a reference to "quality" as opposed to "duration" although the two could exist together.

Regards, Brenden.

Hi Brenden,

Aion corresponds with the Old Testament (Hebrew) word OLAM. Briefly, Olam is a Hebrew word which means "a distant time".

The word AION however is thought to mean mearly "age". Historically, the New Testament translators, I suppose feels, or felt aionian meant "eternal" or "everlasting" while other modern Christian sects or Bible translators feel the word does not, and cannot mean "eternal" for there is, no sense of eternal in either aion or the Hebrew word OLAM. Therefore, it is felt "aionian", the adjective "cannot go beyond" the word aion from which it was derived.

Quality or Spirit has nothing to do with the Hebrew root word Olam, therefore the Greek equivalent Aion translates the same. These are my rudimentary findings and hopefully others can spread more light on the subject.

God Bless.