The Minister's Corner No. 46

The Minister's Corner

By The late Prof. Wick Broomall, A.M., Th. M.

No. 46 — "AIONIOS" ("Eternal")

A. Introductory

I. Word and Usage. The Greek adjective "aionios" will be the basis of our present study. This word occurs 70 times in the Greek New Testament. Of these, 13 are in the Synoptics, 17 in John's Gospel (always as "eternal life"), twice in Acts, 27 times in Paul's writing, and 11 times in the other writings of the New Testament. Our study will include all these references at least once.

II. Translation. "Aionios" seems to be quite uniformly translated in the modern versions as "everlasting" or "eternal."

III. Meaning. "Aionios" is defined by Thayer as "without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be...without end...never to cease, everlasting."
B. Classification

I. "Aionios" with reference to the Trinity. "Aionios" is applied as a modifier to two Persons of the Trinity.

a. "Aionios" God (Theos") — Romans 16:26. Here the word is used in its most absolute sense: God is eternal — He has no beginning and no end.

b. "Aionios" Spirit ("Pneuma") — Hebrews 9:14. Christ "through the eternal Spirit offered Himself to God" (Weymouth). The Holy Spirit here is called "eternal" because He shares the same attributes as God. The efficacy of Christ's sacrifice is made eternally effective by the eternal Spirit.

II. "Aionios" with reference to Soteriology (Salvation). Here we find "aionios" applied as a modifier to a number of theological words.

a. "Aionios" Covenant ("diatheke") — Hebrews 13.20. Christ was brought again from the dead through the blood of the eternal covenant. The covenant is called "eternal" here:

1. To contrast the "new covenant" with the "old" The "old covenant" had a beginning (at Sinai) and an end (at Calvary.)

2. To show that the "new covenant" is eternally valid — no other covenant will ever take its place; it began in eternity past and continues in eternity to come.

b. "Aionios" Redemption ("lutrosis") — Hebrews 9:12. The Greek word for redemption is found elsewhere only in Luke 1:68; 2:38; compare Study No. 21 ("Redemption"). This redemption is "eternal" in that it was planned in the eternal counsel of the Godhead before time began. Christ was slain for our sins before the world began in God's eternal decree. The effects of this redemption (that is, our release from captivity to sin and Satan) continue in the ages to come.

c. "Aionios" Salvation ("soteria") — Hebrews 5:9. When perfected Christ "became the Author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him" (Verkuyl). Our salvation is not just for time; it extends into eternity. Those saved in time are saved eternally. The verb "to save" is used in the New Testament in the past, present and future tenses — these are temporal aspects of our present salvation; but in eternity there is only one tense — the everlasting Now!

d. "Aionios" Gosepl ("euaggelion") — Revelation 14:6. There is seen an angel "flying in mid-heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim unto them that dwell on the earth" (ASV). Dispensationalists have made a peculiar distinction as to what the "eternal gospel" here is (cf. Scofield's note on this verse.) We can say that the gospel is "eternal"

in the same sense as "covenant","redemption,"and "salvation" are "eternal." The "eternal" gospel" has nothing to do with the false idea that the gospel will still be preached t unrepentant sinners in hell. Such an idea is foreign to the Bible. It should be note that in the Greek of Revelation 14:6 the word "gospel" does not have the article ("the everlasting gospel" in AV is too definite.) The absense of the article calls attention to the thing in itself ('a gospel which is (essentially) eternal').

e. "Aionios" Consolation ("paraklessis") — II Thessalonians 2:16. God, "has loved us and has graciously given us eternal comfort and well-founded hope" (Verkuyl). This is the "consolation flowing from inexhaustible fountains, equal to all the exegiencies of life and death, and losing itself at last in the fulness of joy" (Lillie).

f. "Aionios" Life ("zoe"). This expression is found 44 times in the New Testament. Of these 23 are in John's writings. In fact, "aionios" is not used otherwise in John's writings except to modify "life" ("zoe"). This subject, since it is one of the most important in New Testament theology, calls for careful investigation. Our treatment will consider the following:

1. "Aionios" Life Defined. This life '"• defined in two ways:

(a) Negatively. It does not "abide" ("meno") in the person who hates his brother (I John 3:15). Also, as a further negative definition, it is contrasted with the "soul-life" ("psuche") of the present world: "He that loveth his life ("psuche") loseth it; and he that hateth his life ("psuche") in this world shall keep it unto life ('zoe') eternal" (John 12:25).

(b) Positively. Here are some important definitions:

(1) Eternal life is the true God (I John 5:20). In this verse the syntax and context make "this" refer to Jesus Christ. "This is the true God and eternal life." Jesus Christ Himself is the best definition of eternal life. The same thing is stated in I John 1:2 — "and the life was manifested...the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (ASV).

(2) God's commandment is eternal life (John 12:50). As the disobedience to one of God's commandments brought death into the world (cf. Romans 5:12), so "eternal life" is characterized as obedience to God's commandment. Disobedience and death are spiritual twins just as obedience and life are.

(3) To know the only true God and to know His Son is life eternal. This is the classic definition given by Christ in John 17:3. The word used here for "know" ("ginosko") refers to personal, intimate knowledge (compare this word as used in Luke 1:34; Matthew 1:25; 13:11, etc.). One must have a living, vital, experimental knowledge of God and of His Son in order to have life eternal.

2. The Trinity and "Aionios" Life. Each person of the Trinity is related in some way to this "aionios" life.

(a) God (he Father. (1) God gives eternal life; it is His gift (Romans 6:23). (2) God promised eternal life from eternity (Titus 1:2; 1 John 2:25). (3) God's commandment is life eternal (John 12:50). (4) To know the only true God is life eternal (John 17:3;

cf. 5:24).

(b) God the Son. (1) Christ is the eternal life (I John 1:2; 5:20). It should be noted that in I John 1:2 and 2:25 the Greek reads: 'the life the eternal' (nowhere else is the article used before both "life" and "eternal"). See G.G. Findlay, Fellowship in the Life Eternal, on these verses. (2) Christ has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). Peter exclaimed: "words of eternal life Thou dost have" (this is the emphatic order of words in the Greek). (3) Christ gives eternal life. This is the constant affirmation of a number

of passages (John 4:14; 6:27; 10:28; 17:3). John 10:28 stands out as one of the great promises; read it, ponder over it; believe it! (4) To know Christ is to have eternal life (John 17:3). As stated above, the word "know" here ("ginosko") points to intimate, personal knowledge — not the bare objective knowledge of a fact of history. (5) To believe on Christ is to have eternal life. This is the constant refrain of Scripture (John 3:15, 16, 36; 6:40, 47; I Timothy 1:16). This is also expressed figuratively by eating the body of Christ (John 6:64).

(c) God the Spirit. Only once is the Holy Spirit connected with eternal life (Galatians 6:8). Verkuyl translates: "while the one who sows for the Spirit shall harvest eternal life from the Spirit" The Greek order is like this: "but he who sows unto ("eis" as ultimate end) The Spirit of ("ek" as source) The Spirit shall reap life eternal" The Spirit in both places has the article — the Holy Spirit is meant. The passage is addressed to Christians.

3. Believers and "Aionios" Life. We shall look at this under three heads:

(a) In the realm of doctrine. (1) Believers have been ordained unto eternal life (Acts 13:48). This is a great predestinarian passage. (2) God promised it to them before the world began (Titus 1:2). (3) It is a gift from God (I John 5:11; Romans 6:23) and from Christ (John 17:2; 4:14) to them.

(b) In the realm of present Christian experience. (1) It is a present possession ("hath:" John 3:15, 16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47, 54). Eternal life begins in the Christian at regeneration. (2) It can be known ("oida" — objective knowledge based on revelation — I John 5:13:

compare 3:14). Read John ll:25f. (3) We are exhorted "to lay hold" of it (I Timothy 6:12) — "seize hold of eternal life" (Weymouth). This is one of the few places where the article is used before "eternal life" — "take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (RSV).

(c) In the realm of hope for the future. Eternal life is a subject of inheritance (Titus 1:2; 3:7; cf. Matthew 19:16, 29; Mark 10:17, 30; Luke 10:25; 18:18, 30). It is to be looked for (Jude 2L). It will be reaped (John 4:36; Galatians 6:8). It belongs to the age to come (Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30). It follows the judgment (Matthew 25:46). It is a subject of seeking (Romans 2:7). It is the end of the Christian's life (Romans 6:22; cf. John 12:25).

4. The Wicked and "Aionios" Life. Here we note several things: (a) Men who reject the Gospel show themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46; note the Greek article here: "the eternal life" as in 1 Timothy 6:12). (b) The wicked do not have eternal life abiding ("meno") in them (1 John 3:15). Eternal life cannot abide in the person who hates his brother, (c) The wicked are not to share in eternal life after the judgment (Matthew 25:46; Romans 6:23).

5. Summary statements regarding "Aionios" Life. Our study thus far leads to these conclusions:

(a) The unregenerate do not have "aionios" life (1 John 3:15). While in this present world they have "soul-life" ("psuche") but not "aionios" life (John 12:25; see our remarks in Study 47). When these unregenerate men go into eternity they experience "the second death" (Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8). This second death is not annihilation, but is conscious existence.

(b) The regenerate possess "aionios" life now. This is the uniform teaching of Scripture (John 3:15, 16; etc.). They will possess it more fully in "the age to come" (that is, eternity; Luke 18:30; Matthew 25:46).

(c) "Aionios" life, therefore, refers to kind of existence as well as length of existence.

The wicked live forever, but they do not have "aionios" life ("zoe"); only the righteous have it. The redeemed, grafted to Christ in an indissoluble union, live eternally in that blessed fellowship which began the day they put their trust in the living Lord.

(d) Believers can now know if they have "aionios" life. This knowledge is both objective (depending upon God's written revelation — "oida" — I John 5:13 cf. 3:7)

and subjective (depending upon an intimate experience of the soul — "ginosko" — John 17:3).

III. "Aionios" with reference to Eschatology. This subject naturally concerns the righteous and the wicked.

a. "Aionios" used with reference to the righteous. There are seven things modified by "aionios" which the righteous have in the life to come:

1. "Aionios" Life. This life begins in the present world but finds its complete perfectedness in the world to come (Matthew 25:46; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Romans 5:21; 6:220. We have dealt with this subject at length above.

2. "Aionios" Inheritance ("kleronomia") — Hebrews 9:15; Titus 3:7; Luke 18:30). The Christian will never be dispossessed of this promised land.

3. "Aionios" Kingdom ("basileia") — II Peter 1:11. We have "the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (ASV). Over this kingdom our Lord shall reign for ever (cf. Luke 1:33).

4. "Aionios" Glory ("doxa") — II Timothy 2:10. Nothing can ever dim this glory which is in Christ Jesus.

5. "Aionios" Weight of Glory ("baros doxes") — II Corinthians 4:17. The present light affliction but increases the weight of glory in eternity.

6. "Aionios" House ("oikia") and Tabernacles ("skene") — II Corinthians 6:1 and Luke 16:9. The "house" refers to the new body of the Christian in eternity; the "tabernacles" refer to "the eternal dwellings" (Verkuyl) of the redeemed (cf. John 14:2).

7. The Things Unseen are "aionios" — II Corinthians 4;18. There is an eternity around us if we but had eyes to see it now.

b. "Aionios" used with reference to the wicked. Here some terrible facts come before us:

1. "Aionios" Sin ("hamartema") — Mark 3:29. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin.

2. "Aionios" Judgement ("krima") — Hebrews 6:2. The wicked are subject to an eternal judgement.

3. "Aionios" Fire ("pur") — Matthew 25:41; 18:8; Jude 7. Described as unquenchable (Matthew 3:12; Mark 9:43, 48).

4. "Aionios" Punishment ("kolosis") — Matthew 25:46; note the contrast with the righteous.

5. "Aionios" Destruction ("olethron") — II Thessalonians 1:9. See below.

c. "Aionios" with reference to time. This subject is so important with reference

to the eternity of the wicked that we must take it up separately in our next and last study on "aionios"

c. Does "aionios" mean "eternal" (that is, unending) when applied to (he punishment of the wicked? In line with modern emphasis on the love of God there are some theologians today who deny "The Eternity of Hell Torments" (the title of Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon). To support this denial and to give countenance to a "larger hope" for unrepentant sinners some affirm (cf. FW. Farrar, Eternal Hope, 1878, Excursus II, on the word "aionios") that "aionios" does not mean "eternal" or

"everlasting" when applied to the punishment of the wicked. Let us look at this subject more carefully.

1. Three views on the subject of the punishment of the wicked. We shall state these views very briefly:

(a) Annihilationism. This view maintains that only those who are saved in Christ live on eternally; those who reject Christ cease to be after this life is over — their non-existence being their punishment! This view affirms that "perish" (John 3:16), "destruction" (II Thessalonians 1:9) and similar expressions refer to non-existence or annihilation. This view has always been considered heretical by the Church. "Eternal life" (as we have seen in our study above) is never in the New Testament assigned to the wicked, but "eternal punishment" (Matthew 25:46) is applied to the wicked. The wicked must live on eternally, therefore, if they are to suffer "eternal punishment"

(b) Restorationonism. This view claims that all sinful creatures will, after cleansing and purifying correction, eventually be restored to God's favor and blessing. In other words, hell will eventually become vacant; its tenants having finally repented of their sins while on earth! This view likewise has always been considered heretical in the Church. It surely is not compatible with the definition of "aionics" as "eternal" for sinners will eventually be restored, then we cannot speak of "aionios" (that is, "eternal") punishment (Matthew 25:46).

(c) Eternal Punishment, this view affirms that "eternal life" and "eternal punishment" (both found in Matthew 24:46) are equally extensive in their duration. If the saints enjoy the former, sinners must suffer the latter — and both must be "eternal" ("aionios" is used in both places in this verse) or else language ceases to have meaning. This view is the only one that has been considered consistent with the Scriptures by the Church.

2. Does the usage of "aionios" in the New Testament support the "Eternal Punishment" view? We believe that the only answer here is affirmative — and for these reasons:

(a) In only one passage (Philemon 15) can "aionios" possibly have a limited period in mind. Let us remember that "Aionios" occurs over 70 times in the New Testament. But not even in this one verse is a limited period required. Let us hear Lightfoot: "He departed a reprobate; he returns a saved man. He departed for a few months; he returns to be with you for all time and for eternity" After this paraphrase Lightfoot goes on:

"This sense of 'aionios' must not be arbitrarily limited. Since he left, Onesimus had obtained eternal life, and eternal life involves eternal interchange of friendship. His services to his old master were no longer barred by the gates of death"

(b) In a few passages it has been maintained that "aionios" refers to a limited period before time (II Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; Romans 16:25) or a limtied period after time ("the age to come" — Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30). In the former verses a limited use of "aionios" cannot be claimed; Thayer classifies them under the meaning "without beginning" — that is, eternity past. In the latter references (Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30) "the age to come" does not designate a limited period like the millennium (as some dispensationalists teach), but refers to eternity (in contrast to this present world).

(c) Therefore, there is no place in the New Testament where "aionios" indicates a limited period of time. This dogmatic statement is corroborated by the following facts:

(1) "Aionios" is applied to God (Romans 16:25) and His attributes (I Timothy 6:16);

they must be "eternal;' (2) "Aionios" as we have seen above (Study 46) is applied to the great truths of our salvation ("covenant" "redemption;' etc.); these must be "eternal"