αἰών: Difference between revisions

|txtha=(ῶνος, ὁ (as if Αιε — poetic for [[ἀεί]] — ὤν, so teaches [[Aristotle]], de caelo 1,11, 9, vol. i., p. 279{a} 27; (so Proclus [[book]] iv. in [[Plato]], Timaeo, p. 241; and others); [[but]] [[more]] [[probable]] is the [[conjecture]] (cf. Etym. Magn. 41,11) [[that]] [[αἰών]] is so [[connected]] [[with]] [[ἄημι]] to [[breathe]], [[blow]], as to [[denote]] [[properly]] [[that]] [[which]] causes [[life]], [[vital]] [[force]]; cf. Harless on [[αἰών]] (= αἰϝών) is [[now]] [[generally]] [[connected]] [[with]] [[αἰεί]], [[ἀεί]], Sanskrit evas (aivas), Latin aevum, Goth. aivs, German ewig, English [[aye]], [[ever]]; cf. [[Curtius]], § 585; Fick, Part i., p. 27; Vanicek, p. 79; Benfey, Wurzellex, i., p. 7f; Schleicher, Compend. edition 2, p. 400; Pott, Etymologicum Forsch., edition 2,2:2, p. 442; Ebeling, Lex. [[Homer]] [[under]] the [[word]]; Liddell and Scott, [[under]] the [[word]] [[ἀεί]]; Cremer, edd, 2,3,4 ([[although]] in edition 1he agreed [[with]] Prof. Grimm); Pott and Fick, [[however]], [[connect]] it [[with]] Sanskrit ayus [[rather]] [[than]] evas, [[although]] [[both]] these forms are [[derived]] from i to go ([[see]] Pott, Sehleicher, Fick, Vanicek, as [[above]]).) In Greek authors:<br /><b class="num">1.</b> [[age]] (Latin aevum, [[which]] is [[αἰών]] [[with]] the Aeolic digamma), a [[human]] [[lifetime]] (in [[Homer]], [[Herodotus]], [[Pindar]], Tragic poets), [[life]] itself ([[Homer]] Iliad 5,685 με [[καί]] λίποι [[αἰών]] etc.).<br /><b class="num">2.</b> an [[unbroken]] [[age]], [[perpetuity]] of [[time]], [[eternity]], ([[Plato]], Tim., p. 37d. 38a.; Tim. Locr., p. 97d. (quoted [[below]]); [[Plutarch]], others). With [[this]] [[signification]] the [[Hebrew]] and rabbinical [[idea]] of the [[word]] עולָם (of [[which]] in the Sept. [[αἰών]] is the equivalent) combines in the Biblical and ecclesiastical writings Hence, in the N. T. used:<br /><b class="num">1.</b><br /><b class="num">a.</b> [[universally]]: in the phrases [[εἰς]] [[τόν]] αἰῶνα, לְעולָם (forever, [[εἰς]] [[τόν]] αἰῶνα [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος, Alexandrian LXX, cf. Winer's Grammar, § 36,22 ([[εἰς]] αἰῶνα, [[εἰς]] ἡμέραν αἰῶνος [[unto]] the [[day]] [[which]] is [[eternity]] (genitive of apposition), [[never]], [[not]] for [[ever]], [[not]] [[always]], [[εἰς]] [[τούς]] αἰῶνας, [[unto]] the ages, i. e., as [[long]] as [[time]] shall be (the plural denotes the [[individual]] ages whose [[sum]] is [[eternity]]): (R G Tr WH); [[εἰς]] πάντας [[τούς]] αἰῶνας, [[εἰς]] [[τούς]] αἰῶνας [[τῶν]] αἰώνων (in [[which]] [[expression]] the [[endless]] [[future]] is divided up [[into]] [[various]] periods, the shorter of [[which]] are comprehended in the [[longer]] (cf. Winer s Grammar, § 36,2; [[among]] the [[various]] phrases to [[express]] [[duration]] [[composed]] of [[this]] [[word]] [[with]] preposition or adjuncts ([[which]] to the [[number]] of [[more]] [[than]] [[fifteen]] are to be [[found]] in the Sept., cf. Vaughan on L T); [[εἰς]] αἰῶνας αἰώνων, ὁ [[αἰών]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων the ([[whole]]) [[age]] embracing the (shorter) ages, [[ἀπό]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων from the ages [[down]], from [[eternity]], [[πρό]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων [[before]] [[time]] [[was]], [[before]] the [[foundation]] of the [[world]], [[πρόθεσις]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων [[eternal]] [[purpose]], [[ἀπό]] [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος (מֵעולָם from the [[most]] [[ancient]] [[time]] [[down]] ([[within]] the [[memory]] of [[man]]), from of [[old]], οἱ πατέρες [[ἡμῶν]] [[ἀπό]] [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος; Longinus, 34 [[τούς]] ἀπ' αἰῶνος ῥήτορας); [[also]] ἐκ [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος, Diodorus 4:83 of the [[temple]] of [[Venus]] [[τήν]], ἐξ αἰῶνος [[ἀρχήν]] λαβόν, 17,1 [[τούς]] ἐξ αἰῶνος βασιλεῖς (excerpt. de legat, xl.), p. 632 [[τήν]] ἐξ αἰῶνος παραδεδομένην ἐλευθερίαν).<br /><b class="num">2.</b> by metonymy of the container for the contained, οἱ αἰῶνες denotes the worlds, the [[universe]], i. e. the aggregate of things contained in [[time]] (on the plural cf. Winer s Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 24 (21)): WH [[text]]; cf. [[Philo]] de [[plant]]. Noe § 12twice; de mundo § 7; Josephus, Antiquities 1,18, 7; Clement of [[Rome]], 1 Corinthians 61,2 [ET]; 35,3 [ET] ([[πατήρ]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων); 55,6 [ET] (Θεός [[τῶν]] αἰώνων); Apostolic Constitutions 7,34; [[see]] Abbot in Journal Society for Biblical Literature etc. i., p. 106n.). So [[αἰών]] in οἱ αἰῶνες in the Fathers, equivalent to the [[world]] of [[mankind]], e. g. Ignatius ad Ephesians 19,2 [ET]):<br /><b class="num">3.</b> As the Jews [[distinguished]] הַזֶּה הָעולָם the [[time]] [[before]] the Messiah, and הַבָּא הַעולָם, the [[time]] [[after]] the [[advent]] of the Messiah (cf. Riehm, Lehrb. d. Hebraerbr., p. 204ff; (Schürer, § 29,9)), so [[most]] of the N. T. writers [[distinguish]] ὁ [[αἰών]] [[οὗτος]] [[this]] [[age]] ([[also]] [[simply]] ὁ [[αἰών]], G L T Tr WH; ὁ ἐνεστὼς [[αἰών]], ὁ [[νῦν]] [[αἰών]], [[παρουσία]], [[which]] [[see]]), the [[period]] of [[instability]], [[weakness]], [[impiety]], [[wickedness]], [[calamity]], [[misery]] — and [[αἰών]] μέλλων the [[future]] [[age]] ([[also]] ὁ [[αἰών]] [[ἐκεῖνος]], ὁ [[αἰών]] ὁ ἐρχόμενος, οἱ αἰῶνες οἱ ἐπερχόμενοι, Romans, vol. 3:22f. Hence, the things of '[[this]] [[age]]' are mentioned in the N. T. [[with]] [[censure]]: ὁ [[αἰών]] [[οὗτος]], by metonymy, men controlled by the thoughts and pursuits of [[this]] [[present]] [[time]], υἱοί [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος [[τούτου]] in [[κατά]] [[τόν]] αἰῶνα [[τοῦ]] κόσμου [[τούτου]] [[conformably]] to the [[age]] to [[which]] [[this]] ([[wicked]]) [[world]] belongs, Trench, § 59 [[under]] the [[end]]); ἀγαπᾶν [[τόν]] [[νῦν]] αἰῶνα, [[ἀγαπάω]]); ἀρχόντων [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος [[τούτου]], [[ἄρχων]]); ὁ Θεός [[τοῦ]] αἰ. [[τούτου]], the [[devil]], [[who]] rules the thoughts and deeds of the men of [[this]] [[age]], αἱ μέριμναι [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος, the anxieties for the things of [[this]] [[age]], [[πλούσιος]] ἐν τῷ [[νῦν]] αἰῶνι, [[rich]] in [[worldly]] [[wealth]], [[σοφία]] ... [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος [[τούτου]] [[such]] [[wisdom]] as belongs to [[this]] [[age]] — [[full]] of [[error]], [[arrogant]], [[hostile]] to the gospel, [[συζητητής]] [[τοῦ]] αἰ. [[τούτου]], disputer, [[sophist]], [[such]] as we [[now]] [[find]] him, [[συντέλεια]] [[τοῦ]] αἰ. τούτ., the [[end]], or [[rather]] [[consummation]], of the [[age]] [[preceding]] Christ's [[return]], [[with]] [[which]] [[will]] be [[connected]] the [[resurrection]] of the [[dead]], the [[last]] [[judgment]], the [[demolition]] of [[this]] [[world]] and its [[restoration]] to a [[more]] [[excellent]] [[condition]] (cf. 4Esdr. 7:43 [ [[συντέλεια]] [[τῶν]] αἰώνων in Test xii. Patr., [[test]]. Levi 10, [[test]]. Benj. 11 (cf. Vorstman, p. 133)); τά τέλη [[τῶν]] αἰώνων the ends ([[last]] [[part]]) of the ages [[before]] the [[return]] of Christ, δυνάμεις [[τοῦ]] μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, powers [[which]] [[present]] [[themselves]] from the [[future]] or [[divine]] [[order]] of things, i. e., the Holy Spirit, [[τοῦ]] αἰῶνος ἐκείνου [[τυχεῖν]], to partake of the blessings of the [[future]] [[age]], [[αἰών]]. (On the [[word]] in its [[relation]] to [[κόσμος]] [[see]] Trench, § 59: Its biblical [[sense]] and its [[relation]] to עולָם are discussed by Stuart, Exeget. Essays on Words relating to Future Punishment, Andover, 1830 (and Presbyterian Publishing Committee, Philadelphia); Tayler Lewis in Lange's Commentary on Ecclesiastes, pp. 44-51; J. W. Hanson, Aion-Aionios (pp. 174), Chicago, 1880. See [[especially]] E. Abbot, Literature of the Doctrine of a Future Life, etc. (New York, 1867), Index of subjects, [[under]] the [[word]] For its meanings in ecclesiastical writings [[see]] Suicer, Thesaurus Eccl. i. Colossians 140ff, cf. ii. Colossians 1609; Huet, Origeniana (Appendix to Vol. iv. of De la Rue's Origen) [[book]] ii. c. ii. quaest. 11, § 26. Its [[use]] in [[Homer]], [[Hesiod]], [[Pindar]], [[Aeschylus]], [[Sophocles]], [[Euripides]], [[Aristotle]], [[Plato]], Tim. Locr., is exhibited in [[detail]] by E. S. Goodwin in the Christ. Exam. for March and May, 1831, March and May, 1832. "On [[αἰών]] as the [[complete]] [[period]], [[either]] of [[each]] [[particular]] [[life]] or of [[all]] [[existence]], [[see]] [[Aristotle]], cael. 1,9, 15; on [[αἰών]] and [[χρόνος]], cf. [[Philo]] (quis rer. div. her. § 34) i. 496,18f; (de mut. nom. § 47) i. 619,10f." Liddell and Scott, edition 6; [[see]] [[also]] [[Philo]] de alleg. [[leg]]. iii. 8; quod deus immut. § 6 at the [[end]]; de [[secular]] § 11; de praem, et poen. § 15; and (de mund, opif. § 7) [[especially]] J. G. Muller, [[Philo]]'s Lehre v. d. Weltschopfung, p. 168 (Berl. 1864). Schmidt ([[chapter]] 44) gives the [[distinction]], for [[substance]], as follows: [[both]] words [[denote]] the [[abstract]] [[idea]] of [[time]] and [[with]] [[special]] [[reference]] to its [[extent]] or [[duration]]; [[χρόνος]] is the [[general]] [[designation]] for [[time]], [[which]] [[can]] be divided up [[into]] portions, [[each]] of [[which]] is in its [[turn]] a [[χρόνος]]; on the [[other]] [[hand]], [[αἰών]], [[which]] in the [[concrete]] and [[simple]] [[language]] of [[Homer]] ([[Pindar]] and the Tragedians) denotes the [[allotted]] [[lifetime]], [[even]] the [[life]], of the [[individual]] (Iliad 4,478 [[μινυνθάδιος]] δέ οἱ [[αἰών]] etc.), in Attic [[prose]] differs from [[χρόνος]] by denoting [[time]] [[unlimited]] and [[boundless]], [[which]] is [[not]] conceived of as [[divisible]] [[into]] αἰῶνες ([[contrast]] [[here]] biblical [[usage]] and [[see]] [[below]]), [[but]] [[rather]] [[into]] χρόνοι. In philosophical [[speech]] it is [[without]] [[beginning]] [[also]]. Cf. Tim. Locr. 97c. d. χρόνῳ δέ τά μέρεα τάσδε τάς περιόδως λέγοντι, ἅς ἐκόσμησεν ὁ Θεός [[σύν]] κόσμῳ. Οὐ [[γάρ]] ἦν [[πρό]] κόσμῳ ἄστρα. Διόπερ οὐδ' [[ἐνιαυτός]] ὀυδ' ὠρᾶν περίοδοι, αἷς μετρηταί ὁ γεννατὸς [[χρόνος]] [[οὗτος]]. Ἑικών δέ ἐστι τῷ ἀγεννάτω χρόνῳ, ὅν αἰῶνα ποταγορεύομες. ὡς [[γάρ]] ποτ' ἀΐδιον [[παράδειγμα]], [[τόν]] ἰδανικὸν κόσμον, [[ὅδε]] ὁ [[ὠρανός]] ἐγεννάθη, [[οὕτως]] ὡς [[πρός]] [[παράδειγμα]], [[τόν]] αἰῶνα, [[ὅδε]] ὁ [[χρόνος]] [[σύν]] κόσμῳ ἐδαμιουργήθη — [[after]] [[Plato]], Timaeus, p. 37d. ([[where]] [[see]] Stallbaum's [[note]] and references); Isocrates 8,34 [[τούς]] εὐσεβείας [[καί]] δικαιοσύνης ζῶντας (ὁρῶ) ἐν τέ τοῖς παροῦσι χρόνοις [[ἀσφαλῶς]] διάγοντας [[καί]] [[περί]] [[τοῦ]] σύμπαντος αἰῶνος ἡδίους τάς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντας. The adjective [[ἄχρονος]] [[independent]] of [[time]], [[above]] and [[beyond]] [[all]] [[time]], is [[synonymous]] [[with]] [[αἰώνιος]]; [[where]] [[time]] ([[with]] its subdivisions and limitations) ends [[eternity]] begins: Nonnus, metaph, evang. Johan. 1:1, [[ἄχρονος]] ἦν, [[ἀκίχητος]], ἐν ἀρρήτω [[λόγος]] [[ἀρχή]]. Thoroughly Platonic in [[cast]] are the definitions of Gregory of Nazianzus (orat. xxxviii. 8) [[αἰών]] [[γάρ]] [[οὔτε]] [[χρόνος]] [[οὔτε]] χρόνου τί [[μέρος]]. Οὐδέ [[γάρ]] μετρητόν, ἀλλ' [[ὅπερ]], [[ἡμῖν]] ὁ [[χρόνος]] ἡλίου [[φορά]] μετρούμενος, [[τοῦτο]] τοῖς ἀϊδίοις [[αἰών]], τό συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τοῖς οὖσιν [[οἷον]] τί χρονικὸν [[κίνημα]] [[καί]] [[διάστημα]] (Suicer as [[above]]). So Clement of [[Alexandria]], strom., i. 13, p. 756a., Migne edition, ὁ γ' [[οὖν]] [[αἰών]] [[τοῦ]] χρόνου τό μέλλον [[καί]] τό ἐνεστὼς, [[αὐτάρ]] δή [[καί]] τό παρωχηκος ἀκαριαιὼς συνίστησι. Instances from [[extra]]-biblical writings of the [[use]] of [[αἰών]] in the plural are: [[τόν]] ἀπ' αἰώνων μύθον, Anthol. vol iii., [[part]] ii., p. 55, Jacobs edition; [[εἰς]] αἰῶνας, ibid. vol. iv. epigr. 492; ἐκ περιτροπῆς αἰώνων, Josephus, b. j. 3,8, 5; [[εἰς]] αἰῶνας διαμενεῖ, Sextus Empiricus, adv. Phys. i. 62. The discussions [[which]] [[have]] been [[raised]] [[respecting]] the [[word]] [[may]] [[give]] [[interest]] to [[additional]] references to its [[use]] by [[Philo]] and Josephus. [[Philo]]: ὁ [[πᾶς]] ([[ἅπας]], [[σύμπας]]) or [[πᾶς]] (etc.) ὁ [[αἰών]]: de alleg. [[leg]]. iii. § 70; de cherub. § I (a [[noteworthy]] [[passage]], cf. de congressu ernd. § 11and references [[under]] the [[word]] [[θάνατος]]); de sacrif. Ab. et Caini § 11; quod det. [[pot]]. § 48; quod deus immut. § 1, § 24; de plantat. § 27; de sobrietate § 13; de migr. Abr. § 2; de [[secular]] § 9; de mut. nom. § 34; de somn. ii., § 15, § 31, § 38; de legat. ad Gaium § 38; (ὁ) [[μακρός]] [[αἰών]]: de sacrif. Ab et Caini § 21; de ebrietate § 47; de [[secular]] § 20; [[αἰών]] [[μήκιστος]]: de sobrietate § 5; de [[secular]] § 21; ὁ [[ἄπειρος]] [[αἰών]]: de legat, ad Gaium § 11; ὁ [[ἔμπροσθεν]] [[αἰών]]: de praem, et. poen. § 6; [[αἰών]] [[πολύς]]: de Abrah. § 46; [[τίς]] [[αἰών]]: de merc. meretr. § 1; δἰ [[αἰών]]: de cherub. § 26; de plantat. § 27; [[εἰς]] [[τόν]] [[αἰών]]: de gigant. § 5; ἐν (τῷ) αἰώνω: de mut. nom. § 2 ([[twice]]) ([[note]] the [[restriction]]); quod deus immut. § 6; ἐξ [[αἰών]]: de somn. 1 § 3; ἐπ' αἰῶνος: de plantat. § 12 ([[twice]]); de mundo § 7; [[πρό]] αἰῶνος: de mut. nom. § 2; [[πρός]] αἰ.: de mut. nom. § 11; (ὁ) [[αἰών]]: de [[secular]] § 18; de alleg. [[leg]]. iii. § 70; de cherub. § 22; de migr. Abr. § 22; de somn. i., § 18, § 22; de Josepho § 5; de vita Moys. ii. § 3; de decalogo § 14; de victimis § 3; [[fragment]] in Mang. 2:660 (Richter vi., p. 219); de plantat. § 12 (bis); de mundo § 7. Josephus: (ὁ) [[πᾶς]] [[αἰών]]: Antiquities 1,18, 7; 3,8, 10; contra Apion 2,11, 3; 2,22, 1; [[μακρός]] [[αἰών]]: Antiquities 2,7, 3; [[πολύς]] [[αἰών]]: contra Apion 2,31, 1; [[τοσοῦτος]] [[αἰών]]: contra Apion 1,8, 4; [[πλῆθος]] αἰῶνος: Antiquities prooem. § 3; ἀπ' αἰῶνος: b. j. prooem. § 4; δἰ αἰῶνος: Antiquities 1,18, 8; 4,6, 4; b. j. 6,2, 1; [[εἰς]] ([[τόν]]) αἰωνον: Antiquities 4,8, 18; 5,1, 27; 7,9, 5; 7,14, 5; ἐξ αἰωνον: b. j. 5,10, 5; (ὁ) [[αἰών]]: Antiquities 19,2, 2; b. j. 1,21, 10; plural ([[see]] [[above]]) 3,8, 5. See [[αἰώνιος]].)