translation of eon as "time"

[anti_nietzsche]

Is it possible to translate the greek word "eon" as a "time"? And "eonian" as "timely"?

I found if I do that then there is a third possible meaning of eonian.

Punishment that arrives shortly, in time, and Life that arrives shortly, in time.

I've also seen eon translated as time already in one of my german bibles. "And lo I am with you until the end of time".

So nothing about age-long or age-during but only responses of the Lord that arrive in time and where nothing is said about duration ... and if we believe in God's fair nature then a limited duration or time seems the logical conclusion.

Again, can "eonian" be translated as "timely"?

[eaglesway]

In my opinion it can carry the meaning of "timely" only in the remotest sense that it is time appropriate in duration to the purpose, similar to "olam" the word from which it springs. "kairos" actually means "timely" as in the appropriate moment or set time.  "chronos" defines time quantitatively passing in the physical world.

[anti_nietzsche]

Well in the modern sense an eon lasts for a really long time. At least this is what I have encountered in modern usages of the term. If someone would have to wait millennias before being released from a hell of torment, it makes little difference to having to be there forever.

I don't quite get how eon cannot also mean a poetic word for time. "I am with you until the end of the age" also sounds weird if we translate it as pertaining to an "age", a period of time. Jesus is with us forever, I would say.

[eaglesway]

Well, actually you asked concerning eon as "timely".

Eon is a word for a period of time. The words for "time" and "timely" I listed above.

Eph 1:9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times(kairon), that is, the summing up of all things in Christ,

In Eph 1 Paul is speaking of the aions being fulfilled as the set times or purposed times(kairon) for the administration of God's purpose- the gathering of all things into one in Christ.(imo)

Mt 25:19 "Now after a long time(chronos) the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

In Jesus' narrative in Mt 25, chronos is used as time passing in the general sense in the physical world....."after a long time"

A study of the Hebrew word "olam" as a root idea beneath "aion" is an good one for context.

[Lorenzo]

Well, it wouldn't be a proper translation, in my opinion. I have a Greek-Italian Lexicon written by Lorenzo Rocci, and it states many meanings of "eon" (aion): world, time, life, lifetime, marrow (as it was tought to be the source of life). "Time" is not properly what eon means, because generally an aion is within time, yet it is not time.
For what concerns the German Bible, probably it is based on the traditional belief that at the end of the eon there will be an everlasting (timeless) state. From this viewpoint, we could accept the word "time", but it is not the correct meaning.
Besides, in English timely means "something that is coming in a few times" or "not longlasting", but in this case eonian would just mean "pertaining to time", with no reference to duration.
So, personally I don't believe we can translate it as "time", but I'm not infallible, ahah!

[eaglesway]

If (as I propose) aion comes from olam, it is about indeterminate, long lasting time and often, as you said Lorenzo, has an additional connotation as "world" as in "the world to come" or "the other world", both of which pertain to ages, as in this world is this "present evil age" and when we are resutrrected we will see the glory of "the world to come" or the kolassis(correction) of "the world to come".

But tho the "world" connotation is very common in the OT(olam is in the OT over 450 times)- it is not always so, but still has the aspect of long duration in a comparative sense- even in its most simple use refferring to the duration of the indenture of a bond slave, which is for life-

then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant "for life/olam".(Deut 15:17 NIV)

then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant "forever/olam". Deut 15:17 NASB & KJV)

No one knows how long the servant will live, so it is indeterminate and of long duration comparatively, since it is for the rest of his/her life- hence, "olam".

This thing of olam being the root of aion is evidenced(imo) by the facts that aion is translated both "world" and "olam" in English new testaments, which tells me these translators were considering "olam" in their deliberations and applying the best English meaning according to context.

aion NAS Word Usage - Total: 95
age 20, ages 6, ancient time 1, beginning of time 1, course 1, eternal 2, eternity 1, ever* 2, forever 27, forever and ever 20, forevermore 2, long ago 1, never* 1, old 1, time 1, world 7, worlds 1

Even in cotemporay usage "the world/age to come" is "olam haba", the present evil world age is "olam haze" and "Tikkun olam" means "repairing the world".

World is also translated from "kosmos", which also carries a meaning beyond just the physical world. In 2 pe4ter 3:6 he speaks of the world that was being destroyed by water- but we know that the world itself was not destroyed. What was destroyed was the existing "system of the world", as opposed to the "earth" which is gaia or gaea in Greek manuscripts-

The only diffrence between kosmos and aion that I can see is that the kosmos does not include the inherent reference to time, while aion does.

[marie glen]

Well in the modern sense an eon lasts for a really long time. At least this is what I have encountered in modern usages of the term. If someone would have to wait millennias before being released from a hell of torment, it makes little difference to having to be there forever.

I think most repenting of the not yet saved - those who experience the 2nd resurrection as opposed to the 1st resurrection at Jesus' return - that is, those who died "still in their sins" thus rise still in their sins (I think of it as those arriving DOA, so to speak) - I think most will repent and be reconciled during what's called judgment 'day' - a day for many, of weeping and wailing.. and even outer darkness for a time (timely:) And it's my belief very few will actually go to the LOF.. maybe a few reaLLy hard cases - and would be why the unable to be forgiven sin is the one of habitually hardening one's heart to the point of hatred of God/blasphemy of His Presence/Spirit.. thus the warning due to the danger..

And as to those cast to the LOF at Jesus's return, the false prophet (teaching) and the (world) beast (a world body/governing).. they are thrown alive to the LOF, but i do not believe they are persons but institutions of man (very) active during 'last' days.. hence, thus far before judgment 'day', imo, no persons in the LOF..
   :smile: :Peace2:

[sheila]

  I believe a time,times and half a time encompasses the raising up of all the dead in Christ[first resurrection  of the dead] coz He


   is the resurrection,the firstborn of the dead....and when He descended in the earth/preached to the dead....represented as His ministry of

3 and 1/2 years..and the time of Him descending into the grave/hell 3 1/2 days.

   so,to me...all eaons/times/etc  are contained in the 3 1/2.

[sheila]

the 'time' being all men bound up in disobedience/sin.....the law covenant/ all dead in Adam...[Jesus under law].

   the times..being grace/double anointing[head/ear]....the head/firstborn of the dead[if ye keep my commands ye shall be the head

  and not the tail] those that agree.....but who shall deliver this body undergoing death /oil on the head...the half a time being...His

appearing again seperate from sin/the dividing of times= take away all their sin/even the anointing of the thumb and big toe of

  the High Preist's body.....wheat/tare dividing..feet/deliverance into the immortal realm.

  unless He cut the time short/divided time[of corruption/deliverance from all sin] no flesh would be saved........thus death swallowed up

   if thy right eye/hand offend thee...cut if off.....sin offends/corrupts....and He shall cut off[half a time] all sin from Man..

[sheila]

definition of eaon=indefinite long time...thought it interesting that they gave  example for space/heavens...and geoligical terms

as a billion years........men as 'time' are presently numbered in the billions  :Chinscratch:creating of new heaven and earth......


.....not saying the way I see it is the only way...but it is the only way I can wrap my head around it.

[anti_nietzsche]

An age can also be a comparatively short time. For example, the age of the rennaissance took only 50 years or so. Or the age of rock'n roll was about 15 years long before the Beatles came, haha.

[eaglesway]

 :thumbsup:

[anti_nietzsche]

I propose it would make sense to think of the age between Jesus advent / life / crucifixion and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans as one such "age" or "period of time". The destruction of Jerusalem constituted the consummation of the age and Christ's second coming as per the Olivet Discourse.

[eaglesway]

I think of that period as more of a generation...40 years or so...than an aion.

[anti_nietzsche]

It might be interesting to see how they used "aion" in other greek writings of the time. Or did they invent the word for the bible writings?

[rosered]

   The eons   to me are those cycles of  new life and death and new life coming forth  from what has died  and left  us a Seed of Hope  , Christ in you , that Word that never ends but always    has Life in its self        just as Gen 1   explains     the tree of Life   , and its cycles    [eon  age ]   making it ages over and over again  as endless [ Eons]  ages  as cycles of seasons an  harvests  continual    producing  without End  /GOD ..
GOD IS LOVE /SPIRIT /TRUTH /FIRE
Fire destroys  the weeds as the seeds    have a chance in their ''time '' and cycles of Life and death as purposed in God .

  There are no weeds in Gods garden of Life and purpose  , ONLY  USE ..the finished product of His doings . :HeartThrob:

[marie glen]

    :Chinscratch: this title and thread made me want to look up, do some research on "time"

Rev 12:14 "time, time and half a time"
G2540
καιρός
kairos
kahee-ros'
Of uncertain affinity; an occasion, that is, set or proper time
---------------------------
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."-NIV / "even unto the end of the world"-KJ
always -
In the interlinear (isa3) it's "all the days to the finish of the eon"(aionos)
all - G3956 - pas - all, any, every, the whole; apparently a primary word
day -  - ἡμέρα hēmera -
LSJ Gloss: day
Dodson: a day, the period from sunrise to sunset.
Strong's:
day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours; figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context)
-----------------------------
age (aionos) - "G165 - aiōn
LSJ Gloss:
αἰών
aevum
Dodson:
an age, a cycle of time, especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity.
Strong's:
properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world;  specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future) Derivation: from the same as G104;

--from the same as G104 - "aei - From an obsolete primary noun (apparently meaning continued duration) "ever"

--Compare G5550 - χρόνος khron'-os
LSJ Gloss:
χρόνος
time
Dodson:
χρόνος
time, a particular time, season.
Strong's:
Of uncertain derivation; a space of time (in genitive case, and thus properly distinguished from G2540 - (used in "time, time & half a time") which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from G165 - ("age") which denotes a particular period or interval; by extension an individual opportunity; by implication delay

In Conclusion:
"For Synonyms see entry G5853 -
Synonyms (for 165 aionos-age, cycle of time)
       
2540 kairos-a definitely limited portion of time with the added notion
of suitableness
5550 chronos-time in general.
                    :Chinscratch: KooL!

Matthew 25:41 - New King James Version (NKJV)

41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

New International Version (NIV)

41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Interlinear - "into the fire eonian"

- G166 - aiōnios, aionon; (age-lasting) From G165-aionos (age)

In my opinion it can carry the meaning of "timely" only in the remotest sense that it is time appropriate in duration to the purpose, similar to "olam" the word from which it springs.

:Chinscratch:
H5769
עלם עולם
‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm
properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point; generally time out of mind (past or future)

from H5956
עלם
‛âlam
A primitive root; to veil from sight, that is, conceal (literally or figuratively)

The KJV translates olam as: ever (12x), everlasting (4x), old (2x), ever (with H5705) (1x), never (1x).

"kairos" actually means "timely" as in the appropriate moment or set time.  "chronos" defines time quantitatively passing in the physical world.

--------------------------------------
..this study took me a while but interesting -time is, in more ways than one! :smile:

[rosered]

..this study took me a while but interesting -time is, in more ways than one! :smile:

    :thumbsup:

  :banana: :banana:  You been such a great encourager sis  Marie !!     

[marie glen]

 
:thanks: You're very encouraging yourself!! :girlheart: