2 Timothy 4:10 - TON NUN AIWNA

Mike Sangrey msangrey at BlueFeltHat.org
Fri Dec 27 10:07:45 EST 2002


On Thu, 2002-12-26 at 22:31, Steven Lo Vullo wrote:
<snip> 
> Mike, I think "short-sighted" is too mild by a long shot. Note the 
> following examples of the phrase hO NUN AIWN:
>
> 1Tim. 6.17 TOIS PLOUSIOIS EN TWi NUN AIWNI PARAGGELLE MH hUYHLOFRONEIN 
> MHDE HLPIKENAI EPI PLOUTOU ADHLOTHTI ALL' EPI QEWi TWi PARECONTI hHMIN 
> PANTA PLOUSIWS EIS APOLAUSIN
> "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, 
> nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who 
> richly provides us with everything to enjoy."

Ahhhhh, that cinches it.  When I did a search for the expression I
wrongly formulated it and obtained only one hit.  That sent me down the
road of exploring the possibilities.  Now that I think about it, hH NUN
hHMERA would be a more likely phrase indicating what we mean by `short
sighted'.  AIWN's emphasis is different.

> The "present age" here is implicitly contrasted with the "age to come," 
> as I think is indicated by the designation TOIS PLOUSIOIS EN TWi NUN 
> AIWNI and the presence of the word HLPIKENAI ("to have one's hope 
> set"). What seems implied is that in this present age people are 
> tempted to set their hopes on riches, which are uncertain, instead of 
> on God, who will certainly reward the faithful with lasting riches in 
> the age to come. hO NUN AIWN seems to be an age characterized by 
> materialism, and rich Christians are to be charged not to participate 
> in the materialism that characterizes it.

I like your pointing out materialism, though I wouldn't read that
directly into the TON NUN AIWNA phrase.  I don't think you're doing
that; I'm just trying very hard to be as precise as I can be.  I'm
trying to understand the meaning of the phrase alone.

Looking at the two texts you cited makes me wonder whether the phrase
TON NUN AIWNA carries the idea of "this material-focused age."  The rich
of 1 Tim. 6 aren't exactly being told they ARE materialistic.  It's more
along the lines of recognizing an "of this world" reality (not
necessarily right or wrong) AND THEN they are to respond correctly to
it.  That is, not to put their hope in wealth.  The entire paragraph of
1 Tim. 6:17-19 deals with materialism, but the phrase TON NUN AIWNA
doesn't directly imply materialism itself.

> 
> Titus 2.12 PAIDEUOUSA hMAS, hINA ARNHSAMENOI THN ASEBEIAN KAI TAS 
> KOSMIKAS EPIQUMIAS SWFRONWS KAI DIKAIWS KAI EUSEBWS ZHSWMEN EN TWi NUN 
> AIWNI
> "training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live 
> self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age"
> 
> Here again the "present age" is implicitly contrasted with the "age to 
> come." The grace of God trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly 
> passions and instead to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives 
> in the present age. What seems implied is that the present age is 
> characterized by ungodliness and worldly passions, and is sorely 
> lacking in self control, uprightness, and godliness. Christians are to 
> buck this system, living a lifestyle quite unlike that which 
> characterizes those who belong to the present age.

Yes, I agree.

What I'm trying to be careful of (other than being very careful to
understand and own exactly what is said) is to not characterize the
material world as wrong.  That is, I don't want to read into the phrase
TON NUN AIWNA the idea that "this present age is in and of itself evil"
(unless, of course, that is what it means).  The idea in 1 Tim. 6
appears to me to be more along the lines of priority.  That is, of using
"this present world" for something which is more important.  This Titus
passage also doesn't tell us to get out of this present age/world, but
recognizes we live in it and instructs us to live in a way which comes
against the natural tendency we have when living in that environment.

It's like swimming in water.  Swimming is not wrong, nor is being in the
water.  However, unless you push against the water, you could drown. 
Demas committed to go with the flow and that was very definitely wrong.

> 
> So I think Paul was explaining that Demas preferred the present age and 
> its allurements to the age to come and the lifestyle that characterizes 
> those who hope for its coming. This is a serious spiritual failure.

I agree again, very good.

And I thank you for your help.

-- 
Mike Sangrey
msangrey at BlueFeltHat.org
Landisburg, Pa.
                        "The first one last wins."
            "A net of highly cohesive details reveals the truth."




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