[B-Greek] More on AIONIOS
Iver Larsen
ialarsen at multitechweb.com
Tue Oct 26 13:26:41 EDT 2004
>
> I wonder what everyone might have to say regarding the merits of
> the following quote by Joseph A. Baird....
>
> "'Eternal fire,' for example, does not necessarily mean a fire
> that burns endlessly (quantitative meaning), but may also mean a
> fire 'peculiar to the realm and the nature of God' (qualitative meaning)."
>
> Thanks for any contributions you might have.
>
> -Gabe Chesster
As far as I can see, it has no merits. Does he give any supporting evidence
for the claim?
AIWNIOS is used in the NT mainly in connection with ZWH (43 out of 71
times), but also in connection with punishment and fire, and a few other
instances. The meaning is "forever, without end". It does not have to be
eternal in the more strict sense, but nowhere is it used in a qualitative
sense. The Hebrew "olam" can refer to a lifetime or to any period of
unspecified duration.
Louw and Nida says: "pertaining to an unlimited duration of time".
Iver Larsen
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