[B-Greek] More on AIONIOS

Doug A Chaplin lists at actually.me.uk
Thu Oct 28 12:54:34 EDT 2004


> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-greek-
> bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Carl W. Conrad
> Sent: 28 October 2004 05:21
> 

Carl Conrad wrote:

<snip>
> 
> (3) In Greek impacted by Hebraic usage AIWN represents the Hebrew Olam,
> which is a term encompassing both the notion of temporal duration and the
> notion of the world enduring during that period of time, something like
> "world-age." In the eschatological perspective of Second Temple Judaism,
> there is the conception that the world-age that began with the Creation is
> indeed finite, that it will come to an end, and that it will be superseded
> by a new Creation or new world-age that will not end. Now I think that all
> of these senses of AIWN and of AIWNIOS sketched out in BDAG's description
> of NT usage can be clarified from that cultural background: thus (1)
> AIWNIOS may refer to the AIWN that began with the creation of the world
> and
> that will come to an end; (2) AIWNIOS may refer to the world-age that will
> be inaugurated with the consummation of God's Kingdom--a world-age that
> will not end; moreover, it's possible to conceive that that AIWN hO MELLWN
> has always existed but that it will not become manifest on earth until the
> old world-age has come to an end; (3) AIWNIOS may refer to the world-age
> to
> come and its quality of endless duration.
> --
> 
While I don't disagree with any of this, I do think it is tremendously hard
to say how much any one NT writer's language is impacted by Hebraic usage.
Moreover, even the act of translating a concept from one language to another
tends to open up other possible understandings even for someone familiar
with the source language. I find this particularly likely in the Fourth
Gospel usage of AIWNIOS. The possibility of extra-temporal meaning in a more
classical Greek sense is as present as a sense of endless duration as a
sense of belonging to the age that is not this KOSMOS. Deciding which
meaning(s) are in play in John is as much a matter of overall theological
interpretation as specific linguistic exegesis.

Doug Chaplin
Worcs UK




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