I would like to take an analytical look at the meanings of the Hebrew word "olam" and the Greek word "aion/aionios" and whether they were actually used by the authors in the Bible to mean "without end" at the time they were written and in the context of their individual books.
The article entitled
"Forever and Ever"--A Poor Translation made an interesting presentation that the words translated as "forever and ever" don't really present the meaning of "without end."
So can a word that means an age which has an end:
1 Corinthians 10:11
Now these things happened to them as an example , and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
also be used to mean a time without end?
Revelation 22:5
And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
Also in this article entitled
Olam/Aion/Aionian/Aionias (by Mike Burke), Burke and others suggest that the usage of olam/aionios may deal more with quality than duration.
This verse gives the impression of quality and not unending.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15.)
I don't read Hebrew or Greek, so any help in that department is greatly appreciated. I realize that given the various styles of writing in the Bible and the large expanse of time, it is unreasonable to assume that words weren't used creatively or that the meanings couldn't have changed over time.
I look forward to learning something new.
This discussion is not about faith or belief.
It is analytical look at the words that are translated as eternal and forever.
Edited by purpledawn, : Reworked OP
"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz
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