AIONIOS-FOREVER by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 6, 1880

AIONIOS—FOREVER.

By Editor

THE N. Y. Independent contains the following editorial note:—

“Dr. Maclagan, Bishop of Litchfield, has been advising his clergy not, indeed, to keep back the darker teaching of the Scriptures in relation to the penalties of the future state; but at the same time ‘not to dwell too prominently upon it.’ In his recent charge, he told them that the Greek word aionios, translated ‘eternal,’ or ‘everlasting’ in our version, does not mean ‘endless,’ but only ‘very long.’ It is true enough, beyond question, that aionios, like all other words, was often used in a somewhat loose sense by the biblical writers; but the application of the word was in the sense of endless, or as near endless as the nature of the case allowed. As always, this, or any other word—derivation, or strict verbal definition is of no value; but the drift of the general sense must determine as to the meaning.”

Both the Doctor and editor are right, in the main. As “the drift of the general sense must determine its meaning,” we readily concede that it may mean endless, but not necessarily so. What we find fault with is the determination of some writers to arbitrarily confine it to one usage or one meaning, and that always endless. It is easy to show that usage in the Scriptures does not justify this arbitrary decision. We are glad that “learning” is setting itself right on this subject.