Thayer-165

αιων, (ωνος, ο. In Greek authors: (1) age, a human lifetime, life itself. (2) an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity. With this signification the Hebrew and rabbinical idea of the word (of which in the Sept. αιων is the equivalent) combines in the Biblical and ecclesiastical writings.

Hence, in the N. T. used:

1a. universally: in the phrases εις τον αιωνα, forever, Joh_6:51; Joh_6:58; Joh_14:16; Heb_5:6; Heb_6:20, etc.; and strengthened εις τον αιωνα του αιωνος, Heb_1:8; εις αιωνα, Jud_1:13; εις ημεραν αιωνος unto the day which is eternity, 2Pe_3:18; with a negation: never, Joh_4:14; 1Co_8:13; or not for ever, not always, Joh_8:35; εις τους αιωνας, unto the ages, i.e., as long as time shall be: Luk_1:33; Rom_1:25; Rom_9:5; Rom_11:36; 2Co_11:31; Heb_13:8; εις παντας τους αιωνας, Jud_1:25; εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων: Gal_1:5; Php_4:20; 1Ti_1:17; 2Ti_4:18; 1Pe_4:11; Rev_1:6; Rev_1:18; Rev_4:9; Rev_5:13; Rev_7:12; Rev_10:6; Rev_11:15; Rev_15:7; Rev_19:3; Rev_20:10; Rev_22:5; εις αιωνας αιωνων, Rev_14:11; ο αιων των αιωνων the (whole) age embracing the (shorter) ages, Eph_3:21; απο των αιωνων from the ages down, from eternity, Col_1:26; Eph_3:9; προ των αιωνων before time was, before the foundation of the world, 1Co_2:7; προθεσις των αιωνων eternal purpose, Eph_3:11.

1b. in hyperbolic and popular usage: απο του αιωνος from the most ancient time down (within the memory of man), from of old, Luk_1:70; Act_3:21; Act_15:18; also εκ του αιωνος, Joh_9:32.

2. by metonymy of the container for the contained, οι αιωνες denotes the worlds, the universe, i.e. the aggregate of things contained in time: Heb_1:2; Heb_11:3; and (?) 1Ti_1:17.

3. As the Jews distinguished the time before the Messiah and the time after the advent of the Messiah, so most of the N. T. writers distinguish ο αιων ουτος this age (also simply ο αιων, Mat_13:22; Mar_4:19; ο ενεστως αιων, Gal_1:4; ο νυν αιων, 1Ti_6:17; 2Ti_4:10), the time before the appointed return or truly Messianic advent of Christ, the period of instability, weakness, impiety, wickedness, calamity, misery -- and αιων μελλων the future age (also ο αιων εκεινος, Luk_20:35; ο αιων ο ερχομενος, Luk_18:30; Mar_10:30; οι αιωνες οι επερχομενοι, Eph_2:7), i.e., the age after the return of Christ in majesty, the period of the consummate establishment of the divine kingdom and all its blessings: Mat_12:32; Eph_1:21.

Hence, the things of 'this age' are mentioned in the N. T. with censure: ο αιων ουτος, by metonymy, men controlled by the thoughts and pursuits of this present time, Rom_12:2, the same who are called υιοι του αιωνος τουτου in Luk_16:8; Luk_20:34; κατα τον αιωνα του κοσμου τουτου conformably to the age to which this (wicked) world belongs, Eph_2:2; αγαπαν τον νυν αιωνα, 2Ti_4:10; αρχοντων του αιωνος τουτου, 1Co_2:6; ο Θεος του αι. τουτου, the devil, who rules the thoughts and deeds of the men of this age, 2Co_4:4; αι μεριμναι του αιωνος, the anxieties for the things of this age, Mar_4:19; πλουσιος εν τω νυν αιωνι, rich in worldly wealth, 1Ti_6:17; σοφια ... του αιωνος τουτου such wisdom as belongs to this age -- full of error, arrogant, hostile to the gospel, 1Co_2:6; συζητητης του αι. τουτου, disputer, sophist, 1Co_1:20; συντελεια του αι. τουτ., the end, or rather consummation, of the age preceding Christ's return, with which will be connected the resurrection of the dead, the last judgment, the demolition of this world and its restoration to a more excellent condition: Mat_13:39f, 49; Mat_24:3; Mat_28:20; called συντελεια των αιωνων in Heb_9:26; τα τελη των αιωνων the ends (last part) of the ages before the return of Christ, 1Co_10:11; δυναμεις του μελλοντος αιωνος, powers which present themselves from the future or divine order of things, i.e., the Holy Spirit, Heb_6:5; του αιωνος εκεινου τυχειν, to partake of the blessings of the future age, Luk_20:35.

Among the N. T. writers James does not use the word αιων. See αιωνιος.