Age and the Greek Words Aion and Aionios
by Mark Sanguinetti
Regarding the false concept of eternal torment for a life time of sin, here is another scriptural usage of the Greek word aionios, the adjective usage relating to age, which has been misunderstood.
Mark 3:28-29
28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal (aionios) sin."
NIV
First of all let’s look at the context or the situation of the above message as stated by Jesus Christ.
Mark 3:22-30
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."
23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal (aionios) sin."
30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
NIV
First of all in Jesus’ explanation to the teachers of the law, known as scribes, and their false, arrogant and ignorant accusation against Jesus himself, he lets them and others know that they show no sense whatsoever with their false statement. Namely, their false statement that Jesus is only casting out demons, also called evil spirits, from people by using other demons and not via the power of the Holy Spirit through God the creator, who is Jesus’ Father by birth. As if an evil spirit would want to cast out another evil spirit and thereby only divide one group against another group. When this is done politically this will only result in a declining or falling nation. The same is true spiritually. The majority of people that heard about Jesus casting out evil spirits from people were very thankful of the healing effect that occurred for the individual people. However, the teachers of the Old Testament law who were given political power were not only, not thankful, they opposed Jesus and his desire to help and heal others.
Jesus, states clearly in verse 28 that all the sins of man will be forgiven. However, when combined with the ignorance that the arrogant teachers of the law, referred to as scribes were showing in not being able to even see the difference spiritually between the Holy Spirit and evil spirits this would result in sin as long as this ignorance continued. Stated another way as seen from 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we only have eternal life through our future new spiritual body given to us through Jesus Christ and not through our natural physical bodies. If we are opposed to the Holy Spirit or have confused the Holy Spirit with evil spirits why should we get or want a needed new spiritual body. Instead we would only have a desire for our old sinful body and nature and would not see the need for a new spiritual body, which is covered in detail in 1 Corinthians 15. Also this attitude of the teachers of the law shows a hard heart with them not showing any desire to repent and admit they were wrong about anything pertaining to godliness. What these verses show is that religious or political leaders that are false in their arrogance may be in the Future Lake of Fire the longest and maybe even for what are considered multiple ages. However, let's hope that God and his son Jesus Christ in the future age or ages can even smarten up the religious leaders so that even they will accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ. For similar verses, see Matthew12:22-32
In contrast there are many usages of aion or aionios that are written in the context of God as eternal. For some of these usages see the last page of this teaching. The book of Revelation is a biblical book dealing with future ages to come and eventually an age where we will have eternal life with death no more. When torment is mixed with future ages these ages have a time limit. This could take a long time, but at least there is an actual goal of the salvation for mankind. If this was merely for the punishment and torment of mankind by God for his sins this would show no justice. How can there be eternal torment for a lifetime of sins? This does not follow the justice of the Old Testament law seen in Exodus chapters 21, 22 and 23. It does not follow even the harshest parts. These harshest parts are death for the crime of murder and death for certain other crimes. Relating to God's judgment for man's sins, eternal torment is infinitely harsher than bodily death. For example, what is worse? Having death after a decaying physical body is felt and experienced? Hopefully we don't have that yet in our lives. Or keeping the decaying physical body and mixing this with hundreds and thousands and millions of years of torture, such as what Jesus Christ experienced in his final days before his crucifixion? For example, being nailed to a cross through his hands and feet with the cross perhaps nailed or attached to a tree for his crucifiction under the Roman empire combined with religious pharisees and sadducees. Another example from the Old Testament law is the payback for the sin of theft. Here are examples.
Exodus 22:1
1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
NKJV
Exodus 22:7-9
7 "If a man delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor's goods.
9 "For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.
NKJV
Certainly dealing with the judgment of man's sins, God is a wise and just judge. If there was payback for sins in the law, why wouldn't there also be payback for the sins of man in the afterlife? And who do you think mankind has as payback pertaining to our sins now for future spiritual life? Jesus Christ who is divine deity sitting at the right hand of God, adds forgiveness for man in the relationship between God and mortal humanity. We saw only part of this in the Old Testament. This forgiveness again is through the sinless man Jesus Christ's life and death with payment for our sins and then His resurrection. And even without looking at Jesus Christ with the forgiveness of man's imperfect sin nature through Him. From the verses seen above from Exodus, the Old Testament law does not have the payback of thousands or millions of sheep and oxs for the theft of one ox and one sheep. Therefore why should 80 years of sin cost mankind millions times millions of years of punishment and torture? This originated in pagan religions and not the Old or New Testament writings.