Study, a word that implies work and sometimes long-lasting and hard! Yet, this is the nature of the inspired word of God. For instance, in reading the first twelve chapters of Genesis, you can follow the years lived by the “patriarchal,” as Moses reveals how old they were when the first male child was born; then, how many years they lived afterwards. By taking graph paper, you see how many years their lives overlap each other. It is a most rewarding study.
The name Noah is known all the way around the earth! People may not know much about him, other than he built the ark, but they know the name: Noah! After the whole earth flood, Noah planted a vineyard and became drunk from the fruit of it. Some charge Noah with deliberately drinking an alcoholic drink, but this is an aberration in the life of this godly man. “Some have suggested that Noah did not know his grape juice would ferment so quickly or so extensively in the post-flood atmosphere.” (quoted from: Genesis Park produced by Dave Woetzel, the article appears on the internet). So, what does this do to our efforts to study the word of God? It reveals that we can profit from the reading and thinking about the writings of others! This does not mean, that we take everything written as truth, but it does mean that we can learn from what others have written! Had you thought about what Woetzel wrote before? You might also read, A Study of the Biblical Flood written by Marion R. Fox and see what he says on this subject.
The point in the above is to show that we need to study! Reading is necessary as it gives us a general knowledge of the context. In fact, it is good to read what we are about to study, more than once! As you are reading, pick out words that need to be studied!
Here your attention is called to the word “world.” When you read the word “world” in the New Testament, what do you think of? Do you think of the earth? Well, let us look and see what the Greek word means. When Jesus commissioned the apostles, in the second part of it, as Matthew wrote: “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt. 28:20). Here we have the word “world,” but what is the Greek word and what does it mean? The Greek word is, “aion.” More than likely, you were thinking of another the Greek word, “kosmos!” This would be natural, as Carl Sagan made it so popular. Well, now we have two Greeks words: 1) “aion” and 2) “kosmos,” which will be studied in another article. Of course, these two words have different meanings. “Aion” means:” 1) forever an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity 2) the worlds, universe 3) period of time, age (Thayer). Now that we know what the word means, the context, wherein the word appears carries great weight as to how it is used in the verse; as we can see it has several meanings. The context is Jesus talking with the apostles. First, how would Jesus be with the apostles “forever?” Jesus would be with the apostles by means of the Holy Spirit! Do you remember the words Jesus said to those who would be his apostles? He said: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). More time is required to fully understand the idea, but Jesus said, he would give them “another Comforter,” that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). Notice the word “another,” as it comes from the Greek, “allos,” which means: “another of the same kind” (Strong). The one Jesus sent was another of the same kind as he: Deity! He would be with the apostles. “forever,” until the end of the age. What age, you ask? We simply call it the “miraculous age.”
Now, this is what Jesus was telling the apostles, when he said: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (aion)!” Until “the end of the age;” the miraculous age! Do you think the Holy Spirit was to be with the apostles “forever?” As in a never-ending time! Here is a simple question: Was Jesus with the apostles “forever,” as in a never -ending time? Just where did Jesus go, when he was taken up, from the earth? He went to heaven, and sit down on the right hand of the Father (Heb. 1:3). So, was Jesus, personally, with the apostles throughout the “age of miracles,” wherein the apostles were confirming their preaching? Jesus himself said that they were to receive: “another Comforter!” Did the apostles need two “Comforters?” Or, is Jesus telling them, the first “Comforter,” Jesus himself, would go away and they would receive “anther Comforter,” the Holy Spirit who would be with them “forever” (aion), the end of a time? Friends, the Holy Spirit would be to the apostles, what Jesus had been to the apostles! He was with them until the end of a certain period of time: the miraculous age!
Frank R. Williams