| It must then be understood that the word age has various meanings, for it denotes many things. The life of each man is called an age. Again, a period of a thousand years is called an age. Again, the whole course of the present life is called an age: also the future life, the immortal life after the resurrection, is spoken of as an age. Again, the word age is used to denote, not time nor yet a part of time as measured by the movement and course of the sun, that is to say, composed of days and nights, but the sort of temporal motion and interval that is coextensive with eternity. For age is to things eternal just what time is to things temporal. Seven ages of this world are spoken of, that is, from the creation of the heaven and earth till the general consummation and resurrection of men. For there is a partial consummation, namely the death of each man: but there is also a general and complete consummation, when the general resurrection of men will come to pass. And the eighth age is the age to come. Before the world was formed, when there was as yet no sun dividing day from night, there was not an age such as could be measured, but there was the sort of temporal motion and interval that is coextensive with eternity. And in this sense there is but one age, and God is spoken of as Ai)wnioj and proaiwnioj, for the age or aeon itself is his creation. For God, who alone is without beginning, is himself the Creator of all things, whether age or any other existing thing. And when I say God, it is evident that I mean the Father and his Only. Begotten Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his all-holy Spirit, our one God. | |
