something secret (Psa. 90:8).  Eternity as such does not enter into the Old

Testament Scriptures.  Kata prothesin ton aionon `According to a purpose of the

ages'.  This is the literal translation of the words of Ephesians 3:11.  Three

things are thereby presupposed:

That the dispensation of the Mystery, the appointment of Paul, the

peculiar condition of the church, the relation of this Mystery with

creation and the principalities and powers in heavenly places, are

all `according to', or in harmony with a purpose.

This purpose or plan has been already variously spoken of in

Ephesians as God's choice, before the foundation of the world, His

predestination, the good pleasure of His will, the mystery of His

will, and the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the

counsel of His own will.

This purpose is called `The purpose of the ages'.

The word aion is translated `age' in Ephesians 2:7 and 3:21, but is

translated `course', `world' and `eternal' in other references.  There seems to

be need for revision when one word in one epistle can be translated by such

widely different terms as `this world', which is admittedly transitory, and

`eternal' which endures for ever.

The ages, according to Ephesians, are subdivided into this age (Eph. 1:21

and also in the Received Text of Eph. 6:12), the ages past (Eph. 3:9) and the

ages to come (Eph. 2:7).  The second epistle to Timothy, and the epistle to

Titus combine the words pro aionios with chronos, translated in the Authorized

Version `before the world began' but literally `before aionion or age-during or

age-past times', and `the present age' ton nun aiona `the now age'.  These

references bring before us the sweep of the ages, revealing that there was a

time which could be spoken of as `before', that which is spoken of as `now',

`this age', and a period spoken of as the ages that are to come.  Considering

what is written in Ephesians 1:4, we perceive that `before the ages' and `before

the overthrow of the world' synchronize, and that the ages therefore must begin

at a line drawn through Genesis 1:2.  Most of the teaching is veiled or

distorted if we adopt the translation of aion in terms of eternity.  The

Authorized Version reads `The eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus'

(Eph. 3:11) as though the word `purpose' was repeated.  The second word

translated `purpose' is the verb poieo `to make'.  At first sight, the idea of

`making' does not seem so fitting, and the Authorized Version seems more

reasonable.  However, we believe that the choice of the word poieo must be

considered as under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit, and therefore to

attain the truth intended we must consider the usage of this word.  In Hebrews

1:2 we read `by Whom also He made the worlds' where the word `worlds' should

read `ages'.  Here again `making' is employed in connection with the ages.  In

the same epistle poieo is used, where the Authorized Version reads `appointed'

and `kept' (Heb. 3:2; 11:28).  In Ephesians 2:3 poieo is translated

`fulfilling'.  In Ephesians 2:10, where we read `we are His workmanship', the

word so translated is poiema.  Solomon, writing in the third chapter of

Ecclesiastes, says that there is a season and a time to every purpose under

heaven, and after listing `item by item' fourteen pairs of experiences, states

in verse 11: