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There are thirteen other occurrences of to telos having reference to various subjects
only one occurrence being found in the Prison Epistles, viz., Phil. 3: 19, "whose end is
destruction." Every other occurrence of the word telos if examined will prove to a
demonstration that telos means "end" in the simple meaning of the term, and to suppose
an ellipsis and translate I Cor. 15: 24 by the words, ""the end (rank)," does violence to
the grammar, ignores the witness of the Concordance, introduces a construction without
parallel in any other of its occurrences, and ignores the witness of the link with the
parousia, and the message of Matt. 24:, Mark 13:, and Luke 21: Christ the firstfruits
was pledge of the harvest--"they that are Christ's at His parousia"; this is in perfect
accord with the whole tenor of prophecy revealed up to the time of writing I Cor. 15:
According to Matt. 24:, after the harvest came the end; so also is it in I Cor. 15:
DESTROYED (katargeõ).--The word occurs27 times (3*9). What the Lord is to do
for all in Adam He has done first of all in His Own case. Just as the pledge of our
resurrection is the resurrection of Christ, so the destruction of death is set forth in the
same way:--
"But is now made manifest by the manifestation of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who
abolished (katargeõ) death, and illuminated life and incorruptibility through the gospel"
(II Tim. 1: 10).
"That through death He might destroy (katargeõ) him that had the power of death, that
is, the Devil" (Heb. 2: 14).
As one has well remarked, "The word must be handled in the same way in each case.
If Satan is `abolished' then he cannot be raised from the lake of fire, and if he is not, then
the whole theory drops." Take other passages:--
"That the body of sin might be destroyed" (Rom. 6: 6).
Will the body of sin ever be revived?
"Not the wisdom of this age, neither of the princes of this age, which come to nought"
(I Cor. 2: 6).
Will this folly or misrule be revived?
"When I became a man I put away childish things" (I Cor. 13: 11).
Is it ideal for a man to become childish?
"The ministration of death. . . . which glory was to be done away" (II Cor. 3: 7).
Is this glory to be revived? (see verses 11-14).
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity" (Eph. 2: 15).
Will that enmity be revived again?
"That wicked one. . . . whom the Lord shall consume. . . . and shall destroy"
(II Thess. 2: 8).