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(1)
Tote "Then". This adverb of time is made up of to pote `the when'. There
are but two occurrences, namely verses 28 and 54.
"Then shall the Son also Himself be subject."
"Then shall be brought to pass the saying."
(2)
Eita. This adverb of order or sequence; "then, afterwards". There are
three occurrences of this word, namely in verses 5, 7 and 24.
"He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve."
"Then of all the apostles."
"Then cometh the end."
The remaining occurrences of `then' represent logical conjunctions:
"If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain" (14).
"Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished" (18).
But these only come before us because the English word `then' has to serve as a
conjunction as well as for an adverb of time, but they have no bearing or relation with
either tote or eita.
When we read "Then cometh the end" we must remember as Weymouth notes in his
margin:
"Later on. The `then' of the A.V. is only a correct translation in the sense of
`next in order'. The Greek word denotes sequence not simultaneousness, as in
Mark 4: 28 `after that the full corn in the ear'."
The END. Telos does not, as is commonly supposed, primarily denote the end,
termination with reference to time, but THE GOAL REACHED, THE COMPLETION or
CONCLUSION, at which anything arrives, either as ISSUE or ENDING. To illustrate or
clarify this distinction:
(1)
The "end" of the pen with which I write these words is an iridium point on the nib,
which being dipped in ink makes marks on a sheet of paper. That is the physical end.
(2)
The "end" telos of this pen however is to write. That is the purposeful end.
The end or terminus of a journey may be Euston Station, but the end or purpose of
the journey may be to visit a relative. When therefore I Cor. 15: 24 says "Then cometh
the end", it means that the goal of God has been attained.