PMW 2025-025 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this article I will be briefly responding to a reader that has been confused over some lexical and interpretive issues in eschatology. Hopefully this will help not only him but my other readers who may have experienced the same types of confusion.

The reader was interacting with my article “Understanding Collapsing Universe Prophecies” (PMW 2025-016) published on February 25, 2025.

The ends of the ages

He opens with: “The idea does not hold up that 2,000 years later we are still living in the same age as Paul and the Corinthian believers. Why? Because Paul wrote that the culmination of the ages had come upon them. (1 Corinthians 10:11).”

In response I would note that in fact we actually are living in the same age “as Paul and the Corinthian believers.” Paul simply means that with the incarnational coming of Christ in the first century, the final days, the end result of all the preceding, preparatory ages has finally come. Christ is the divider of history; he is the turning point in redemptive history. In the former days, all the OT sacrifices and types pointed to him, anticipating the finality of his work in the latter days, which was to come. And now that he has come the ends of the preceding ages has come. We live in the “last days” of history after which no other days of history will come. We are living in “the last days” in anticipation of “the last day,” which comes at the end of history, at the resurrection of the dead (John 6:39-40, 44, 54; 11:24).

Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Geerhardus Vos
Ed. by Ken Gentry and Bill Boney
This is a collection of several key eschatological studies by the renowned Reformed theologian Geehardus Vos. We have modernized Vos’ grammar and syntax and updated his layout style according to modern publishing conventions (shorter sentences and paragraphs). We did this without changing any of Vos’ arguments.

For more information on this new Vos work or to order it, see:
https://www.kennethgentry.com/reformed-eschatology-in-the-writings-of-geerhardus-vos/

My reader then points to Matthew 12:32 which speaks of God not forgiving blasphemy against the Holy Spirit “either in this age or in the age to come [Gk. mellonti, a form of mello].” This helps my point. Jesus is not saying, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven while I am here with you for it will not even be forgiven forty years later (when the temple is destroyed). He is stating in a dramatic, emphatic way that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven — in history or in eternity.

Then my reader turns to Paul’s statement in Ephesians 1:21. That verse in context reads: “which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come [Gk. mellonti, a form of mello].” Once again, this is a declaration of time and eternity. Christ is the head over all rule and authority — in history and in eternity.

I will have much to say about the biblical references to “this age” and “the age to come” in my book on The Two Ages of Redemptive History. However, there is much good material available out there. Simply looking up the verses in most standard commentaries will expose the error involved in the questions presented to me.

Predestination Made Easy
(by Ken Gentry)
A thoroughly biblical, extremely practical, and impressively clear presentation of
the doctrine of absolute predestination.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

The Greek mello

And now, what about the word mello? Many lay interpreters make the mistake of thinking that a Greek word has only one meaning. But if you look at the size of a Greek lexicon, you will realize that words have a great variety of shades of meaning and application. Certainly Mello can mean “about to” in the sense of approaching nearness. However, in the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich-Danker Lexicon you will discover that the entry for mello consumes two and one-half columns of small print on large pages in explaining the meaning and use of the word. It does not simply say: Mello: “about to, to be on the point of.”

It gives the following definition(s) in its several columns: “(1) To take place at a future point of time and so to be subsequent to another event, be about to.” In sub-point (a) under entry (1) we discover that it sometimes “denotes certainty that an event will occur in the future” (Acts 27:10). Under sub-point (b) it is noted that it can mean “be on the point of, be about to.” But under sub-point (c) we discover that in addition to “about to” it can be used “in a weakened sense [to] serve simply as a periphrasis for the fut[ure],” e.g., Acts 13:34; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Pet. 2:6. As we continue further under point (1) the BAGD Lexicon points out that it can denote “an intended action” meaning “intend, propose, have in mind” (John 7:35; 2 Pet. 1:12).

But under point (2) in the BAGD Lexicon it gives this meaning: “to be inevitable, be destined, inevitable” (Acts 2:38; Rom. 4:24; 8:13; Heb. 1:14). Then at point (3) it says that it has the meaning of “(in the) future, to come” (Luke 13:9; Rom. 5:14; 8:38).

In fact, thfe internationally prominent BAGD Lexicon puts both Matt. 12:32 and Eph. 1:21 under the third definition: “(in the) future, to come.”

The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament has in its opening summary definition of mello: “intend, be about to, will (as auxiliary vb. for the fut.), be destined to, consider, hesitate, delay.” In one of its paragraphs it lists Eph. 1:21 as an example of meaning “coming, future.”

I dealt with the issue of mello two years ago (see: https://postmillennialworldview.com/2023/02/02/hyperpreterism-and-mello-in-acts/). But despite pointing out the scholarly exegetical and translational consensus, too many laymen keep following this faulty understanding.

BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL
Doctoral dissertation defending a pre-AD 70 date for Revelation’s writing (459 pp; paperback). Thoroughly covers internal evidence from Revelation, external evidence from history, and objections to the early date by scholars.

For more study materials: https://www.kennethgentry.com/

The Bible translations

This is why published translations of Scripture have mello in Ephesians 1:21 as simply “to come,” not “about to come.” Notice the following versions (for the full version names see the bottom of this URL: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Ephesians%201%3A21).

KJ21
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

ASV
far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

AMP
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.

AMPC
Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.

BRG
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

CSB
far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

CEB
far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future.

CJB
far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion or any other name that can be named either in the ‘olam hazeh or in the ‘olam haba.

CEV
There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well.

DARBY
above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come;

DLNT
far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name being named— not only in this age, but also in the one coming.

DRA
Above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

ERV
He put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. He gave him authority over everything that has power in this world or in the next world.

EASY
There, Christ rules over every other ruler and leader. He rules over everything else that has authority. He is greater than any power which people respect. That is true for the rulers of this world now, and also the rulers of the world that will come.

EHV
far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

ESV
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

ESVUK
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

EXB
God has put Christ ·over [far above] all rulers, authorities, powers, and ·kings [lords; dominion], and every other ·title given [L name that is named] not only in this ·world [age] but also in the ·next [coming one].

GNV
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and domination, and every Name, that is named, not in this world only, but also in that that is to come,

GW
He is far above all rulers, authorities, powers, lords, and all other names that can be named, not only in this present world but also in the world to come.

GNT
Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next.

HCSB
far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

ICB
God made Christ more important than all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. Christ is more important than anything in this world or in the next world.

ISV
He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.

PHILLIPS
That power is the same divine power which was demonstrated in Christ when he raised him from the dead and gave him the place of supreme honour in Heaven—a place that is infinitely superior to any conceivable command, authority, power or control, and which carries with it a name far beyond any name that could ever be used in this world or the world to come.

JUB
far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come,

KJV
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

AKJV
far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

LSB
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

LEB
above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one,

TLB
far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.

MSG
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

MEV
far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

MOUNCE
infinitely superior to every ruler, · authority, · power, or dominion—· every name that can be named—not only in · this age but also in the age to come.

NOG
He is far above all rulers, authorities, powers, lords, and all other names that can be named, not only in this present world but also in the world to come.

NABRE
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.

NASB
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

NASB1995
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

NCB
far above every principality and authority, power and dominion, and every other title that can be named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

NCV
God has put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings, not only in this world but also in the next.

NET
far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

NIRV
There Christ sits far above all who rule and have authority. He also sits far above all powers and kings. He is above every name that is appealed to in this world and in the world to come.

NIV
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

NIVUK
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

NKJV
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

NLV
This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power.

NLT
Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.

NMB
above all rule, power, and might, and dominion, and above all names that are named, not in this world only, but also in the world to come.

NRSVA
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

NRSVACE
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

NRSVCE
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

NRSVUE
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

NTFE
above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and above every name that is invoked, both in the present age and also in the age to come.

OJB
Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the Olam Hazeh but also in Olam Habah.

RGT
far above every principality and power and might and domination, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the coming one.

RSV
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;

RSVCE
far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;

TLV
He is far above any ruler, authority, power, leader, and every name that is named—not only in the olam ha-zeh but also in the olam ha-ba.

VOICE
He’s above all rule, authority, power, and dominion; over every name invoked, over every title bestowed in this age and the next.

WEB
far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.

WE
And God has put all things under Christ. He has made him the head of the church people in all matters.

WYC
above each principat, and potentate, and virtue, and domination, and above each name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to coming [and each name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come];

YLT
far above all principality, and authority, and might, and lordship, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one.

Conclusion

When your view goes against the leading lexicons and the universal consensus of the published translations of Scripture, and your training in koine Greek is not complete, you have a problem. I recommend dropping the alternative minority view that is generally only held in a small, unorthodox movement.

GOODBIRTH AND THE TWO AGES
I am currently researching a technical study on the concept of the Two Ages in Scripture. This study is not only important for understanding the proper biblical concept of the structure of redemptive history. But it is also absolutely essential for fully grasping the significance of the Disciples’ questions in Matthew 24:3, which spark the Olivet Discourse. This book will be the forerunner to a fuller commentary on the Olivet Discourse in Matthew’s comprehensive presentation. This issue must be dealt with before one can seriously delve into the Discourse itself.

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