An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 15

1 BOOK II — CHAPTER 1: Concerning age, or aeon.

2 He created the ages Who Himself was before the ages. 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 the sort of temporal motion and interval that is co-extensive with eternity. For age is to things eternal just what time is to things temporal.

3 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, viz., 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.

4 And in this sense there is but one age, and God is spoken of as eternal, 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.

5 Of all the ages, therefore, the sole creator is God Who has also created the universe and Who was before the ages. Further, everlasting life and everlasting punishment prove that the age to come is unending. For time will not be counted by days and nights even after the resurrection, but there will rather be one day with no evening, wherein the Sun of Justice will shine brightly on the just, but for the sinful there will be night profound and limitless.