What does “everlasting destruction” mean? 2Th. 1:9
Marvin Vincent, in Word Studies in the New Testament regarding olethron aionion in 2Th. 1:9 explained:
If olethros is extinction, then the passage teaches the annihilation of the wicked, in which case the adjective aionios is superfluous, because extinction is final, and excludes the idea of duration.…In this passage, the word destruction is qualified. It is “destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power,” at his second coming, in the new aeon. In other words, it is the severance, at a given point of time, of those who obey not the gospel from the presence and the glory of Christ. Aionios may therefore describe this severance as continuing during the millennial aeon between Christ’s coming and the final judgment; as being for the wicked prolonged throughout that aeon and characteristic of it, or it may describe the severance as characterizing or enduring through a period or aeon succeeding the final judgment, the extent of which period is not defined. In neither case is aionios, to be interpreted as everlasting… (16) (For full quote, see our website at Further Study, Eternity, Marvin Vincent).
If we cross-reference olethros with 1Co. 5:5, with its derivative olothrūo in He. 11:28, we will see that utter annihilation does not fit. For example, take the extermination of the “first-born” of Egypt (He. 11:28): Were all these innocent babies utterly annihilated before God? Also, though Satan destroys the flesh of the saved, we know God restores it in the resurrection (1Co. 5:5). Even were God to utterly annihilate someone, has He not the power to restore (De. 32:39; 1Sa. 2:6; Mt. 3:9)? (See also Inescapable Love of God by Thomas Talbot page 104. See bibliography).
Reference
16 Vincent, Marvin. Word Studies in the New Testament. 1887. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1973. 61-62.
Taken from Hope Beyond Hell page 224 – 225
