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John 17:3 (ESV):

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Matthew 25:46 (ESV):

46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Does "eternal life" mean the same thing in both contexts?

Does "eternal life" have multiple definitions?

  • "And this is eternal life" does not refer to this life right now but rather does it believe that to know "the only true God, and Jesus Christ" that's eternallife. – Daniel Dahlberg Feb 13 '22 at 08:39
  • All Bible students know that in the Scripture and Jesus speaks: "eternal life" always means the same, not different, and has no multiple definitions. In John 17:3, Jesus - the way, the truth, and the life - defines it in terms of relationship with God in Jesus; Matt 25:46, in terms of Eschatological and ultimate destination. I might suggest rephrasing with a better choice of words than "different meanings" and "multiple definitions" as they connote negative ideas on the integrity of the Scripture. – Sam Feb 21 '22 at 09:27

1 Answers1

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The term "eternal life" has a consistent meaning of being alive forever with Jesus.

For the difference in eternal life by faith and the reality when Jesus returns, see my answer to this question: When does eternal life begin? When we believe in the Son (1 John 5:11-12, John 3:36, 5:24) or on Judgement Day (Matthew 25:31-46)?

The two verses quoted by the OP are another illustration of the same "now by faith" and the "not yet in the future reality":

  • John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [This is the now by faith - people who know God and Jesus by faith have eternal life already, John 5:24.]
  • Matt 25:46 - And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” [This is when faith will meet reality and we get our heavenly bodies at the resurrection according to 1 Cor 15:31-49.]
Dottard
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