Matthew 13:39

World. Gr. aidn, “age.” The different shades of meaning inherent in the word aidn are apparent from the many ways it is translated in the NT: “world” (Matt. 12:32; 13:22; 24:3; 28:20; Mark 4:19; etc.), “age” (Eph. 2:7; Col. 1:26), “eternal” (Eph. 3:11; 1 Tim. 1:17), “ever” (Matt. 21:19; Luke 1:55; etc.), and, when used with a negative, “never” (Mark 3:29; John 4:14; etc.). For the related adjective form, aionios, “eternal,” “everlasting,” see on Matt. 25:41; cf. Mark 9:43.

Aidn considers “world” from the viewpoint of time, whereas the Gr. kosmos, translated “world” in the NT (see chs. 4:8; 5:14; 13:35, 38; etc.), with but one exception (2 Peter 3:3), considers it from the viewpoint of space. The Scriptures usually speak of the end of the aion (see Matt. 13:39; 24:3; 28:20; etc.), rather than the end of the kosmos. For a discussion of the word kosmos see on ch. 4:8. Another Greek word commonly translated “earth,” or “world,” is oikoumene, which refers specifically to the “inhabited world,” that is, the world from the viewpoint of its suitability as a home for the human race (see Matt. 24:14; Luke 2:1; 4:5; etc.).

Reapers are the angels. See Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.