Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The nations of the world seek after - Or, earnestly seek, επιζητει from επι above, over, and ζητεω, I seek; to seek one thing after another, to be continually and eagerly coveting. This is the employment of the nations of this world, utterly regardless of God and eternity! It is the essence of heathenism to live only for this life; and it is the property of Christianity to lead men to live here in reference to another and better world. Reader! how art thou living? Dr. Lightfoot observes on this place, that κοσμος, the world, and αιων, world or age, have a meaning in the sacred writings which they have not in profane authors. Αιων has relation to the Jewish ages, and κοσμος to the ages that are not Jewish: hence, by συντελεια του αιωνος, Mat 24:3, is meant the end of the Jewish age or world: and προ χρονων αιωνιων, Tit 1:2, means before the Jewish world began; and hence it is that the term world is very often, in the New Testament, to be understood only of the Gentiles.