It is the place of final judgment. Mt 6:20; Lu 12:33. As to whether that hell is purely a mental existence or a world or reality, Lewis refused to speculate except to say, It will be as actual as as well, as a coffin is actual to a man buried alive.. Many years ago, I decided to do some research to find out for myself if this was. There is no suggestion that those who enter hell ever emerge from it. But these two realities lie just beneath the words of every page of Scripture. HELL. Powered by Knownhost and the Genesis Framework. Surprisingly, only about 60of those versesor an unwhopping three percent of themmight be construed as either directly or indirectly referring to hell. Its truemuch of what we know about hell comes from the mouth of Jesus. Dont fear those who kill the body, Jesus said, rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28; see also 5:29-30; 23:15,33; Luke 10:15; 16:23). Harrowing of Hell - Wikipedia 18. We can only bow the head and say, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Gen. xviii. No mainline or self-proclaimed evangelical denomination denies this doctrine (Seventh-Day Adventists being a special case), and of course, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have always held to this belief as well. In Revelation 17:8, when it refers to the Beast, it states that the Beast is not wiped out of existence: They behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.. Get our latest tips and leader helps with our free monthly e-newsletter. God did not spare the angels who fell into sin; he thrust them down to hell, chained them there in the abyss, to await their sentence in torment (2 Pt 2:4). In that regard, Bible scholar and teacher Warren Wiersbe offered this insight: There is a holy anger against sin (Ephesians 4:26), but Jesus talked about an unholy anger against people. But many people who should know better still seem hell-bent on insisting that He did. The Greek phrase translated as outer darkness in the NLT is skotos to exteron. Yes, hell is "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt 25:41), but also for those who join them in their rebellion against God (Matt 11:2024). What Did Jesus Teach about Hell? | Crossway Articles Seeing the consistency with which this image of weeping and gnashing of teeth is used, does make one think. Heaven is thus the present abode of God and his angels, and the ultimate destination of his saints on earth. Preach about the meek and lowly Jesus, this member told him. On the other hand, there are more than three times as many verses in the gospels in which Jesus references heaven, eternal life, or his coming kingdom: 192 verses in all, or almost 10%. 9:1ff. In later Jewish writings Gehenna came to mean the place of punishment for sinners (Assumption of Moses 10:10; 2 Esdras 7:36). But since Christ described hell this way every time, we must wonder if he was, perhaps, giving us a literal peek into that awful, painful place. Regardless of where Paradise was for Old Testament saints (whether heaven or Hades), it was different in this key way: it lacked the presence of the . Ge 5:24; Heb 11:5; 2Ki 2:11.3. 5 Myths about Hell - Welcome | Crossway Is all-powerful in. But those who held these doctrines also taught the reality of eternal punishment for certain classes of sinners. In the words The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell and great was its fall! Carson somehow construesa clear depiction of eternal damnation: The sermon ends with what has been implicit throughout itthe demand for radical submission to the exclusive lordship of Jesus, who fulfills the Law and the Prophets and warns the disobedient that the alternative to total obedience, true righteousness, and life in the kingdom is rebellion, self-centeredness, and eternal damnation. This is difficult for most of us simply because the very concept of hell seems so out of character for God and his loving nature. Discuss it, I think. In fact, Jesus said more about hell than did any other biblical figure. Your email address will not be published. I'm Terry Gross. How do they arrive at a conclusion so contrary to the facts? The following are the major scriptural evidences for both the existence of, and the everlasting duration of hell: The Greek meaning ofaionios(eternal, everlasting) is indisputable. Op-Ed: Christians believe in heaven and hell Jesus didn't - Los Christ spoke a great deal more about judgment and hell than many might care to admit. Soul means person here (cf. In fact, Matthew alone recorded that Jesus talked about hell at several significant times, including Matthew 5:21-26, 7:13-14, 13:2430, 36-43, 13: 4752, 16:13-20, 18:1-9, 22:1-14, 25:14-30, and 25:31-46. Williams finally concludes: How to reconcile this destiny, which seems inconceivably terrible, with Gods mercy, love, and justice, has always proved a stumbling-block to free thinkers. Lets look at some of the things Jesus said about hell in the Gospel of Matthew and try to answer a few questions people have asked about hell and what Jesus has to say about it. The horror of hell is such that Jesus says, "if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. He lives in Montana, is married and lives with two cats. 25:46). Both this literature and the Apocryphal books affirm belief in an eternal retribution (cf. Does the Bible speak more about Hell than Heaven? In fact, Jesus said more about hell than did any other biblical figure. He gave warning after warning and told parable after parable, practically Continue reading "Jesus, Who Loves You, Warned Frequently About Hell" (Matthew 25:14-30). As well as fire it is described as darkness (Mt. Helping people experience Gods love personally. He definitely did not speak Arabic, another Semitic language that did not arrive in Palestine until after the first century A.D. Amazingly, 13 percent of his sayings are about hell and judgment 25:30; 2 Pet. This is probably due to the fact that what we refer to as heaven and hell is often spoken of in different terms in the Bible (for example, in Luke 16, Lazarus is said to have gone to Abrahams bosom - 16:22). Judith 16:17; Psalms of Solomon 3:13). We cannot get around this fact. Instead, Jesus frequently talks about everlasting life, and life in the kingdom of God. 13:24-30,36-43, 47-50; 22:1-14; 25:14-46.) Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in Scripture . By reading hell into any and every possible passage in the Bible. 13:32). It has been suggested that the NT bears witness to the rabbinic idea of seven heavens, for there are references to Paradise (Lk. Your email address will not be published. Lu 16:23. a. Destruction from the presence of God. 9:6), and of the angels in heaven (Mk. 9f., 146-149, 657f. In fact, you may also have read/heard people telling you that Jesus preached on the fearful idea of hell as a place of endless suffering far more than he talked about heaven. 1Ki 8:30; Mt 6:9. d. Answers his people from. 12:2; this was called Paradise on the rabbinic reckoning, cf. book I am currently writing on the violence of God in the Bible, Hell Is For Real Ive Been There and Came Back. The final occurrence is found in Luke 13:28. But many people who should know better still seem hell-bent on insisting that He did. Im not positive its either literal or metaphorical there are good arguments for both of them. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. God is not alone there, for we read of the host of heaven which worships him (Ne. In a commentary on these verses, he points out that a majestic kingdom inheritance for the righteous (the sheep in this parable) was in Gods plans for us at the earliest moments of creation (Matthew 25:35). Heaven and Hell in Christian Thought (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Our understanding of hell ultimately derives from Him. Furthermore, in verse 6, where it is affirmed that the world perished in the flood, it is obvious that it was notannihilated, butwasted: consistent with the other interpretations above. 60-64. Ps 9:17. Carson, for example, who is one of the first purveyors of the Jesus talked more about hell than heaven myth, findshell in the story of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27). We see this usage in English when someone says, There was not a living soul there.. The Disputation of the Sacrament at the Vatican Museum (c1509). In fact, Jesus spoke more frequently about hell than He did about heaven. 497-543; NIDNTT 2, pp. Dwelling on Truth, Not Lies - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - June 28. John Walvoord, in his contribution to the book Four Views on Hell says that when it comes to the doctrine of hell in the Bible, Jesus himself defined this more specifically and in more instances than any New Testament prophet. The fire of hell is unquenchable (Mk. As a matter of fact, this includes a number of others on our team. What Jesus (as) Really Said About Heaven and Hell: A Response to an What Language Did Jesus Speak? | HISTORY L.M. What did Jesus say about hell? - Explore the Bible This seems extreme and is difficult to reconcile with other statements of grace and forgiveness that Jesus made. The smoke of the fire that torments them will rise forever and ever, and there will be no relief day or night for those who worship the beast or its image or accept the mark of its name (Rv 14:11). 5:25-26). We are finite beings, but our longings are infinite, and we long for an infinite God who loves us infinitely. Jesus warns that those who refuse to enter the kingdom of God by repentance and faith "will be thrown into the outer darkness. We can summarize it like this: hell is the place of conscious, eternal torment where people experience God's punishment for their sin. Carson, for example, who is one of the first purveyors of the Jesus talked more about hell than heaven myth, findshell in the story of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27). 12:3). They stumped me when the topic was hell. will be liable to the hell [gehnna] of fire.". The metaphors that the Bible uses about hell describe a reality that we cant relate to immediately on earth.. Yes, throughout the gospels Jesus did speak about judgement, and yes, he also spoke a handful of times about places such as Gehenna and Hades, words oftentranslated as hell. But those instances do not stand as justification for the promulgation of the myth that Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about heaven. 1:10; Col. 1:20) with the continued existence of those who reject him. An Arab-American, Mike is proud to be a person of color (BIPOC) active in Christian publishing. Among many ancient peoples there was the thought of a multiplicity of heavens. 14. Again, in every usage, weeping and gnashing of teeth refers to an eternal hell, often combined with a description of fire in a place of outer darkness.. More In Religion. Now on to some annihilationist proof texts: Matthew 10:28: The word for destroy isapollumi, which means, according to Vine, not extinction, but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well-being. The other verses in which it appears make this meaning clear (Mt 10:6; Lk 15:6, 9, 24; Jn 18:9). ET on EWTN: Holy Mass and Rosary on Thursday, June 22, 2023 [Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop; Saints John Fisher, Bishop, and Thomas. 6. If the annihilationist interpretation were applied to that verse, it would read, men of nonexistent minds When we originally scheduled the interview we're about to hear, we didn't. . What Did Jesus Say About Hell? Reasons for Hope* Jesus . 2 Peter 3:6-9: Perish is the Greekapollumi(see Matthew 10:28 above), so annihilation, as always, isnottaught. 25:41) and eternal punishment (Matt. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. With that perspective, I think Pastor David Platt says it best (italics his): Hell is not a place where the Devil torments sinners; hell is a place where he is tormented alongside sinners.. In Matthew 25:46, the same wordeternalis used to describe eternal life for the righteous and the eternal punishment of hell for the unrighteous. What Is the Thorn in the Flesh Paul References in 2 Corinthians 12:7? 8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28), and being cut into pieces speak of the horror of hell. The doctrine of Hell is suggested in the Old Testament, but it is much more clearly revealed in the New. Turning Jesus gospel of love into a gospel of fear, damnation and punishment is eitheralarmingly ignorant or intentionally manipulative. By my count[1] (with the help of some BibleWorks magic), there are 1,944 verses in the four gospels that contain Jesus words. TDNT 5, pp. Either way, its very bad news indeed, and needs to stop. 2:4 only, we find the Verb translated in RSV cast into hell, and rendered by the Pesh. Did Jesus Talk More About Heaven Than Hell? | Truth in Reality He also maintains a popular Facebook page. Itll be best, I think if we never have to find out. Eph 5:5. Finally, we must notice an eschatological use of the term. There is no way out of this without doing violence to Scripture. Our understanding of hell ultimately derives from Him. Jesus uses strong language about hell because it is real and unspeakably horrible. In John 14:2 Jesus speaks of His Fathers house, which we would call heaven. The same is true for hell. There are terms like the kingdom of heaven in Matthew which occur frequently, and change the statistics considerably. Jesus did, indeed, promise that He left the earth to go and prepare a place for those who would eventually follow Him to heaven. 7. The children of the kingdom will be driven out into the darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth (Mt 8:12). Apparently someone made the statement that Jesus spoke about hell more than heaven, so John at Verum Serum checked it out to see if it was true and he came to the conclusion, just be doing a word count that Jesus speaks more about heaven than hell. Jesus talks about hell more than he talks about heaven, and describes it more vividly. May Our Lady help us to make the important choices in life as she did: according to love, according to God.. This word,kolasis, is defined in KittelsTheological Dictionary of the New Testamentas (eternal) punishment. Vine (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) says the same thing, as does A. T. Robertson all impeccable language scholars. All rights reserved. We cant just ignore that Jesus spoke frequently about hell and that he seemed to view it as a literal, fiery place. Jesus spoke about Hell more than anyone else in the Bible, and in doing so He revealed sufficient information for our understanding and gave explicit warnings of the dangers of Hell. Jesus called this place the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 3:10-13; Rev. It's truemuch of what we know about hell comes from the mouth of Jesus. So Jesus did not, in fact, speak more about hell than heaven. Acts 7:30; 1 Cor 3:15; Rev 1:14) is not the same as hellfire, which is spoken of as eternal or unquenchable, within which the wicked suffer consciously (Mt 3:10, 12; 13:42, 50; 18:8; 25:41; Mk 9:43-48; Lk 3:17). The sheep will receive eternal life, while the goats "will go away into eternal punishment" (Matt 25:46). In fact, no other biblical figure speaks about hell more often than Jesus Christ. Carson, Jesus Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World, He [Jesus] spoke more often about hell than he did about heaven. 1Co 15:50. b. If you were thinking of joining us in Houston on July 11-12 but havent yet secured your registration, dont leave it too late! 7:10). Theres much more to study, of course, but this is a starting place at least. 184-196; ZPEB, 3, pp. We must soldier on, ever mindful of the worlds goodness, yet resistant to its entrapments. As the one who was God in human flesh, no one knows more about hell than Jesus Christ. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, eternal fire. (CCC 1035). For example: he [Jesus] himself speaks twice as often of hell as of heaven. It is used many times referring to eternal life in heaven. . What Is Baptism? 26:15). Another common picture of hell is darkness. On that point, the Bible is unmistakably clear. Here are some verses. Christians believe that when a person dies, their soul goes eternally to heaven or hell. Some people try to avoid the idea of hell by saying, "That was the Old Testament God, back when he was in his junior high years and all cranky. A Biblical Guide of its Existence, Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/wacomka. In John 14:1-3, Jesus describes heaven as a real place where He will live with disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Heaven and Hell in Christian Thought First published Tue Apr 23, 2013; substantive revision Sat Feb 20, 2021 Behind the various Christian ideas about heaven and hell lies the more basic belief that our lives extend beyond the grave (see the entry on afterlife ). Originally gehnna referred to Hinnom Valley south of Jerusalem, where centuries earlier child sacrifice was practiced (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:32). It is, indeed, a mystery which we cannot understand, and which Christ has purposely left unexplained. On the other hand Rev. Do outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth always refer to hell, or are there other interpretations too? That phrase is exclusive to Matthews gospel and shows up three times: Matthew 8:12, 22:13, and 25:30. What Jesus Said About Heaven and Hell - Beliefnet Depart from me, you accursed, into that eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41). And in the end, Jesus will do more than speak about judgment. The same Greek word is also used to refer to eternal punishments (Mt 18:8; 25:41, 46; Mk 3:29; 2 Thess 1:9; Heb 6:2; Jude 7). Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven. Episode 57: Death, Adam and Eve, and Ephesians 2:1, with Joey Dear (Part 1), Logical Fallacies Part 3: The Red Herring, Click here to read the rest of this article. Is that really something to worry about? EIN 27-4581132 If you have any serious interest in the subject of hell, you will probably have either read or heard someone tell you that Jesus taught more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. Even if one regards these images as symbolic or metaphorical, the reality of hell is infinitely worse than we can grasp for this one reason: Hell is the logical destination for those who want nothing to do with God.. Interestingly, every time he says outer darkness, Jesus also pairs it with weeping and gnashing of teeth.. Endeavour to keep others from. Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven. 11. If I am cut off the phone with somebody, would anyone think to say I am cut off eternally?. As a cradle Catholic, I thought I was prepared for their arguments, but I wasn't. 20:10 does indicate conscious, never-ending torment for the devil and his agents, albeit in a highly symbolic passage, and some would affirm that a similar end awaits human beings who ultimately refuse to repent. So what can we know about hell from the teachings of Jesus? Weeping by itself obviously has multiple uses and applications in the New Testament, but when combined with the Greek brygmos tn odontn, gnashing of teeth, that phrase appears seven times in the New Testament, again always spoken by Jesus. The images of fire (Matt. By my count[1] (with the help of some BibleWorks magic), there are 1,944 verses in the four gospels that contain Jesus words. The rabbinic literature contains various opinions as to who would suffer eternal punishment. The word He used in Matthew 5:22 means a settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly.. The blight of eternal punishment was something that neednt ever have existed but for our participation in Satans sin. Catholic Daily Mass - Daily TV Mass - June 22, 2023 - Facebook Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Even in one verse Matthew 25:46 the word is used twice: once to describe heaven and once for hell. Did Jesus speak more about Hell than about Heaven? . What Jesus Really Said About Heaven and Hell - Yahoo News - Latest News or school. Early Christian . Dt 18:15-19, from which this passage is derived; see also Gen 1:24; 2:7, 19; 1 Cor 15:45; Rev 16:3). One of the many perks for those attending the Rethinking Hell 2014 Conference will be the opportunity to meet and hear from Glenn in person. Here are some verses. The Israelite is to pray, Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven (Dt. In fact, no other biblical figure speaks about hell more often than Jesus Christ. Reprinted by permission. When Jesus talked about separation, he was talking in regards to the works of man, and it was those who failed this test of works in his stories that were not included into the Kingdom of Heaven. Punishment of, is eternal. 7 Truths About Hell - The Gospel Coalition In this peaceful pursuit, the sinful seeds of anger are rooted out and rendered ineffective in a persons life. What Is Hell? Likewise for the related Greek wordaion, which is used throughout Revelation for eternity in heaven (e.g., 1:18; 4:9-10; 5:13-14; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 15:7; 22:5), and also for eternal punishment (14:11; 20:10). He invites everyone to trust in him to receive eternal life rather than the eternal punishment that everyone deserves for their sin (John 3:16-17). These, however, are slender bases on which to erect such a structure. What am I supposed to do with that? Mike Nappais a practical theologian known for writingBible-Smart: Matthewand coffee-shop theology books. Don't Quote Jesus' Words About Hell - HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S If one is cut off, that is a one-time event, not an eternal one. The Bible Teaches that Hell is Eternal - National Catholic Register Jesus: The Great Theologian of Hell It may seem remarkable, but no Bible spokesman places more stress on hell as the final consequence of God's judgment of condemnation than Jesus. Hes a bestselling and award-winning author with millions of copies of his works sold worldwide. It may be that its in this sense that anger, unchecked, becomes equivalent to murder. So Jesus did not, in fact, speak more about hell than heaven. Mt 5:12; 1Pe 1:4. He is a writer, graphic designer and IT specialist. ThayersGreek-English Lexicon of the New Testamentor any other Greek lexicon would confirm this. The wicked excluded from. Dan is the Executive Editor of the Unfundamentalist blog. ), Four Views on Hell (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 19-20. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_6022_2_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_6022_2_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); Some of the initial rhetorical impressiveness of this observation fades away, however, when we realise that all the instances of gehenna, in the Gospels actually amounts to very few.
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