Hell - The Conclusion

continued from Hell - On a Philosophical Level

So the traditional concept of hell may not be exactly accurate, but it is also not unfounded. As English speakers we will continue to use the word hell to describe what happens in the end, but we have to be real about what Scripture teaches. Either way you look at it, whether it be a literal place of flame or not, it is a place you and I don’t want to be.

In conclusion is it wrong to assume that hell is an eternal fiery place? I would say that taking the Scripture literally would lead to such a conclusion. Personally, I believe Jesus used ghastly images to convey the truth about what is to come after the physical death. One is Gehenna, the ever burning garbage dump and the other is a lake of fire where even Satan and his demons will be punished. Jesus constantly used parables in his teaching to help people understand what he was talking about. I do believe he was clear that hell is a literal eternal place (physical, spiritual or both), and that it is a place you or I do not want to be. I believe there is the clear use of metaphor when it comes to hell. Gehenna and its ever burning garbage correspond to the eternal nature of “hell.” The Lake of fire suggests a place of unimaginable discomfort and torment that I can only conjecture is the result of not being with God.

Hell - On a Philosophical Level.

lcontinued from Hell - What does Scripture Say?

Philosophically speaking, what is the point of Jesus’ life and sacrifice if all mankind will end up in heaven or those who do not except him will be extinguished. The purpose of hell is judgment for living a life apart from God. The purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice is to give all of mankind opportunity to avoid that judgment. Is the woman who is in some tribe that has never heard the Gospel going to hell when she dies? We have no right to make such a judgment because it is ultimately up to God. We know and have faith that God is fair, but this doesn’t negate our responsibility. We are commanded to tell the world that there is the possibility of hell and that there is a way to avoid it. We can’t ignore this command. We have to believe that if we don’t tell those people about God that Scripture says there exists the possibility that their names will not be found in the Book of Life and that they will suffer judgment as a result. Whether we believe it to be fair or not we have to trust that God knows exactly what he is doing.

Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through him. This implies that in the end a person is either with God or not with God. Scripture makes it clear that to be with God means to be in heaven. So where do those who are not with God go? The natural conclusion is that this is the very reason Jesus introduced the concept of geenna. Scripture implies that those who do not know Jesus will not be with God. The natural conclusion is, they will be in geenna.

Paul gives a look into the future in his letter to the Romans. Chapter 2:1-16 tells us that all men will be judged whether they are under the law or not. Those who are “self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil” will experience God’s wrath and anger. Who are those who are self-seeking? It is those who have not experienced God's saving grace. It is they who are living for themselves and living for the moment. Who are those who will be saved? It is those people who's lives have been changed through their understanding of what God has done for them through Jesus.

And, what is this wrath and anger that Paul speaks of? It is judgment and punishment. God, through his wisdom, will judge all the inhabitants of the earth. Those he finds faithful will receive their reward. But what of those who are condemned? What happens to them? Could this be the very reason Jesus introduced the concept of geenna? Jesus himself described geenna as a place of judgment. Paul goes on to say that those who experience God’s wrath and anger or reward will experience it on the day of judgment. God's reward to the faithful in Christ will be heaven and life eternal. Those who have not turned to Christ for freedom from sin will go to the eternal geenna.

Hell - What does Scripture Say?

continued from Hell - Is it a literal place?

What can we gather from these twelve verses?

Geenna is described as a place of, or that has, fire. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament says that fire in the New Testament often denotes judgment; something which the Jews would have understood sense fire is used of God’s judicial wrath in the Old Testament. One must use imagery that is familiar to those he is communicating with in order for them to understand what he is trying to communicate. Jesus was using the image of Gehenna of his day (a place literally filled with filth and eternal fire; a place of finality) to convey the idea that the future geenna is an undesirable place, an eschatological place, and a place of judgment as seen in Matthew 23:33, Matt 5:22 and 18:9.

Hebrew parallelism concerning geenna is found in Matthew 18:8-9. When speaking of the final judgment Jesus uses the phrase “eternal fire” in verse 8 and then “fire of geenna” in verse 9. Jesus used these two phrases interchangeably. By doing so he not only depicts geenna as being a place of fire but a place of eternal fire.

Such imagery of geenna makes the jump from "eternal fire" to "lake of fire" not very big. In fact, Jesus says in Matthew 25:41, when speaking of the goats and sheep, “depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” It is then in Revelation that the connection is made between eternal fire and lake of fire. Being in the same context Jesus says “eternal fire” where Revelation says “lake of fire” (Rev 19:20; 20:10-11). Not only is this lake of fire a place for Satan and his demons but Rev 20:14-15 confirms what Jesus said in Matthew 25:41. People will be cast into this lake as well. It says that anyone who has a name not found in the Book of Life will find themselves being thrown into the lake as well. (If one will notice there are two judgments taking place here. This passage says “books” were opened and people’s works were judged, but it was those whose names were not written in the Book of Life that were cast into the lake of fire.)

In Mark 9:43 Jesus says that the “fires” of geenna cannot be extinguished. This would have brought to mind the common belief that something was always burning in Gehenna. A question arises from this passage. Does “cannot be extinguished” denote eternity? One can come up with three possible meanings. The fire is too hot to extinguish symbolizing the torment and impossible escape from it; the fire lasts forever because it cannot be extinguished; or the other alternative is that both meanings are implied. Mark 9:47-48 further explains and leads one to the third option by adding the phrase “the worm does not die” to the fact that the fire cannot be extinguished. So we can conjecture that geenna is a place of eternal torment without the chance for escape.

Jesus depicts geenna as being a place where the soul can go or be “thrown" (Matt 5:29, 30; Mark 9:45, 47). Matthew 10:28 speaks of the one who has the power to destroy both soul and body in geenna. God is the only one who has the right to condem a person to hell. Once again, we also see that the imagery is similar to that of Revelation 20:15 where the soul is “thrown” into the Lake of Fire. (It must be noted that the emphasis needs to be placed on the word "can" in Matthew 10:28. This verse is not saying that God destroys both soul and body in geenna but he can.)

In Matthew 23:15 Jesus uses the phrase “son of geenna.” This can denote two things; if you are a Calvanist, people are destined for geenna, or if you are an Armenianist, that some people, in their present situation, are headed for hell. It also infers that these people can contribute to others being in the same situation as their own.

Clearly these passages, spoken by Jesus, denote an actual literal place of final judgment that will last forever. Is it a place of fire? As has been shown, fire is often used to convey an image of final judgment. Jesus used the image of fire (images familiar to those he spoke to) to show that hell it is a literal place of judgment/condemnation and not necessarily flames.

James says that our tongue can be set on fire by geenna. Jesus said that there are “sons of hell.” Not only can the tongue be “set on fire” but so can a person’s entire life if they are not following Jesus. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” If the only way to God is through Jesus, then what happens to those who don’t accept Jesus? They have to go somewhere else!!! Whether one believes in a fiery place called hell or not there is definitely a place of final judgment and separation from God.

Hell - Is it a literal place?

First off, there is confusion when it comes to the word "hell." The word geenna, or Gehenna, is translated as “hell” in our English Bibles. The word hell itself literally means “netherworld” and is used to describe various concepts of a world underground where the dead go. The equivalent Greek word would be hades. So there is a misconception about hell before one even attempts to discern what the Bible has to say about it.

Many Jews would have been familiar with the Greek hades and possibly the Zoroastrian hell of which elements seem to mirror the traditional Christian view of hell. So in determining what hell is an attempt has to be made to put aside all prejudices and preconceived ideas concerning it and look solely at the Bible to see what it has to say. On the other hand, we have to keep in mind what would have been familiar to those listening to Jesus’ teaching concerning the afterlife.

From this point on three separate words will be used in this discussion concerning hell. Gehenna will be used when referring to the Hinnom Valley where the burning of Jerusalem's garbage took place. Geenna will be used for the concept presented by Jesus, and hell for the traditional view of Christians.

There are twelve references to geenna all but one made by Jesus himself.

Matthew 5:22, 18:9 “fire of geenna”
Matthew 5:29, 30; Mark 9:45 “thrown into geenna” “go into geenna”
Matthew 10:28 “destroy both soul and body in geenna”
Matthew 23:15 “son of geenna”
Matt 23:33 “condemned to geenna” (or “judgment of geenna”)
Mark 9:43 “geenna, where the fire never goes out.” (or “inextinguishable fire”)
Mark 9:47-48 “thrown into geenna where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”
Luke 12:5 “after killing the body, has the power to throw you in geenna.”
James 3:6 “tongue…set on fire by geenna.”

There should be no doubt that Jesus taught geenna was/is a literal place different from Gehenna. Jesus used the imagery of Gehenna to describe that which is opposite heaven. Jesus treated geenna as a literal place whether it be physical or other-worldly. The question goes from “is hell a literal place” to “what exactly is hell?”

Answering a Challenge About Hell

Pastor Louie sent me a link from Real Live Preacher, the blog of Gordon Atkinson, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in San Antonio. The particular page Louie sent me to issues a challenge (or exercise) concerning hell. I decided to take on the challenge. Here it is in condensed form:

Okay, so here's the deal: if you believe in hell, I want you to help us understand why. I invite anyone who believes that non-Christians are going to an eternal hell to make your case. We're going to play by your rules too. Bible arguments only...because if you're talking about hell, you better damn well be able to open your holy book and show us why.

THE GROUND RULES

1. Email only.
2. New Testament only
3. You need to make a good, solid New Testament case.
4. You may need to answer any opposing Scriptures I send back to you.
5. You need to provide scriptural evidence for all three elements of hell. (Hell exists, non-Christians will end up there, and it is forever)
6. Serious responses...
   

I have broken up my response into a series of posts to make it easier to read. Have fun!!! You can access them all at once here.