Jesus on HELL!

This entry is prompted by some research I did as a result of a recent interview done on with an Evangelical preacher. The interview was streamlined as "There is NO HELL." In this interview, there was no scripture referenced, but the gentleman postulated something that is not new at all, but all too familiar - "..a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering..”

There are many who make such statements. Some would have us believe that HELL is just a fable made up by the Roman Catholic Church in its infancy in order to keep its parishioners inline, or so says one priest. Another man states, "It only stands to reason, then, that this same Jesus, who was completely appalled at the very idea of burning a few people, for a few horrific minutes until they were dead, could never, ever burn billions of people for an eternity!"

So....I asked myself (with no bias in mind to defend anything accept what the scripture itself teaches) if this could be true? I know the following things to start off with:

1. 1Jn 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." -- So we will put these thoughts to test with the scripture since they say this is not taught in the scripture.
2. Rom 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged." God's word stands the test of time, men and proclamations of men. God will prevail, and His word will prevail after men and the words they speak are long gone!
3. John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. God's word is the truth. Men can flap their gums all they want, but unless God says it, it is not spiritual truth!

When speaking of "eternal hell" there are a couple of things that we must enter the discussion being aware of. First is that the older versions, especially the KJV or "authorized" version uses the word "hell" indiscriminately to refer to the grave, the place where the spirit goes upon death, and the eternal destination of the wicked. Most modern versions correct this, especially in the American Standard and New American Standard versions. For the purposes of our discussion and study, our focus will be on "eternal hell" the eternal abode of the wicked.

So, let's let Jesus speak on Hell. Does He confirm or deny its existence? This research then will be limited to the gospels, since this is where Jesus speaks personally - that is He is in person speaking, no one is saying it for Him.

The term HELL in the sense of eternal hell, is referenced by the greek word "Gehenna." This word occurs 15 times in the New Testament and 11 of those times, it us used by Jesus personally. The word is taken from the Hebrew term that means "the valley of Hinnom." This referred to a literal place outside of the city of Jerusalem, that was basically the city dump or landfill of the day. It was the place where all trash within the city, all carrion, dead bodies of criminals or paupers who had no one to claim them were taken and thrown. It gained infamy in Old Testament history and thus became absolute anathema to the Jewish people, when children were sacrificed to the god Moloch there (Josh. 15:8; II Kings 33:10; Jer.2:23; 7:31-32; 19:6,13-14). For this reason the valley was thereafter deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore became a figurative equivalent for "hell."

Jesus uses THIS term in the following Mt.5:29,30; Mk.9:43; Lk.12:5

Now, a couple of notes on these passages that reflect upon the same instance. Jesus is teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding adultery and how that to "look upon a woman so as to lust after her, he has committed adultery already in his heart." He then states, that it is better to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand and go through life maimed, than for "your whole body be thrown into hell" Let's now make some observations on this statement.

• The term HELL here is our term GEHENNA. Thus, there is no mistaking what Jesus is referencing.
• Jesus uses the word "cast" here, which means to throw. It is actually a gardening term, stating what one does when one finds a weed growing in a garden. The weed is plucked and "cast" or thrown out of the garden because the gardener does not want it growing there. Noticed here, Jesus says "the whole body be cast into hell."
• INTO - means to take from one place and put into another. This same term is used in Col.1:13, where it states we are transferred FROM the kingdom of darkness INTO the kingdom of God's dear Son. So, Jesus is stating that the "whole body" because of the sin it carries in an unrepentant person, will be cast or thrown INTO Hell! It will be taken out of God's garden and thrown into this place.
• THE WHOLE BODY - It is obvious, that the physical body decays and goes back to the dust from which it came (Gen.3:19) or "sheol" the grave. But, we are told that the spirit does not have flesh and blood as human bodies do (Lk.24:39), thus it does not decay but continues to exist (Lk.16:19-31). Jesus here states that a spirit of evil, is plucked from God's garden and cast INTO - Hell - Gehenna!

Mt.23:23 Jesus speaking to the Jewish Pharisees and scribes of His day, states to them, "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?"

• HELL here is our familiar term again, Gehenna
• “damnation” here comes from the greek word "crisis" which means to meter judgment
• He is stating that because of their teaching, judgment would be metered to them and that judgment was HELL! Why? Is Jesus judging them? No...He did not come to judge. He came to proclaim God's truth. It is the truth that is judging them (Jn.12:48) and their refusal to heed that word or walk according to it. Thus, they judge themselves!

FURTHER ON Mt.5:22; Mk.9:43,44,46,48; Lk.12:5

• In Matt.5:22 and Mk.9:43 the descriptive phrase accompanying HELL or Gehenna is used --> Fire. Whether literal or figurative this word only has one meaning - FIRE. You cannot get around it. And, this makes sense, as in Lk.16:24 the rich man stated that he was tormented in the “flame.” What is the flame? If this is a spiritual place with something that is not flesh and bone, how can it burn? I DON'T KNOW! All I know is that Jesus states this, uses these words to describe it. Whatever it is - the associative idea being put with it is THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE!
• In Mk.9:43,44,46 and 48, Jesus uses a further designation to describe this fire one that is "never quenched." The word used for this, is a familiar word to us “asbestos,” and means perpetual, unending. We use asbestos to retard flame to protect. There it is the flame that is asbestos - or never stops burning!
• Mark 9:48 - Jesus uses a peculiar phrase in a continuing description of this place. He states, "where their worm does not die." The term "worm" here its primary and first definition is maggot. Notice again the eternal descriptor that THEIR worm does not die! If something does not die it is eternal. What is THEIR WORM? Maggots, eat infectious, diseased materials. In the physical world, their life cycle is short, after they eat their fill, they go on to become flies. But there, they do not die, they do not get their fill, they continually feed and eat. What are they feeding on? The souls infected with sin and cast into the place where these worms abide for eternity and the flame or torment does not end.

Now, if you wish to argue with this, be my guest. These are Jesus' words, not mine. But, before I end this post, let me share one more thought. Jesus makes this statement in Luke 12:4,5 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!"

There are those who state, "..a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering..” Is that what Jesus says?