HELL and the NEW TESTAMENT

This is the third and final discourse on this subject in this series. Interesting to say the least, is the statement made by some, that the writers of the New Testament (Jesus' disciples) are "virtually silent on the subject." Well, in one aspect, they are correct. Only two mention it specifically. Yet, this does not mean that they are silent on the matter.

In a previous blog post, we reviewed that Jesus HIMSELF did speak upon the subject directly, and indirectly. The parable of the Wheat and Tares speaks to it as well. Paul talks about what will happen in the end of time and found it enough to encourage his hearers "But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. The implication here is simple, what happens if one is a thief and caught? In the physical world, they are arrested, tried and if found guilty sent to jail or prison. If so in the physical world, Paul assumes that his audience knows that this is also true in the spiritual world, and that they do not want to face this outcome.

Let's now place out attention on the books of Acts to Revelation and ask ourselves of the writers that DO mention it specifically, WHAT do they say?

1. James 3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell." HELL - in this passage is our familiar word "gehenna." It means the same here as we have seen it mean before. What is James saying, is that the person that is unable to control their tongue has their destiny before them. Just like you would pour a trail of gasoline, or gunpowder and light it - both will track back to their original source. In this case, the course is "gehenna," the place of eternal punishment.
2. 2 Pet.2:4 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; ..." This passage is interesting because it introduces us to a couple of things. 1.) Angels that have sinned and 2.) Hell here is the word "tartarus” I cannot speculate on the "angels that sinned" part because I know nothing of the realm. I know here only what the text says, that evidently they can-did and there is punishment/judgment awaiting them as well. What is interesting here, is Peter's use of a pagan term to talk about what awaits these. Perhaps this is due to the audience to which he is writing. Let's explore the term. "tartarus" - is a word associated with Greek and Roman mythology. The Greeks viewed this as the lowest corner of the deepest abyss. It gained its conception from the deepest recesses of castles where prisoners were taken for either severe incarceration to be shut off from the outside world altogether, or to be taken for the purposes of torture. The Romans viewed this as the place where sinners go, a world once entered that you could never leave, guarded by hydras and overseen by a sleepless whip master to assure that those who entered never rested either. Now, what do you think Peter is trying to tell people here? That this is to be considered a vacation in Hawaii? He adds more. Peter also used the expression that these are "reserved in chains of darkness (KJV)" This expression is questioned, because some manuscripts contain it and others do not. What is interesting, is that the EARLIEST manuscripts of Peter's statement here, record this as being bound in chains in gloomy pits or corn bins. These were the dark "root cellars" of the day, that contained no light and were cool and damp (to preserve the vegetables placed in them). For humans, this was a bad place to be "housed" because they were infested with all sorts of snakes, rodents and insects. Notice that the text here says that they were "held" in this place to await Judgment. Peter's words, not mine.
3. Revelation - has four distinct places where it talks about this, but it does not come out and call this HELL. Yet, the imagery used is unmistakable for the serious reader.

• In Rev.2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death." Here, to the audience, John states the words of God given to Jesus and revealed to John, that there is something beyond a physical world with a physical death. There is a 2nd life and a 2nd death. Those in this passage who overcome, will not be harmed or injured by this 2nd death (at this point not defined other than this).
• Rev. 20:6 "Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." Now, let's stick to point here because its easy to jump off the deep end and start all sorts of speculation on 1000 years, etc. Our study regards further definition of this 2nd death that we learned of in Rev.2:11. Notice again, that those who have part on the 1st Resurrection are not affected by the 2nd death. What is the first resurrection? Rom.6:4 "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life"
• Rev.20:12-15 "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." This is a scene of judgment. The DEAD are the DEAD those no longer living in a physical world. Either they have died physically (implied by text) or they have been changed (1 Cor.15). They are now immortal spiritual beings standing before the judge. The text here says that they are judged according to what was written in the books and what they had done. Now at this point, death (taking of physical life) and Hades ( the realm or dungeon that housed the dead) are no longer required and are thrown into "the lake of fire." We are told here that this "lake of fire" is "THE SECOND DEATH." Now notice vs.15, because it tells you of those judged in the previous verses whose name was not found written in the book of life, was "thrown INTO the lake of fire (i.e. 2nd death)." God's words, not mine.
• Rev.21:7,8 "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Here again, the one who conquers, who is part of the 1st Resurrection, is not affected by the 2nd death. They are God's and part of God's heritage. Yet, those who are wicked have their heritage as well. It is 'the lake of fire (i.e., the 2nd death)." Notice further descriptions are given that it is a lake that "burns" with "fire and brimstone." What is the imagery cast here? A lake the burns with fire and brimstone, even to the people of this day would conjure images of a lava pit in a volcano. Doubtless they would have the image of either the Santorini eruption, or Mt.Vesuvius, both of which they would have know about at the latter part of the first century. They would have understood, that to be caught in something like this would be an unimaginable and painful death.

Someone will jump in here and say, "but there's nothing in this that says that this is eternal!" Well...first, whether eternal or not this isn't the point. The point is, is this something that you want to go through? Not from what I can see the text describe. Second, go back to Jesus' own use of the terminologies that we have been discussing. It was HE that used expressions such as "their worm dies not and the fire is not quenched (Mk.9:48)" and "weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Mt.13:42; 24:51)."

You may argue with men, you may disagree with me. That's fine, because I'm not the one you have to argue with. Remember Jesus' words in Jn.12:48 "he one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." He and God are the one's you have to argue with. Are you sure you want to do that?