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Hell
in Matthew A couple of weeks ago in this bulletin,
we looked at several points about heaven that appear in the first book of the
New Testament, the book of Matthew. This
week, let’s observe some things that Matthew tells us about hell. 1.
Hell is a
place of fire. The Greek word that Matthew used for
“hell” was Gehenna. In his excellent
commentary/workbook on Revelation, our brother Dan Winkler writes that Gehenna
was “the ‘valley of Hinnom,’....which in [Jesus’] day, was the Jerusalem ‘city
dump’ that constantly burned with fire to keep down the putrid stench of
decaying flesh and the potential of disease from rotting garbage” (page 107).
In light of this, it’s interesting that Jesus said things like: "And if
your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you;
it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or
two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire.
And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from
you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to
be cast into the fiery hell” (Matthew 18:8-9 NASB). Notice those words: “eternal fire” and “fiery
hell.” 2.
Hell is a
place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the Parable of the Net, Jesus says,
"the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the
righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:49-50 NASB).
Webster’s Dictionary defines “gnash” as “to grind or strike (the teeth)
together, as in anger or pain.” 3.
Hell is a
place of darkness. Later in Matthew, we’re told that this
place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is also a place of darkness. In the
Parable of the Talents, the Master says, “cast out the worthless slave into the
outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
(Matthew 25:30 NASB). Likewise,
Peter and Jude both said that for false
teachers, “the black darkness has been reserved” (2 Peter 2:17 NASB; Jude 1:13
NASB). 4.
Hell is a
place of torture. In the Parable of the Unmerciful
Servant, Jesus says that the King sent the Unmerciful Servant "to the
torturers” (Matthew 18:34 NASB). The
English Standard Version, instead of saying “torturers,” has a softer word, the
word “jailers,” but then in a footnote admits that the Greek word actually
means “torturers.” Likewise, in
Revelation we read, “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake
of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they
will be tormented [or, ‘tortured’ (Strong’s)] day and night forever and ever”
(Revelation 20:10 NASB). 5.
Hell is a
place where people are cut in pieces. Jesus says that the Master of an evil
slave “will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he
does not know, and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the
hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:50-51
NASB). Interestingly, a footnote in the
New American Standard Bible says that the Greek behind “cut him in pieces”
could be translated “severely scourge him.”
This reminds me of the scourging that Jesus went though—a whip that cut
in so deep that even the bones would be visible. 6.
Hell is a
place where the Lord is not. The Lord Jesus says that when He sends
people to hell, He’ll tell them, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the
eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew
25:41 NASB). Those same words, “Depart
from me,” appear too in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says that He’ll
tell people, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23
NASB). Likewise, Paul said that those in
hell “will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of
the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB). 7.
Hell is a
place of awful company. |