The Punishment of Hell

This article was written by Wayne Jackson. It appeared in the December 1974 edition of The Christian Courier which was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and was edited by Jackson. I believe it's important to share here because I'm afraid Christians are too reluctant to speak about the reality of Hell.

One facet of the philosophy of materialism within the religious world is the concept that man is wholly mortal and as such, at death passes into extinction. Death is defined by the Watch Tower Witnesses as "Loss of life; termination of existence; utter cessation of conscious, intellectual or physical activity, celestial, human or otherwise." (Make Sure of All Things, p. 86.) This of course, eliminates the possibility of punishment for sin after death and is therefore readily acceptable to those who have little regard for the word of God. In addition to the Watch Tower cult, other exponents of this false view include the Seventh Day Adventists and Herbert Armstrong's Radio Church of God. No doubt many find some comfort in the foregoing heresy; unfortunately, it is far from the truth.

The ultimate abode of those who disobey God is Biblically termed "Hell" (Greek: Gehenna). This is not the same as "Hades" (rendered "Hell" in the King James Version) which is the state of disembodied spirits prior to the judgment, (whether good or evil); rather Gehenna is the FINAL place of the wicked. It is a state characterized by punishment, suffering and indescribable torment, unceasing in duration.

J. W. McGarvey has given an excellent summary of the history of the word Gehenna. "Near Jerusalem there was a deep narrow gorge in the mountains, called Genenna or the Valley of Hinnom. In the times of Jewish idolatry this valley was stained with the blood of their innocent children, which were 'burned with fire for burnt offerings to Baal.' (Jeremiah 19:1-6) The deepest depths of human guilt and misery were here combined; the guilt of men who compelled the sacrifice and the misery of the children who were burned, and of the mothers from whose breasts they were torn to be cast into the fiery furnace. When the abominations were suppressed, the most horrible associations were connected with that place. To the superstitious Jew it was a resort of ghosts and hobgoblins, and to the pious it was a place of unspeakable horror. There was no other word in Jewish speech so full of this meaning and this word Jesus seized upon as the name of that final state where the wicked are enveloped in fire and darkness and continual weeping. He called it Gehenna and this, when translated into English, is Hell."

Jesus declared that the wicked, "shall go away into eternal punishment." (Matthew 25:46) "Punishment" is from the Greek kolasis which in classical Greek meant to prune or cut off; however, by the time of the New Testament period it simply meant "punishment" and is so defined by standard Greek lexicons. In an attempt to negate the idea of punishment, the Watch Tower translation reverts to the old classical usage and thus renders Matthew 25:46, "these will depart into everlasting cutting off." It is not without significance though, that the same version has translated kolazo (the verb form of kolasis) "to punish" in Acts 4:21. If they understood its true meaning in this latter verse, why pervert its significance in the former passage? Plain dishonesty is the answer. Jesus said the wicked will be punished and punishment demands consciousness!

Paul wrote of those who shall, "suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might." (II Thessalonians 1:9) The Greek expression diken tisousin means to pay a penalty, to suffer punishment. Its usage can be seen in the LXX. "A prudent man seeth evil and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and SUFFER for it." (Proverbs 27:12) Nor does the term "destruction" in II Thessalonians 1:9 denote cessation of existence. The Greek olethros used here means "the loss of a life of blessedness after death, future misery."

On one occasion Christ affirmed: "And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy (apollumi) both body and soul in Hell." (Matthew 10:28) Now the idea in apollumi, says W.E. Vine, "is not extinction but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well being." J.H. Thayer says that in Matthew 10:28 it means, "to devote or give over to eternal misery."

A remarkably vivid description of hell is presented by the apostle John. "And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, 'If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night.'" (Revelation 14:11; Cf. 20:10) To "torment" by definition, is "to vex with grievous pains."

While we have dealt thus far with only the final punishment of the wicked in Gehenna, it would be well to point out that there is also punishment in Hades, immediately after death, for those who rebel against God. This is a punishment of man's spirit while his body resides in the grave. After the resurrection, both body and soul of the disobedient will depart into Gehenna. (Matthew 10:28) but there is clearly punishment for the ungodly prior to judgment. (See II Peter 2:4-9 ASV.)

There are numerous descriptive terms in the Bible that characterize the punishment of the lost, whether in Hades or Gehenna. Note the following; pains, trouble, sorrow (Psalms 116:3); shame, contempt (Daniel 12:2); affliction (Jonah 2:2); darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13); fire (Matthew 25:41); anguish (Luke 16:24, Romans 2:9); torment (Luke 16:23, Revelation 14:10-11; 20:10).

But what is the duration of Hell's suffering? The Son of God described it as a place of ETERNAL punishment (Matthew 25:36), "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:38) "Eternal" is from the original term aionios, literally meaning "always being." In the New Testament it may be used of something without beginning (Romans 16:25), without beginning or ending (Romans 16:26), or without ending, as in the case of Matthew 25:46. Also, the word can be used in a figurative sense to emphasize, though involving a limited span of time; however, in such an instance the context will reveal that figurative usage. (Cf. Jonah 2:6 "for ever.") In Matthew 25:46 aionios is twice used; it determines the duration of the punishment of the wicked and the life (i.e., blessedness) of the righteous. One fact is unquestionably clear from this important passage; the conscious suffering of the ungodly will last as long as the bliss of the faithful.

Just who will enter Hell? The scriptures assign this fate to the following classes.

1. All who refuse to acknowledge the God of Heaven. Those who "know not God." (II Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 1:21)

2. The nominal believer who refuses to obey the words of Christ. (Hebrews 5:8-9; II Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 1:21)

3. All immoral people. (Romans 1:28-32; I Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21)

4. The child of God who fails to assume his Christian responsibilities. (Matthew 13:41; 25:41-46; Hebrews 3:12; 10:19-31)