What did Jesus say about Hell?

Hell’s fire is eternal. 

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.”
Matthew 18:8

Hell’s punishment is eternal. 

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:46

Hell is the second death.  The first death permanently ends our life on earth.  The second death makes our separation from God permanent.

“Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:15

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars- they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death.”
Revelation 21:8

When it comes to these bible verses about hell, what is the word used in the original language for “eternal”?

The Greek word used for “eternal” referring to punishment is the same word used for “eternal” referring to life.  It’s used for both in Matthew 25:46.  It’s used in John 3:16, 3:36, and Romans 3:23

Consider John 3:36.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

“Will not see life” sounds definitive, and “wrath of God remains” is contrasted with eternal life, making “remains” permanent.  While it doesn’t say “eternal punishment” it certainly infers it by a “remaining wrath of God.”

“And this is the testimony:  God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:11-12

If everyone eventually makes it to heaven, then “does not have life” doesn’t make sense.

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement.”
Hebrews 9:27

Die once.  Judged once.  What’s the verdict.

Different forms for the Greek word for eternal are used to refer to “age” as in a period of time, but every time the specific form is used, it refers to eternal.

Nowhere when Jesus speaks of hell do you get the impression that it’s temporary.  The word “eternal” might not be used with it, but the sense of finality is there.

Hell is real.
Hell is eternal.
Hell is permanent.
Hell is separation from God.
Hell is the wrath of God.
Hell is anguish, torment, regret.
Hell is motivation.

“Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.”
Jude 1:23

It’s surprising that Pilate didn’t put his faith in Christ.  Standing face to face with the Messiah, he searched for the truth.

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Is that your own question, or have others told you about Me?”

“Am I a Jew?  Your own people and your chief priests have delivered you to me.  What have you done?”

“My kingdom is not of this world.  If it were, my disciples would have fought to prevent my arrest by the Jews.  No, my kingdom is not from here.”

“Are you a king, then?”

“Yes, you could say that.  For that reason, I was born.  I came into this world to testify to the truth.  Everyone who wants the truth hears my voice.”

“What is truth?”   

Pilate came back to report to the crowd.

“I do not find this man guilty of any crime.”

“I questioned Him thoroughly concerning your accusations, and I found Him not guilty.”

After being warned by his wife, who’d had a terrible nightmare, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,” Pilate again asked the crowd:

“What shall I do with Jesus the Messiah?”

“Look, I am bringing Jesus before you to declare that I find Him not guilty.”

“Behold the Man.”

And again, Pilate questions Jesus.

“Who are you?”  “Why won’t you answer?  Don’t you know I have the authority to either release you or crucify you?”

“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given to you from above.”

Then Pilate again spoke to the crowd.

“Behold your king!”

“Shall I crucify your king?”

“I am not to blame for this righteous person’s death.”

So what does Pilate say about Jesus.

•He is a righteous man

•He is not guilty

•He is the Messiah

•He is the King

Where did Pilate’s belief fall short?

What one statement didn’t Pilate make about Jesus?

The Jewish leaders told him, “By our law, He must die because He claimed to be the Son of God.”

Deity.  Jesus…  God.

Pilate never acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God.

Righteous?  Yes!

Not guilty?  Yes!

Jewish Messiah?  Yes!

Jewish king?  Yes!

Son of God?  Crickets

These were things Pilate believed ABOUT Jesus, but he never believed IN Jesus.

Belief ABOUT vs Belief IN.  Huge difference.  It’s not just semantics.  It’s saving faith.

 

To learn more about Walking As Jesus Walked and Discipling As Jesus Discipled, visit:  SONLIFE.COM

When Judas had gone, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  And God will be glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, He will not delay in His plan to glorify the Son of Man .”

It’s unimaginable to think that the hatred and horror of the cross could be a vehicle that brought glory.  Glory belongs to the victor, not the vanquished.

But heroic courage displayed in defeat brings a different kind of glory.  Jesus would display heroic courage through sacrifice.  He was about to willingly lay down His life for those He loved, even though many would spurn that love.

But we also know, from this side of the cross, that Jesus’ heroic courage was not displayed in defeat.  He was crucified, but He was not vanquished.  In death, Jesus was victorious.  In death, Jesus accomplished His mission.

Death.  Glory?  Yes!

The righteous demands of God’s judgement were met through Christ’s death.  He took our sins and nailed them to the cross.

The Father loves us so much, He willingly made a way, offering His own Son to take on our sin and its just penalty.

Jesus glorified the Father by obeying Him completely.

Jesus glorified the Father by making a way for us wayward ones to return home.

The Father glorified the Son through the cross as well.  Jesus became our hero through His courageous sacrifice, through His death.  In defeat, He took our sins down with Him.  Yes, He was vanquished, but so was sin!   Through His death, Jesus dealt a death blow to the power of sin to condemn us to hell.

The Father glorified the Son through the grave as well.  Jesus heroics grew when, after conquering sin and hell, He then also conquered death and the grave.  Yes, He was vanquished, but not for long.  The grave couldn’t hold Him!   Through His resurrection, Jesus triumphantly conquered death.

Death.  Glory?   Yes!

Death conquers sin.

His glory is our redemption!

Resurrection conquers death.

His glory is our restoration.

The cross, a symbol of judgement, humiliation and defeat, has become a symbol of love, joy and triumph.

Oh, the glory of the cross!

 

To learn more about Walking As Jesus Walked and Discipling As Jesus Discipled, visit:  SONLIFE.COM

I’m tired this morning.  It’s been a season of high output.  Lots of meetings.  Lots of time with people.  Lots of conversations.  Lots of ministering.  Lots of teaching.   Lots of giving.  Father, you showed up.  You used me.  Students and leaders were energized, equipped and engaged.  Lives were changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’m grateful.  I’m joyful.   And I’m tired.

I can only begin to imagine how Jesus felt.  He’d been teaching, serving, healing, battling.  I’m sure He was tired.

What did Jesus do?

He prayed.

Matthew 26, Mark 14 and Luke 22 record Jesus crossing the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, where He got away to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Eyewitness records Jesus saying to Peter, James and John, “Stay here and watch with me.  My heart is overcome with sorrow to the point of death.”

While I might feel “dead tired,” I’ve never been overcome with sorrow to the point of death.  I can relate to Jesus’ exhaustion, but not His emotion.

Actually, I can probably relate better to Peter, James and John whom Jesus found sleeping while He was praying.  Their eyes were heavy.  They couldn’t stay awake.

Many times I’ve fallen asleep on Jesus.  While praying, my eyes too became heavy.  I know the reality of these words:  “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

I’d not really noticed before how the Father ministered to the Son during this moment of exhaustion and emotion.  It says,

“An angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him.”

This had happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry during another season of intense exhaustion and emotion.  It was in the wilderness, where after 40 days of praying, fasting and being tempted by Satan, Jesus was met by angels.

“Then angels came and ministered to Him.”

The angels were sent by the Father to minister to Jesus.  An angel strengthened Him.

The Father knows.  The Father cares.

It makes me wonder.  Does the Father ever send angels to minister to us, to strengthen us?

I know we have the Holy Spirit.  He is sufficient.  He dwells within us.  He strengthens us.  We don’t need angels to be sent on our behalf.  But I wonder, does the Father ever go overboard and send angels anyway?

Jesus was full of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, had the power of the Spirit, was anointed by the Spirit…  and yet the Father sent angels anyway!

The extravagant grace of the Father.  He blesses us beyond what we deserve.  He loves us.  He cares for us.

Indwelt by His Spirit…  and He sends angels anyway.  Wow!

 

To learn more about Walking As Jesus Walked and Discipling As Jesus Discipled, visit:  SONLIFE.COM