"God will forever be tormenting them." A "lost of well being" is just a watered down way of saying, "God will forever be tormenting them."
"Destroy both body and soul [psukee]" God will destroy both body and soul [psukee, life, living creature] just as certain as the garbage of Jerusalem was consumed by the fire.
When Jesus says that God can destroy the body and soul in Gehenna, it is the whole being of man, not just his "well being." There is no ground for the traditional view of 198
an immortal soul that cannot be destroyed in this passage or any other passage, but there is ground for the whole of man, body and psukee [life-soul], being destroyed in this and many other passages.
Jesus used both kill and destroy, but said nothing about torment. Theology must be used to make destroy mean torment for if the words kill and destroy are not changed to mean torment, there would be no living "souls" to be tormented in Hell, therefore, no Hell.
Christ speaks of being destroyed in Gehenna but never says anything about Gehenna
being eternal or about torment in Gehenna, but those who change Gehenna into Hell add both eternal life and torment to Gehenna. To have the "Hell" that is taught today, Gehenna must (1) be changed from a place of desertion to a place of torment, (2) then it must be moved, (3) them the place that have been changed and moved must be given a new name (Hell).
From the same lesson (God is able to destroy) to his disciples, lose his life [Greek soul-psukee] must be changed to mean an everlasting life of torment that can never be lost [Matthew 10:39].
"He who finds his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it." The person who saves his life
[psukee] by denying Christ will lose his life at the judgment. He who finds his life is one who puts this life ahead of Christ, but he will "lose it" at the judgment, not have an everlasting life with torment. (1) "The wages of sin is death" [Romans 6:23] (2) "A certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries" [Hebrews 10:27]. (3) "The day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" [2 Peter 3:7]. "And forfeit his life" [soul-psukee] [Mark 8:36]. "And lose himself"
[Luke 9:25] Luke used the pronoun "himself" in the place of " psukee - life" that Matthew used making “life” [soul-psukee] and “himself” both be the same thing. It is the “life” of the person or “himself” that will be lost or saved, not just an inter invisible part of the person that has no substance, not just something inside of a person that no one can tell us what it really is. The teaching today is that this no substance part of the person will not really be lost, but will just change its address to Heaven to Hell. Life
[psukee] is the same word that is translated soul 58 times, and is the only word that is translated soul in the New Testament. An immortal soul had to be put in the Bible, but to do so, the translators had to throw away the whole person we now are to make only an immaterial, invisible part of a person be immortal, and only this "invisible part of man"
will have eternal life in Heaven. Those who are lost will lose the same thing that those who are saved will save, they will either (1) lose life [their psukee] "himself" or (2) save life [their psukee] "himself." Many are saying, "Not so Lord, they 'shall not lose it,'
for the 'immaterial, invisible part of a man' shall have eternal life in Hell"; if this is not what they say, than what are they saying? It is life that is being spoken of as being saved or lost, nothing more, not an immortal soul that can never lose its life being saved from eternal torment by God. There is not a word said about Hell or an immortal, immaterial, invisible part of a person. Those who do not obey Christ shall lose the very thing that is saved by those who do obey Him-life; the lost shall die and the saved shall live.
"But the righteous shall go into eternal life" [Matthew 25:46].
"He who loses his life [soul-psukee] shall find it." How could Christ have said it any clearer that the person that loses his life [soul-psukee], his earthly life because he is a Christian and will not deny Christ will find life at the judgment? If "lose his life" [soul-199
psukee] is to lose his life [soul-psukee] for being a Christian, them "lose his life [soul-psukee]" cannot be to have an everlasting life with torment that cannot be lost.
The same thing that is saved is the same thing that will be lost.
The person who saves his life by denying Christ.
Will lose the same thing, his life at the judgment.
o It is not the soul that is saved by denying Christ but life on earth.
o It is not the soul that will be lost at the judgment but life in Heaven.
John 12:25 says the same, "He that loves his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it; and he that hates his life [soul-psukee] in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal."
When save and lose in Matthew 10:39 are applied to an immaterial soul that cannot die as it is used in today's theology it makes nonsense.
To save ones soul means to save it from Hell-according to today's theology.
To lose ones soul means to go to Hell forever according to today's theology.
When "shall lose it" is made mean going to Hell then " lose his life [soul-psukee]"
for Christ mean gong to Hell for Christ.
“He that finds his soul [saves his soul-psukee from Hell according to today‘s theology] shall lose it [shall lose his soul in Hell-losing one's soul in today's theology is to go to Hell] and he that loses his soul for my sake [he that goes to Hell for my sake] shall find it [shall save his soul from Hell]." Today's theology makes utter nonsense of the Bible.
Life and death and finding life and losing life are the same thing. Death and losing life are not an everlasting life of torment separated from God. (1) "He that finds his life shall lose it," by some kind of magic charm losing life is turns into eternal life in Hell that can never be lost. "Shall lose it (his life)" is made to mean an eternal life of torment in Hell. How could anyone know this? What dictionary is being used? How can losing life mean eternal life in Hell!!! (2) "He that loses his life for my sake shall find it." Losing the life of the body - being put to death for believing in Christ, also by some kind of magic is turned into eternal life for an "immaterial, invisible part of man" at death before the resurrection. Their magic makes the resurrection useless for they say eternal life is given to all at birth and none can lose it, therefore, Christ cannot give us life. He can only give a reward for being good and can only punish for being bad. To make psukee be an
"immaterial invisible, immortal part of man" that cannot die makes it be nonsense.
No doctrine of the Bible is more plain than the loss of life in this passage is the lost of our earthly life because of being faithful to Christ, not eternal life with torment for the sinner; finding life is to find eternal life at the resurrection, and the person that saves his earthly life [psukee] by denying Christ will lose his life at the judgment.
"For whosoever would save his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life [soul-psukee] for my sake shall find it. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world [become very rich in this life], and forfeit his life
[soul-psukee]? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his life [soul-psukee]?"
[Matthew 16:25-26 American Standard Version].
Mark 8:35-36 "For whosoever would save his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life [soul-psukee] for my sake and the gospel's shall save it.
For what do it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [soul-psukee]? For what should a man give in exchange for his life [soul-psukee]?"
200
Luke 9:24-25 "For whosoever would save his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life [soul-psukee] for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lost of forfeit his own self?"
"He that finds his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it; and he that loses his life [soul-psukee] for my sake shall find it" [Matthew 19:39].
Luke 17:33 "Whosoever shall seek to gain his life [soul-psukee] shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life [soul-psukee] shall preserve it"
"He that loves his life [soul-psukee] loses it; and he that hates his life [soul-psukee] in this world shall keep it unto life eternal" [John 12:25].
THE THIRD OCCASION
IN ANOTHER LESSON TO HIS DISCIPLES
This was a different discourse than Matthew 5:29-30 above, but He was teaching the same thing. See the notes on the first occasion above. Matthew 18:9 "And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you: it is good for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell [Greek-Gehenna] of
fire." Mark 9:43, 45, 47 "And if your hand cause you to stumble, cut it off: it is good for you to enter into life maimed, rather then having your two hands to go into hell [Greek-
Gehenna], into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot cause you to stumble, cut it off; it is good for you to enter into life halt, rather then having your two feet to be cast into hell
[Greek-Gehenna]. And if your eye cause you to stumble, cast it out; it is good for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into
hell [Greek-Gehenna] where their worm dies not, the fire is not quenched" "Where their worm dies not, the fire is not quenched" is in Mark 9:44, 46, and 48 in some translations.
The footnote in the American Standard Version says, "Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are omitted by the best ancient authorities." I am aware of no one believes the human body is going to be cast in “Hell” and be tormented, yet this passage about the human body being cast into the valley of Gehenna is often used to prove the “soul” will be eternality tormented. "Where their worm dies not, the fire is
not quenched" is a direct quotation from Isaiah 66:23-24 where it is speaking of dead bodies on this earth being burned with fire and eaten by worms just as anything that was cast into Gehenna was burned with fire and eaten by worms.
Gehenna, a place on this earth, has been changed to Hell, a place not on this earth; and no one can give a Bible passage that tells of a place called "Hell." “It is better for you to enter life crippled” [Mark 9:43], what “life” is Christ speaking of, this life ― crippled,” or life in Heaven ― crippled” ? If Christ were speaking of Heaven, unless it is possible to be crippled with only one foot and one eye in Heaven this passage would make no sense. Do unconditional immoralists believe Christ is saying it is better for an immortal soul to enter life in Heaven a “crippled” soul; “it is good for you to enter into life halt, rather then having your two feet to be cast into Hell [Greek-Gehenna]‖? If Christ were speaking of immortal souls entering life in Heaven or being cast into Hell, would there be any way to say there will not be crippled souls in Heaven? These are symbolic words teaching that if there is anything in our lives that would be in the way of entering into the kingdom of Heaven we need to remove them; a person who uses drugs needs to repent, a person who is a thief needs to repent.
THE FOURTH OCCASION
IN A SERMON TO THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
201
Gehenna is used two times in a sermon to the Scribes and Pharisees warning them of God's rejection of Israel. In Matthew 23 and 24 Christ speaks of the destruction of Israel.
"All these things shall come upon this generation" [Matthew 23:36]. The context of these two uses of Gehenna are clearly an in time judgment of Israel, a judgment that has now passed, not of anything that will be after the judgment at the coming of Christ. They have no reference to "Hell." The "damnation of Hell" as it is preached today did not come on that "generation," but the judgment and destruction of Israel did. "Damnation" is from krisis which means judgment, not damnation as it is mistranslated in the King James Version, the "judgment of Gehenna," not the "damnation of Hell." These two uses of Gehenna are in a context of a rebuke toward the Pharisees and religious leaders of that time and not of anything after the judgment day.
ISRAEL THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN Matthew 21:33-46: Before looking at this
use of Gehenna it may help understand it to first look at the parable of the wicked husbandman that comes just before it and is a part of the same sermon spoken to the Scribes and Pharisees. "When; therefore, the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto these husbandman? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy these
miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, who will render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said unto them, did you never read in the scriptures, the stone, which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner; this was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, the
kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that He was speaking about them." How is it that today most do not understand these parables to be about Israel? Many parables deal with the rejection of Christ by Israel and its destruction. See chapter 8, part 1, and part 2.
[1] SON OF GEHENNA: Matthew 23:15 " Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, you make him twofold more a son of Hell [Greek-Gehenna] then yourselves." In speaking to the Pharisees, Christ said, "For you are like unto whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead man's bones, and of all
uncleanness" [Matthew 23:27]. The Scribes and Pharisees made their proselytes twofold more a son of Gehenna than them selves [Matthew 23:15]. A place cannot give birth to a person. No one, not even those who believe in Hell believe Hell is literally the father or mother of anyone. To call a person a son of a place is not to say that place is literally the person‘s mother, but is to say a part of his or her character is similar to the place.
Gehenna was a place of filth and uncleanness. To use the metaphors "son of Gehenna" is to say they were unclean like the filthy city dump. To be a "son of Gehenna" means to be like Gehenna and the things in it: to be filthy and contemptible fit only to be destroyed.
The proselytes were made twofold more unclean then the Pharisees. Because Gehenna does not literally have sons, this is a figure of speech and not intended to be taken literally not in this life or after death. James and John are called "sons of thunder" [Mark 3:17]. Thunder did not give birth to them, but a part of their character is similar to thunder. "And if a son of peace be there" [Luke 10:6], "Son of exhortation" [Acts 4:36],
"Sons of disobedience" [Ephesians 2:2], "The son of destruction" [2 Thessalonians 2:3].
202
"The child of anything in Hebrew phraseology expressed the idea of special property which one has in the thing specified, as, for instance, children of disobedience [Eph. ii. 2]" J W McGarvey, Matthew 8:11, The Fourfold Gospel, Standard Publishing Company, 1914.
This metaphor is taken from the filth and uncleanness of Gehenna. Although this passage is repeatedly used to prove eternal torment after death, there is nothing about any torment in it, not in this lifetime or after death.
In the same address to the Scribes and Pharisees Christ gives two more examples of their uncleanness.
1. They washed the outside of the cup to make it clean "but within they are full from extortion and excess. You blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also" [Matthew 23:25-26].
2. They were like whitewashed graves "which appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead man's bones, and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" [Matthew 23:27-28].
Matthew 23:13-39 is a list of seven woes to the Scribes and Pharisees. "Twofold more a son of Gehenna." Matthew 23:15 is the second of the seven woes on the Scribes and Pharisees [Matthew 23:13-39].
1. Shut the kingdom of Heaven against men and enter not in [Matthew 23:13-14].
2. Made their proselytes twofold more a son of Gehenna than them selves
[Matthew 23:15].
3. To swear by the temple is nothing [Matthew 23:16-22].
4. Left undone the weightier matters [Matthew 23: 23-24].
5. Within they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, they cleaned only the outside of the cup [Matthew 23:25-26].
6. Are whitewashed tombs full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness [Matthew
23:17-28].
7. Are sons and partakers with their fathers that slew the prophets. "How shall
YOU escape the judgment of Gehenna"? [Matthew 23:29-39].
[2] JUDGMENT OF GEHENNA: Matthew 23:33-36 "Fill you up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how shall you escape the
judgment of Hell [Greek-Gehenna]? Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and Scribes: some of them shall you kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you slew between the sanctuary and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation." Christ had just told the Scribes and Pharisees they made their proselytes more a "SON of
Gehenna" more unclean than themselves; then He calls them "offspring [SONS of]
vipers," and "all these things (all the righteous blood from Abel to Zechariah) shall
come upon this generation." Matthew 23 is a discourse about the Scribes and the Pharisees, and they knew that Jesus was speaking to them, not about things that are happening today orR after the judgment day; many take one word of this discourse out of it context, and then changed this one noun to another noun, which is not in the Bible.
The Scribes and Pharisees knew the law, but did not keep it. Outwardly they were as beautiful as white sepulchers, but inwardly were full of dead man's bones. They would not escape the judgment to come. "Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come
203
upon this generation" [Matthew 23:36]. Matthew 24 is a discourse to His disciples about the destruction of Israel of which He had spoken of to the Pharisees in the chapter before.
That generation would not escape the judgment of Gehenna. It came in A. D. 70
when some historians say Gehenna was filled with the dead bodies of Jews from the destruction of Jerusalem [See Jeremiah 19]. To the Jews, to be left unburied, to be judged as not being fit to be buried and thrown into the city dump just as they were doing to those they judged as being unfit to be buried was the worse of all insult. It was the most severe judgment of contempt upon a criminal known to the Jews. In the judgment soon to come upon them Josephus said six hundred thousand dead bodies of the Jews were carried out of Jerusalem and lift unburied.
CONDEMNATION, DAMNATION, AND DAMNED
Of the King James Version
The seventh woe of this lecture and warning to the Scribes and Pharisees is about the judgment coming to them and on Israel. Why did the King James translators change
“The judgment [krisis] of Gehenna” into “the damnation [krisis] of Hell” [Matthew 23:33]?
1. “Judgment of Gehenna” for Israel is changed to:
2. ―Damnation of Hell‖ for all that “shall come upon this generation” [Matthew 23:36].
Krisis is used in the New Testament 48 times and translated "judgment" 41 times,
"damnation" 3 times, condemnation 2 times, accusation 2 times in the King James Version. Did the translators think that if they put damnation with Hell that it would make the threat of Hell stronger? Krisis should have never been translated damnation or condemnation. In the American Standard Version Krisis is translated "judgment" 47
times, and "sin" 1 time in Mark 3:29.
The resurrection of damnation [krisis] (KJV), judgment [krisis] (ASV). "The resurrection of judgment (krisis)" [John 5:29] says nothing about an eternal life of torment in Hell after the judgment although this passage is continually used to prove eternal torment. The verdict of the judgment, if it be death, eternal life with torment, or what ever it maybe, the verdict of the judgment is not in this passage. In an attempt to put Hell in the Bible, the translators of the King James Version (1) changed the judgment and made it be the verdict of the judgment (2) and then made the verdict be what they needed it to be, namely eternal torment by God.
John 5:29
"Unto the resurrection of damnation [krisis]" King James Version, New King James Version.
"Unto the resurrection of judgment [krisis]" American Standard Version.
John 5:24