Apostles never preached hell?

[Michael The Disciple]

And if thy hand offend thee cut it off:it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell into the FIRE THAT NEVER SHALL BE QUENCHED: Where their worm dieth not and the FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. Mark 9:43-44

Can we find an Old Testament reference for this?
If so we can understand his meaning.

The reference here goes back to Isaiah 66.

Part 2

For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord.
And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have TRANSGRESSED against me: for their worm shall not die neither shall their FIRE BE QUENCHED. And they shall be an abhoring unto all flesh. Isaiah 66:22-24

This is the ONLY OTHER REFERENCE POINT for hell that I know of in the Old Testament.

The hell Yeshua speaks of in Mark 9 is GEHENNA.This was a garbage dump outside Jerusalem.
All of the trash as well as bodies of criminals were thrown into it.
In course of time the Jews connected Gehenna with the FIRE OVEN of MALACHI.
The CARCASES Isaiah speaks of are DEAD BODIES! A CARCASE is the remains of a dead body.

People living in the coming kingdom will periodically look out on this sight of the TRANSGRESSORS who had to be destroyed as a solemn warning against sin.

The worm that dieth not is simply showing worms may live off CARCASSES.
Let us look at the phrase FIRE SHALL NOT BE QUENCHED in biblical context.

But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day and not to bear a burden even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall DEVOUR the palaces of Jerusalem and IT SHALL NOT BE QUENCHED. Jer.17:27

The Chaldeans came and burned the city. Jer.39:8
Is that unquenchable FIRE still burning today?

The FIRE THAT SHALL NOT BE QUENCED means NOTHING can put it out.
But when it finishes the job GOD gives it to do it will go out of itself.

So again this biblical reference about hell teaches us of the DESTRUCTION of the wicked.

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 3

The same shall drink of the wine of THE WRATH OF GOD which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation 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 ascendeth up forever and ever:and they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Rev.14:10-11

How are we to interpret this?

For ever here is greek 165 in Strongs Concordance. The meaning of for ever is AN AGE.
How long is an age? It depends on context.

Even the mystery which hath been hid from AGES and from generations,but now is made manifest to his saints. Col.1:26

Now when Paul wrote this the world was about 4000 years old.

Yet he says the mystery was hidden to PAST AGES. So within that 4000 years were contained at least 2 if not more AGES or For evers.

These beast worshippers could suffer in the fire and brimstone for AGES OR FOR EVERS and then still ultimatley DIE. I believe this will be the case.

Again the length of for ever is determined by context.

If thousands of years of our way of thinking qualifies as for ever such as in Col.1:26
could it be even shorter in GODS way of thinking?

But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing,that ONE DAY is with the Lord as a THOUSAND YEARS and a THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY.
2 Peter3:8

How long will the wicked suffer in the lake of fire before death and would it be different according to the sentence of GOD against them are interesting questions.

However long they may live in the furnace of fire scripture teaches they WILL FINALLY DIE. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.This is THE SECOND DEATH. REV.20:14

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 4


Other Apostolic writings.

What did apostle James say about eternal judgement?
This is all I can find.

Let him know that he which coverteth the SINNER from the error of his way SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH and shall hide a multitude of sins. James 5:20

James the Lords brother believed sin led to the DEATH OF THE SOUL not to eternal life in hell.

But these as natural brute beasts made to be TAKEN AND DESTROYED speak evil of those things they understand not,and shall UTTERLY PERISH in their own corruption. 2 Peter 2:12

But the heavens and the earth which are now,by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement AND PERDITION of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:7

Apostle Peter says the ungodly will be destroyed.
Nothing in his writings about immortality in hell for the lost.

[Michael The Disciple]

Part 5


What is OUTER DARKNESS?

Has anyone noticed the phrase OUTER DARKNESS in scripture?
It is pointed out as the fate of the lost.
How can two things as different as being in a lake of fire and being in OUTER DARKNESS BOTH be the fate of the lost?

This revelation opens the eyes of our understanding to the truth of eternal judgement.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into OUTER DARKNESS: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt.8:12

These are wells without water,clouds that are carried with a tempest,to whom THE MIST OF DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOREVER. 2 Peter2:17

Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame,wandering stars, to whom is reserved THE BLACKNESS OF DARKNESS FOREVER. Jude :13


What happened to the lake of fire?

Actually DARKNESS is at times used as a metaphor for DEATH.
If I wait the GRAVE IS MINE HOUSE:I have made my bed IN DARKNESS. I have said to corruption thou art my father,to the worm thou art my mother and my sister.
And where is now my hope?as for my hope who shall see it?
They shall go down to the bars of the pit when our REST TOGETHER IS IN THE DUST. Job 17:13-16

Though WHILE HE LIVED he blessed his soul:and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself.
He shall go to the generation of his fathers,they SHALL NEVER SEE LIGHT. Psalms 49:18-19

His roots shall be dried up from beneath and above his branch CUT OFF. His rememberance shall perish from the earth and he shall have no name in the street.
He shall be driven from LIGHT INTO DARKNESS and chased OUT OF THE WORLD. Job 18:16-18

So the answer is that when Yeshua,Peter,and Jude proclaim that DARKNESS AWAITS THE LOST they are speaking from the viewpoint that THE SOUL THAT SINNETH IT SHALL DIE.
They will FIRST DIE THE SECOND DEATH in the lake of fire.
Then they will pass out of existence and INTO THE BLACKNESS OF DARKNESS FOREVER.
For the wages of sin is DEATH,BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. Romans 6:23

[Abiding Now]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Nothing in the parable says the rich man had now attained immortality. Only that at present he was tormented in flame. It was just a parable to show there would be punishment or reward in the afterlife.

Easy there, there's nothing mentioned in Luke 16:19- about this story being "a parable".

[Truthseeker]

Nothing says it is not.