What IS Hell and Purgatory?

Q. What does the Bible say about Hell and Purgatory?

(Submitted by: Anthony)

A. The Bible does not mention "Purgatory". That realm is a construct of the Catholic Church and is not Biblical in origin.

The Hebrew word sheol is translated as "hell" in the Old Testament. It's meaning is "the common grave of mankind" and has nothing to do with the current definition of "hell", i.e., a place of "fire and brimstone" where the evil are punished throughout eternity. That definition of "hell" comes mostly from the writings of the poet Dante and his book, Inferno.

Three Greek words are translated as "hell":

• Tartaroo, (ταρταρόω, Strong's Concordance #G5020) is used only once in the New Testament, in 2Peter 2:4, meaning "the deepest part of hades" (see next definition).

• Hades, (άδης , Strong's Concordance #G86) which is the exact equivalent of the Hebrew word sheol with the same meaning. See Acts 2:27, Revelation 1:18, 20:13, and other verses.

• Ghenna, (γέεννα, Strong's Concordance #G1067) which refers to the Valley of Hinnom which was located right outside the gates of Jerusalem. Jesus referred to this place in Matthew 5:22, 18:9 and other verses.

It was into this ravine that the inhabitants of Jerusalem threw their trash which they burned occasionally using "brimstone"(sulfur) to ignite and totally burn the trash. I understand from secular writings at that time that certain criminals' bodies were also tossed there after execution.

"But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. " (Matthew 5:22, NIV)

The Bible teaches that at the end of time, those who are incorrigibly evil and who deliberately turn away from God will be destroyed by fire in eternal punishment - a one-time punishment which is eternal, i.e., which cannot be undone. There is no Bible teaching of a place of eternal punishing as in the contemporary understanding of "hell".