Immortality or Resurrection (Updated) by William West (ereader with dictionary .txt) π
Excerpt from the book:
What is a man? Is a person born with an immortal soul, or do the saved put on immortality at the resurrection? Is a person a three part being, an animal body with both a soul and a spirit that will live without the body? This is one of the most important questions of all time. It has more influence on our conception of our nature, our view of life in this world and life after death than any other question.
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all in the Apocrypha; neither of Philo, nor in
Josephus, whose writings cover the very times of the Savior and the New Testament, thus leaving us
without a single example of contemporary usage to determine its meaning at this period-that from A.
D. 150-159, we find in two Greek authors, Justin and Clement of Alexandria, the first resident in Italy
and the last in Egypt that Gehenna began to be used to designate a place of punishment after death,
but not endless punishment since Clement was a believer in universal restoration-that the first time
we find Gehenna used in this sense in any Jewish writing is near the beginning of the third century, in
the Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel, two hundred years too late to be of any service in the argumentand
lastly, that the New Testament usage shows that while it had not wholly lost its literal sense, it
was also employed in the time of Christ as a symbol of moral corruption and wickedness; BUT
MORE ESPECIALLY AS A FIGURE OF THE TERRIBLE JUDGMENTS OF GOD ON THE
REBELLIOUS AND SINFUL NATION OF THE JEWS" Henry Thayer, "Theology."
Canon Farrar, "In the Old Testament it is merely the pleasant valley of Hinnom (GeHinnom),
subsequently desecrated by idolatry, and especially by Moloch worship, and defiled by Josiah on this
account. (See 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer 7:31; 19:10-14; Isa. 30:33; Tophet). Used according to
Jewish tradition, as the common sewage of the city, the corpses of the worst criminals were flung into
it unburied, and fires were lit to purify the contaminated air. It then became a word which secondarily
implied (1) the severest judgment which a Jewish court could pass upon a criminal-the casting forth
of his unburied corpse amid the fire and worms of this polluted valley; and (2) a punishment-which
to the Jews a body never meant an end-less punishment beyond the grave. WHATEVER MAY BE THE
209
MEANING OF THE ENTIRE PASSAGES IN WHICH THE WORD OCCURS, 'HELL' MUST BE A
COMPLETE MISTRANSLATION, SINCE IT ATTRIBUTES TO THE TERM USED BY CHRIST A SENSE
ENTIRELY DIFFERENTLY FROM THAT IN WHICH IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY OUR LORD'S HEARERS,
AND THEREFORE, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE SENSE IN WHICH HE COULD HAVE USED IT."
From the preface to "Eternal Hope."
"Gehenna, the Greek word translated hell in the common version, occurs twelve times. It is the
Grecian mode of spelling the Hebrew words, which are translated, 'The Valley of Hinnom.' This valley
was also called Tophet, a detestation, an abomination. Into this place were cast all kinds of filth, with
the carcasses of beasts and unburied bodies of criminals, who had been executed. Continual fires
were kept to consume these. Sennacherib's army of 185,000 men was slain there in one night. Here,
children were burnt to death in sacrifice to Moloch. GEHENNA, THEN, AS OCCURRING IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT, SYMBOLIZES DEATH AND UTTER DESTRUCTION, BUT IN NO PLACE SYMBOLIZES A
PLACE OF ETERNAL TORMENT" From the Emphatic Diaglot.
George Lemasters said Gehenna is said to have been a receptacle of bones, bodies of beasts and
criminals, and all unclean things. Page 265, Florida College Annual Lectures, 1975.
Ron Halbrook said Gehenna became a common refuse dump for the dead bodies of criminals,
animal carcasses, and other kind of filth. Page 123, Florida College Annual Lectures 1986.
WHATEVER WAS CAST INTO GEHENNA [the city dump], IF IT WERE TRASH
OR THE BODIES OF CRIMINALS WERE CAST INTO THE TRASH DUMP TO BE
DESTROYED AND BOTH WERE DESTROYED, NOT TORMENTED. Trash or dead
bodies cannot be tormented. Whatever was cast into Gehenna was soon consumed. THE
FATE OF ISRAEL IS COMPARED TO TRASH AND DEAD BODIES THAT
WERE CAST INTO THE CITY DUMP TO BE DISPOSED OF.
THE USE OF GEHENNA BY CHRIST
Gehenna was used on four occasions by Christ, and was used one time by James, the
brother of the Lord [James 3:6]. The name Gehenna is in the four gospels eleven times
but as the four gospels repeat the same discourses, Jesus did not really use it more than
six or seven times and these were all used in only four occasions (four sermons).
β’ FIRST OCCASION, IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. "Shall be in danger
of Gehenna...your whole body be cast into Gehenna...and not your whole body
go into Gehenna" Matthew 5:22, 29, 30.
β’ SECOND OCCASION, IN A LESSON TO THE TWELVE DISCIPLES. "Fear
him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna" Matthew 10:28.
"Fear him, who after he has killed has power to cast into Gehenna" Luke 12:5.
β’ THIRD OCCASION, IN ANOTHER LESSON TO HIS DISCIPLES. "Rather
than having two eyes to be cast into Gehenna" Matthew 18:9. Also in the parallel
account in Mark 9:43, 45, 47.
β’ FOURTH OCCASION, TO THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. "You make him
twofold more a son of Gehenna than yourselves...How shall you escape the
judgment of Gehenna" Matthew 23:15, 33.
β’ AND ONE TIME BY JAMES, TO THE TWELVE TRIBES. "The tongue, which
defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by
Gehenna" James 3:6.
Both Christ and James used the name of the city dump [Gehenna]. Although the
translators have James using the word Hell, when James wrote this neither the English
210
word βHell,β nor a Greek word for "Hell" did not exist. Even in Old English Hell did not
have the meaning it has in todayβs English.
THE FIRST OCCASION
IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Gehenna is used 3 times in Matthew 5. Christ is teaching His disciples, who at that
time were under the Law.
THE FIVE JUDGMENTS
Five judgments the disciples had heard that the Law said.
[1] THE FIRST JUDGMENT Matthew 5:21-26, "YOU HAVE HEARD that the
ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder,' and 'whoever commits murder shall be
liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be
guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty
before the Supreme Court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to
go into the fiery hell [Greek-Gehenna of fire]" New American Standard Bible. Gehenna,
the city dump of Jerusalem was always burning, day and night, 24/7.
The three crimes that were judged by the courts: All three have to do with the way
they felt toward their brother, all three were judged by an earthly court. "Murder shall be
liable to the court: but I say to you everyone who is,"
1. Everyone who is "Angry with his brother" guilty before THE COURT (New
American Standard Version): A judgment under the Old Testament Law. "Not the
final judgment of the world, but the tribunal established by the Law of Moses in each city for the
trial of murders and other criminals. [See Deut. xvi. 18.] Every man slayer was tried before this
tribunal, and either put to death or confined in the city of refuge." J. W. McGarvey, The New
Testament Commentary, Page 53, The Standard Publishing Company, 1875.
2. Whoever "Shall say to his brother, 'Raca'" guilty before the SUPREME
COURT (New American Standard Version): A judgment under the Old
Testament Law. "An epithet of contempt; 'empty head'" B. W. Johnson, The People's New
Testament, Gospel Light Publishing, 1889. "The council mentioned is the supreme court
provided for by the Law of Moses [Deut. xvii. 8-13], and represented in the days of Jesus by the
Sanhedrim." J. W. McGarvey, The New Testament Commentary, Page 54, 1875.
3. Whoever "Shall say, 'You fool'" guilty enough to go into the fiery Gehenna:
This, like the first two is a Jewish judgment where the bodies of criminals that
were thought to be unworthy of a burial were cast into the city dump to be burned.
To whom will they say, "you fool"? Could it be anyone other than "his brother"
just as the first two were? Could the difference in the sinfulness of saying to your
brother "race" [empty headed] and saying to him "you fool" be enough to jump
from a judgment of the Jewish court to the judgment of God at the coming of
Christ? How could anyone know Christ changed from judgments under the Law
to a judgment at the resurrection when there is no indication that He changed?
According to the teaching of some, a person can be angry with his brother and
have contempt for him and not go to Hell, but if you say, "You fool" to your
brother, them you will go to Hell.
Matthew 5:23-26, A lesson on how to make your offering acceptable to God. "Agree
with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest haply the adversary
deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, AND YOU ARE CAST
211
INTO PRISON. Verily I say unto you, you shall by no means come out TILL you have
paid the last farthing" [Matthew 5:25-26]. "Make friends quickly with your opponent at
law" New American Standard Version. WHEN IT IS PAID, THEN THE PERSON IN
PRISON SHALL COME OUT. This is speaking of a judgment and punishment under the
Law, not at the resurrection.
β’ Who is to agree with whom? It is the person charged who is to "Make friends
quickly with your opponent at law" that charged him, "while you are with him in
the way" [in the way to the judge].
β’ What will happen if there is not an agreement? "Lest haply the adversary
(opponent at law) deliver you to the judge, and the judge delivers you to the
officer, and you are cast into prison." Does this sound to you like the judgment at
the last day and being cast into "Hell," or does this sound like an earthly opponent
at law, judge, officer, and prison?
β’ How long will the person who is cast into prison be in the prison? "You shall by
no means come out thence, TILL you have paid the last farthing." WHEN the debt
for which the person was cast into prison is paid, THEN he will come out. Those
who believe in Hell tell us no one will ever come out. If this were speaking of
punishment after the judgment, then a limited punishment, which would end when
the last farthing was paid would be taught, not an eternal Hell." [Matthew 5:26-
27].
β’ That this use of "Gehenna" is taken completely out of the context of earthly courts
and law by today's theology is beyond any doubt. This is speaking of a judgment
and punishment under the Law, not at the resurrection.
β’ To teach "Hell' from this passage, Christ must be made to jump from judgments
and punishments under the Law of Moses in verse 21-22 to the judgment and
punishment at His coming in last part of verse 22 and then back to judgment and
punishment under the Law in verse 25-26 without anything to show He was
speaking of a different judgment and punishments. A part of one verse must
FIRST be taken out of context, and then SECOND changed from Gehenna to
Hell.
[2] THE SECOND JUDGMENT, "YOU HAVE HEARD that it was said, 'You shall
not commit adultery'" Matthew 5:27-30 "And if your right eye causes you to stumble,
pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members
should perish, and not your whole body be cast into hell [Greek - Gehenna]. And if your
right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for
you that one of your members should perish, and not your whole body go into hell
[Greek - Gehenna]." Jesus is saying to them that they had heard that it was said (in the
Law), βYou shall
Josephus, whose writings cover the very times of the Savior and the New Testament, thus leaving us
without a single example of contemporary usage to determine its meaning at this period-that from A.
D. 150-159, we find in two Greek authors, Justin and Clement of Alexandria, the first resident in Italy
and the last in Egypt that Gehenna began to be used to designate a place of punishment after death,
but not endless punishment since Clement was a believer in universal restoration-that the first time
we find Gehenna used in this sense in any Jewish writing is near the beginning of the third century, in
the Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel, two hundred years too late to be of any service in the argumentand
lastly, that the New Testament usage shows that while it had not wholly lost its literal sense, it
was also employed in the time of Christ as a symbol of moral corruption and wickedness; BUT
MORE ESPECIALLY AS A FIGURE OF THE TERRIBLE JUDGMENTS OF GOD ON THE
REBELLIOUS AND SINFUL NATION OF THE JEWS" Henry Thayer, "Theology."
Canon Farrar, "In the Old Testament it is merely the pleasant valley of Hinnom (GeHinnom),
subsequently desecrated by idolatry, and especially by Moloch worship, and defiled by Josiah on this
account. (See 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer 7:31; 19:10-14; Isa. 30:33; Tophet). Used according to
Jewish tradition, as the common sewage of the city, the corpses of the worst criminals were flung into
it unburied, and fires were lit to purify the contaminated air. It then became a word which secondarily
implied (1) the severest judgment which a Jewish court could pass upon a criminal-the casting forth
of his unburied corpse amid the fire and worms of this polluted valley; and (2) a punishment-which
to the Jews a body never meant an end-less punishment beyond the grave. WHATEVER MAY BE THE
209
MEANING OF THE ENTIRE PASSAGES IN WHICH THE WORD OCCURS, 'HELL' MUST BE A
COMPLETE MISTRANSLATION, SINCE IT ATTRIBUTES TO THE TERM USED BY CHRIST A SENSE
ENTIRELY DIFFERENTLY FROM THAT IN WHICH IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY OUR LORD'S HEARERS,
AND THEREFORE, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE SENSE IN WHICH HE COULD HAVE USED IT."
From the preface to "Eternal Hope."
"Gehenna, the Greek word translated hell in the common version, occurs twelve times. It is the
Grecian mode of spelling the Hebrew words, which are translated, 'The Valley of Hinnom.' This valley
was also called Tophet, a detestation, an abomination. Into this place were cast all kinds of filth, with
the carcasses of beasts and unburied bodies of criminals, who had been executed. Continual fires
were kept to consume these. Sennacherib's army of 185,000 men was slain there in one night. Here,
children were burnt to death in sacrifice to Moloch. GEHENNA, THEN, AS OCCURRING IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT, SYMBOLIZES DEATH AND UTTER DESTRUCTION, BUT IN NO PLACE SYMBOLIZES A
PLACE OF ETERNAL TORMENT" From the Emphatic Diaglot.
George Lemasters said Gehenna is said to have been a receptacle of bones, bodies of beasts and
criminals, and all unclean things. Page 265, Florida College Annual Lectures, 1975.
Ron Halbrook said Gehenna became a common refuse dump for the dead bodies of criminals,
animal carcasses, and other kind of filth. Page 123, Florida College Annual Lectures 1986.
WHATEVER WAS CAST INTO GEHENNA [the city dump], IF IT WERE TRASH
OR THE BODIES OF CRIMINALS WERE CAST INTO THE TRASH DUMP TO BE
DESTROYED AND BOTH WERE DESTROYED, NOT TORMENTED. Trash or dead
bodies cannot be tormented. Whatever was cast into Gehenna was soon consumed. THE
FATE OF ISRAEL IS COMPARED TO TRASH AND DEAD BODIES THAT
WERE CAST INTO THE CITY DUMP TO BE DISPOSED OF.
THE USE OF GEHENNA BY CHRIST
Gehenna was used on four occasions by Christ, and was used one time by James, the
brother of the Lord [James 3:6]. The name Gehenna is in the four gospels eleven times
but as the four gospels repeat the same discourses, Jesus did not really use it more than
six or seven times and these were all used in only four occasions (four sermons).
β’ FIRST OCCASION, IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. "Shall be in danger
of Gehenna...your whole body be cast into Gehenna...and not your whole body
go into Gehenna" Matthew 5:22, 29, 30.
β’ SECOND OCCASION, IN A LESSON TO THE TWELVE DISCIPLES. "Fear
him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna" Matthew 10:28.
"Fear him, who after he has killed has power to cast into Gehenna" Luke 12:5.
β’ THIRD OCCASION, IN ANOTHER LESSON TO HIS DISCIPLES. "Rather
than having two eyes to be cast into Gehenna" Matthew 18:9. Also in the parallel
account in Mark 9:43, 45, 47.
β’ FOURTH OCCASION, TO THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. "You make him
twofold more a son of Gehenna than yourselves...How shall you escape the
judgment of Gehenna" Matthew 23:15, 33.
β’ AND ONE TIME BY JAMES, TO THE TWELVE TRIBES. "The tongue, which
defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by
Gehenna" James 3:6.
Both Christ and James used the name of the city dump [Gehenna]. Although the
translators have James using the word Hell, when James wrote this neither the English
210
word βHell,β nor a Greek word for "Hell" did not exist. Even in Old English Hell did not
have the meaning it has in todayβs English.
THE FIRST OCCASION
IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Gehenna is used 3 times in Matthew 5. Christ is teaching His disciples, who at that
time were under the Law.
THE FIVE JUDGMENTS
Five judgments the disciples had heard that the Law said.
[1] THE FIRST JUDGMENT Matthew 5:21-26, "YOU HAVE HEARD that the
ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder,' and 'whoever commits murder shall be
liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be
guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty
before the Supreme Court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to
go into the fiery hell [Greek-Gehenna of fire]" New American Standard Bible. Gehenna,
the city dump of Jerusalem was always burning, day and night, 24/7.
The three crimes that were judged by the courts: All three have to do with the way
they felt toward their brother, all three were judged by an earthly court. "Murder shall be
liable to the court: but I say to you everyone who is,"
1. Everyone who is "Angry with his brother" guilty before THE COURT (New
American Standard Version): A judgment under the Old Testament Law. "Not the
final judgment of the world, but the tribunal established by the Law of Moses in each city for the
trial of murders and other criminals. [See Deut. xvi. 18.] Every man slayer was tried before this
tribunal, and either put to death or confined in the city of refuge." J. W. McGarvey, The New
Testament Commentary, Page 53, The Standard Publishing Company, 1875.
2. Whoever "Shall say to his brother, 'Raca'" guilty before the SUPREME
COURT (New American Standard Version): A judgment under the Old
Testament Law. "An epithet of contempt; 'empty head'" B. W. Johnson, The People's New
Testament, Gospel Light Publishing, 1889. "The council mentioned is the supreme court
provided for by the Law of Moses [Deut. xvii. 8-13], and represented in the days of Jesus by the
Sanhedrim." J. W. McGarvey, The New Testament Commentary, Page 54, 1875.
3. Whoever "Shall say, 'You fool'" guilty enough to go into the fiery Gehenna:
This, like the first two is a Jewish judgment where the bodies of criminals that
were thought to be unworthy of a burial were cast into the city dump to be burned.
To whom will they say, "you fool"? Could it be anyone other than "his brother"
just as the first two were? Could the difference in the sinfulness of saying to your
brother "race" [empty headed] and saying to him "you fool" be enough to jump
from a judgment of the Jewish court to the judgment of God at the coming of
Christ? How could anyone know Christ changed from judgments under the Law
to a judgment at the resurrection when there is no indication that He changed?
According to the teaching of some, a person can be angry with his brother and
have contempt for him and not go to Hell, but if you say, "You fool" to your
brother, them you will go to Hell.
Matthew 5:23-26, A lesson on how to make your offering acceptable to God. "Agree
with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest haply the adversary
deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, AND YOU ARE CAST
211
INTO PRISON. Verily I say unto you, you shall by no means come out TILL you have
paid the last farthing" [Matthew 5:25-26]. "Make friends quickly with your opponent at
law" New American Standard Version. WHEN IT IS PAID, THEN THE PERSON IN
PRISON SHALL COME OUT. This is speaking of a judgment and punishment under the
Law, not at the resurrection.
β’ Who is to agree with whom? It is the person charged who is to "Make friends
quickly with your opponent at law" that charged him, "while you are with him in
the way" [in the way to the judge].
β’ What will happen if there is not an agreement? "Lest haply the adversary
(opponent at law) deliver you to the judge, and the judge delivers you to the
officer, and you are cast into prison." Does this sound to you like the judgment at
the last day and being cast into "Hell," or does this sound like an earthly opponent
at law, judge, officer, and prison?
β’ How long will the person who is cast into prison be in the prison? "You shall by
no means come out thence, TILL you have paid the last farthing." WHEN the debt
for which the person was cast into prison is paid, THEN he will come out. Those
who believe in Hell tell us no one will ever come out. If this were speaking of
punishment after the judgment, then a limited punishment, which would end when
the last farthing was paid would be taught, not an eternal Hell." [Matthew 5:26-
27].
β’ That this use of "Gehenna" is taken completely out of the context of earthly courts
and law by today's theology is beyond any doubt. This is speaking of a judgment
and punishment under the Law, not at the resurrection.
β’ To teach "Hell' from this passage, Christ must be made to jump from judgments
and punishments under the Law of Moses in verse 21-22 to the judgment and
punishment at His coming in last part of verse 22 and then back to judgment and
punishment under the Law in verse 25-26 without anything to show He was
speaking of a different judgment and punishments. A part of one verse must
FIRST be taken out of context, and then SECOND changed from Gehenna to
Hell.
[2] THE SECOND JUDGMENT, "YOU HAVE HEARD that it was said, 'You shall
not commit adultery'" Matthew 5:27-30 "And if your right eye causes you to stumble,
pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members
should perish, and not your whole body be cast into hell [Greek - Gehenna]. And if your
right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for
you that one of your members should perish, and not your whole body go into hell
[Greek - Gehenna]." Jesus is saying to them that they had heard that it was said (in the
Law), βYou shall
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