Response to “Regarding Annihilationism”
By Gabor
Gombor
At
first: I'm not an annihilationist but I don't think the phrase "eternal
conscious punishment" comes from an exhausting exegesis. There are levels
between eternal conscious punishment and Annihilationism.
Brother Scott cited Mt. 25.46 on the Covenant Eschatology board, where he has
called my attention again to the word everlasting. Although the
Concordance said it is eternal, notice the root of this word, Aionios (S166). Do not forget that for the word
which we used frequently to proving "it is not the end of the world, it is
the end of the age" on Mt. 24.3, translated by Strong also as "for
ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity ". Preterists use the
word "aion" as age, but disapprove this meaning on Aionios. Please explain to me what is the reason for
this?
The Greek itself is not meant to be used as "eternal". Aristotle (peri ouravou, i.
9,15) said: "The period which includes the whole
time of one's life is called the aeon of each one." Hence it often means
the life of a man, as in Homer, where one's life (aion) is said to leave him or
to consume away (Iliad v. 685; Odyssey v. 160). Aionos
is used in Greek as "of or belonging to an age." Nobody say it
is not important (to see how the Greek used it) since Peter used the word
"Tartaros" which is is
the prison of the Titans, or giants (cp. Heb. Rephaim,
Ap. 25), who rebelled against Zeus. The problem is, the main meaning of aeon (which is age, time, period) is
totally the opposite as eternity.
Aion in any form many times translated as "forever" but look this
passage:
Tit. 1.12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway (aei) liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Does it mean that the Cretians are liars forever?
Let us read another example where aionos does not
mean eternal:
Rom. 16.25 Now to him that is of power to stablish
you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began
(AIONOS)
(NAS) 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and
the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which
has been kept secret for long ages past (AIONOS)
If aionos is eternal then the mystery, the gospel, is
secret forever!
In same cases “forever”
must be applied to the covenant or age:
The Aaronic
Priesthood was to be an "everlasting" priesthood (Ex. 40:15); that
is, until it was superceded by the Melchizedek
Priesthood (Hebrews
The children of Israel were
to "observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual
covenant" (Exodus 31:16)-until--Paul states there remains "another
day" of Sabbath rest for the people of God (Heb. 4:8,9).
The Law of Moses was to be
an "everlasting covenant" (Leviticus 24:8) yet we read in the New
Covenant the first was "done away" and "abolished" (2
Corinthians
I think the same is true
with eternal life. The life in union with Christ is endless, but the fact is
not expressed by aionios. Kolasis
aionios, rendered everlasting punishment (Matt.
25:46), is the punishment peculiar to an aeon other then that in which Christ
is speaking. In some cases zoe
aionios does not refer specifically to the life beyond
time, but rather to the aeon or dispensation of Messiah which succeeds the
legal dispensation. See Matt. 19:16; John 5:39. John says that zoe aionios is the present
possession of those who believe on the Son of God, John 3:36;
Luk. 18.29 And he said unto them, Verily
I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren,
or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 Who shall not receive
manifold more in this present time, and in the world (aion) to come life
everlasting.
According to the Preterist
viewpoint the “age to come” is the period after AD 70. Believers in Christ
receive “everlasting” life now. I don’t suggest here that after our death we
will annihilated, simply I don’t know God’s plan. I
believe that “he that soweth and he that reapeth “ will rejoice together,
but I think nobody know what the afterlife really means.
A few translations on eternal punishment:
Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, 1898
1. And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to
life age-during.
2. and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be
tormented day and night-to the ages of the ages.
Emphatic Diaglott, 1942 edition
(GreekEnglish Interlinear)
1. And these shall go forth to the aionian
cutting-off; but the RIGHTEOUS to aionian Life.
2. And THAT ENEMY who deceived them was cast into the
LAKE OF FIRE and Sulphur, where both the BEAST and
FALSE-PROPHET [were cast,] and they will be tormented Day and Night for the
AGES of the AGES.
The
Restoration of Original Sacred Name Bible, 1976
1. And
these shall go away into age-abiding *correction, but the righteous into
**age-abiding life.
2. And the Adversary that had been deceiving them was
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where were both the wild-beast and
the false-prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night unto the ages of
ages.
The second problem, the punishment, Kolasis
does not means only punishment but correction as Strong listed:
2851: correction, punishment, penalty
Not all translations use here "punishment". It is obvious if the
meaning "correction" is possible, the meaning eternal becomes
impossible.
Or see the word "destruction":
2Th. 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Everlasting destruction - you will find "Aionios
Olethros". Strong says:
“olethros - for the destruction of the flesh,
said of the external ills and troubles by which the lusts of the flesh are
subdued and destroyed “ – Have you ever thought about 1Co 5.5:
1Co. 5.5 To
deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
I don't want to prove annihilation
but I'm simply not sure that punishment is eternal or that destruction is full
destruction here. The point is not that conscious punishment exists at all but
there can be punishments or torments (basanizo
= touchstone) for an age. We have two ages described in our Bibles but who
knows what is the real plans of God after our death?
Even the Bible speak about more future ages:
Eph. 2.7 That
in the ages (aionon) to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus.
The only word to "eternal" in the NT is aidios
referring to God (See Rom. 1.20) . You mention
"unquenchable" which does not refer to "eternal" only. The
fire on the
The problem with Mt. 10:28 is valid although I think
Gehenna as both a physical place and a spiritual continuation of punishment
seems not too convincing. Why did Jesus use an everyday word to describe as place
of the eternal punishment which meaning was never used among Jews? Neither the
Old Testament, nor Josephus, nor Philo used "gehenna"
as future spiritual judgments of Jews. Second problem that the verse does not
say God will kill the souls, "He is able", as He is able to
"of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham." Not to mention, soul (psuche)
does not means always the human soul but life (1Jn. 3.16, Heb. 10.39), heart
(Col. 3.23) or mind (Heb. 12.3,Phi. 1.27). The text
uses two Greek words "kill" and "destroy" which can refer
to simply "Fear God and not man". A good example on psuche comparing to the meaning of Mt. 10:28:
Act. 14.2 But the unbelieving
Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected
against the brethren.
But again I have no problems with punishment itself, only the word
"everlasting". Despite this, you can be right with eternal - just I'm
not sure to declare it as biblical truth.
Regarding Lazarus and the rich I think it is parable, Ed Burley wrote same arguments.
See Lazarus (Eleazer) as the believers, the
rich man as Jewish (royal) priesthood (notice: fine linen, six brothers), dogs
as gentiles (Mk. 7.27) and the great gulf as blindness (Mk. 8.18, 2Co
3.15, Mt. 23.39), Abraham as their Father (Jn.
8.39, Jn. 8.56) - is a perfect Preterist verse and
not a literal story. Second problem with this parable as literal story that in
this case we must accept a “two-leveled” Hades with conscious punishment which
is in contradiction with old-testamental description of
Hades:
Ecc. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no
work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave,
whither thou goest.
Psa. 146.4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his
earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Dan. 12.2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth
shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt.
(Also notice that the
“everlasting” in Dan. 12.2 – hebrew
owlam means not only everlasting but long
duration, indefinite also). Too many questions. How
thought the rich man that he can escape from Hades to warn his brothers? It is
impossible. I don’t want detail the curiosities (finger in water, tongue,
seeing another “coast”, etc) but perhaps it would be good to analyze them
better. The phrase “Moses and prophets” clearly signs a pre AD 70 event. After
AD 70 it would be “let them hear to Christ”. Hades is entirely destroyed, were
cast into the
Rev. 3.1 And unto the angel
of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he
that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works,
that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Isa. 55.8 For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Jer. 32.27 Behold, I am the LORD, the
God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
cheers,
Gabor