Professor AUGUSTUS HOPKINS STRONG, D. D., LL. D., says:
That there is no allusion to a probation after this life, is clear from Luke 16:19–31—the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Here penalty is inflicted for the sins done “in thy lifetime” (v. 25); this penalty is unchangeable—“there is a great gulf fixed” (v. 26); the rich man asks favors for his brethren who still live on the earth, but none for himself (v. 27, 28).- Strong, A. H. (2004). Systematic Theology. “The present work is a revision and enlargement of my ‘Systematic Theology,’ first published in 1886.”–Pref. (1039). Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
This penalty of torment in Hades is “unchangable”? How can that be when it is written Hades is emptied and cast away empty?:
13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: (Rev 20:13 ASV)
14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. (Rev 20:14 ASV)
Therefore it is impossible the penalty is unchangeable, everything about it changes in the Final Judgment, when all are raised out of it.
Without probation in Hades the actions and feelings of Abraham and those with him, even the Rich man himself, are inexplicable.
For example, the Rich man cries out “Father Abraham” (v.24). That Abraham was his “Father” is evident by Abraham’s acceptance, he then calls him “Son” (v.25). No child of Satan is a son of Abraham.
Nor is it possible a child of Satan care about others, if nothing in it for him. After being told nothing could be done to lessen his torment, a child of Satan would have responded with cursing, instead this fallen Pharisee has concern for others:
28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luk 16:28 ASV)
Satan’s children do not act this way. Every indication is this Pharisee has seen the error of his ways and repented, and like any repentant child of God, he is genuinely concerned others be warned, even if that doesn’t help him one iota. No child of Satan would exhibit such selfless concern for others.
Furthermore it is not possible Abraham, or the redeemed with him, express regret a child of Satan is being punished by God, that is a time for rejoicing:
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. (Luk 16:26 ASV)
They “that would” no doubt includes Abraham. The redeemed in “paradise” pitied the fallen Pharisee, would help if only they could. Such pity for Satan’s children would be an abomination to the LORD our God:
Deu 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
“Thine eye shall not pity” even if these were relatives:
6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
(Deu 13:6-8 KJV)
It is clear Professor Strong overlaid unscriptural Roman Catholic traditions on this Jewish Text. That is inconsistent with sound hermeneutic normally practiced by sola scripturaists.
Probation in Hades must exist as “unbelief is the only ground of condemnation” (John 3:18, 36; Mark 16:15,16; Rom 10:9-12; Eph 4:18; 2 Pet 2:3,4; 1 John 4:3)— at least for those who never heard about Jesus.
Moreover, when we reject probation in hell, we also reject Jesus as the only way of salvation because it cannot be God gave those who never heard about Christ, no chance to enter the kingdom, then there must be another way into it.
But that would contradict what is written:
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Act 4:12 KJV)
Scripture clearly teaches the opportunity to repent is genuinely granted to all (Joh 3:15-16; Rom 10:9 &c.), except those who blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Mat 12:31).
Indeed, the apostle Peter says “for this cause the gospel was preached to them that are dead” spiritually (1 Peter 4:4-6; Lu 8:12; 2 Cor 4:4), precisely so they would repent later in Hades:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.(1Pe 4:4-6 KJV)
The wages of sin is death of the flesh, but if they repent in Hades, than even one guilty of incest “may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus:
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. (1Co 5:5 KJV)
The apostle says “may be” because he cannot know if this sinner is one of God’s Elect, it would appear he has some doubts. Only the elect will repent in Hades and be saved as it is written:
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(Rev 20:11-15 KJV)
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev 21:27 KJV)
Alfred Persson
NOTE*: Christ builds upon the kinship to reveal how powerless Abraham is to prevent his sons from entering Hades, or even lessen their torment.
The Pharisees were convinced Abraham could help them:
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.(Luk 3:8 KJV)
“In the Hereafter Abraham will sit at the entrance of Gehinnom and will not allow any circumcised Israelite to descend into it.”- Genesis Rabbah XLVIII. 8
“‘Passing through the valley of weeping’ (Ps. lxxxiv. 6), i.e. they who are sentenced for a time in Gehinnom; and Abraham our father comes and takes them out and receives them…”-Erubin 19a
-Abraham Cohen, Everyman’s Talmud (Schocken Books, NY, 1995), pp 381, 382
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Torment(basanos) not punitive only:
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,
28 …lest they also come into this place of torment
“1. The basanos originally belongs to the calling of the inspector of coins. It is linked with the Heb. root … (“to test”)…
In the testing of metal an essential role was played by the thought of testing and proving genuineness. The rack is a means of showing the true state of affairs. In its proper sense it is a means of testing and proving, though also of punishment. Finally, even this special meaning was weakened and only the general element of torment remained.-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, G. Kittel (Eerdmands, Grand Rapids, MI, 1964, Vol 1, pp. 561-562
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. (Zec 13:9 KJV)
LXX: dokimazw, prove, approve.
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“tormented (odunaw v. 24f) in this flame”:
odýnē means a. “physical pain” and b. “mental distress.” odynáō is “to cause pain or sorrow,” passive “to feel pain,” “to suffer.” The main LXX use is for deep grief of soul, as in Zech. 12:10; Is. 38:15; Am. 8:10; Prov. 17:25; Ezek. 21:11. In the NT Paul uses odýnē in Rom. 9:2 for his distress that his compatriots are shut off from salvation. In 1 Tim. 6:10 the reference is to pangs of conscience that afflict those who defect through love of money. odynáomai occurs four times in Luke and Acts. In Lk. 4:28 it is anxiety for a beloved child, in Lk. 16:24 torment at eternal loss, in 16:25 the anguish of remorse, and in Acts 20:38 the sorrow of final parting from the apostle.-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged, F. Hauck, Vol. 5, p. 115.
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Heb 9:27 doesn’t rule out probation in Hades, judgment happens AFTER death, not UPON death.
“it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; (ASV)
The eschatological judgment potentially very near, when all are raised up from Hades (Rev 20:11ff).
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Hades is not Gehenna, weeping and gnashing of teeth is the physical reaction (Mat 5:29) of a soul imprisoned in a contemptible body (Dan 12:2)—infested with worms that die not. Prior to being cast away into a furnace of fire, they are bound hand and foot (Mat 22:13) and so are immobile like carcases (Isa 66:24), unable to move to lessen their pain.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Gal 6:8 KJV)
Note the imbalance, its purposeful: “reap corruption” is not endless as is “reap life everlasting.”
This complexity reflected in all NT statements about the fate of the lost. While the penalty (kolasis, Mat 25:46) is everlasting, it does not follow all banished forever are tormented forever.
The Lake of Fire is the judicial penalty of the “second death” (Rev 20:14), i.e., the death from which there is no resurrection. Those who “die the death” (Mat 15:4) have their place before God’s face destroyed forever (2 Th 1:9), that leaves existence on that “side of God” that knows only His undiluted wrath (Rev 22:15). That torment in Gehenna is eternal for only the worst sinners, is implicitly taught:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever 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 14:11 KJV)
“Eternal Punishment” for accepting the Mark of the Beast is “Eternal Torment”.
Therefore, “Eternal Punishment” for NOT accepting the Mark of the Beast is “Less Than Eternal Torment”.
The school of Hillel, that of Gamaliel and the apostle Paul (Acts 22:3), observed this distinction:
“Wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body and wrongdoers of the Gentiles who sin with their body go down to Gehinnom and are punished there for twelve months. After twelve months their body is consumed and their soul is burnt and the wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous as it says, And ye shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet.”-Rosh HaShana 17a re Mal 4:3.
-Abraham Cohen, Everyman’s Talmud (Schocken Books, NY, 1995), p 378.
Satan, his demons, Judas, Antichrist, false prophet, all accepting the Mark of the Beast, & the wicked (Isa 57:20f) have no peace forever. Lesser sins merit torment of lesser duration.
“Probation in Hades” is not “Salvation in Hades”, no crossing over from lower Hades into paradise (Lu 16:26) is possible. It is unlikely this view inspire some to sin now, and pay in Hades later. Even if one repented today, their torment continues 1000 years or more until the end of the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev 20:5), until the Day of the LORD Jesus.
Perhaps the Elect Jews who died enemies of the Gospel, reconsider their rejection of Christ (Ro 11:32) in Hades:
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
(Rom 11:32-33 KJV)
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I sent this to you for critical evaluation. The elegance of this proposal is its parsimony to the scripture while making clear what was ambiguous.
Of course, being a sola scripturaist, if the view is found wanting, contrary to the Word of God, I will be forever in the debt of the friend who showed me that. I must confess, I sincerely doubt the view is defective in any way.
Sincerely
Alfred K Persson, aka LetsObeyChrist, Christian apologist