Josephus tells us about three
sects with different philosophies in Israel at the time of, and just after,
Jesus. We will look at the three ideas regarding death at the time of the first
century and review Jesus’ words to make a comparison. Being that this is a
first-hand account of the time period, we can trust Josephus’ words and
observations. We have studied the mysteries of hell and the ideas that Jesus
gave us regarding hades as well as the different areas of hell, such as Sheol
and Tartarus. We have also noted Enoch’s writings of the different levels of
heaven/hell and who abides there. Josephus records the philosophies of his day and
shows us whose ideas we actually lean towards, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, or
the Essenes.
Josephus Antiquities of the Jews Book
18 1:2. The Jews had for a great while three sects of philosophy peculiar to
themselves; the sect of the Essens, and the sect of the Sadducees, and the
third sort of opinions was that of those called Pharisees; of which sects,
although I have already spoken in the second book of the Jewish War, yet will I
a little touch upon them now.
Typically we only recognize two
groups, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, as philosophical groups in Israel at
the time of the first century, but the Essenes are noted here as well. In the
last few weeks we have studied that the Essenes were comprised of the people who
lived in Qumran, Nazarenes, the people of Mount Carmel, the Essenes of Damascus
Syria, the Therapeutaes of Egypt, those that died at Masada known as the
Sicarii, and the prophets dating all the way back to Shem and Eber in Jebus and
further back to Enoch. Because they were secretive about their knowledge and
the power of the Holy Spirit in/on them we have had to dig into history to
understand them. Let’s just recognize that there were always prophets trying to
guide the people of Israel but there were also priests and political leaders
who led them astray. However the Essenes, also known as the Zedeks, stayed pure
and true to the Lord, believing all the prophets and expecting the Messiah to
come out from their order. Josephus explains their beliefs regarding death and
hell.
3. Now, for the Pharisees, …….They
also believe that souls have an immortal rigor in them, and that under the
earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived
virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an
everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again;
The Pharisees believe in people
either being rewarded or punished at the time of death. They believe that evil
vicious people will be permanent residents of hell. They believe that good
virtuous people will revive and live again. They have a sin conscious religion.
As Paul pointed out in Romans, the law brings about more sin and that is the
predicament that the Pharisees and their followers were in.
4. But the doctrine of the
Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies;
The Sadducees believe that souls
die with bodies. It is interesting the way that Josephus notes this, as if his
previous idea regarding the Pharisees is more correct than the Sadducees. He
doesn’t feel the need to use too many words here.
5. The doctrine of the Essens is
this: That all things are best ascribed to God. They teach the immortality of
souls, and esteem that the rewards of righteousness are to be earnestly striven
for;
The Essenes didn’t seem to take a
position as to judge who was eligible for heaven or paradise or doomed for
hell. The Pharisees give us the parameters of those who are “good” and those
who are “evil”. That is a great manipulation tool for religious leaders. We see
that tactic used even today. With the Essenes, Josephus says that the soul is
immortal and that people should strive for rewards pertaining to righteousness.
Jesus tells us to strive to enter the straight gate, Luke 13:24. Paul tells us
to strive lawfully for masteries so that we will be crowned 2 Tim 2:5. The way
the Essenes looked at things is more positive, just strive, and not speculating
over good and evil. We don’t actually get to decide who goes to heaven or
paradise or hell, so the Essenes simply ascribed those judgements to God and
did their best in life.
Now from Josephus’ record of the
Wars of the Jews, he gives us more details. Again regarding the Essenes:
Wars of the Jews Book 2:8:11. For
their doctrine is this: That bodies are corruptible, and that the matter they
are made of is not permanent; but that the souls are immortal, and continue forever;
and that they come out of the most subtile air, and are united to their bodies
as to prisons, into which they are drawn by a certain natural enticement; but
that when they are set free from the bonds of the flesh, they then, as released
from a long bondage, rejoice and mount upward.
Subtile is an
old word, it is Middle English and the Old French version of subtle. Subtile meaning fine, delicate,
rarified, or fluid. The soul is rarified, fluid, fine, or delicate, and the
body corrupts and is not permanent. Souls are immortal but are imprisoned by
the body. Souls mount upward when released from the body. The natural
enticement are lusts and pleasures that the body experiences. Imagine what the
Essenes believe, that once one is free from their body one rejoices. This is
why death has no sting for the one who dies. Death only stings for those left
alive. Think about John and Jesus. Jesus didn’t rescue John, he simply kept on
doing miracles in the North. This is why Jesus didn’t call on the legions of
angels to save him. Death has been promoted as an end, and as a bad thing, but
in the Essene view death is freedom. The soul is fluid, or rarified, esoteric, not
like the body which is solid and visible. The soul is healed by repentance. Jesus
told us to lay down our lives and take up our cross. Now we can see why. Jesus
knew he was going to lose his life in Jerusalem and he wasn’t dissuaded by
Peter, but corrected Peter harshly. By his death Jesus set free the redeemed
dead and opened paradise. He did not love his life but saw his purpose for
humanity. Notice what ideas Josephus attributes to the Greeks, don’t get
confused here this is what the Greeks believe.
…11 And this is like the opinions
of the Greeks, that good souls have their habitations beyond the ocean, in a
region that is neither oppressed with storms of rain or snow, or with intense
heat, but that this place is such as is refreshed by the gentle breathing of a
west wind, that is perpetually blowing from the ocean; while they allot to bad
souls a dark and tempestuous den, full of never-ceasing punishments. And indeed
the Greeks seem to me to have followed the same notion, when they allot the
islands of the blessed to their brave men, whom they call heroes and demi-gods;
and to the souls of the wicked, the region of the ungodly, in Hades, where
their fables relate that certain persons, such as Sisyphus, and Tantalus, and
Ixion, and Tityus, are punished; which is built on this first supposition, that
souls are immortal; and thence are those exhortations to virtue and
dehortations from wickedness collected; whereby good men are bettered in the conduct
of their life by the hope they have of reward after their death; and whereby
the vehement inclinations of bad men to vice are restrained, by the fear and
expectation they are in, that although they should lie concealed in this life,
they should suffer immortal punishment after their death.
The Greeks seemed to have the
idea that souls are immortal and that good people conduct their lives with a
hope of rewards and bad people suffer immortal punishment at death. This is the
knowledge of good and evil. Everything is measured by man’s interpretation of
what is good and what is evil. Back to the Essenes.
…11 These are the Divine
doctrines of the Essens (6) about
the soul, which lay an unavoidable bait for such as have once had a taste of
their philosophy.
Josephus calls this an
unavoidable bait (that souls are imprisoned in the body and then freed at
death) for those who have tasted their philosophy. It is far easier to suffer
in the body if we understand that the body is a prison and the real beings that
we are will be set free at death. That is the enticement or bait of the Essene
philosophy. The bait is not to think in terms of good and evil and become
ensnared by it. Now to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
14. But then as to the two other
orders at first mentioned, the Pharisees are those who are esteemed most
skillful in the exact explication of their laws, and introduce the first sect.
These ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to
act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men,
although fate does co-operate in every action. They say that all souls are
incorruptible, but that the souls of good men only are removed into other
bodies, - but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment.
The Pharisees are saying that souls
are incorruptible, but the souls of good people are put into other bodies. The
souls of bad people are subject to eternal punishment. There seems to be an
idea of reincarnation of good souls with another body and bad souls tormented
eternally with old diseased bodies. Later Josephus will clarify this idea in his Discourse on Hades.
…14 But the Sadducees are those
that compose the second order, and take away fate entirely, and suppose that
God is not concerned in our doing or not doing what is evil; and they say, that
to act what is good, or what is evil, is at men's own choice, and that the one
or the other belongs so to every one, that they may act as they please. They
also take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the
punishments and rewards in Hades.
The Sadducees did not subscribe
to the idea of people behaving good or evil affecting their eternal destiny.
They did not believe in an eternal destiny. They believe there are no rewards
in heaven or punishments in hell.
Matt 22:23 The same day came to
him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
KJV Mark 12:18, Luke 20:27
Paul used this idea to cause a
stir among the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Acts 23:6-10 But when Paul
perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried
out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee:
of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.7 And when he
had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees:
and the multitude was divided.8 For the Sadducees say that there is no
resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.9 And
there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part
arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an
angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.10 And when there arose
a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been
pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by
force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. KJV
Paul knew how to start a
fight! Back to Josephus.
…14Moreover, the Pharisees are
friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of concord, and regard for
the public; but the behavior of the Sadducees one towards another is in some
degree wild, and their conversation with those that are of their own party is
as barbarous as if they were strangers to them. And this is what I had to say
concerning the philosophic sects among the Jews. http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-2.htm
Josephus says the Pharisees are
friendly and harmonious towards one another and to the public, but the Sadducees
are wild and barbarous. Some years later, as we just read, Paul seems to have
had that experience when he stood in front of the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees
argued on Paul’s behalf. Between the Pharisees and Sadducees it seemed both
groups fought fiercely and were likely to pull him apart, Acts 23.
This is a first-hand account of
the three major religious sects in Israel, during the first century. The
Essenes believe that the soul is immortal and imprisoned in the body and that
people should strive for rewards. They believe death is a happy time for the
soul and that the judgment of where one goes is best left to God. The Pharisees
believe that souls are immortal and the good people will get rewards and new
bodies while the bad will suffer eternal punishment.
The Sadducees don’t believe in
the soul being immortal and they don’t believe in adjusting their behavior for
eternal rewards or eternal punishment. John called them a generation of vipers
and wanted to know who warned them to flee the wrath to come. Jesus said they
were hypocrites. In Matthew 22:31 Jesus tells them that God is not the God of
the dead but of the living. This is in direct contradiction to their beliefs.
It is a shame that well-meaning
scholars seem to incorrectly assume that both the Sadducees and the Pharisees
were from the line of Zadok and Hasidics. It is simply because we knew so
little about the Zedek order until the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Also,
because the Masoretes favored the Pharisees, they altered a lot of texts trying
to erase Jesus as Messiah. It would seem that much of this historical
understanding of the Essenes was also buried by them. We know that the
Pharisees came into being at the time of the Maccabean era, the time that the
Essenes felt tricked by a false leader and many fled to Damascus, Syria. Also
we know that the Sadducees were rich people and they simply lived for
themselves, not in community like the prophets or Essenes. Now let’s look at
what Jesus said. His perspective is different. He is speaking to some of the
Pharisees who were covetous, and were lovers of money, who were the same people
who stole widows’ houses. These were not people who were concerned about their
eternal destination.
Luke 16:14 Now the Pharisees, who
were covetous and lovers of money, heard all these things [taken together], and
they began to sneer at and ridicule and scoff at Him. AMP
Jesus the Essene is speaking and
the Pharisees start sneering, ridiculing, and scoffing at him. Remember the
lifestyles of the Essenes was to share everything, but Jesus just got done
telling them they serve money. They were being exposed and did not like it.
Jesus goes on.
Luke 16:15-16 But He said to
them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but
God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is
detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God. [1 Sam 16:7;
Prov 21:2.] 16 Until John came, there were the Law and the Prophets; since then
the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God is being preached, and
everyone strives violently to go in [would force his own way rather than God's
way into it]. AMP
Jesus points out that before John
came preaching repentance, baptism, and preparing the way for the Messiah,
there was the Law and the Prophets. Who were the prophets? The Zedeks. Now the
good news of the Kingdom of God is being preached and everyone is rushing the
gates like black Friday at Best Buy. The forcing of ones’ self into the kingdom
becomes violent because people are not doing it God’s way. Incidentally, one
cannot break down the gates of the kingdom and Jesus is the one at the door, so
if one wishes to go in one must know Jesus the Christ. Then Jesus goes into his
story. It is not a parable because he uses names, Abraham and Lazarus. He does
not point out the rich man by name but by his description he was probably a
Pharisee and the Pharisees would have known who he was. This is also what made
the Pharisees angry at Jesus.
Luke 16:19 There was a certain
rich man who [habitually] clothed himself in purple and fine linen and reveled
and feasted and made merry in splendor every day.
Life was like a party for the
rich man but right outside his front yard was a poor beggar hoping for a little
help. He was waiting for the servants to throw out the trash so he could eat
from the dumpster.
20 And at his gate there was
[carelessly] dropped down and left a certain utterly destitute man named
Lazarus, [reduced to begging alms and] covered with [ulcerated] sores. 21 He
[eagerly] desired to be satisfied with what fell from the rich man's table;
moreover, the dogs even came and licked his sores. 22 And it occurred that the
man [reduced to] begging died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried.
22G1096And it came to pass
forG1161 G599[3to dieG35881theG44342poor man],G2532andG667for him to be carriedG1473 G5259byG3588theG32angelsG1519intoG3588theG2859bosomG3588 G*of Abraham.G599And [4diedG1161 G25323alsoG35881theG41452rich man],G2532andG2290was buried.
We have studied that the word for
bosom, G2859, which is actually bay or creek. It is a water way, not the heart
or breast of Abraham. The place where the poor man was taken by angels was a
place with water and was where Abraham was. The rich man was being tormented in
Hades, but Lazarus wasn’t.
23 And in Hades (the realm of the
dead), being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and
Lazarus in his bosom.
Abraham and Lazarus were far
away. This was not going to be a normal volume conversation between the rich
man and Abraham, they would have to shout to each other. Lazarus was in the bay
or creek of Abraham. The place of the righteous dead. A compartment of Hades
where the righteous await for the Messiah. As David had confidently stated, that
Yahweh would not leave his soul in Hades, the righteous would leave when the
Messiah took back the keys to hell and death. But the rich man is crying
because the place where he is, is hot.
24 And he cried out and said,
Father Abraham, have pity and mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of
his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.
The rich man asks Lazarus to cool
his tongue with water, hence the bay or creek of Abraham. There are flames
where the rich man is.
25 But Abraham said, Child,
remember that you in your lifetime fully received [what is due you in] comforts
and delights, and Lazarus in like manner the discomforts and distresses; but
now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.
Abraham tells the man to remember
his life on earth. Obviously there is remembrance in the grave. The rich man
knows who Abraham is. Let’s think about that. If I saw Abraham at the local
coffee house I wouldn’t know who he was, but in Hades I might recognize him as
he is the Father of the righteous dead. The righteous are the Zedeks and
Abraham grew up in the house of Shem/Melchizedek/Adonizedek. The rich man is in
anguish, not sleeping. The rich man is not comforted like Lazarus.
26 And besides all this, between
us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who want to pass
from this [place] to you may not be able, and no one may pass from there to us.
26G2532And G1909upon G3956all G3778these things,
G3342between
G1473us G2532and G1473you G5490[2chasm G31731 is a great] G4741firmly fixed; G3704so that G3588the ones G2309wanting G1224to pass over G1759.3on
this side G4314to G1473you G3361are not G1410able, G3366nor G3588the ones G1564from there G4314to G1473us G1276should pass through.
There is a chasm between these
two places. There is a chasm and there is water, but the rich man can’t access
it, his side has flames. No one can pass between the two places. This is why
angels escort Lazarus to the place he is going. Angels take those who are
righteous to the place of the righteous dead. At this time the unrighteous dead
belonged to the god of this world.
27 And [the man] said, Then,
father, I beseech you to send him to my father's house — 28 For I have five brothers — so that he may
give [solemn] testimony and warn them, lest they too come into this place of
torment.
The rich man asks for a favor,
send the beggar Lazarus to my family so they don’t end up here. Abraham’s
answer is curt.
29 But Abraham said, They have
Moses and the Prophets; let them hear and listen to them. 30 But he answered,
No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent
(change their minds for the better and heartily amend their ways, with
abhorrence of their past sins).
The rich man recognizes the need
for repentance, and while it is too late for him, he hopes Lazarus would tell
the rich man’s family to repent. Abraham’s response is a simple no.
31 He said to him, If they do not
hear and listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded and
convinced and believe [even] if someone should rise from the dead. AMP
31G2036And he said G1161 G1473to him, G1487If G*Moses G2532and G3588the G4396prophets G3756they did not G191hear, G3761not even G1437if G5100one G1537from G3498the dead G450should rise up G3982will they be yielded
People will not yield their ways
even if one rises from the dead. This is a hard story for the Pharisees to
hear. They believed the soul would exist after death, either in a place of
torment or that the soul would be rewarded and eventually get a new body. They
did not like Jesus pointing out to them that they were doing life wrong and
they would pay for it in torment. Here are a few past blogs on the subject.
This is what we know from our
years of research. Jesus came for both the living and the dead. Jesus went down
into the grave for three days and three nights and witnessed to the imprisoned
spirits. He led captivity captive. He took the righteous people out of that
compartment of Hades called Abraham’s bay or creek (bosom) and took them to
paradise. Jesus took back the keys to hell and death and now gives the
overcomer to eat from the tree of life. We also know there will be a time when the
door of heaven will be opened and the righteous in paradise will be called up
to heaven and those alive on the earth who are righteous will join them in the
air. Then, as we have studied, there will be some tumultuous times on earth and
the redeemed will return with Jesus to establish the millennial kingdom. We see
these ideas in Hymn 10 of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Hymn 10 (Formerly 5)
I thank Thee, O Lord,
for Thou hast redeemed my soul from the Pit,
and from the Hell of Abaddon
Thou hast raised me up to everlasting height.
for Thou hast redeemed my soul from the Pit,
and from the Hell of Abaddon
Thou hast raised me up to everlasting height.
I walk on limitless level ground,
and I know there is hope for him
whom Thou hast shaped from dust for the everlasting Council.
and I know there is hope for him
whom Thou hast shaped from dust for the everlasting Council.
Thou hast cleansed a perverse
spirit of great sin
that it may stand with the host of the Holy Ones,
and that it may enter into community
with the congregation of the Sons of Heaven.
that it may stand with the host of the Holy Ones,
and that it may enter into community
with the congregation of the Sons of Heaven.
Thou hast allotted to man
an everlasting destiny amidst the spirits of knowledge,
that he may praise Thy Name
in a common rejoicing
and recount Thy marvels before all Thy works.
an everlasting destiny amidst the spirits of knowledge,
that he may praise Thy Name
in a common rejoicing
and recount Thy marvels before all Thy works.
And yet I, a creature of clay,
what am I?
Kneaded with water, what is my worth and my might?
Kneaded with water, what is my worth and my might?
For I have stood in the realm of
wickedness
and my lot was with the damned;
the soul of the poor one was carried away
in the midst of great tribulation.
and my lot was with the damned;
the soul of the poor one was carried away
in the midst of great tribulation.
Miseries of torment dogged my
steps
while all the snares of the Pit were opened
and the lures of wickedness were set up
and the nets of the damned (were spread) on the waters;
while all the arrows of the Pit flew out without cease,
and striking, left no hope;
while the rope beat down in judgement
and a destiny of wrath (fell) upon the abandoned
and a venting of fury upon the cunning.
while all the snares of the Pit were opened
and the lures of wickedness were set up
and the nets of the damned (were spread) on the waters;
while all the arrows of the Pit flew out without cease,
and striking, left no hope;
while the rope beat down in judgement
and a destiny of wrath (fell) upon the abandoned
and a venting of fury upon the cunning.
It was a time of the wrath of all
Satan (Belial)
and the bonds of death tightened without any escape.
and the bonds of death tightened without any escape.
The torrents of Satan (Belial) shall
reach to all sides of the world.
In all their channels a consuming
fire
shall destroy every tree, green and barren, on their banks;
unto the end of their courses
it shall scourge with flames of fire,
and shall consume the foundations of the earth
and the expanse of dry land.
shall destroy every tree, green and barren, on their banks;
unto the end of their courses
it shall scourge with flames of fire,
and shall consume the foundations of the earth
and the expanse of dry land.
The bases of the mountains shall
blaze
and the roots of the rocks shall turn to torrents of pitch;
it shall devour as far as the great Abyss.
and the roots of the rocks shall turn to torrents of pitch;
it shall devour as far as the great Abyss.
The torrents of Satan (Belial) shall
break into Abaddon,
and the deeps of the Abyss shall groan amid the roar of heaving mud.
and the deeps of the Abyss shall groan amid the roar of heaving mud.
The land shall cry out
because of the calamity fallen upon the world,
and all its deeps shall howl.
because of the calamity fallen upon the world,
and all its deeps shall howl.
And all those upon it shall
rave
and shall perish amid the great misfortune.
and shall perish amid the great misfortune.
For God shall sound His mighty
voice,
and His holy abode shall thunder with the truth of His glory.
and His holy abode shall thunder with the truth of His glory.
The heavenly hosts shall cry
out
and the world's foundations shall stagger and sway.
and the world's foundations shall stagger and sway.
The war of the heavenly
warriors
shall scourge the earth;
and it shall not end
before the appointed destruction
which shall be for ever and without compare.
shall scourge the earth;
and it shall not end
before the appointed destruction
which shall be for ever and without compare.
That must have been quite a song.
We see the idea of our clay bodies being cleansed and brought into the
congregation of the Sons of Heaven. Man has an everlasting destiny among the
spirits of knowledge; and man will praise His name. Chaos will ensue, the time
of satan or Belial will come to the earth, but God will call out and his abode
will thunder and the heavenly hosts shall cry out and the war of the heavenly
warriors will begin. Wow. No wonder the Therapeutaes were such wild
worshippers, with songs like this who wouldn’t get inspired.
While Josephus was a historian
and not a religious man, he wrote a paper regarding Hades to the Greeks. Josephus
had studied under the Pharisees. In his discourse he mentions the two places,
the place of torment and the place of the forefathers and the just. He notes
that the angels take the dead to either place. The ones going to the place of
the just, with Abraham, are led with songs. They await in this place to go to
heaven which will succeed this region. The unjust are taken by force and seized
with fear to a place with flames. The just will receive purified bodies and the
unjust will receive their diseased sickly bodies. While Josephus was not a
biblical scholar, he gives us some insights into the ideas of the first century
people regarding death. Next week we will look at the prophets and some of the
power that they had.
Josephus’ Discourse Concerning
Hades
1. NOW as to Hades, wherein the
souls of the good things they see, and rejoice in the righteous and unrighteous
are detained, it is necessary to speak of it. Hades is a place in the world not
regularly finished; a subterraneous region, wherein the light
of this world does not shine; from which circumstance, that in this region the
light does not shine, it cannot be but there must be in it perpetual darkness.
This region is allotted as a place of custody for souls, ill which angels
are appointed as guardians to them, who distribute to them temporary
punishments, agreeable to every one's behavior and manners.
2. In this region there is a
certain place set apart, as a lake of unquenchable fire, whereinto
we suppose no one hath hitherto been cast; but it is prepared for a day
afore-determined by God, in which one righteous sentence shall deservedly be
passed upon all men; when the unjust, and those that have been disobedient to
God, and have given honor to such idols as have been the vain operations of the
hands of men as to God himself, shall be adjudged to this everlasting
punishment, as having been the causes of defilement; while the just
shall obtain an incorruptible and never-fading kingdom. These
are now indeed confined in Hades, but not in the same place wherein the unjust
are confined.
3. For there is one descent into
this region, at whose gate we believe there stands an
archangel with an host; which gate when those pass through
that are conducted down by the angels appointed over souls, they do not go the
same way; but the just are guided to the right hand, and are
led with hymns, sung by the angels appointed over that place,
unto a region of light, in which the just have dwelt from the
beginning of the world; not constrained by necessity, but ever enjoying the
prospect of the good things they see, and rejoice in the expectation of those
new enjoyments which will be peculiar to every one of them, and esteeming those
things beyond what we have here; with whom there is no place of toil, no
burning heat, no piercing cold, nor are any briers there; but the countenance
of the and of the just, which they see, always smiles them, while they wait for
that rest and eternal new life in heaven, which
is to succeed this region. This place we call The Bosom of Abraham.
4. But as to the unjust, they are
dragged by force to the left hand by the angels allotted for
punishment, no longer going with a good-will, but as prisoners driven by
violence; to whom are sent the angels appointed over them to reproach them and
threaten them with their terrible looks, and to thrust them still downwards.
Now those angels that are set over these souls drag them into the neighborhood
of hell itself; who, when they are hard by it, continually hear the noise of
it, and do not stand clear of the hot vapor itself; but when they have a near
view of this spectacle, as of a terrible and exceeding great prospect of fire,
they are struck with a fearful expectation of a future judgment, and in effect
punished thereby: and not only so, but where they see the place [or choir]
of the fathers and of the just, even hereby are they punished;
for a chaos deep and large is fixed between them; insomuch that
a just man that hath compassion upon them cannot be admitted, nor can one that
is unjust, if he were bold enough to attempt it, pass over it.
5. This is the discourse
concerning Hades, wherein the souls of all men are confined until a proper
season, which God hath determined, when he will make a resurrection of all men
from the dead, not procuring a transmigration of souls from one body to
another, but raising again those very bodies, which you Greeks, seeing to be
dissolved, do not believe [their resurrection]. But learn not to disbelieve it;
for while you believe that the soul is created, and yet is made immortal by
God, according to the doctrine of Plato, and this in time, be not incredulous;
but believe that God is able, when he hath raised to life that body which was
made as a compound of the same elements, to make it immortal; for it must never
be said of God, that he is able to do some things, and unable to do others. We
have therefore believed that the body will be raised again; for although it be
dissolved, it is not perished; for the earth receives its remains, and
preserves them; and while they are like seed, and are mixed
among the more fruitful soil, they flourish, and what is sown is
indeed sown bare grain, but at the mighty sound of God the Creator,
it will sprout up, and be raised in a clothed and glorious condition,
though not before it has been dissolved, and mixed [with the earth]. So that we
have not rashly believed the resurrection of the body; for although it be
dissolved for a time on account of the original transgression, it exists still,
and is cast into the earth as into a potter's furnace, in order to be formed
again, not in order to rise again such as it was before, but in a state of
purity, and so as never to he destroyed any more. And to every body shall its
own soul be restored. And when it hath clothed itself with
that body, it will not be subject to misery, but, being itself pure, it will
continue with its pure body, and rejoice with it, with which it having walked
righteously now in this world, and never having had it as a snare, it will
receive it again with great gladness. But as for the unjust, they will receive
their bodies not changed, not freed from diseases or distempers, nor made
glorious, but with the same diseases wherein they died; and such as they were
in their unbelief, the same shall they be when they shall be faithfully judged.
6. For all men, the just as well
as the unjust, shall be brought before God the word: for to
him hath the Father committed all judgment : and he, in order
to fulfill the will of his Father, shall come as Judge, whom
we call Christ. For Minos and Rhadamanthus are not the judges,
as you Greeks do suppose, but he whom God and the Father hath
glorified: CONCERNING WHOM WE HAVE ELSEWHERE GIVEN A MORE PARTICULAR
ACCOUNT, FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO SEEK AFTER TRUTH. This person, exercising
the righteous judgment of the Father towards all men, hath prepared a just
sentence for every one, according to his works; at whose judgment-seat when all
men, and angels, and demons shall stand, they will send forth one voice, and
say, JUST IS THY JUDGMENT; the rejoinder to which will bring a just sentence
upon both parties, by giving justly to those that have done well an everlasting
fruition; but allotting to the lovers of wicked works eternal
punishment. To these belong the unquenchable fire, and
that without end, and a certain fiery worm, never dying, and
not destroying the body, but continuing its eruption out of the body with
never-ceasing grief: neither will sleep give ease to these men, nor will the
night afford them comfort; death will not free them from their punishment, nor
will the interceding prayers of their kindred profit them; for the just are no
longer seen by them, nor are they thought worthy of remembrance. But the just
shall remember only their righteous actions, whereby they have attained the
heavenly kingdom, in which there is no sleep, no sorrow, no
corruption, no care, no night, no day measured by time, no sun driven in his
course along the circle of heaven by necessity, and measuring out the bounds
and conversions of the seasons, for the better illumination of the life of men;
no moon decreasing and increasing, or introducing a variety of seasons, nor
will she then moisten the earth; no burning sun, no Bear turning round [the
pole], no Orion to rise, no wandering of innumerable stars. The earth will not
then be difficult to be passed over, nor will it he hard to find out the court
of paradise, nor will there be any fearful roaring of the sea, forbidding the
passengers to walk on it; even that will be made easily passable to the just,
though it will not be void of moisture. Heaven will not then be uninhabitable
by men, and it will not be impossible to discover the way of ascending thither.
The earth will not be uncultivated, nor require too much labor of men, but will
bring forth its fruits of its own accord, and will be well adorned with them.
There will be no more generations of wild beasts, nor will the substance of the
rest of the animals shoot out any more; for it will not produce men, but the
number of the righteous will continue, and never fail, together with righteous
angels, and spirits [of God], and with his word, as a choir of righteous men
and women that never grow old, and continue in an incorruptible state, singing
hymns to God, who hath advanced them to that happiness, by the means of a
regular institution of life; with whom the whole creation also will lift up a
perpetual hymn from corruption, to incorruption, as glorified
by a splendid and pure spirit. It will not then be restrained by a bond of
necessity, but with a lively freedom shall offer up a voluntary hymn, and shall
praise him that made them, together with the angels, and spirits, and men
now freed from all bondage.
7. And now, if you Gentiles will
be persuaded by these motives, and leave your vain imaginations about your
pedigrees, and gaining of riches, and philosophy, and will not spend your time
about subtleties of words, and thereby lead your minds into error, and if you will
apply your ears to the hearing of the inspired prophets, the interpreters both
of God and of his word, and will believe in God, you shall both be partakers of
these things, and obtain the good things that are to come; you shall see the
ascent unto the immense heaven plainly, and that kingdom which is there. For
what God hath now concealed in silence [will be then made manifest,] what
neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hath it entered into the heart
of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.
8. In whatsoever ways I
shall find you, in them shall I judge you entirely: so cries the END
of all things. And he who hath at first lived a virtuous lift, but towards the
latter end falls into vice, these labors by him before endured shall be
altogether vain and unprofitable, even as in a play, brought to an ill
catastrophe. Whosoever shall have lived wickedly and luxuriously may repent;
however, there will be need of much time to conquer an evil habit, and even
after repentance his whole life must be guarded with great care and diligence,
after the manner of a body, which, after it hath been a long time afflicted
with a distemper, requires a stricter diet and method of living; for though it
may be possible, perhaps, to break off the chain of our irregular affections at
once, yet our amendment cannot be secured without the grace of God, the prayers
of good men, the help of the brethren, and our own sincere repentance and
constant care. It is a good thing not to sin at all; it is also good, having
sinned, to repent; as it is best to have health always, but it is a good thing
to recover from a distemper. To God be glory and dominion for ever and
ever Amen.
