. . . Jesus says that we should fear “the one
who can destroy both soul and body .
. .” can be destroyed in this place, not tortured there forever and ever. So,
even if this were a verse about the afterlife, what it tells us is destruction,
not conscious suffering.
But, if this is not
about the postmortem condition of sinners, then what is the purpose of mentioning
the destruction of the soul and the body?
Well, first of all,
Jesus says that we should fear “the one who can
destroy both soul and body . . .” but wants to point out that this does not
mean both soul and body will be destroyed
in Gehenna. The potential for destruction is what is suggested, but it is not
necessarily guaranteed or automatic.
We should also point
out that there is an assumption made by most New Testament translators that
Jesus is referring to God in this passage when he speaks of “the one who can
destroy both soul and body.” Some English translations even capitalize the word
“One” here to signify that this is who Jesus who is speaking about. But that is
not necessarily what Jesus means to suggest here.
If we notice that
Jesus rather unexpectedly uses the phrase “soul and body” rather than the more
natural order of “body and soul” it may be because he is quoting from Isaiah
10:18, which also uses that same odd phrasing to say:
“The glory of his
forest and of his fruitful land
the Lord will destroy, both soul and body,
and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.”
the Lord will destroy, both soul and body,
and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.”
In context, this
verse in Isaiah is about God’s judgment on the nation of Israel, which is compared
to a wildfire that burns down a forest. If this is what Jesus is doing here,
then he is referencing a national judgment against Israel that would mirror the
one in 70 AD, which would also make sense given that Jesus mentions Gehenna.
Therefore, it’s very
likely that this verse—whatever it means—is not about a postmortem judgment but
about a national judgment carried out by armies.
But, this still doesn’t
explain why Jesus would speak as if this destruction of soul and body in Gehenna
would be any worse than simply having one’s body destroyed.
Here’s how one Bible
scholar explains it:
“To the Jewish
hearer, having one’s corpse cast into the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna), rather
than honorably buried, would suggest a dishonorable death under the judgment
and displeasure of God. This would be a matter of greater concern in a
shame/honor-based culture, like that of ancient Israel, than it would be among
us.
“Jesus exhortations
about not fearing those who can only kill the body is given in the context of
their [the disciples] facing persecution and martyrdom at the hands of ungodly
men. Those dying in this way are assumed to be dying honorably for their
faithfulness to God. By contrast, being cast into Gehenna suggests a
disgraceful death suffered under God’s judgment. (Steve Gregg, All You Want to Know about Hell, p. 95).
(Keith Giles, Jesus Undefeated: Condemning the False
Doctrine of Eternal Torment [Orange, Calif.: Quoir, 2019], 88-89)
