By Dr. Anne Davis

If understood in a literal sense, hell in the Bible sounds like a real place of physical torture and torment. Unfortunately, many have adopted this interpretation. On the other hand, if perceived as a figurative image with symbolic meaning, which is characteristic of eastern Hebraic thought, then hell conveys separation from a kind and loving God that can be visualized as darkness, death, and suffering.

This figurative understanding of hell is hard for our minds to grasp because it is so much easier to perceive something that we can actually experience. Yet, the Bible is an ancient Near Eastern document that is teeming with non-literal language.

Take, for example, “God is Light.” Can you visualize a magnificent beam of light that pierces through dark clouds to shine on the earth? Then we learn that “God is love.” Can you imagine a pleased and cheerful man with comforting arms that wrap around you?  But wait a minute! Is God really a ray of light? Is God a cheerful man? Of course not. This is non-literal language to help us understand the nature of God, who brings light to a world of darkness, and love to our lives when we deal with difficulties and tragedy.

The ancient Near Eastern document that we call the Bible often employs literal language but with profound non-literal meaning. In fact, all cultures tell simple stories to children as a way of conveying abstract messages. Santa Claus is an example. Young children believe there is a real man in a red suit with a white beard who brings them presents. However, when they grow older, they begin to understand the meaning of Santa Claus who comes at the time that we celebrate the birth of Christ. The true present is God’s gift of His son, who is teaching us how to draw near to God in righteousness.

Now, we can turn to the concept of hell. Let us look first at literal passages and then we will penetrate a deeper and more meaningful understanding. 

There are three words translated “hell” in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Sheol was a place of darkness and silence where the dead descended beneath the earth. When Jacob thought his son Joseph had been killed, he cried, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son” (Gen 37:35). 

There are two key concepts in this terse statement about Sheol, which can lead us to a deeper understanding. “Go down” signifies descent into the world of evil. For example, “Joseph was taken down to Egypt”as a slave (Gen 39:1). Egypt was a place of idolatry, and slavery was a terrifying control by Satan the god of this world. “Surely I will go down to Sheol,” cried Jacob in his distress when hearing that his son had been killed.

Also take note of Jacob’s “mourning”, which was his expression of intense grief that would cause him to figuratively go down to a place of darkness and silence apart from God. “I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.”

Now we can turn to a Greek word, which is Hades thatappears ten times in the New Testament. Hades was the underworld abode for the dead in Greek mythology where the dead experienced torment and torture. Let us look at an example of Hades in the New Testament.

Jesus imposed a judgment on the people of Capernaum, who, we learn, “will not be lifted up to heaven but will descend to Hades because you saw miracles and did not repent” (Mat 11:23). Why does a pagan Greek concept appear in the New Testament? I will offer two suggestions.

First, a literal picture is easy for the immature to understand. A place of darkness and torment is quite a vivid picture. Second, the underworld of the Hades where the dead reside may be the closest Greek translation to the Hebrew word Sheol. Yet, what is important is not the literal picture or the Hebrew concept but the figurative meaning that the image conveys. In the words of Jesus, we see “descending” into the evil of this world in contrast to being “lifted up” to God, not literally but symbolically. Furthermore, Jesus tells us that the way of ascending to God is through repentance, which means to change from sinful ways to the holy truth and righteousness of God.

The third word in the Bible that has been translated “hell” is also in the New Testament. The Greek word Gehenna was a literal place outside the walls of Jerusalem where excrement and refuse was taken each day to be burned. Gehenna refers to the Hinnom Valley where this ancient dump was located.

Using this image of the place for burning dung and garbage, Jesus teaches us about the slippery fall of sin and the increasing severity of the consequences of sin. In his teaching using Gehenna as an instructive image, we hear three descending steps that end in the fire where refuse was burned. (Mat 5:21-22)

First, everyone who is angry with his brother must be brought before the elders of the village for judgment. Well, that sounds like a fair punishment, but Jesus continues to portray more serious consequences if the sin continues. 

Whoever says to his brother, “you good for nothing”, will be liable to judgment by the Supreme Court of Judaism in Jerusalem. Can you imagine standing before the nine justices of the United States Supreme Court to hear a tragic sentence for some wrongdoing? 

Finally, “whoever says ‘you fool’ shall be guilty enough to go into fiery hell”. “Hell” is the translation of Gehenna, meaning the Hinnom Valley where refuse was burned. There were no sewers in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, so smelly dung and other refuse was taken outside the city walls and deposited in the ancient dump where it was burned.

Now, can you discern the message? Those who are living in gross sin are like smelly garbage. Can you imagine the smell from that person? And what about the fire that burned the garbage? Well, fire is a symbol in Scripture for purification. All that is unholy and contrary to God will be gone in a purification process whereas the righteous will remain as pure and holy in the presence of God. 

This symbolic imagery is a form of instruction. Therefore, I suggest that you seriously reconsider the literal picture that hell stimulates, which is burning torment and torture for all the ungodly. The damaging result of this literal understanding may cause terrifying fear that you may not be righteous in God’s eyes and you may end up in the torment of hell. The opposite is equally destructive, which is pride that you are being saved whereas all those unbelievers will be tortured in hell. 

Consider instead that “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). He does not draw us to Him with intense suffering, which are the consequences we bring upon ourselves for sinful behavior. Instead, God draws us to Him with loving instruction and encouragement. Hell is not a place, but a concept that is meant to urge the ungodly to repent and turn to God, who is waiting for them with open arms.

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