JEWS ON HADES by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 25, 1881

JEWS ON HADES.

By Editor

"IN the revised edition of the Christian appendage to the Bible, the word ‘hell’ is substituted by ‘hades.’ This is right because the newly selected word carries the reader back to the origin of the idea it expresses, the Greek mythology. In our Bible the word as well as the idea of hell is unknown."—Jewish Advance.

We have been accustomed to give our Jewish friends credit for much learning, and think that, as a general thing, their editors are not a whit behind their Gentile brethren in either ability or education. And the fact is often made painfully evident that they are not a whit behind their uncircumcised brethren in the weaknesses of humanity, especially in national and religious prejudice. On what ground except that of prejudice shall we account for such a statement as the above from the Jewish Advance? An innuendo goes a great way with a certain class, but it will never bear close examination. They who have something which will bear examination seldom deal in such things as slurs.

As far as the Jews truly respect their Bible, so far we respect their faith, for we have the highest regard for their Bible. But, unfortunately, we seldom find one who has anything more than a nominal regard for their sacred writings. As too many professed Christians, they live on the faith of their fathers; more anxious to prove their lineal descent than to imitate the faith and piety of their ancestors. We could illustrate this by many facts coming under our observation, but we turn to the statements of the Advance.

It is very safe to say that the word hell is not in the Hebrew Bible. It is not; nor is any other word there of Anglo-Saxon origin! But this is the only safe part of its affirmation.

It sounds strange to hear hades called the "newly-selected word," when every one must know that it is the original Greek word, and not a translation adopted by the revisers. And it is not difficult to show that the idea conveyed by the word hades is one that largely prevailed among the Hebrews, and is very common in the Hebrew Scriptures.

The Septuagint is a rendering of the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible, into Greek. There is no question that it is over two thousand years old; that it was popular among the Jews themselves; and it was extensively used in Palestine in the days of Jesus of Nazareth. The quotations from "the Scriptures," in the New Testament, seem to have been taken from it, which fact alone is sufficient to prove that it was in common use in that age. Now the word sheol occurs in the Hebrew Scriptures 65 times; and it is rendered hades 61 times in the Septuagint. An expression in Ps. 16:10, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol," is quoted in Acts 2:27, and hades is there used for sheol. This is decisive that hades was considered the equivalent of sheol by all classes in that age.

And with this agree the Lexicons. Gesenius, than whom there is no higher authority among lexicographers, says—(because of the importance of his testimony we copy at some length):—

*Sheol, Hades, Orcus, the under world. Sept. usually hades, once thanatos, 2 Sam. 22:6; a vast subterraneous place, Job 11:8; Deut. 32:22; full of thickest darkness, Job 10:21, 22 (but see Isa. 14:9, sq.), where dwell the shades of the dead (rephaim q. v.), Ps. 30:4; 86:13; 89:49; Prov. 23:14; to which are poetically ascribed valleys, Prov. 9:18, and also gates and bars, Isa. 38:10; Job 17:16. The dying are said to go down to sheol, Num. 6:30; Eze. 31:15, 17; poet. Job 7:9; Ps. 55:16; comp. horrid sheolah, to bring down to sheol, Gen. 42:38; 1 Ki. 2:9. Those who save the life of any one are said to deliver from the hand (power) of sheol, Hos. 13:14; Ps. 49:16. Elsewhere sheol is said to devour all, Prov. 1:12; to be insatiable, Prov. 30:16; Isa. 5:14; to be stern and cruel, Cant. 8:7. To it by prosopopœia ["includes personification but is more extensive in signification"--Webster.] are ascribed snares, with which it lies in wait for men, Ps. 18:6; 2 Sam. 22:6; and those who escape death are said to have made a covenant with sheol, Isa. 28:15, 18. Poet. and by meton. sheol is put for its inhabitants, or rather is personified, Isa. 14:9; 38:18; comp. Ps. 6:6. See espec. Num. 16:30, sq. Chald. and Talmud the same.—As to the etymology, sheol comes from root shah-al I. and is i. q. sheol, a cavity, a hollow, subterranean place; just as the Germ. hölle, hell, is originally the same with höhle a hollow, cavern, and Latin cœlum, is from Gr. koillos, hollow."

The verb shah-al from which it is derived, Gesenius defines: "to dig, to excavate, to hollow out; hence, sheol, hades. pr. a hollow place under ground."

The only idea connected with hades which can be traced to heathen mythology is that "the shades of the dead" dwell there, and Gesenius speaks this of sheol.

Where, then, is the reason for the statement of the Advance? The idea of "the shades of the dead" being conscious in hades is entirely of heathen origin. Those Scripture expressions from which is inferred that "the shades" are conscious in sheol are purely poetic, as Isa. 14:9-15; for it is positively declared that there is no knowledge in sheol; Eccl. 9:5, 10. That there is no remembrance of God nor giving thanks in sheol; Ps. 6:5. It is a land of darkness and forgetfulness; Ps. 88:10-12. As Gesenius says of Job 10:21, 22, "full of thickest darkness." So far from the Advance being correct, the truth is that whatever is predicable of hades, the same is likewise predicable of sheol.

The terms are given as equivalents in the lexicons.
They are used as equivalents in the versions of the Old Testament.
They are treated as equivalents in the Old and New Testaments.
They are always spoken of as being down—never up. Num. 16:30; "They go down quick into sheol;" and many other places. Matt. 11:23; "And thou, Capernium, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hades."
They are used as objects of threats—never of promises. Matt. 11:23, as above. Ps. 9:17; "The wicked shall be turned into sheol."
The saints will be redeemed from them. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol." Ps. 16:10. "God will redeem my soul from the power of sheol," Ps. 49:15. "I will ransom them from the power of sheol," Hos. 13:14. In the resurrection the saints will sing: "O hades, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:55.
They will be destroyed. "O sheol, I will be thy destruction." Hos. 13:14. "And death and hades were cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20:14.

We say "they," for convenience, but there are not two places—one sheol, another hades. They are identical; the two expressions refer to the same thing.

That the now popular idea of hell is not in the Hebrew Bible is true. But the Old Testament clearly teaches, as does the New, a future Judgment, a resurrection of the dead, and future rewards to both the righteous and the wicked. These truths cannot be denied without denying the whole Bible. These are the important things for all to consider, for on our own actions depends our final destiny.