Tartarus

The Term

Tarturus is a Greek term found only in 2 Peter 2:4.  Tartarus finds its roots in Greek mythology, being the lowest place of confinement in the Greek mythological underworld.  Here, Peter uses the already known term in this singular biblical reference.

Interestingly, Tartarus is also mentioned in an extra-biblical book which has relevance in this study in another place; the pseudepigraphal book of Enoch, which describes Tartarus as a place where fallen angels who procreated with human women were confined until the day of Judgment. Continue Reading

The Great River Euphrates

The Term

This name is noted several places in scripture.  It refers to the literal Euphrates River, which begins in Russia and flows through Syria and Iraq, emptying into the Persian Gulf.

The Euphrates is first mentioned in the book of Genesis, being one of the four rivers coming out of Eden. Continue Reading

Gehenna

The Term

Gehenna is a Greek term, yet it comes to the Greek from the combination of two Hebrew terms, Gei and Hinnom.

Gei Hinnom literally means “the Valley of Hinnom.”

·         The Valley of Hinnom Continue Reading

Hell

The Term

·         Origins

o   “Hell” is an English word from the Saxon “helan,” which means “to cover” or “to hide”.  Being an English term, it is somewhat unique in this study, as there is no single underlying Hebrew or Greek term which can be traced biblically to coincide with the use of “Hell” in some translations. Continue Reading

The Abyss

The Term

“Abyss” is a Greek term occurring nine times in the New Testament.  The NIV derives it as “Abyss” from the Greek abyssos (pronounced “ab’-us-os”) while the KJV uses “bottomless pit” seven times and “the deep” in Luke and Romans.

Abyssos is derived from two Greek terms: Continue Reading

The Migration of Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom

Deductions

Abraham’s Bosom, or Paradise, are demonstrated to be a place that “moves” in scripture.

·         Abraham’s Bosom is demonstrated to be the righteous side of Hades/Sheol

·         Paradise is demonstrated to be the same location

·         Yet, this location is demonstrated to be actually two different realms in history

o   In the Old Testament, Sheol is noted to be in a downward place, as is Hades in the New Testament.

o   Also, in both testaments, Sheol/Hades is demonstrated to contain both the righteous and the wicked

o   However, at a certain point in time, Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise is noted to not be in Sheol/Hades any longer, but in Heaven proper.

§  That certain point in time is the resurrection of Christ Continue Reading

Paradise

The term

“Paradise” is a Greek term meaning a royal park or a garden.  While Paradise is uniquely a Greek term, it should also be noted that the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) translates the garden of Eden “the garden of Paradise.”  Continue Reading

Abraham’s Bosom

The Term

This term is found only in Luke 16, in Jesus story of Lazarus and the rich man.  The terms are Greek “kolpos Abraam.”  Kolpos (or kolpon) is rendered “bosom” by the KJV and “side” by the NIV.  “Bosom” is the most accurate term and the most historically known, thus the term “Abraham’s bosom” is familiar in theology.  The definition of kolpos is the area between the arms, or the chest.  While the English use of “bosom” frequently implies the mammary specifically, it is not intended such in Greek, but the chest area.  Continue Reading

The Pit

The term

Obviously, “The Pit” is rendered in English because two different Hebrew terms are used metaphorically to describe “the pit.”  Yet, both are clearly speaking of the same place, and both mean “the pit,” so they are grouped together in this section.

·         Heb. Shachath, means “destruction, the pit, or corruption.”

·         Heb. Bowr, means “a pit or dungeon” Continue Reading