Translation of Sheol
Posted on: August 3, 2007 - 1:56am
Offline
Translation of Sheol
I was reading through some various sources about the origin of "hell" and I was suprised to see that the translation of Sheol doesn't actually dictate a place of eternal suffering. It seems to be a place that ALL people go to at death. I was wondering if I could get some opinions on this issue. Sheol/Gehenna/Tarturus/Hades never seem to follow into a place of eternal pain. What's the deal?
http://tentmaker.org/books/hope_beyond_hell.pdf
- Login to post comments
In the Judeo-Christian tradition it was a burning trash heap outside of the city.
Actually its Gehenna your refering to.
Regardless of what we decide the correct translation is, Judaism did not have "hell" in the way that Christians do. Zoroastrianism espoused the idea of hell before Christianity even existed, and the Jews probably picked up the idea from them, what with the Babalonian Captivity and all.
The god of the Old Testament doesn't mention hell as a place of eternal torment for sinners. This kind of throws a crimp in the theory that the new covenant replaced the Law as a means of deciding where you go when you die, but then when have Christians been sticklers for logical consistency?
[DISCLAIMER: I don't care about this. Not at all. I don't do biblical errancy or translations or any of that. I just happen to know this little tidbit, and am throwing it in the mix. Arguing biblical errancy and translation is silly because Christianity can be disproven without cracking the bible. That is all.]
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
DISCLAIMER #2: I'm not saying people shouldn't try to translate accurately, or that study of the bible and ancient religion is not worthwhile. Quite the contrary. Knowledge is power, and I'm glad other people are into it. I just don't find it necessary as an argument for atheism.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
I would recommend the book "Shades of Sheol" by Philip Johnston to get a full length treatment of the subject as far as it deals with the Old Testament concept.
Spumoni