Why do I have to stop? Jesus, described what it was like to be in Sheol/hell, died on the cross and went there, as the Word of God, visiting those in paradise and those in prison. Just like Jonah, in the belly of a giant fish, being in there three days and three nights. There is nothing wrong with my understanding it would just be hard to believe I guess if people are taught differently, according to the traditions of man, if so be the case.
Just like the teaching of Augustine, whom I mentioned prior who had a belief in a literal flaming tormenting hell where people were burned alive. Also Jon Calvin? And hell once I believed it too. Until truth came in and broke my freedom from bondage.
Jesus/Y'shuah did NOT describe what it was like in sheol. He was using an allegory to teach resurrection.
Sheol is a term used in the Tanakh to describe the place of darkness following death. Google it.
Y'shuah WOULD NOT and DID NOT
EVER depart from the Tanakh (OT) when He taught ideas based upon scripture. True, He did use allegory and hypotheticals
framed within the context of a debate, but those methods were common tools employed by rabbinical disciplines of which Jesus was one. It's a teaching tool still used today. (Not in American schools, obviously. American students are NOT taught to actually think. In fact, quite the opposite.)
Consider this -
if sheol is a place of darkness and 'sleep', how can discussions and debates occur there? They cannot. Therefore Y'shuah was using an allegory to teach resurrection - LIFE AMONG THE LIVING.
Following Y'shuah's death upon the cross, scripture says He entered sheol and MADE PROCLAMATION (1 Peter 3:19). We do not know what Y'shuah said during His brief sojourn there. There's no reference to an actual visit other than the very short one quoted above. The Apostle's Creed, recited by many church congregations, also mentions Y'shuah's trip to the sub-basement of reality. The creed doesn't say anything about social activities in sheol either.
EXACTLY what happens in sheol is not known nor is it referred to in scripture other than as a place where nothing happens, nothing is seen and nothing is normally heard. As an aside it should also be noted that several hundred people ALSO rose from the dead on the day Y'shuah resurrected. (Matthew 27:53) This particular event is not generally known or preached about. What did Y'shuah 'proclaim' in sheol? Did it have something to do with several hundred dead who also shared in His resurrection on the day Y'shuah escaped His tomb? To be honest, we do not know.
Inventing a major doctrine out of an off-hand reference to a non-existent discussion in sheol, a place where the Bible says NOTHING HAPPENS, is not a valid justification for eternal torment.
Hope this helps.
that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
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