The interesting thing is that Maccabees does not even mention Purgatory. It simply talks about praying for the dead. Jews have never believed in a Purgatory and this business of praying for the dead has no basis in the Old Testament. So it was just another Jewish "tradition" at that time, and Jews still pray for the dead with no connection to any imaginary Purgatory.
2 MACCABEES 12: PRAYING FOR THE DEAD
39 And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers' graves.
40 Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain.
41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,
42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.
43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:
44 For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.
45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.
Saints are the dead, having died in Belief, and those who died in Conversion.
Saints are the living, believing IN Jesus, and the Converted living IN Christ.
Prayers FOR the living saints IS Scripturally instructed.
Have NEVER seen Scripture instruct to pray TO saints in Heaven.
Praying FOR the dead? A funky thing.
Physically naturally born alive men....ARE naturally Born “spiritually dead”, “unknowing of God”, separated from God...and Yes God DID make a “WAY” for the “physical living men”, (spiritually dead man) to be “reconciled unto God”.
The physically DEAD, (body’s of men) know knowing, hear nothing.
The physically ALIVE (bodily) of men....SEPARATED from God, are spiritually DEAD....yes, prayers FOR them, that they might HEAR, consider, consent (heartfully confess) to be JOINED with God, through Christ Jesus.
* Living SOULS depart ALL Physically DEAD Body’s.
Living SOULS (without God) while in their body, ARE (without God) once departed from their body’s...
* No....Departed Living souls, without God...
can not be PRAYED into SALVATION!
ALL departed Living souls....
SHALL be united with their body’s... “ALL” SHALL “stand before Christ the Lord Jesus”...”SEE HIM”...”Believe”...”BOW” (ie Worship) Him.
Some body’s raised in a new body of Glory, Some body’s raised in dead corrupt flesh, and damnation (of the sentence that follows).
^ That fulfills Gods WILL, that ALL WILL BELIEVE.
Fact IS, ALL shall BELIEVE, but NOT ALL shall be delivered / saved.
The commitment FOR Believe, FOR receiving Salvation, MUST occur WHILE the man BODY’s LIFE....(ie BLOOD)...IS ALIVE (with it’s Life, ie Blood).
Mans LIFE, (blood) IS already sentenced TO DEATH.
Gods LIFE...breath in a soul, seed of Gods Spirit, quickened spirit of men...IS NEVER subject to death.
It can be confusing IF each part of a man is not specifically discussed, according to Gods Order and Way...
Persons, People, body’s, souls, spirits....are often spoken as One thing, when they are Parts of the one WHOLE earthly man.
People, preach...body’s in heaven, body’s in hell, spirits of men roaming the earth, souls “physically” dying, souls being buried by men....nothing what Scripture says.
your words, not mine.
