For centuries, many have been taught to believe that the Bible presents a vivid picture of a fiery Hell, where God sadistically torments most of humanity by burning their skin for all eternity. But is this really the picture Scripture paints? Does the Bible, a collection of Jewish documents, truly claim Hell to be a cosmic fire chamber where people are being tortured endlessly? How do we reconcile horrific biblical images, such as of worms consuming bodies supposedly burning in an everlasting fire in a completely dark place? Are these literal descriptions, or perhaps ancient Jewish metaphors, misunderstood by the Western mind? And why are four distinct words—'Gehenna,' 'Sheol,' 'Tartarus,' and 'Hades'—regularly translated into one single English term, "Hell"?
Were you raised to view Hell through the lens of the Augustinian-Calvinist tradition, perhaps too intimidated ever to question it? If so, this book is for you. In it, we will challenge the fundamentalist perspective on Hellfire by exploring the original context in which the biblical teachings on Hell were written. We will peel back the layers of centuries-old Western interpretations, examining what the Jewish Bible, both Old and New Testaments, truly says about Hell. By exploring the societal and biblical contexts of the time, as well as the original Hebrew and Greek meanings of key terms, we aim to uncover a more accurate understanding of this highly controversial topic—stripping away fear and tradition to discover what Scripture really teaches about hell.
Dr. Eitan Bar, a Jewish-Christian scholar with advanced Bible, apologetics, and theology degrees, is a unique combination. As a native Hebrew speaker and Bible scholar, he combines his Jewish background with his Christian education and faith to offer an accessible guide to understanding the Bible.
