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Hades and Sheol: The Biblical Grave

Hades is a term found in the Greek New Testament and corresponds directly to the Hebrew word Sheol used in the Old Testament. In biblical translation and interpretation, both Hades and Sheol are translated as “Grave” with a capital “G” to emphasize their role as the collective resting place of the dead, often referred to as the gravedom of mankind. This distinguishes it from the common grave that typically refers to individual burial sites.

These terms, Hades and Sheol, do not refer to a place of torment or suffering but rather to a state or place of no consciousness. For instance, Genesis 37:35 describes Jacob’s profound grief and his declaration of descending to Sheol to his son, implying a descent into the grave or the realm of the dead, not a place of fiery torment. Similarly, Acts 2:31 and Psalm 16:10 use these terms while discussing the prophecy of Christ’s resurrection, indicating that He would not be left in the realm of the dead nor His body suffer decay.

Gehenna: Symbol of Everlasting Destruction

Gehenna, on the other hand, carries a different connotation. Originally the Greek name for the Valley of Hinnom located south and southwest of ancient Jerusalem, Gehenna was a site with a dark history. It was used as a place where some ancient Judeans committed idolatrous sacrifices, including the burning of their children (Jeremiah 7:31). This dark past led to its prophetic denunciation where it was declared a place where dead bodies would be strewn as a judgment from God (Jeremiah 19:6).

In the New Testament, Jesus uses Gehenna not to describe a literal place of fiery torment for the wicked but as a symbol of total and irreversible destruction, often referred to as the “second death” in Revelation 20:14. When Jesus speaks of Gehenna, such as in Matthew 5:22 or 10:28, He uses it to denote the ultimate fate of the wicked—complete annihilation rather than eternal torment. This understanding aligns with the Jewish view that emphasizes God’s justice as resulting in permanent eradication of evil rather than its eternal perpetuation.

Theological Implications

The distinctions among Hades, Sheol, and Gehenna are crucial for proper biblical interpretation and understanding God’s justice. While Hades and Sheol denote a temporary state of inactivity and unconsciousness in death, Gehenna symbolizes a final, irreversible judgment. These terms reflect the seriousness with which the Bible treats the subjects of death and divine judgment, emphasizing both the temporality of human death and the finality of divine justice without implying perpetual suffering.

This nuanced understanding of Hades, Sheol, and Gehenna helps clarify many misconceptions about the afterlife and provides a more coherent view of eschatology that aligns with the overall message of the Bible regarding death, resurrection, and final judgment.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is the CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored more than 220 books and is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).