Gehenna and its contexts
Let us turn to the passage under consideration and examine it afresh, not so much to uphold pre-conceived
ideas, as to see its teaching anew.
Matthew 5:22-26.
A a
The Judgment.
b
The Council.
c
Gehenna.
B
Be reconciled with thy brother. Agree with thine adversary.
A a
The Judge.
b
The Officer.
c
Prison.
B
Thou shalt not come out till uttermost farthing paid.
Here it will be seen that Gehenna responds to Prison in the structure, and there is mention of not coming
out again until the uttermost farthing is paid. That this is totally foreign to the conception of everlasting
punishment needs no argument. That such language as this can be used of a saved person is evident when
we turn to Matthew 18. The servant who had been forgiven his great debt, but who failed to forgive his
fellow-servant, is delivered to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due, and lest we should
imagine that such language cannot be used of any child of God we quote the Lord's own application:
"so likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one
his brother their trespasses" (Matt. 18:35).
Gehenna and its dispensational setting
This reference shows us that we are still dealing with the same system of truth as is taught in the Sermon
on the Mount, for there, following the great kingdom prayer, we have the words:
"If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:15).
This is sound doctrine if kept within its Scriptural limits, and not brought over into the dispensation of the
grace of God. This is also true of the teaching concerning gehenna. It belongs to the message of the
kingdom, it applies to the subjects of the kingdom, and must be interpreted in the light of that kingdom.
The Lord contrasts the law of Moses with His own deeper and spiritual law. Moses dealt with the
external act, Christ deals with the intent of the heart:
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall
be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a
cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in
danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire" (Matt.
5:21,22).
The Lord here makes reference to the different courts of justice in Israel that had the power of life and
death.
(1) THE JUDGMENT - An inferior court consisting of seven presidents. This court could condemn to
death by the sword.
(2) THE COUNCIL - This was known as the Sanhedrin. This Council had the additional power of
condemning to death by stoning, which was a great ignominy.
(3) GEHENNA - The Sanhedrin, moreover, could also condemn a man to be denied burial, and to be
cast after death into the valley of Hinnom, there to be "an abhorring to all flesh".
Translating these degrees of judgment into modern terms we should say:
"Anger" is likely to bring you before the Magistrate.
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