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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:46

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And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

46. The same Greek word ( ainios) is translated everlasting (punishment) and (life) eternal; also in each case the adjective in the Greek text follows the noun the place of emphasis. The adjective ainios (eternal) = of or belonging to (1) an ain or period, ( a) past, ( b) present, ( c) future, or (2) to a succession of ains or periods. It does not, therefore, in itself=“unending.” But life eternal, which is “to know the true God and Jesus Christ” (Joh 17:3), can only be conceived of as unending and infinite; cp. “Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die” (Hab 1:12).

punishment ] (Greek, kolasis), not “vengeance,” but punishment that checks or reforms.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And these shall go away – These persons. Many, holding the doctrine of universal salvation have contended that God would punish sin only. Christ says that those on his left hand, shall go away – not sins, but sinners. Besides, sin, as an abstract thing, cannot be punished. Sin is nothing but an act – the act of a transgressor, and, to be reached at all, it must be reached by punishing the offender himself.

Into everlasting punishment – The original word translated here as punishment means torment, or suffering inflicted for crime. The noun is used but in one other place in the New Testament – 1Jo 4:18; Fear hath torment. The verb from which the noun is derived is twice used – Act 4:21; 2Pe 2:9. In all these places it denotes anguish, suffering, punishment. It does not mean simply a state or condition, but absolute, positive suffering; and if this word does not teach it, no word could express the idea that the wicked would suffer. It has been contended that the sufferings of the wicked will not be eternal or without end. It is not the purpose of these notes to enter into debates of that kind further than to ascertain the meaning of the language used by the sacred writers. In regard to the meaning of the word everlasting in this place, it is to be observed:

1. That the literal meaning of the word expresses absolute eternity – always belong, Mat 18:8; Mat 19:16; Mar 3:29; Rom 2:7; Heb 5:9.

2. That the obvious and plain interpretation of the word demands this signification in this place. The original word – aionion – is employed in the New Testament 66 times. Of these, in 51 instances it is used of the happiness of the righteous; in two, of Gods existence; in six, of the church and the Messiahs kingdom; and in the remaining seven, of the future punishment of the wicked. If in these seven instances we attach to the word the idea of limited duration, consistency requires that the same idea of limited duration should be given it in the 51 cases of its application to the future glory of the righteous, and the two instances of its application to Gods existence, and the six eases of its appropriation to the future reign of the Messiah and the glory and perpetuity of the church. But no one will presume to deny that in these instances it denotes unlimited duration, and therefore, in accordance with the sound laws of interpretation and of language itself, the same sense of unlimited duration must be given it when used of future punishment – Owen, in loc.

3. That, admitting that it was the Saviours design always to teach this doctrine, this would be the very word to express it; and if this does not teach it, it could not be taught.

4. That it is not taught in any plainer manner in any confession of faith on the globe; and if this may be explained away, all those may be.

5. That our Saviour knew that this would be so understood by nine-tenths of the world; and if he did not mean to teach it, he has knowingly led them into error, and his honesty cannot be vindicated.

6. That he knew that the doctrine was calculated to produce fear and terror; and if he was benevolent, and actually used language calculated to produce this fear and terror, his conduct cannot be vindicated in exciting unnecessary alarms.

7. That the word used here is the same in the original as that used to express the eternal life of the righteous; if one can be proved to be limited in duration, the other can by the same arguments. The proof that the righteous will be happy forever is precisely the same, and no other, than that the wicked will, be miserable forever.

8. That it is confirmed by many other passages of Scripture, 2Th 1:7-9; Luk 16:26; Rev 14:11; Psa 9:17; Isa 33:14; Mar 16:16; Joh 3:36.

Life eternal – Man by sin has plunged himself into death, temporal, spiritual, eternal. Christ, by coming and dying, has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light, 2Ti 1:10. Life is the opposite of death. It denotes, here, freedom from death, and positive holiness and happiness forever.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Mat 25:46

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.

The final state of the saints in heaven

There is a state of happiness which the spirits of just men enter into immediately after their separation from the body, But after the resurrection and the general judgment, then the righteous shall go into life eternal.

I. The state of happiness itself. That good men shall enjoy a state of happiness in the world to come is evident.

1. From the light of nature and reason. General notion among the wiser heathens. Universal desire in mankind. The unequal distribution of things in the present state.

2. From Divine revelation.

II. The eternity of this happiness. Testimony of Scripture. (Outlines of Sermons.)

I. The parties sentenced.

II. The penalties awarded.

1. Positive infliction.

2. Incited passions.

3. Bitter reflection.

4. Painful associations.

5. Mutual recognition.

III. The perpetuity determined.

1. Necessary.

2. Just.

3. Certain. (J. Blackburn.)

For ever

Your opinion about for ever can have no manner of effect upon the reality of that for ever. A party of boatmen on the Niagara river may have a very strong opinion when they are caught by the rapids, that it is very pleasant rowing; but neither their shouts nor their merriment will alter the fact: that the worlds cataract is close at hand. You have a strong opinion that hell-fire is a delusion; that they are superstitious, and cruel, and ignorant who ask you to pause, and awake, and prepare for this coming, this continued retribution; but your opinions will not have the slightest, the remotest, the minutest influence on the tremendous fact. (Reynolds.)

Heaven and hell

I. The everlasting state of the righteous. It will consist of:

(1) Perfect knowledge;

(2)Perfect love;

(3) Perfect purity;

(4) Perfect felicity.

II. The eternal state of the wicked. Includes:

1. The privation of infinite good.

(1) They have lost heaven and all its blessedness at once.

(2) They are strangers to the endearments and consolations of friendship.

(3) Nor is there any, the smallest, rest from pain.

2. The infliction of infinite evil. Tormentors in hell:

(1) Conscience;

(2) Satan;

(3) Fellow-damned;

(4)The sufferer will be his own tormentor;

(5) Memory;

(6) Anticipation. (T. Raffles.)

The nature of true righteousness

The following four particulars are necessary to entitle us to the denomination and character of righteous men.

I. The establishment within us of good principles, and acting from them.

II. The superior efficacy of such principles within us to the efficacy of all other principles.

III. The manifestation of their superiority by avoiding all habitual guilt, and practicing all known duties; and

IV. A constant endeavour to grow better. (Richard Price.)

Eternal life

I. Eternal life, what it is.

1. It is life in the most perfect existence.

2. It is life in its fullest enjoyment. The intellect in its highest flights, the will in its most entire subjugation, and the affections, shall be fully enjoyed there.

3. It is life in its eternal duration.

II. The persons who are to enjoy eternal life-the righteous. They have been stripped of their own righteousness, and are clad in the righteousness of Christ. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment] No appeal, no remedy, to all eternity! No end to the punishment of those whose final impenitence manifests in them an eternal will and desire to sin. By dying in a settled opposition to God, they cast themselves into a necessity of continuing in an eternal aversion from him.

But some are of opinion that this punishment shall have an end: this is as likely as that the glory of the righteous shall have an end: for the same word is used to express the duration of the punishment, , as is used to express the duration of the state of glory: . I have seen the best things that have been written in favour of the final redemption of damned spirits; but I never saw an answer to the argument against that doctrine, drawn from this verse, but what sound learning and criticism should be ashamed to acknowledge. The original word is certainly to be taken here in its proper grammatical sense, continued being, , NEVER ENDING. Some have gone a middle way, and think that the wicked shall be annihilated. This, I think, is contrary to the text; if they go into punishment, they continue to exist; for that which ceases to be, ceases to suffer. See Clarke on Ge 21:33, where the whole subject is explained.

A very good improvement of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins is made by Salvian, a very pious writer of the fifth century, (Epist. ad. Ecclus. Cath. lib. ii.,) the substance of which, in Mr. Bulkley’s translation, is as follows: –

Ego unum scio, c. “One thing I know, that the lamps of the foolish virgins are said to have gone out for want of the oil of good works but thou, whoever thou art, thinkest that thou hast oil in abundance, and so did they; for, if they had not believed themselves to have had it, they would have provided themselves with it; for since afterwards, as the Lord says, they would gladly have borrowed, and sought it so eagerly, no doubt they would have done so before, had they not been deceived by the confidence of having it. Thou thinkest thyself wise, and these did not imagine themselves to be foolish: thou thinkest that thy lamp has light, and they lost their light because they thought they should have it. For why did they prepare their lamps if they did not think they should be lighted? In a word, their lamps, I suppose, must have afforded some degree of light; for since we read of their being afraid that their lamps should go out, they certainly had something which they feared would be extinguished. Nor was it a groundless fear; their lamps did go out, and that pure light of virginity which appeared profited them nothing, for want of a supply of oil. From whence we understand that what is but a little, is in a manner nothing. You have therefore need of a lamp plentifully filled, that your light may be lasting. And if those which we light up here for a short time so soon fail, unless copiously supplied with oil, how much must thou stand in need of that thy lamp may shine to eternity?”

This writer was a priest of Marseilles, in 430. He bewailed the profligacy of his times so much, and so pathetically, that he has been styled the Jeremiah of the fifth century. Were he still upon earth, he would find equal reason to deplore the wickedness and carelessness of mankind.

From what our Lord has here said, we may see that God indispensably requires of every man to bring forth good fruit; and that a fruitless tree shall be inevitably cut down, and cast into the fire. Let it be also remarked that God does not here impute to his own children the good works which Jesus Christ did for them. No! Christ’s feeding the multitudes in Judea will not be imputed to them, while persons in their own neighbourhood are perishing through want, and they have wherewithal to relieve them. He gives them a power that they may glorify his name by it and have, in their own souls, the continued satisfaction which arises from succouring the distressed. Let it be farther remarked, that Christ does not say here that they have purchased the eternal life by these good deeds. No! for the power to work, and the means of working, came both from God. They first had redemption through his blood, and then his Spirit worked in them to will and to do. They were therefore only workers together with him, and could not be said, in any sense of the word, to purchase God’s glory, with his own property. But though God works in them, and by them, he does not obey for them. The works of piety and mercy THEY perform, under the influence and by the aid of his grace. Thus God preserves the freedom of the human soul, and secures his own glory at the same time. Let it be remarked, farther, that the punishment inflicted on the foolish virgins, the slothful servant, and the cursed who are separated from God, was not because of their personal crimes; but because they were not good, and were not useful in the world. Their lives do not appear to have been stained with crimes,-but they were not adorned with virtues. They are sent to hell because they did no good. They were not renewed in the image of God; and hence did not bring forth fruit to his glory. If these harmless people are sent to perdition, what must the end be of the wicked and profligate!

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

So then it seems they shall rise as well as the other; though they live in the lands of the Grand Seignior, or the Great Mogul, they shall not (as some filthy dreamers have thought) have such a quiet sleep in the graves, but that the sound of the last trump shall awaken them. Nor are they out of the jurisdiction of him that shall be the Judge both of the quick and the dead. Nor shall they escape a judgment without the law, because they have sinned without the law: For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, Rom 1:20. They shall perish (as they have sinned) without the law, Rom 2:12. They shall go into everlasting punishment, not a punishment for a time, as Origen thought.

But the righteous, those who shall be so adjudged, being made so in this life by the imputed righteousness of Christ, and accepted as such for their holy and sincere conversation, though in many things imperfect, shall go

into life eternal; which doth not signify a mere eternal existence, (for so the worst of men shall live eternally, or else they could not be capable of eternal punishment), but a happy and blessed estate, which shall never have an end: and thus eternal life always signifieth in Scripture, being opposed to eternal death, everlasting fire, the worm that never dieth, &c. Thus endeth Christs kingdom of grace; or rather, thus shall begin his kingdom of glory; all his enemies being put under his feet, and none remaining but this glorious King, and those who shall be his true subjects. Of which kingdom shall be no end.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

46. And these shall go awaythese”cursed” ones. Sentence, it should seem, was firstpronouncedin the hearing of the wickedupon therighteous, who thereupon sit as assessors in the judgment uponthe wicked (1Co 6:2); butsentence is first executed, it should seem, upon the wicked,in the sight of the righteouswhose glory will thus not be beheldby the wicked, while their descent into “their own place”will be witnessed by the righteous, as BENGELnotes.

into everlastingpunishmentor, as in Mt25:41, “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and hisangels.” Compare Mat 13:42;2Th 1:9, &c. This is said tobe “prepared for the devil and his angels,” because theywere “first in transgression.” But both have one doom,because one unholy character.

but the righteous into lifeeternalthat is, “life everlasting.” The word in bothclauses, being in the original the same, should have been the same inthe translation also. Thus the decisions of this awful day will befinal, irreversible, unending.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment,…. Their excuses will not be regarded, their pleas will be of no avail, their pretensions to interest in Christ, and love to him, will be set aside; the sentence will remain irrevocable, and there will be no appeal from it, for there is no higher tribunal to bring the cause before; judgment having passed, the execution of it immediately follows: these goats, or formal professors, shall be obliged, whether they will or not, to depart from the presence of Christ; the angels will be ordered to take and cast them into everlasting burnings; they will be driven by them into hell, the place appointed for them; where they shall endure “everlasting punishment”, as the Jews p also express it; and that both in soul and body, as the just desert of sin; which being committed against an infinite God, cannot be satisfied for by a finite creature; who therefore must ever bear the punishment of it, because its pollution and guilt will always remain:

but the righteous into life eternal; such as are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and who, though they have done works of righteousness under the influence, and by the assistance of the grace of God, yet have not depended upon them, but upon Christ, for life and salvation: these shall go into heaven, the place appointed for them, to enjoy that eternal life in soul and body, which is the free gift of God, through Christ; and will be a life free from all the sorrows of the present one; a life of perfect holiness and knowledge, and inconceivable pleasure; a life of vision of God, and communion with him, and which will continue for ever; and which ascertains the eternity of the punishment of the wicked: for as the happiness of the righteous will be eternal, the punishment of the wicked will be so too; for no reason can be given why the word which is the same in both clauses, should be taken in the one for a limited time, and in the other for an eternal duration. The Jews have a saying q which agrees with this last clause, “the world to come is not made but for the righteous”.

p Caphtor, fol. 113. 1. Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 71. 1. q T. Bab. Yebamot, fol, 47. 1.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Eternal punishment ( ). The word comes from , to mutilate or prune. Hence those who cling to the larger hope use this phrase to mean age-long pruning that ultimately leads to salvation of the goats, as disciplinary rather than penal. There is such a distinction as Aristotle pointed out between (vengeance) and . But the same adjective is used with and . If by etymology we limit the scope of , we may likewise have only age-long . There is not the slightest indication in the words of Jesus here that the punishment is not coeval with the life. We can leave all this to the King himself who is the Judge. The difficulty to one’s mind about conditional chastisement is to think how a life of sin in hell can be changed into a life of love and obedience. The word (from , age, , ) means either without beginning or without end or both. It comes as near to the idea of eternal as the Greek can put it in one word. It is a difficult idea to put into language. Sometimes we have “ages of ages” ( ).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

(46) Everlasting punishment . . . life eternal.The two adjectives represent one and the same Greek word, , and we ought therefore to have the same word in both clauses in the English. Of the two words, eternal is philologically preferable, as being traceably connected with the Greek, the Latin temus being derived from tas, and that from vum, which, in its turn, is but another form of the Greek (on). The bearing of the passage on the nature and duration of future punishment is too important to be passed over; and though the question is too wide to be determined by a single text, all that the text contributes to its solution should be fully and fairly weighed. On the one hand, then, it is urged that as we hold the eternal life to have no end, so we must hold also the endlessness of the eternal fire. On the other hand, it must be admitted (1) that the Greek word which is rendered eternal, does not in itself involve endlessness, but rather duration, whether through an age or a succession of ages; and that it is therefore applied in the New Testament to periods of time that have had both beginning and ending (Rom. 16:25, where the Greek is from onian times, our version giving since the world begancomp. 2Ti. 1:9; Tit. 1:2), and in the Greek version of the Old Testament to institutions and ordinances that were confessedly to wax old and vanish away (Gen. 17:8; Lev. 3:17); and (2) that in the language of a Greek Father (Gregory of Nyssa, who held the doctrine of the restitution of all things) it is even connected with the word interval, as expressing the duration of the penal discipline which was, he believed, to come to an end after an onian intervening period. Strictly speaking, therefore, the word, as such, and apart from its association with any qualifying substantive, implies a vast undefined duration, rather than one in the full sense of the word infinite. The solemnity of the words at the close of the great prophecy of judgment tends obviously to the conclusion that our Lord meant His disciples, and through them His people in all ages, to dwell upon the division which was involved in the very idea of judgment, as one which was not to be changed. Men must reap as they have sown, and the consequences of evil deeds, or of failure to perform good deeds, must, in the nature of the case, work out their retribution, so far as we can see, with no assignable limit. On the other hand, once again, (1) the symbolism of Scriptural language suggests the thought that fire is not necessarily the material element that inflicts unutterable torture on the body, and that the penalty of sin may possibly be an intense and terrible consciousness of the presence of God, who is as a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) in the infinite majesty of His holiness, united with the sense of being at variance with it, and therefore under condemnation. And (2), assuming the perpetuity of the punishment, it does not involve necessarily an equality of suffering for the whole multitude of the condemned at any time, nor for any single soul throughout its whole duration. Without dwelling, as some have done, on the fact that the Greek word here used for punishment had acquired a definite significance as used by ethical writers for reformative rather than vindictive or purely retributive suffering (Aristot. Rhet. i. 10), it is yet conceivable that the acceptance of suffering as deserved may mitigate its severity; and we cannot, consistently with any true thoughts of God, conceive of Him as fixing, by an irresistible decree, the will of any created being in the attitude of resistance to His will. That such resistance is fatally possible we see by a wide and painful experience, and as the hardening in such cases is the result of a divine law, it may, from one point of view, be described as the act of God (Rom. 9:18); but a like experience attests that, though suffering does not cease to be suffering, it may yet lose something of its bitterness by being accepted as deserved, and the law of continuity and analogy, which, to say the least, must be allowed some weight in our thoughts of the life to come, suggests that it may be so there also. (For other aspects of this momentous question, see Notes on Mat. 5:26; Mat. 18:34.) (3) As to the nature of the eternal life which is thus promised to those who follow the guidance of the Light that lighteth every man, we must remember, that within a few short hours of the utterance of these words, it was defined by our Lord in the hearing of those who listened to them: This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent (Joh. 17:3). That life in its very nature tends to perpetuity, and it is absolutely inconceivable that after having lasted through the ages which the word eternal, on any etymological explanation, implies, it should then fail and cease.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

46. And these shall go away Millenarians, who hold that the righteous are raised from the dead at a first resurrection one thousand years before the resurrection of the wicked at a second resurrection, are unable to explain this entire scene of judgment. Here at our Lord’s next advent, at an unknown distance, stand the righteous and the wicked at once before his bar, listen in common to each other’s trial and sentence before either pass to their final doom. The ordinary subterfuge is to say that this judgment day is a thousand years long. For this there is no support in the passage. Besides, by their view the righteous ought to be acquitted and glorified for a millennial kingdom before the wicked are tried, or even raised from the dead. Whereas by this whole description the wicked are raised, adjudged, and condemned before the righteous enter at all upon their reward.

Everlasting punishment. . . life eternal The words everlasting and eternal are here in the original precisely the same word, and should have been so translated. Hence the duration of the penalty of the wicked is defined by the same measurement as the duration of the reward of the righteous. One is just as long as the other. The pillars of heaven are no firmer than the foundations of hell. The celestial nature of saint and angels is no more immutable than the infernal nature of devils and sinners. And since the word used is the most expressive of perpetuity that the Greek affords, so we have the strongest assurance here that language can afford. And since the term is used as a measurement of divine duration, we may well infer that the foundations both of the divine rewards and the divine penalties are as perpetual as the foundation of the divine government. Clouds and darkness are indeed round about him; righteousness and justice are the basis of his throne.

The word (we may suggest to scholars) is not derived, as Dr. Clarke, (quoting Aristotle) asserts, from , always, and , existing; for is but the noun termination added to . This noun termination is equivalent to the Latin termination um; so that the Latin aevum is (with a digamma inserted) the same word as . The Latin word aevum is the same as our word ever, so that the Greek is precisely forever. By adding the adjective termination ernus to we have (inserting a strengthening t) aeternus, eternal. So that , ever, and eternal, are etymological equivalents.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

And the final verdict is given. These who have not responded from their hearts towards Jesus and His followers will go away into eternal punishment. While those who have been made righteous by Christ will enter eternal life, the life of the age to come, the everlasting Kingdom.

Note on Eternal Punishment.

What is involved in eternal punishment is something that we are in no position to be dogmatic about. All we know is that it is eternal in its consequences, but see Isa 66:24 where it appears to be both eternal and ‘unconscious’. Scripture clearly indicates that it will include some kind of conscious punishment beyond the grave, but nowhere is ‘eternal conscious punishment’ spoken of, and there are a number of reasons that caution us against dogmatism. One is that the impression given in Revelation is that the Devil and his closest minions are subjected to special treatment in that they are thrown ‘alive’ into the eternal fire in order to be ‘tormented day and night for ever and ever’ (Rev 19:20, compare Mat 25:21; Mat 20:10). All others are apparently thrown in ‘dead’ (Mat 20:15, compare Mat 20:12 and Mat 19:21). In their case it is only the smoke from their torment, as they are questioned before the Judge, that is said to ascend for ever and ever as a reminder to the universe of their folly (Mat 14:11). And if all are treated equally in this way it is difficult to see how some can be said to be punished with only ‘few stripes’ compared with ‘many stripes’ (Luk 12:48), which hardly seems a reasonable description of eternal torment (compare also Mat 11:22). Nor how it can be more tolerable in the day of Judgment for some rather than others (Mat 11:22).

Furthermore God becoming ‘all in all’ is not consistent with there still being rebels in Hell (1Co 15:28). And while some may point to ‘the immortality of the soul’ (which is Platonic teaching, not Biblical teaching, which teaches that life is given and taken away by God), it is little short of blasphemy to suggest that God cannot destroy an ‘immortal soul’, (as I in my foolishness once used to do). Thus while we must never underestimate the awfulness of the fate of the unrighteous, we are wise not to be too dogmatic about it. We must leave it with God.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Mat 25:46 . Comp. Dan 12:2 . The absolute idea of eternity , in regard to the punishment of hell (comp. Mat 25:41 ), is not to be got rid of either by a popular toning down of the force of (Paulus), or by appealing (de Wette, Schleiermacher, Oetinger) to the figurative character of the term fire and the supposed incompatibility between the idea of eternity and such a thing as evil and its punishment, any more than by the theory that the whole representation is intended simply by way of warning (according to which view it is not meant thereby to throw light upon the eternal nature of things, but only to portray the , i.e . the cessation of the conflict between good and evil by the extinction of the latter); but is to be regarded as exegetically established in the present passage (comp. Mat 3:12 , Mat 18:8 ) by the opposed , which denotes the everlasting Messianic life (Kaeuffer, as above, p. 21); comp. also Weizel in the Stud. u. Krit . 1836, p. 605 ff.; Schmid in the Jahrb. f. D. Theol . 1870, p. 136 ff.

] “hoc ipso judicio declarati,” Bengel. Comp. Rom 5:19 .

REMARK.

Because the judgment is a judgment of Christians (see on Mat 25:31 ), faith is presupposed though not formally mentioned . The truth is, the Judge regulates His decision according to the way in which faith has been evidenced by love (1Co 13:1 ff.; Joh 13:35 ), without which as its necessary fruit faith does not save (Gal 5:6 ). Comp. Apol. Conf. A , p. 138. The manifestations of love, as forming the principle of the Christian’s life, accordingly constitute the by which he is to be judged (Mat 16:27 ; 2Co 5:10 ). Comp. Mat 5:7 . But, in so far as, according to this concrete view of the judgment, Jesus bases His sentence upon the principle that love shown to or withheld from the least of His brethren is the same as love shown to or withheld from Himself , He does so in harmony with the view contained in Mat 18:5 , Mat 10:40 . Comp. Joh 13:20 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1398
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Mat 25:34; Mat 25:41; Mat 25:46. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

IT is scarcely needful in a Christian assembly to prove that there will be a Day of Judgment; because no one entertains a doubt respecting it: but to impress on our minds a consideration of the judicial process, and of the eternal consequences which will instantly ensue, is of the utmost importance. Taking for granted, therefore, that there is amongst us a certain and universal expectation of that day, we shall proceed to notice the description which the Judge himself has given of it, from its commencement to its termination.
Let us call your attention to,

The preparatory solemnities

These are comprised under two heads:

The coming of the Judge

[Our blessed Lord is ordained to be the Judge both of the quick and dead. It is of himself that he speaks, when he says, The Son of Man shall come [Note: ver. 31.]. As the Son of Man, he stood at the bar of Pilate: and, as the Son of Man, he will summon the universe to his tribunal. As the Son of Man, he himself was judged, condemned, executed: and, as the Son of Man, he will pass judgment on all, whether men or devils. At his first advent he appeared in the lowest state of degradation, a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people [Note: Psa 22:6.]: but in that day he will come with power and great glory, surrounded by myriads of his holy angels. The pomp and glory of his appearing will infinitely surpass either the lustre of Mount Tabor, or the more terrific splendour of Mount Sinai [Note: Mat 24:30-31. 2Th 1:7-8.]. His throne will be erected in the air; and the books, both the book of his remembrance, wherein the actions of men were recorded, and the volume of inspiration, whereby they are to be judged, will be opened before him [Note: Dan 7:9-10 and thrice mentioned Rev 20:12.].]

The summoning of those who are to be judged

[Before him shall be gathered all nations. Every creature, from Adam to the last of his descendants, shall appear in one vast assembly. Not one shall be absent: not one will be able to withstand the summons of the Almighty, or to elude his search. The great and mighty of the earth shall then stand on a level with the meanest beggar [Note: Rev 6:15.]. Every one shall appear in his own proper body [Note: 1Co 15:38; 1Co 15:42.]. As for the difficulty of collecting the scattered atoms of every individual, atoms that have been transformed into ten thousand different shapes, this is no difficulty with God: he who created them out of nothing by a mere act of his will, can by a similar act of volition reunite the atoms that are necessary to constitute our personal identity: and he will do it in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: and when the dead are raised, then, and not till then, will he change the bodies of those who are alive upon the earth, that they also, together with those who are risen, may meet the Lord in the air [Note: 1Th 4:15-17.].]

The whole human race being come into the presence of their Judge, he will proceed to,

II.

The trial

There will be a strict inquiry into their respective works
[We do not suppose that their regard to him and his salvation will be overlooked [Note: Mar 16:16. Heb 2:3.]: but it will be ascertained by the fruits which they brought forth. If their faith was not productive of good works, it will be accounted only as the faith of devils. But what are the fruits which alone will be considered as just evidences of our love to Christ? O that this matter were duly weighed amongst us! It will not be asked merely, Whether we transgressed the law by grosser acts of sin, such as uncleanness, or drunkenness, or theft, or perjury, or murder; but whether we were active in doing good to our fellow-creatures for Christs sake? Whether we fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and delighted ourselves in all offices of love to our fellow-creatures from a sense of love to Christ, and with a view to his glory [Note: ver. 35, 36.]? Yes, on this will the salvation or condemnation of men depend. Mark it well, my brethren. It is not for formal duties or empty professions that any will be applauded, but for active, diligent, unremitted exertions in the cause of Christ: nor is it for sins of commission merely that any will perish, but for sins of omission [Note: Compare Mat 7:21. with ver. 25, 27, 30 and ver. 42, 43.].]

Then will they be separated according to their true characters
[The characters of all will then be as easily discerned as sheep are discerned from goats; and they will be separated accordingly, the sheep on the right hand of their Judge, and the goats on his left hand. Then will be seen two wonderful sights; the righteous, however separated from each other by trifling forms or various sentiments on earth, all united in one body, and perfectly of one heart and mind. Nor will there be so much as one hypocrite found amongst them: the tares which now grow among the wheat will all be plucked up: the wolves in sheeps clothing will all be detected; and the whole collective mass be holy, even as God himself is holy. Then also will all the wicked be standing in one vast congregation together. Those who had mixed themselves with the saints on earth will have the mask taken away, and be made to appear in all their natural deformity: and those trembling saints who were wont to number themselves amongst them, will have had their integrity cleared, and their doubts removed: and all, whether righteous or wicked, will take their proper place, according as the evidence, adduced before their Judge, attested or disproved their piety.]
The trial closed, the Judge will proceed immediately to,

III.

The sentence

He will first address himself to those on his right hand
[Among the reasons which might be assigned for his first pronouncing sentence on the righteous, the principal seems to be, that they are to be his assessors in judgment, and to confirm the sentence which he will pronounce upon the ungodly [Note: Mat 19:28.]. But from the moment of their separation, what joy will till every breast! What mutual congratulations will resound on every side! How delightful will be their anticipation of the felicity that awaits them! What smiles too will beam forth in the countenance of their Judge, when he shall turn towards them!

In his address to them, though he mentions their good works, in order to manifest the equity of his procedure, yet he traces up all their blessedness to the sovereign grace of him, who had loved them from before the foundation of the world. It was the Father who had chosen them from all eternity [Note: Eph 1:4.], who had sent them a Saviour; who in due time had called them by his grace; and who was the true source of all the blessings they enjoyed [Note: Jam 1:17.]. Hence he calls them, Ye blessed of my Father. In bidding them to take possession of the kingdom prepared for them, he marks very strongly the same idea: for he tells them to inherit it: by which he clearly intimates, that it was neither earned nor purchased by them, but attained through their adoption into Gods family, and their consequent regeneration by the Spirit of grace.

Surely the sound of these gracious words must pour all heaven into the souls of all to whom they are addressed.]
Then he will turn unto those upon his left hand
[But how is his countenance now changed! What anger, what indignation flames in his eyes! And what terrible displeasure is conveyed in his voice! The grounds of their condemnation are explicitly declared. They had neglected to serve him, and to do the things that were pleasing in his sight; and therefore they are bidden to depart accursed. And it is worthy of observation, that they are not said to be cursed of his Father: no; though the saints owe their felicity to the election of the Father, the wicked do not owe their misery to any arbitrary act of reprobation: the righteous are blessed of the Father; the wicked are cursed of themselves; it is to their own neglect of duty that they must trace their eternal condemnation: they perish, not because there was any want of mercy in God the Father, or of merit in God the Son; but because they rejected the counsel of God, and would not accept his proffered salvation [Note: In this respect the text exactly accords with Rom 9:22-23. where the Apostle states that the vessels of mercy were prepared for it by God; but the vessels of wrath were fitted for it by themselves.]. In this world they had said to God, Depart from me; I desire not the knowledge of thy ways [Note: Job 21:14.]: and in that world their Judge will reply, Depart from me; I desire not the knowledge of your souls: I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity. The place into which they are to depart was not indeed prepared for them, as heaven was for the saints: it was prepared for the devil and his angels: but as the wicked are partakers of their guilt, they shall be also of their punishment.]

Then will come,

IV.

The execution

The righteous shall be borne up into the regions of eternal bliss
[On the pronouncing of the sentence, the heavens will be opened, and all the saints will ascend thither to take possession of their thrones. But who can conceive the happiness of those who are admitted into the presence of their God; who are placed beyond the reach of sin or sorrow, and have an eternity of blessedness before them? What praises, what adorations, and hosannahs will resound through all the courts of heaven!]
The wicked shall be cast down into the regions of eternal misery
[We attempt not to describe their misery; for it passes the power of words to express, or of imagination to conceive: but this we assert, that it will be truly and properly eternal. It shall co-exist with the felicity of heaven; for its duration is expressed by the very same word [Note: . It is in vain to say that signifies a limited period; for the duration of heaven and of hell are equal: and if we limit the one, we must limit the other also.]. If any doubt the eternity of hell-torments, I ask, What shall ever terminate them? Will the fire that is kindled there be extinguished? or the souls that are cast into it be consumed? Or shall they be purified in the fire, and be exalted at a future period to the regions of bliss? No one of these things shall be: The fire shall not be quenched: the worm of a guilty conscience shall never die [Note: Mar 9:43-48.]: and, instead of being improved by their misery, the sufferers will gnaw their tongues for anguish, and blaspheme that God who inflicts their punishment [Note: Rev 16:8-11.]. Besides, there is a gulf fixed betwixt them and the saints in glory; so that none shall ever pass from the one place to the other, or experience the smallest change in their condition [Note: Luk 16:26.]. How terrible will then be the state of the ungodly! How will they call upon the hills to fall upon them, and the rocks to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb! But, what they would not believe, they now feel to their cost; and shall feel, as long as God himself shall endure, even for ever and ever.]

Infer
1.

How desirable is it to be prepared for death and judgment!

[This is the time for preparation: the moment death arrives, our state is fixed for ever: As the tree falleth, so it lieth. What folly then is it to procrastinate, and to defer our preparation! If death would stay for us, and we could command the influences of the Spirit, and ensure repentance at the last, there were some reason for delay: but when we know not but that the next hour we may be summoned into the presence of our Judge, or that the grace we now despise shall never be offered us again, what madness is it to lose the present moment, and to trifle on the brink of such a precipice! Awake, brethren, from your stupor; and prepare to meet your God. Go to the Saviour, while yet there is hope concerning you: and let it be the one concern of your lives to flee from the wrath to come.]

How important is it to form a just judgment of our own character!

[Suppose for a moment that we judge ourselves now with somewhat too great severity, what harm is done? We disquiet ourselves indeed a little more than is necessary for a few days; but we are stirred up to greater diligence and circumspection; and are stimulated to exert ourselves more earnestly for the securing of the prize. But what if we lean too much to the favourable side? It will be too late to remedy our error when once we pass into the eternal world. There is no repentance in the grave. It will be no excuse to say, Lord, I was mistaken; I did not think so much strictness was necessary; I thought that such characters as I were safe [Note: Mat 7:22-23.]. Now, therefore, judge yourselves, that ye be not judged of the Lord. Inquire now, what is the tenour of your life. Do not be contented to examine whether you have committed any gross sin; but inquire whether you are running as in a race, and striving to the utmost to glorify your God by all possible acts and offices of love? Examine particularly, whether all that you do is, not to purchase heaven, but to testify your love to Christ? If you bring yourselves to any lower standard than this, you will deceive yourselves to your eternal ruin. But, if, after a strict inquiry into these things, your conscience condemn you not, then have you a scriptural confidence towards God [Note: 1Jn 3:21.].] [Note: If this were the subject of a Charity Sermon, it would be proper here to recommend the charity, and to exhort them to beneficence; but at the same time to caution them against the idea of meriting heaven by their alms-deeds; and to remind them, that their love must spring from faith in Christ, and be exercised simply for his sake, and to his glory.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

REFLECTIONS.

Let both Writer and Reader, ponder well the weighty contents of this Chapter, before they close the book, looking up to the great Author of his holy word, to commission it to their hearts, and to make it a savour of life unto life, that the name of Jesus, may be as ointment poureth forth!

And oh! for grace, to be as the wise virgins, not going forth with the lamp of a mere profession; which from not being fed, nor kept alive by the Lord, cannot but go out in the midnight-hour. Neither may my soul be as the unprofitable servant, whose end could be no other but to be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth! Oh! precious Lord Jesus! what a relief is it to my soul that when thou shalt come in thy glory, and all thy holy angels with thee, thy redeemed shalt be set on thy right hand; and their introduction into everlasting happiness, will then be proclaimed before a congregated world, to be the result of thy grace, not their merit. Yes! thou glorious Head of thy Church and people, it will be then seen that thou art the sole cause or all their salvation and joy, their everlasting portion and happiness, in time and to all eternity. Lord! grant in my heart all the blessed effects of thy love, that I may love thee and thy members, as streams from the fountain of thy love, and manifest whose I am and whom I serve, in the gospel of God’s dear Son: and seeing that all thy redeemed have received a kingdom which cannot be moved, we may have grace whereby as we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Ver. 46. And these shall go away, &c. ] The sentence began with the godly, the execution with the wicked: both that the godly may see their desire upon their enemies,Psa 58:10Psa 58:10 ; Psa 79:10 ; and also, that in the others’ misery they may behold, by the difference, their own felicity; and thereby be moved to lift up many a humble, joyful, and thankful heart to God.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

46. ] See Joh 5:28-29 ; and as taking up the prophetic history at this point, Rev 21:1-8 . Observe, the same epithet is used for and which are here contraries for the here spoken of is not bare existence , which would have annihilation for its opposite; but blessedness and reward , to which punishment and misery are antagonist terms.

I thought it proper to state in the 3rd edition, that I did not feel by any means that full confidence which I once did, in the exegesis, quoad prophetical interpretation, given of the three portions of this chap. 25. But I had no other system to substitute: and some of the points here dwelt on seemed to me as weighty as ever. I very much questioned whether the thorough study of Scripture prophecy would not make me more and more distrustful of all human systematizing, and less willing to hazard strong assertion on any portion of the subject.

At the same time, the coincidence of these portions with the process of the great last things in Rev 20:1-15 ; Rev 21:1-27 is never to be overlooked, and should be our guide to their explanation, however distrustful we may be of its certainty. Those who set this coincidence aside, and interpret each portion by itself, without connexion with the rest, are clearly wrong.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mat 25:46 . , here and in 1Jn 4:18 ( ), from = mutilation or pruning, hence suggestive of corrective rather than of vindictive punishment as its tropical meaning. The use of this term in this place is one of the exegetical grounds rested on by those who advocate the “larger hope”. Another is the strict meaning of : agelong, not everlasting. From the combination results the phrase: agelong, pruning, or discipline, leaving room for the hope of ultimate salvation. But the doctrine of the future states must ultimately rest on deeper considerations than those supplied by verbal interpretation. Weiss (Mt.-Evang.) and Wendt ( L. J. ) regard Mat 25:46 as an interpolation by the evangelist.

The doctrine of this passage is that love is the essence of true religion and the ultimate test of character for all men Christian or non-Christian. All who truly love are implicit Christians. For such everywhere the kingdom is prepared. They are its true citizens and God is their Father. In calling those who love the Father’s blessed ones Jesus made an important contribution to the doctrine of the Fatherhood, defining by discriminating use the title “Father”.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

everlasting Greek. aionion. App-151. In the same sense as in Heb 5:9 (Isa 45:17); Mat 6:2; Mat 9:12. 2Th 1:9. (Compare Psa 52:5; Psa 92:7.) The eternal result must be the same as in the next clause.

punishment. Greek. kolasis. According to Aristotle kolasis has regard to him who suffers it, while timoria has regard to the satisfaction of him who inflicts it. (Occurs only in Heb 10:29. The verb timoreo only in Act 22:5, and Act 26:11.) Kolasis occ only here, and 1Jn 4:18 (the verb kolazomai only in Act 4:21; 2Pe 2:9). What this kolasis is must be learnt from Mat 25:41. Compare Mat 3:12, and note on Luk 3:17.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

46.] See Joh 5:28-29; and as taking up the prophetic history at this point, Rev 21:1-8. Observe, the same epithet is used for and -which are here contraries-for the here spoken of is not bare existence, which would have annihilation for its opposite; but blessedness and reward, to which punishment and misery are antagonist terms.

At the same time, the coincidence of these portions with the process of the great last things in Rev 20:1-15; Rev 21:1-27 is never to be overlooked, and should be our guide to their explanation, however distrustful we may be of its certainty. Those who set this coincidence aside, and interpret each portion by itself, without connexion with the rest, are clearly wrong.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mat 25:46. , shall depart) The place of judgment is distinct from the places into which the two classes will severally depart.-, punishment[1105]) There is a difference between , vengeance, and , punishment; for punishment is inflicted for the sake of him who suffers: vengeance for the satisfaction of him who inflicts it; see Arist. Rhet. i. 10, n. 31.[1106]-, eternal) Eternal[1107] signifies that which reaches and passes the limits of earthly time: cf. Gnomon on Rom 16:25.- , …, but the, etc.) Christ the King shall first address the righteous, in the hearing of the unrighteous; but the unrighteous shall first depart, in the sight of the righteous; see ch. Mat 13:49-50. Thus the damned will see nothing of eternal life, though the righteous will see the vengeance inflicted on the damned.-, righteous) declared to be so by this very judgment.

[1105] Of fire, see Mat 25:41. Righteous King, grant that I may hereafter find myself standing on the right hand.-B. G. V.

[1106] In the Oxford edition of 1833, I. 10, 17.-I. B.

[1107] The Bible has no metaphysical distinctions, therefore it has no one word to express eternity; this it expresses by long periods joined with one another indefinitely. = , va: very long periods, which, multiplied indefinitely, give the only notion we can form of eternity. (Th. , terminus), a definite space of time: , the time, the fit time: , time, in its actuality, marking succession: , an indefinite course of time, without the notion of an end. See Tittm. Syn. Gr. Test. = from all eternity, a parte ante. = to all eternity, for ages, for ever, a parte post. As these phrases are applied to the eternity of God Himself, and as, moreover, is applied to , which none deny to mean everlasting life, no objections (such as have been lately raised), from the meaning of , will hold good against the everlasting duration of punishment.-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

into everlasting

Judgments (the seven). Luk 14:14; 2Sa 7:14; Rev 20:12. “Eternal” and “everlasting” are the same word.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

everlasting: Mat 25:41, Dan 12:2, Mar 9:44, Mar 9:46, Mar 9:48, Mar 9:49, Luk 16:26, Joh 5:29, 2Th 1:9, Rev 14:10, Rev 14:11, Rev 20:10, Rev 20:15, Rev 21:8

the righteous: Mat 13:43, Psa 16:10, Psa 16:11, Joh 3:15, Joh 3:16, Joh 3:36, Joh 10:27, Joh 10:28, Rom 2:7-16, Rom 5:21, Rom 6:23, 1Jo 2:25, 1Jo 5:11, 1Jo 5:12, Jud 1:21

Reciprocal: Gen 4:14 – from thy Gen 7:23 – and Noah Num 24:19 – shall destroy Deu 29:21 – separate Psa 1:5 – sinners Psa 21:9 – Thou Psa 26:9 – Gather not Psa 28:3 – Draw Psa 37:38 – General Pro 8:21 – to inherit Pro 15:29 – far Isa 33:14 – everlasting Isa 38:18 – they that Isa 61:7 – everlasting Mal 3:18 – discern Mat 5:26 – Thou Mat 7:13 – that Mat 10:28 – able Mat 18:8 – everlasting Mat 19:16 – eternal Mat 19:29 – inherit Mat 25:21 – I will Mar 3:29 – but is Mar 9:42 – it Luk 12:5 – power Luk 12:59 – thou shalt Joh 8:21 – whither Act 1:25 – go Act 9:4 – why Rom 6:22 – and the end 1Co 16:22 – Anathema 2Co 4:18 – for 2Co 5:11 – the terror 2Th 1:8 – flaming Tit 1:2 – eternal Rev 22:5 – and they

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.

Mat 25:46

I. A fact.The revelation of eternal punishment is a fact. Poor humanity has always tried to escape the logic of facts. I cannot see the possibility of evading the conclusion that in some sense of the term what is called eternal punishment is a part of the Christian Revelation (St. Mar 9:45; Rev 14:10-11; Rev 20:10).

II. A most difficult fact.We go on from this to point out that it is not only a fact, but it is the most difficult fact in the Christian religionquite the most difficult. In the region of abstract thought the subject is finally insoluble, because you get totally different conclusions as you approach the question from opposite standpoints. There is the attempt to solve the problem by the doctrines of Universalism and Conditional Immortality. But many cannot accept any such solution of the difficulty; and so in the region of abstract thought we leave it in that insoluble condition. Only, let us remember that in this respect it stands in a long series of insoluble truths that you must leave to God.

III. To be treated in relation to other facts.Thirdly, it is a fact which must be treated in relation to other facts. Half the difficulty of the subject of eternal punishment springs from people considering this truth in isolation. All Christian truth is interdependent.

(a) You must treat it in relation to the fact of the existence of an intermediate slate between death and judgment.

(b) We must set it in relation to another factthe fact of the possibilities of death. Who are we to judge what is going on in those moments of unconsciousness when the soul shows no kind or sort of consciousness of this life, but is perhaps awake to God?

(c) We put it alongside the fact of Gods unerring justice, and the fact that there is much more good than evil in the world.

(d) We also set this side by side with the fact of the Divine Law of excuse. We may not press it too far, but the saying is profoundly true, that to know all is to pardon all.

(e) So we set it side by side with that, and also side by side with the master thought of the Christian religionthe master thought of the Fatherhood of God. Whatever eternal punishment may be, it cannot conflict with the Fatherhood of God.

The Rev. G. F. Holden.

Illustrations

(1) I know that revelations from saintly individuals are always to be received with a certain amount of reserve, but there is a beautiful revelation of one of Gods saints, where it is said our Lord revealed Himself to her, and told her that whenever a soul was dying on this earth, ere it passed, He revealed Himself in such entrancing love and rapture that it was hardly possible for it to resist Him.

(2) I cannot better conclude this subject than by giving you that wonderful passage of Fabers which has comforted so many people who have had to look at this great question. He says: God is infinitely merciful to every soul. No one ever is, or ever can be, lost by surprise, or trapped in his ignorance; and as to those who may be lost, I confidently believe that our Heavenly Father threw His arms around each created spirit and looked it full in the face with bright eyes of love in the darkness of its mortal life, and that of its own deliberate will and choice it would not have Him.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

5:46

These means the ones on the left hand of the king and the righteous are the ones on the right. Punishment is from KOLASIS which Thayer defines, “correction, punishment, penalty.” Such words do not indicate a condition where the victim is unconscious or has been annihilated as certain persons teach. Everlasting and eternal are both from AIONIOS which Thayer defines, “Without end, never to cease, everlasting.” This definition applies to the word that is used to describe the future state of both the saved and the unsaved. Whatever can be said as to the duration of the eternal life of the saved, applies with equal force to the duration of the punishment of the unsaved. No man who professes to believe the Bible will say that eternal life will ever end, so neither can he consistently say that the punishment of the unsaved will ever end. Both classes will exist consciously in their respective circumstances without end.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

The Apologists Bible Commentary

Matthew 25

46″These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

CommentaryJesus teaches that the unrighteous will inherit “eternal punishment,” while the righteous inherit “eternal life.” Many have argued that this verse does not teach the doctrine of Hell as a place of eternal suffering and torment apart from God. Much stress is laid on the translation of “eternal” and “punishment” (see Other Views Considered, below). However, if these words are translated correctly, this verse must be considered strong evidence in support of the orthodox view. The word translated “punishment” reflects the common meaning of the word in Koine Greek (see Grammatical Analysis, below, for more details). The word occurs in over 130 documents contemporary with the Greek New Testament, and in all cases, the translation “punishment” is correct. We must further stress that the word translated “eternal” in this verse modifies both “punishment” and “life.”. This verse presents a parallel construction. Jesus is contrasting “punishment” with “life.” If we take Him to mean that our life in Him is eternal – everlasting, without end – then it seems most reasonable to understand Him to be teaching that the punishment of the unrighteous is also eternal – everlasting, without end. Thus, Jesus tells us that the eternal hope of the righteous is in Him, just as eternal punishment awaits the unrighteous who are apart from Him. And since we know none are righteous (Rom 3:10), our only hope is in Christ – for our faith alone justifies us (declares us righteous) in God’s sight (Rom 3:20 ff.). Some have argued that this doctrine has turned many people into infidels; but so have other Christian doctrines. The question is not how men respond to a doctrine but what Jesus and the NT writers actually teach about it. Human response is a secondary consideration and may reveal as much about us as about the doctrine being rejected. Nevertheless two things should be kept in mind: (1) as there are degrees of felicity and responsibility in the consummated kingdom (e.g., 25:14-30; cf. 1Cor 3:10-15), so also are there degrees of punishment (e.g., Matt 11:22; Luke 12:47-48); and (2) there is no shred of evidence in the NT that hell ever brings about genuine repentance. Sin continues as part of the punishment and the ground for it (EBC ).

Grammatical Analysiskai apeleusontai outoi eiV kolasin aiwnion, oi de dikaioi eiV xwhn aiwnion KAI APELEUSONTAI OUTOI EIS KOLASIN AINION, OI DE DIKAIOI EIS ZN AINION And these will go away into punishment eternal, but the just into life eternal. KOLASIS (2851) ?Punishment (BAGD , Moulton & Milligan , TDNT , Vine ) ?Correction, punishment, penalty (Thayer ) ?Chastisement, correction, punishment (LS ). ?To punish, with the implication of resulting severe suffering (Louw & Nida ) Moulton & Milligan, BAGD, and Thayer list dozens of occurrences of KOLASIS in late classical and early Christian documents, and cite “punishment” as the proper translation in each case. There are no other meanings listed for KOLASIS in any of these lexicons. Here is just one example from Moulton and Milligan: “for the evil doers among men receive their reward not among the living only, but also await punishment (KOLASIN) and much torment” (Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 840). AINIOS (166) ?Without end (BAGD ) ?Without end, never to cease, everlasting (Thayer ) ?Eternal (TDNT , Louw & Nida ) ?In the vernacular as in the classical Greek (see Grimm-Thayer), it never loses the sense of perpetuus (Moulton & Milligan ) Vine suggests that AINIOS may mean either eternal or “duration…undefined but not endless.” However, the verses he cites in support of the latter definition (Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2) all refer to past time, not the future. BAGD and Thayer both define AINIOS in these verses as “without beginning.” Vine assigns the “eternal” meaning to AINIOS in Matthew 25:46 – no doubt because whenever AINIOS is combined with Z (“life”) in the Greek New Testament, it always means “eternal.” Thus, if the second occurrence of AINIOS in this verse means “eternal,” it seems reasonable to accept the same meaning in the first usage, particularly given the parallel construction. In conclusion, the lexical evidence is very strong that “eternal punishment” is the correct translation of KOLASIN AINION in this verse. Thus, we may confidently conclude that Jesus taught that the unrighteous would be consigned to punishment everlasting, while those who call upon Him as their only Lord and Savior, will receive life everlasting.

Other Views ConsideredJehovah’s Witnesses The Watchtower’s New World Translation renders KOLASIN AINION in this verse as “everlasting cutting-off.” A number of arguments have been offered by Witness apologists to support this translation. The following objections are derived from personal discussions with Witness over the past several years. objection: The Greek word for “punishment/cutting off” is KOLASIS, which comes from the Greek word KOLAZ which means to cut off or prune. The Emphatic Diaglott also uses the phrase “cutting off” and it gives the explanation that most versions confuse KOLASIN with BASINOS conveying the meaning of “torment”. It goes on further to say that KOLAZ “which signifies ,1. to cut off, as lopping off branches of trees, to prune, 2. To restrain, to repress…..3, to punish, to chastise. To cut off an individual from life, or society, or even to restrain, is esteemed as punishment.” p.106 Response: It is true that KOLASIS is derived etymologically from KOLAZ. It is also true that in Classic Greek, KOLAZ means “to prune, to cut off.” However, there are several problems with asserting that KOLASIS should be properly translated “cutting off” because of its relationship with KOLAZ. First, determining the meaning of a word by its derivation is an example of the “etymological fallacy.” D.A. Carson states that presuming that a word’s meaning is bound up with its root or roots is “linguistic nonsense” (Carson, Fallacies , p. 28). Words may or may not share semantic range with their etymological forebears. In many cases, they do not. The fact that all modern lexicons define KOLASIS as “punishment” and not one lists “cutting off” as a possible definition, suggests that it does not mean “cutting off,” regardless of what KOLAZ may mean. Second, KOLAZ had the meaning “to prune, to cut off” in Classical Greek. However, as the Liddell-Scott lexicon shows, even in classical times, it began to take on the meaning of chastisement or punishment: to chastise, punish, Sophocles, Euripides, etc.:-Med. to get a person punished, Aristophanes, Plato:-Pass. to be punished, Xenophon. (LS ) While KOLAZ may have originally had the meaning “cut off,” it was commonly used in late Classical Greek and in Koine Greek to mean “punish, chastise, restrain.” A quick check of the modern lexicons will confirm this fact: ?Prop[erly] to lop, prune as trees, wings … to chastise, correct, punish: so in the N.T. (Thayer ) ?”To cut short,” “to lop,” “to trim,” and figuratively a. “to impede,” “restrain,” and b. “to punish” … A common use is for divine chastisement….The NT uses kolazw in Acts 4:18 and 2 Peter 2:9. Only the latter refers to God’s punishment (TDNT ) ?Punish (BAGD ) – This lexicon lists dozens of examples from literature contemporary with the NT and lists “punish” as the only meaning for kolazw in this time period. ?Moulton & Milligan suggest that kolazw retains the meaning “correcting,” “cutting down” in later documents, such as Galen, but note that “punish” is the proper translation in the NT, and cite several contemporary sources supporting this meaning. Thus, we may conclude that there is no lexical support for the NWT translation of KOLASIS in Matthew 25:46. The NWT offers an anachronistic rendering, consistent with its theology but not with common usage in New Testament times. objection: Numerous lexical works support the NWT translation of KOLASIS, such as Young, Robinson, Bullinger, Berry, and Robertson. Response: Before we look at each references in detail, I would note that these sources are dated. All but the last two are 19th Century lexicons. Berry is fairly recent, but is a classical Greek lexicon, not a New Testament Greek lexicon. Why is this important? The discoveries and publication of the various papyri at the end of the 19th century and continuing in the early decades of the 20th brought a new understanding – and appreciation – for the fact that Koine Greek was a developed language, with significant differences from Classic, or Attic, Greek. Many of the lexicographers of the 19th century simply did not have access to the papyrological evidence, and so their lexicons favored more Classic definitions. This is why you won’t find these lexical sources showing up in many scholarly papers – if any! The standard works are BAGD, Moulton & Milligan, Louw & Nida, and the TDNT. Now, let’s consider each work as presented by Witness apologists, followed by my response: Young’s Concise Commentary: In the note to 2 Pet. 2:9 it says: “has known to free reverent ones out of trial, and to keep unjustness being punished (lit. cut off, mutilated, restrained) with a view to a day of judgment.” Young is referring to kolazw, here. Interestingly, he does not cite “cut off,” “mutilated,” in his Analytical Concordance for kolasw, though he does cite “restraint.” More on this, below. I suspect by “lit[erally],” Young is referencing the meaning in Attic Greek – that is, the etymology of the word, and does not mean that it is a viable translation in the NT. This suspicion is confirmed, I believe, when we look at Young’s Literal Translation of this verse: “The Lord hath known to rescue pious ones out of temptation, and unrighteous ones to a day of judgment, being punished, to keep…” Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament by Edward Robinson (professor of Biblical Lit. at the Union Theological Seminary NY) “(Kolasis) a curtailing, pruning” –Page 405 Robinson cites Classic sources for this meaning: “curtailing, pruning, e.g., Theophr. Caus.” Notice the next clause: “In NT, punishment – Matt. 25:46” (p. 405). In the preface to his Lexicon, Robinson writes: “It should be a matter of prominent importance to exhibit each word in its true character and relations, as a component part of the Greek tongue; as compared, on the one hand, with the Hellenistic idiom; and, on the other, with the usage of classic Greek writers” (p. vii). Thus, his practice is to define the term from Classic sources, then cite the meaning it held in the NT. In his citation of kolasw, he again cites Classic sources for “curtail, prune;” a later Classic source for “to correct, moderate;” and the NT for “to chastise, to punish.” He translates 2 Peter 2 [4] 9: “to reserve as subject to punishment” (p. 405). Actually, Robinson supports the contention that kolasw and kolasis had the meaning “pruning” in Classic times, but by the NT era, they had come to mean “punishment.” Analytical Concordance to the Bible by Robert Young “Restraint” –Page 784 Young does cite “restraint” as a possible meaning for kolasis (under the entry “Punishment, #8). However, in that section, he translates Mat. 25:46 as “Shall go away into everlasting punishem[ent]” (p. 784). I don’t really find it credible that Robert Young believed kolasis meant anything other than “punishment” in the NT, when that’s how he translated it here and in his Literal Translation. I might further inquire how “restraint” supports the rendering “cutting off?” I can certainly understand “restraint” as a punishment, but not as a variation of “pruning” or “cutting off.” It seems to me “restraint” favors the orthodox view of “eternal punishment” (where the soul is confined or “restrained” apart from God), and not the “second death,” as taught by the WT. The NWTTC certainly knew of this meaning for kolasis, for they translated it “restraint” in 1 John 4:18. I guess the “context” (that is, the adjective “eternal” immediately preceding) caused them to choose another rendering in Mat. 25:46. A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament by E.W. Bullinger “curtail, dock, prune, but usu. like Lat. castigore, to keep within bounds, check, chastise;…to punish, generally..the future punishment of sin is clearly defined as death and destruction.” This quote comes from the entry for kolasw. Notice here he says “to be punished, generally.” By “generally,” he means “commonly,” in its most common usage. His statement regarding “punishment of sin” is interesting with regard to Bullinger’s apparent theology, but not with regard to the meaning of kolasw, which he defines as “generally” or “usually” to chastise or punish. His entry for kolasis is very interesting. Again, while he lists “pruning,” he defines it “generally” as punishment. Notice what he says in this section about what “punishment” means in the NT: “the nature of which must be looked for in other parts of the Scriptures…”(p. 612, emphasis in original). Obviously, he believes “punishment” is the correct translation, because he feels he has to qualify the term to suit his theological beliefs. It seems his statement about “punishment of sin” being defined as “death and destruction” is derived from his interpretation of other parts of Scripture. Certainly, his definition of kolasis is not used to support his view. Bullinger’s view of kolasis is largely influenced by the Attic Greek meaning (as were all lexical works prior to the end of the 19th Century). Certainly no modern scholar has cited Bullinger to my knowledge, though the literature is replete with references to BAGD and TDNT, and (to a somewhat lesser extent) M&M, Louw & Nida, and Thayer. The Classic Greek Dictionary – Sixteenth Edition 1962, by George Ricker Berry, PhD “kolazw – To prune, retrench: … metaph. … confine: then to chastise, correct, punish.” We do not dispute that kolazw originally meant “to prune.” We agree with Berry that the meaning “then” became “to chastise, correct, or punish.” Berry supports the view that the NWT has offered an anachronistic rendering of kolasis in Matthew 25:46. Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament “Eternal punishment (kolasin aiwnion). The word kolasin comes from kolazw, to mutilate or prune. Hence those who cling to the larger hope use this phrase to mean age-long pruning that ultimately leads to salvation of the goats, as disciplinary rather than penal.” Let’s complete the quote: “There is such a distinction as Aristotle pointed out between moria (vengeance) and kolasis. But the same adjective aionios is used with kolasin and zoen. If by etymology we limit the scope of kolasin, we may likewise have only age-long zoen. There is not the slightest indication in the words of Jesus here that the punishment is not coeval with the life. We can leave all this to the King himself who is the Judge. The difficulty to one’s mind about conditional chastisement is to think how a life of sin in hell can be changed into a life of love and obedience” (RWP ). Robertson translates kolasin aiwnion as “eternal punishment.” His remark about “age-long pruning” does not reflect his own views, but “those who cling to the larger hope:” I.e., universalists . We do not dispute that kolasin “comes from” kolazw, nor the original meaning of the latter. We do dispute that kolasis meant “cutting off” in NT times, and Robertson supports this view completely. He certainly cannot be legitimately used to promote the NWT translation. objection: “Eternal punishment” does not mean “eternal punishing.” Basil Atkinson writes: “When the adjective aiwnios meaning ‘everlasting’ is used in Greek with nouns of action it has reference to the result of the action, not the process. Thus the phrase ‘everlasting punishment’ is comparable to ‘everlasting redemption’ and ‘everlasting salvation,’ both Scriptural phrases. No one supposes that we are being redeemed or being saved forever. We were redeemed and saved once for all by Christ with eternal results. In the same way the lost will not be passing through a process of punishment for ever but will be punished once and for all with eternal results. On the other hand the noun ‘life’ is not a noun of action, but a noun expressing a state. Thus the life itself is eternal.” Response: There is not a single Greek lexicon that makes the distinction Atkinson makes. If the meaning of aiwnios changed depending on the kind of noun being modified, surely such a change in connotation would be noted by at least one of the major lexicons we have examined. Further, it is unclear what a “noun of action” is, given that verbs denote action or states of being, not nouns. His distinction seems forced, given the contrast between “eternal life” and “eternal punishment” Jesus is drawing in this verse. It would seem more reasonable to consider the terms parallel in their meaning in both phrases – if life in Christ is an eternal state, so to punishment for the lost is also an eternal state. objection: Noted evangelical scholar John Stott asks if eternal punishment means eternal conscious suffering and torment. “No,” he answers. “That is to read into the text what is not necessarily there. What Jesus said is that both the life and the punishment would be eternal, but he did not in that passage define the nature of either. Because he elsewhere spoke of eternal life as a conscious enjoyment of God (John 17:3), it does not follow that eternal punishment must be a conscious experience of pain at the hand of God. On the contrary, although declaring both to be eternal, Jesus is contrasting the two destinies: the more unlike they are, the better” (David L. Edwards and John R. W. Stott, Evangelical Essentials: A Liberal-Evangelical Dialogue, p. 317.) Response: As much as I respect John Stott, I do not believe his annihilationist views are well-supported by Scripture. We must first note that Stott does not argue that kolasis should be translated “cutting off.” He affirms that “punishment” is the correct translation, but suggests that this punishment is only eternal with respect to its results. Alan W. Gomes, PhD (Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of Theology, Talbot School of Theology) has responded to Mr. Stott: Stott is incorrect in asserting that the passage “does not define the nature of either [eternal life or eternal punishment].” As we observed in Part One, the mere fact that the wicked are said to experience “punishment” (Greek: kolasin) proves two inescapable facts by the nature of the case: the existence of the one punished, and the conscious experience of the punishment. If either of these two are lacking, then punishment is not occurring — at least not in any meaningful sense of the term Someone cannot be punished eternally unless that someone is there to receive the punishment. One can exist and not be punished, but one cannot be punished and not exist. Nonentities cannot receive punishment. Now, it is possible that one could receive punishment for a time and then be annihilated. In that case, we would have a finite time of punishment followed by a finite process of annihilating (i.e., the actual time it takes to accomplish the annihilation), followed by an unending result of the annihilating process. But the Bible uses the adjective “eternal” to describe the punishment itself, not merely the result of the punishment. But mere existence is not enough either. One cannot “punish” a rock or a tree, even though these might exist. Annihilationists (e.g., Pinnock[33]) sometimes complain that traditionalists “smuggle” the word “conscious” into their descriptions of punishment. But really, the traditionalist need not “smuggle” anything into the description. Once we have said the word “punishment” we have also said, at least by implication, the word “conscious.” Punishment, per se, is conscious or it is not punishment. A punishment that is not felt is not a punishment. It is an odd use of language to speak of an insensate (i.e., unfeeling), inanimate object receiving punishment. To say, “I punished my car for not starting by slowly plucking out its sparkplug wires, one by one,” would evoke laughter, not serious consideration. Stott’s axiom, “The more unlike they [i.e., heaven and hell] are, the better,” actually harms his own case. If heaven represents unutterable joy, then hell should be unutterable sorrow. Yet, the whole point of the annihilationist’s argument is to mitigate the horror of eternal suffering for the lost, not to increase it (Evangelicals And The Annihilation of Hell, Part Two , Alan W. Gomes. Christian Research Journal, 1991: summer: p.8). objection: The NWT rendering of KOLASIS as “cutting off” reflects the frequent Old Testament phrase “shall be cut off from his people” See, for example, Gen 17:14; Ex 30:33, 38; Lev 7:20, 21, 25, 27; Num 9:13. The NWT translators choose the alternative reading with the best evidence internally. Response: We must first note that this is really not an issue of “alternative readings.” There is no lexical evidence supporting the alleged alternate translation “cutting off.” KOLASIS in Koine Greek means “punishment.” We may also consider that none of the Old Testament passages listed speak of “eternal” cutting off, nor contrast the cutting off with an eternal reward. Thus, any parallel one may wish to draw between Matthew 25:46 and these Old Testament passages is superficial at best. Further, if KOLASIS or KOLAZ actually meant “cut off” in Koine Greek, we may ask why it is that the Hebrew word karath (“to cut off, to cut down”) in these verses is never translated in the LXX by one of these words? Instead, the LXX translators rendered karath with forms of EZOLOTHREU (“utterly destroy”) or APOLLUMI (“to perish”). These verses, then, do not demonstrate that KOLASIS should be rendered “cutting off,” but rather offer indirect evidence that it did not have that meaning.

Fuente: The Apologists Bible Commentary

Mat 25:46. Into eternal punishment. The opposite is eternal life, both never ending, the Greek word being the same. In the New Testament it is used fifty-nine times of the happiness of the righteous, of Gods existence, or of the Church and the Messiahs kingdom, in seven of the future punishment of the wicked. If the former end, then the latter may. The word punishment expresses positive misery, not annihilation; especially life, the contrasted expression, means here far more than mere continued existence. Endless and boundless life is contrasted with endless and boundless misery. The two facts, one transcendently glorious, the other unspeakably awful, are revealed: the details, blissful and terrible alike, are wisely withheld. Enough is known to enforce all needed practical lessons.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. That though the righteous are first judged, yet the sentence is first executed on the wicked. They shall go into everlasting punishment.

Observe, 2. That men’s states and conditions in another world will be different, as their ways and doings have been in this world.

3. That everlasting life shall be the portion of the godly, and everlasting punishment the portion of the wicked.

God grant that the horrors of eternal darkness,and the dismal thoughts of a miserable eternity, may effectually discourage every one of us from a wicked and impenitent course of life! For who can dwell with devouring fire? Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Verse 46

Everlasting, punishment,–life eternal. The duration of the happiness of the righteous and of the misery of the wicked, is, in the original, expressed by the same word; and language has no stronger term with which to indicate limitless duration.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

The goats (unbelievers) will go into eternal punishment in hell eventually instead of entering the messianic kingdom (cf. Mat 7:21-23; Mat 13:40-43). This is the only place in Scripture where the term "eternal punishment" appears. Some interpreters believe that "eternal" here does not mean "everlasting" but pertaining to the age to come, which is eternal. [Note: E.g., France, The Gospel . . ., pp. 966-67.] They favor understanding Jesus to mean that the lost will suffer annihilation. This view is sometimes called "conditional immortality." [Note: See Robert A. Peterson, "A Traditionalist Response to John Stott’s Arguments for Annihilationism," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37:4 (December 1994):553-68; idem, "Does the Bible Teach Annihilationism?" Bibliotheca Sacra 156:621 (January-March 1999):13-27; Millard J. Erickson, "Is Hell Forever?" Bibliotheca Sacra (July-September 1995):259-72; and Bruce W. Davidson, "Reasonable Damnation: How Jonathan Edwards Argued for the Rationality of Hell," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 38:1 (March 1995):47-56.]

"At the time of Christ the punishment of the wicked was certainly regarded as of eternal duration." [Note: Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:440. See ibid., 2:791-96, on eternal punishment according to the rabbis and the New Testament.]

Immediately these unbelievers will enter Hades, the place of departed spirits, until God resurrects them at the end of the millennium and sends them to hell (cf. Rev 20:11-15). The sheep (believers) will enter the kingdom that will be the first stage of their ceaseless life with God. Whereas eternal life begins when a person trusts Jesus Christ, the first stage of life in the King’s presence for these believers will be the messianic kingdom. Elsewhere God revealed that there are degrees of happiness and responsibility in the kingdom (Mat 25:14-30; cf. 1Co 3:10-15) and degrees of punishment in hell (Mat 11:22; Luk 12:47-48). Jesus described the sheep as "righteous."

"This whole discourse again reflects the Lord’s emphasis on righteousness [cf. the Sermon on the Mount]. It is a righteousness founded in faith in God which in turn, by God’s grace, empowers the whole man to live a new and righteous life." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., pp. 291-92.]

Does this passage (Mat 25:31-46) teach us anything about the time of the Rapture?

"Although the question of whether Christ will come for His church before the tribulation (the pretribulational view) or at the time of His second coming to earth (the posttribulational view) is not dealt with in this passage, the implications are clearly in favor of the pretribulational view. If the rapture and translation of the church occur while Christ is coming from heaven to earth in His second coming to set up His kingdom, and the church meets the Lord in the air, it is obvious that this very act would separate all the saved from the unsaved. Under these circumstances, no judgment of the nations would be necessary subsequent to the second coming of Christ, because the sheep and the goats would already be separated." [Note: Walvoord, Matthew: . . ., p. 203. See also Paul D. Feinberg, "Dispensational Theology . . .," pp. 229-35.]

Thus ends the Olivet Discourse. Revelation 6-20 provides further exposition of Jesus’ teaching in the Olivet Discourse. [Note: For other expositions of the whole Olivet Discourse, see Walvoord, "Christ’s Olivet Discourse on the End of the Age," Bibliotheca Sacra 128:510 (April-June 1971):109-16; 128:511 (July-September 1971):206-14; 128:512 (October-December 1971):316-26; 129:513 (January-March 1972):20-32; 129:514 (April-June 1972):99-105; 129:515 (July-September 1972):206-10; 129:516 (October-December 1972):307-15; and Pentecost, Thy Kingdom . . ., pp. 247-62.]

"Taken as a whole, the Olivet discourse is one of the great prophetic utterances of Scripture and provides facts nowhere else given in quite the same way. In it, Christ, the greatest of the prophets and the master Teacher, described the end of the age as the climax of the troubles of earth in a great tribulation. The time of unprecedented trouble will be terminated by the second coming of Christ. The saved and the unsaved will be separated, and only the saved will enter the millennial kingdom. This is the final word, which Matthew brings in answer to the leading question of this first gospel, concerning the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament of a glorious kingdom on earth. Matthew states clearly that while Christ, in His first coming, suffered and died and was rejected as both King and Saviour by His own people, He will come again and, in triumph, will bring in the prophesied kingdom literally, just as the Old Testament prophecies had anticipated. There is postponement but not annulment of the great prophecies of the kingdom on earth." [Note: Walvoord, Matthew: . . ., p. 204.]

In one sense Mat 25:46 is the climax of Matthew’s argument in this Gospel. [Note: Kiddle, p. 44.]

"He has at this point accomplished his main purposes in presenting the credentials of the King and the kingdom program of the Jews. The King has shown Himself by His words and His works to be Israel’s Messiah. Because Israel refused to accept Him as their King, the kingdom is taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth fruit worthy of repentance. However, this situation will exist only until the son of Man comes in His glory. At that time, all unrighteousness will be vindicated and Christ shall reign as Israel’s King over the nations of the earth." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 292.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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