Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 9:48
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:44; Mar 9:46; Mar 9:48
Where their worm dieth not.
–
The punishment of the wicked, dreadful and interminable
Some will say that this doctrine has no tendency to do good; it is idle to think of frightening men into religion. It is my duty not to decide what doctrines are likely to do good, but to preach such as I find in the Scriptures. I dare not pretend to be either more wise or more compassionate than our Saviour; and He thought it consistent, both with wisdom and compassion, to utter the words of our text. These expressions allude to the manner in which the Jews disposed of the bodies of the dead; placed in tombs they were consumed by worms; or on a funeral pile it was consumed by fire. You have seen this, but there is another death, of the soul. Those who die this death shall be preyed upon by worms which will never die, and become the fuel of a fire that will never be quenched. The language is indeed figurative, but not on that account less full of meaning.
I. In dilating upon these truths, I shall say little of the corporeal sufferings which await impenitent sinners beyond the grave. Such sufferings will certainly compose a part of the punishment; for their bodies shall come forth in the resurrection of damnation; as it is the servant of the soul, its tempter to many sins, and its instrument in committing them, there seems to be a manifest propriety in making them companions in punishment. But to the sufferings of the soul, the Scriptures chiefly refer. The clause-where their worm dieth not-intimates that the soul will suffer miseries, analogous to those which would be inflicted on a living body, by a multitude of reptiles constantly preying upon it; that as a dead body appears to produce the worms which consume it, so the soul dead in trespasses and sins, really produces the causes of its own misery. What are those causes, what is the gnawing worm?
1. its own passions and desires. That these are capable of preying upon the soul, and occasioning acute suffering, even in this life, need not be proved. Look at a man who is habitually peevish, fretful, and disappointed. Has he not gnawing worms already at his heart? Look at the envious, covetous, ambitious, proud; these passions make men miserable here; even while in this world there are many things calculated to soothe or divert mens passions. Sometimes they meet with success, and this produces a transient calm; at another time, the objects which excite their passions are absent, and this allows quietness. Men have not always the leisure to indulge their passions; they are under the operations of causes which tend to restrain them, such as sleep. But suppose all these removed, deprived of sleep, success, and the objects which excite his strongest passions constantly before him, and all restraints gone. Would not such a man be miserable? Nothing inflames the passions of men more than suffering.
2. The gnawing worm includes the consciences of sinners. Conscience has inflicted terrible agony, as in the case of Judas. Here she speaks only at intervals; there without intermission. Here she may be stifled by scenes of business or amusement, sophistical arguments; but there will be no means of silencing her; she will see everything in the clear light of eternity. What a God she has offended, Saviour neglected, heaven lost. Well may this be compared to a gnawing worm.
II. Our Saviour speaks not only of a gnawing worm, but of an unquenchable fire. So far as the soul is concerned, this refers to a keen and constant sense of Gods presence and righteous displeasure. He says of Himself, I am a consuming fire.
III. We learn from the passage before us, that those sufferings will be endless. Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The passions and consciences of sinners endure as long as the soul of which they are a part. God lives forever, He must forever be displeased with sinners. It is impossible that I should deserve it. You know nothing of your sins, or of what sin deserves. As well might a man, who should put vipers into his bosom, complain of God because they stung him. Christ died to save them from their misery. (E. Payson, D. D.)
Preserving fire
Preserving fire, or salting with fire. Decay is a species of burning; and only those things that have been burnt, or cannot be burnt, will not decay.
I. Temptation is a preserving fire. The boy who has been sheltered at home is honest; but his integrity is not as firm as that of the honest merchant. The clay (Isa 64:8) is soft and plastic; but after it has been burnt in the furnace it will break before it will bend. All must pass through the fire of temptation. If you are to be a vessel of honour fit for the heavenly palace, the Lord must be your potter.
II. Affliction is a preserving fire. The metal comes forth from the furnace more useful (Mal 3:3).
III. The day of judgment is also compared to a fire (1Co 3:13). Fire is a searching test. All paint, enamel, pretence of every kind, will melt before it. Its results are enduring. All must pass through the fiery ordeal. Only such works can stand as proceed from gospel love.
IV. Another preserving fire is the fire of hell. The misery of hell is two fold: sin and its punishment. (J. B. Converse.)
Their worm dieth not-Conscience in hell
It has been discovered that there are worms which eat and live upon stone. Many such have been found in a freestone wall in Normandy. So there is a worm in hell-conscience-which lives upon the stony heart of the condemned sinner, which gnaws with remorse all whom grace has not softened.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 48. See Clarke on Mr 9:43.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
48. Where their worm dieth not, andthe fire is not quenchedSee on Mt5:30; The “unquenchablesness” of this fire has alreadybeen brought before us (see on Mt3:12); and the awfully vivid idea of an undying worm,everlastingly consuming an unconsumable body, is taken from theclosing words of the evangelical prophet (Isa66:24), which seem to have furnished the later Jewish Church withits current phraseology on the subject of future punishment (seeLIGHTFOOT).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. This is repeated again, not only to assure the truth of the thing, but to raise the attention of the mind unto it, and fix an awful impression upon it: the Persic version renders it, “from whence thou shall never find redemption”: there is no redemption from hell, as Origen and others have thought.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Their worm ( ). “The worm, i.e. that preys upon the inhabitants of this dread realm” (Gould). Two bold figures of Gehenna combined (the gnawing worm, the burning flame). No figures of Gehenna can equal the dread reality which is here described. See Isa 66:24.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Where their worm dieth not,” (hopou ho skoleks auton ou teleuta) “Where their worm is never finished,” never dies, the conscience never finds rest in hell, Luk 16:25; Rev 14:10-11.
2) “And the fire is not quenched.” (kai to pur ou sbennutai) “And where the Fire is not ever quenched,” or never put out. The idea of this statement, found in Mar 9:44; Mar 9:46 above is in the better, older Gk. manuscripts, Luk 16:26.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Ver. 48. Where the worm never dies ] This is three different times repeated, that it may the better be observed. Utinam de Gehenna ubique dissereretur, saith a father. Oh that word never (said a poor despairing creature on his death bed) breaks my heart. This worm of conscience is worse than the fire, if worse may be: it is the very hell of hell, as being the furious reflection of the soul upon itself for all its neglected opportunities and flagitious practices. This will be a bodkin at thy heart one day (saith a reverend man), I might have been delivered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Where, &c. This is included in all the texts; and is quoted from Isa 66:24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 9:44, Mar 9:46
Reciprocal: Gen 42:21 – they said Lev 6:12 – the fire Eze 47:11 – given Mat 18:8 – everlasting Mat 25:46 – everlasting
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
See verse 44 for the explanation of this.