CHAPTER IV WHAT CHRIST TEACHES CONCERNING FUTURE RETRIBUTION BY REV. WM. C. PROCTER, F. PH ., CROYDON, ENGLAND There are four reasons for confining our consideration of the subject of Future Retribution to the teaching of our Lbrd Jesus Christ: (1) I t limits the range of our inquiry to what is possible in a brief essay. There will be no occasion to examine the 56 passages in the authorized version of our Bible which con tain the word “Hell,” (most of which are the translations of the Hebrew “Shed” and the Greek “Hades,” meaning “the grave” and “the unseen state,”) and we can concentrate our attention on the ten passages in which our Lord uses the word “Gehenna” (which was the usual appellation in His day for the abode of the lost) together with those other verses which evidently refer to the future state of the wicked. (2) I t affords a sufficient answer to the speculation of those who don’t know, to refer to the revelation of the One who does know. Many other passages might be quoted from tfielNew Testament, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who was promised by our Lord to His disciples- to “guide themjnto al}„truth,” and “show them things to come” (John 16:12, 13) ; but, in taking the words of Christ Himself, we shall find the greatest ground of common agreement in these days of loose, views of inspiration. Surely, He who is “The Truth” would never misrepresent or exaggerate it on a matter of such vital importance, and would neither encourage popular errors nor excite needless fears. 53
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