Why are so many Christians against annihilation in hell when scripture supports it?

[Dorothy Mae]

Clearly being tortured forever would be worse than endless annihilation. Compared to being tortured forever, being annihilated would be described as "resting in peace". Even terminal patients who are suffering horribly often request that they be ended.

Also there would be no point to Love Omnipotent tormenting anyone hopelessly lost before endlessly annihilating them. That sounds sadistic.

Does God's love have an expiry date like a carton of milk?

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/unique_proof_for_universalism.html

One thing ought to be clarfied, God isn’t torturing anyone. It is better not to falsely accuse God of evil. Are the evil tortured in hell? Yes. Is God carrying the torture out? No. He is NOT there. No one there wanted Him.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Generally creatures, even insects, fight to survive & avoid death. They choose life.

Except man who voluntarily chooses death in suicide for no reason other than depression. They CHOOSE death totally destroying your point here.

To be annihilated forever would only be a reward if the only alternative is endless sufferings.

That is the only alternative for those in hell. So we agree? Annihilation is a reward for the wicked.

But relative to living & eventually becoming saved, endless annihilation is a punishment. A horrific punishment.

There comes a day when life and it’s choices are OVER.

Even being tormented for trillions of years & then receiving immortal life with God forever would be a blessing compared to endless annihilation.

But judgement is final. There is no parole. The Bible refers to final judgement. And there is no endless annihilation. That state happens once not continually.

Who wants to die let alone be dead forever? Even animals & insects fight to survive.

Man however commits suicide and prefers death to life. That is not unusual. That why annihilation is what they want, their eternal wish fulfilled instead of repenting.

I'd rather be tormented for a trillion X a trillion X a trillion millenniums followed by salvation, than cease to be for ever and ever and ever.

I don’t doubt it but the billions of atheists out there want annihilation.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Again, I would rather have eternal torment than never has a chance to live again. And there WILL be punishment and torment, but the torment will not be eternal.

You’re the only one. Have you ever been in real pain for a while? Sounds better than death until you have some. There’s a reason why medical professionals put people OUT who are in great pain. To hear you, conscious and in agony is preferable to sleep.

 

[SonOfZion]

You’re the only one. Have you ever been in real pain for a while? Sounds better than death until you have some. There’s a reason why medical professionals put people OUT who are in great pain. To hear you, conscious and in agony is preferable to sleep.

Luke 16:24

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

In this parable, the rich man would have been satisfied with just a drop of water. To cool his tongue.

• Rich man = Jewish religious leaders (and those today who promote/uphold religion, especially at the expense of sacrificial love).
• Lazarus = People and seekers of God’s kingdom who had been shut out of covenant/fellowship with God.
• Death = the ending of the season of the law and prophets.
• Afterlife = the dramatic change resulting from the beginning of the new season of spiritual Kingdom-seekers.
  
  https://firstthekingdom.wordpress.c...ing-of-the-rich-man-and-lazarus-parable-pt-2/
  
  I have no doubt, that the actual truth about the wicked, neither having immortality or eternal life will be some relief to many of those that believe the wicked are never destroyed. By then, maybe even thank full they were wrong.
  
  Blaspheming His Character as you do, Is not a lite thing with Him!
• 
  
• Luke 12:47
• Not only wrong in your own belief, but misrepresent what those that hold to conditional immortality say. The wicked are punished by the severity of their crimes, many or few stripes - those that knew and did not His will and those who didn't know His will. How long does it take for many, and a few. some will be punished longer than others, before being destroyed. Luke 12:48
• 
  
• Some will just make an appearance, having suffered enough already in this life for their sins, and Poof, they will be no more. Revelation 20:15-16 Matthew 10:28 in Gehenna, the dump where the trash is burned to nothing. Isaiah 66:24 their dead bodies - The Righteous shall have contempt for those that rebelled against Him Daniel 12:2 Contempt, a reminder of His Justice.

The same Hebrew word translated Abhorring in Isaiah 66:24 is translated contempt in Daniel 12:2 for their ashes.

This word only occurs in these two verses.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Luke 16:24

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

In this parable, the rich man would have been satisfied with just a drop of water. To cool his tongue.

Annihilation would have fulfilled his hopes rewarding him with the best of what he desires but saw was not going to happen. He still desires it.

 

[Oldmantook]

One thing ought to be clarfied, God isn’t torturing anyone. It is better not to falsely accuse God of evil. Are the evil tortured in hell? Yes. Is God carrying the torture out? No. He is NOT there. No one there wanted Him.

I believe you have misspoken when you claim that God is not there in hell. Jesus and the angels are present in the lake of fire according to Rev 14:10.
they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

 

[SonOfZion]

Psalms 139:8

If I ascend up into heaven, Thou are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou.



Oldman: those that are being punished in Revelation 14:10 Is specific to those that took the mark of the beast,
Revelation 14:9 they have no rest day or night, on the earth. Revelation 9:5

 

[ClementofA]

One thing ought to be clarfied, God isn’t torturing anyone. It is better not to falsely accuse God of evil. Are the evil tortured in hell? Yes. Is God carrying the torture out? No. He is NOT there. No one there wanted Him.

He is not there? Is He not omnipresent?

God is Omnipotent & created hell & keeps them there & doesn't offer them salvation anymore. So is God bearing responsibility for the endless tortures? Yes. Is it not essentially the same as Him performing the tortures? Yes.

If Love Omnipotent doesn't save all from His God created endless tortures, is it because He isn't powerful enough or because He doesn't want to? Do His compassions have an expiry date like a carton of milk?

https://www.christianforums.com/thr...-torments-were-true-is-god-a-monster.8042349/

 

[ClementofA]

That is the only alternative for those in hell. So we agree? Annihilation is a reward for the wicked.

No, salvation after their punishment in hell ends is their destiny. Rom.5:18-19.

There comes a day when life and it’s choices are OVER.
But judgement is final. There is no parole. The Bible refers to final judgement.

The Scriptures know nothing of such expressions.

I don’t doubt it but the billions of atheists out there want annihilation.

Too bad. Love Omnipotent knows what's best for them. Their destiny is salvation.

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/unique_proof_for_universalism.html

 

[ClementofA]

According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Judaica

Encyclopedia Judaica and the Talmud, among the Jews in Israel before and during the time of Jesus was a belief in a place of everlasting torment of the wicked and they called it both sheol and gehinnom.
Clarification: There were different groups within Judaism; Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes etc. and there were different beliefs about resurrection, hell etc. I am addressing only the belief stated above, Any other beliefs are not relevant to this response.

What relevance do such extrabiblical Jewish beliefs have? Jesus said to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees, who BTW believed in endless punishment.

"Jesus warned His disciples to “watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees,” which was their false teaching (Matt. 16:6,12)."

"Not giving heed to Jewish myths, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." (Titus 1:14).
Jesus said re the Pharisees: "...in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt.15:8-9)

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Tim.3:16)

Jesus, speaking to Pharisees, said:

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jewish Encyclopedia, Gehenna
The place where children were sacrificed to the god Moloch … in the "valley of the son of Hinnom," to the south of Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, passim; II Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. ii. 23; vii. 31-32; xix. 6, 13-14). … the valley was deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore soon became a figurative equivalent for "hell." Hell, like paradise, was created by God (Sotah 22a);
Note, this is according to the ancient Jews, long before the Christian era, NOT any supposed bias of Christian translators.
(I)n general …sinners go to hell immediately after their death. The famous teacher Johanan b. Zakkai wept before his death because he did not know whether he would go to paradise or to hell (Ber. 28b). The pious go to paradise, and sinners to hell (B.M. 83b).
But as regards the heretics, etc., and Jeroboam, Nebat's son, hell shall pass away, but they shall not pass away" (R. H. 17a; comp. Shab. 33b). All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).[/i]
… heretics and the Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews (Ber. 8b). When Nebuchadnezzar descended into hell, [ שׁאול /Sheol]] all its inhabitants were afraid that he was coming to rule over them (Shab. 149a; comp. Isa. xiv. 9-10). The Book of Enoch also says that it is chiefly the heathen who are to be cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment (x. 6, xci. 9, et al). "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them on the Day of Judgment by putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity" (Judith xvi. 17). The sinners in Gehenna will be filled with pain when God puts back the souls into the dead bodies on the Day of Judgment, according to Isa. xxxiii. 11 (Sanh. 108b).

Scripture says:

"Not giving heed to Jewish myths, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth."
(Titus 1:14).

Jesus said re the Pharisees: "...in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt.15:8-9)

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Tim.3:16)

In Judaism the name Gehinnom is generally used as an appellation of the place of torment reserved for the wicked after death. The New Testament used the Greek form Gehenna in the same sense.
Gehinnom

Unproven & irrelevant. Whether true or not. Scripture says:

"Jesus warned His disciples to “watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees,” which was their false teaching (Matt. 16:6,12)."

"Not giving heed to Jewish myths, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." (Titus 1:14). Jesus said re the Pharisees: "...in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt.15:8-9)

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Tim.3:16)

Jesus, speaking to Pharisees, said:

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Talmud -Tractate Rosh Hashanah Chapter 1.
The school of Hillel says: . . . but as for Minim, [follower of Jesus] informers and disbelievers, who deny the Torah, or Resurrection, or separate themselves from the congregation, or who inspire their fellowmen with dread of them, or who sin and cause others to sin, as did Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his followers, they all descend to Gehenna, and are judged there from generation to generation, as it is said [Isa. lxvi. 24]: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Even when Gehenna will be destroyed, they will not be consumed, as it is written [Psalms, xlix. 15]: "And their forms wasteth away in the nether world," which the sages comment upon to mean that their forms shall endure even when the grave is no more. Concerning them Hannah says [I Sam. ii. 10]: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces."
Link:Tract Rosh Hashana: Chapter I.

2 Timothy 4:4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Such as the fable or myth of endless torments of the Dark & Middle ages, Inquisitions, Crusades, burning of "heretics", etc.

In contrast to the fables & myths of endless torments, Paul says again to Timothy:

1Tim.4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1Tim.2 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

http://www.tentmaker.org/articles/unique_proof_for_universalism.html

 

[Dan the deacon]

One thing ought to be clarfied, God isn’t torturing anyone. It is better not to falsely accuse God of evil. Are the evil tortured in hell? Yes. Is God carrying the torture out? No. He is NOT there. No one there wanted Him.

Thank you. I kept reading about God doing this and wondering where folks come up with such a wrong presumption
All we truly know is the seperation from God is the most grievous part . We have so many self invented ideas about hell and the lake of fire. I pray I never find out the truth about being judged unknown of God.

 

[Dan the deacon]

I believe you have misspoken when you claim that God is not there in hell. Jesus and the angels are present in the lake of fire according to Rev 14:10.
they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

So suddenly God can't see into hell without actually being there. Imagine that. The God I serve has much more power than the one you follow. He sees me now from His throne in heaven. I guess your god needs glasses.

 

[AvgJoe]

Eternal punishment can simply mean "ultimate, final" (with no hope for a future resurrection) Hebrews 5:9 mentions "eternal salvation" yet we are not perpetually being saved for all eternity.

Not in Matthew 25:46. The words eternal punishment come from the Greek words aiónios kolasis. From Strong's Concordance:

aiónios: agelong, eternal
Original Word: αἰώνιος, ία, ιον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: aiónios
Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-o'-nee-os)
Short Definition: eternal, unending
Definition: age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting.

kolasis: correction
Original Word: κόλασις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: kolasis
Phonetic Spelling: (kol'-as-is)
Short Definition: chastisement, punishment
Definition: chastisement, punishment, torment, perhaps with the idea of deprivation.

So we have eternal correction. Nothing in there about "ultimate, final". And again, the same Greek word is used for both mentions of the word eternal, so limiting the punishment to something less than eternal, also limits the life to something less than eternal.

 

[SonOfZion]

Jeremiah 23:24

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith YHWH.

He is Everywhere

Acts of the Apostles 17:28

For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring.

Psalms 139:8

If I ascend up into Heaven, Thou there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou.

Sheol in the KJV as grave (31x), hell (31x), pit (3x)

When someone fights so hard against the truth with a lie, that you shall not die, you are already living forever, just the place you will spend your eternity hasn't been decided yet... That is Not the Gospel - That is Another Gospel Romans 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:10 makes one wonder where that person is headed, He is the Judge, Do justly, Love Mercy and walk humbly...

 

[AvgJoe]

Again, absolutely incorrect. The bible says the righteous have life, and the wicked will receive death. It is not a hard concept to understand and it is written pretty clearly.

Matthew 25:46 is a lie and not part of the Bible?

 

[Oldmantook]

So suddenly God can't see into hell without actually being there. Imagine that. The God I serve has much more power than the one you follow. He sees me now from His throne in heaven. I guess your god needs glasses.

I guess you need to actually read the text. Can you read? What do you suppose IN THE PRESENCE OF means?

 

[Der Alte]

Not in Matthew 25:46. The words eternal punishment come from the Greek words aiónios kolasis. From Strong's Concordance:
aiónios: agelong, eternal
Original Word: αἰώνιος, ία, ιον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: aiónios
Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-o'-nee-os)
Short Definition: eternal, unending
Definition: age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting.
kolasis: correction
Original Word: κόλασις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: kolasis
Phonetic Spelling: (kol'-as-is)
Short Definition: chastisement, punishment
Definition: chastisement, punishment, torment, perhaps with the idea of deprivation.
So we have eternal correction. Nothing in there about "ultimate, final". And again, the same Greek word is used for both mentions of the word eternal, so limiting the punishment to something less than eternal, also limits the life to something less than eternal.

Strong's has been found to have about 15,000 errors or omissions. Here is the definition of Kolasis from BDAG one of, if not, the most highly accredited lexicons available. The blue indicates the many sources the authors used to determine the meaning. "Punishment" not "correction."

κόλασις, εως, ἡ (s. prec. three entries; ‘punishment, chastisement’ so Hippocr.+; Diod S 1, 77, 9; 4, 44, 3; Aelian, VH 7, 15; SIG2 680, 13; LXX; TestAbr, Test12Patr, ApcEsdr, ApcSed; AscIs 3:13; Philo, Leg. ad Gai. 7, Mos. 1, 96; Jos., Ant. 17, 164; SibOr 5, 388; Ar. [Milne 76, 43]; Just.)
① infliction of suffering or pain in chastisement, punishment so lit. κ. ὑπομένειν undergo punishment Ox 840, 6; δειναὶ κ. (4 Macc 8:9) MPol 2:4; ἡ ἐπίμονος κ. long-continued torture ibid. Of the martyrdom of Jesus (Orig., C. Cels. 1, 48, 95; 8, 43, 12) PtK 4 p. 15, 34. The smelling of the odor arising fr. sacrifices by polytheists ironically described as punishment, injury (s. κολάζω) Dg 2:9.
② transcendent retribution, punishment (ApcSed 4:1 κόλασις καὶ πῦρ ἐστιν ἡ παίδευσίς σου.—Diod S 3, 61, 5; 16, 61, 1; Epict. 3, 11, 1; Dio Chrys. 80 [30], 12; 2 Macc 4:38 al. in LXX; Philo, Spec. Leg. 1, 55; 2, 196; Jos., Ant. 1, 60 al.; Just.; Did., Gen., 115, 28; 158, 10) ApcPt 17:32; w. αἰκισμός 1 Cl 11:1. Of eternal punishment (w. θάνατος) Dg 9:2 (Diod S 8, 15, 1 κ. ἀθάνατος). Of hell: τόπος κολάσεως ApcPt 6:21 (Simplicius in Epict. p. 13, 1 εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν τόπον αἱ κολάσεως δεόμεναι ψυχαὶ καταπέμπονται); ἐν τῇ κ. ἐκείνῃ 10:25; ibid. ἐφορῶσαι τὴν κ. ἐκείνων (cp. ApcEsdr 5:10 p. 30, 2 Tdf. ἐν τῇ κ.). ἐκ τῆς κ. ApcPt Rainer (cp. ἐκ τὴν κ. ApcSed 8:12a; εἰς τὴν κ. 12b and TestAbr B 11 p. 116, 10 [Stone p. 80]). ἀπέρχεσθαι εἰς κ. αἰώνιον go away into eternal punishment Mt 25:46 (οἱ τῆς κ. ἄξιοι ἀπελεύσονται εἰς αὐτήν Iren. 2, 33, 5 [Harv. I 380, 8]; κ. αἰώνιον as TestAbr A 11 p. 90, 7f [Stone p. 28]; TestReub 5:5; TestGad 7:5; Just., A I, 8, 4; D. 117, 3; Celsus 8, 48; pl. Theoph. Ant. 1, 14 [p. 90, 13]). ῥύεσθαι ἐκ τῆς αἰωνίου κ. rescue fr. eternal punishment 2 Cl 6:7. τὴν αἰώνιον κ. ἐξαγοράζεσθαι buy one’s freedom fr. eternal pun. MPol 2:3 v.l. κακαὶ κ. τοῦ διαβόλου IRo 5:3. κ. τινος punishment for someth. (Ezk 14:3, 7; 18:30; Philo, Fuga 65 ἁμαρτημάτων κ.) ἔχειν κόλασίν τινα τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ Hs 9, 18, 1. ἀναπαύστως ἕξουσιν τὴν κ. they will suffer unending punishment ApcPt Bodl. 9–12. ὁ φόβος κόλασιν ἔχει fear has to do with punishment 1J 4:18 (cp. Philo, In Flacc. 96 φόβος κολάσεως).—M-M. TW.
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 555). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.​

 

[Oldmantook]

Not in Matthew 25:46. The words eternal punishment come from the Greek words aiónios kolasis. From Strong's Concordance:

aiónios: agelong, eternal
Original Word: αἰώνιος, ία, ιον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: aiónios
Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-o'-nee-os)
Short Definition: eternal, unending
Definition: age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting.

kolasis: correction
Original Word: κόλασις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: kolasis
Phonetic Spelling: (kol'-as-is)
Short Definition: chastisement, punishment
Definition: chastisement, punishment, torment, perhaps with the idea of deprivation.

So we have eternal correction. Nothing in there about "ultimate, final". And again, the same Greek word is used for both mentions of the word eternal, so limiting the punishment to something less than eternal, also limits the life to something less than eternal.

Aionios and ainion are adjectival forms of the noun aion. Aion means "age" from which we get the English word eon. An adjective such as aionios cannot change the meaning of the noun which it modifies to a completely opposite meaning - from "age" to "eternal." Therefore, age-long is the appropriate meaning of aionios. Matt 25:46 refers to the sheep-goat judgment; not the great white throne judgment. Therefore the sheep go to age-long (1,000 years) life while the goats go to age-long (1,000 years) punishment during the Millennial reign of Christ.

 

[Der Alte]

Luke 16:24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
In this parable, the rich man would have been satisfied with just a drop of water. To cool his tongue.

Please provide scripture or other evidence which supports the following explanation of the story, not parable, of Lazarus and the rich man.

Rich man = Jewish religious leaders (and those today who promote/uphold religion, especially at the expense of sacrificial love)

Lazarus = People and seekers of God’s kingdom who had been shut out of covenant/fellowship with God.
Death = the ending of the season of the law and prophets.
Afterlife = the dramatic change resulting from the beginning of the new season of spiritual Kingdom-seekers.

All the native Greek speaking early church fathers who quoted or referred to the story of Lazarus and the rich man considered it to be factual.

• Irenaeus [A.D. 120-202.] Against Heresies Book II [pupil of Polycarp, who was a pupil of John the apostle]
http://ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-59.htm#P7262_1923873
In that narrative which is recorded respecting the rich man and that Lazarus who found repose in the bosom of Abraham. In this account He states that Dives knew Lazarus after death, and Abraham in like manner, and that each one of these persons continued in his own proper position, and that [Dives] requested Lazarus to be sent to relieve him — [Lazarus], on whom he did not [formerly] bestow even the crumbs [which fell] from his table. [He tells us] also of the answer given by Abraham, who was acquainted not only with what respected himself, but Dives also, and who enjoined those who did not wish to come into that place of torment to believe Moses and the prophets, and to receive the preaching of Him who was to rise again from the dead.
• Irenaeus Against Heresies. Book IV.
Chap II 3. ...And again, the Lord Himself exhibits Abraham as having said to the rich man, with reference to all those who were still alive: “If they do not obey Moses and the prophets, neither, if any one were to rise from the dead and go to them, will they believe him.” (Luk_16:31)
4. Now, He has not merely related to us a story respecting a poor man and a rich one; but He has taught us, in the first place, that no one should lead a luxurious life, nor, living in worldly pleasures and perpetual feastings, should be the slave of his lusts, and forget God. “For there was,” He says, “a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and delighted himself with splendid feasts.” (Luk_6:19) Of such persons, too, the Spirit has spoken by Esaias: “They drink wine with [the accompaniment of] harps, and tablets, and psalteries, and flutes; but they regard not the works of God, neither do they consider the work of His hands.” (Isa_5:12)
• Tertullian [A.D. 145-220.] Treatise on the Soul
http://ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-03/anf03-07.htm#P737_306909
In hell the soul of a certain man is in torment, punished in flames, suffering excruciating thirst, and imploring from the finger of a happier soul, for his tongue, the solace of a drop of water. Do you suppose that this end of the blessed poor man and the miserable rich man is only imaginary? Then why the name of Lazarus in this narrative, if the circumstance is not in (the category of) a real occurrence? But even if it is to be regarded as imaginary, it will still be a testimony to truth and reality. For unless the soul possessed corporeality, the image of a soul could not possibly contain a finger of a bodily substance; nor would the Scripture feign a statement about the limbs of a body, if these had no existence.
• Tertullian On Idolatry
http://ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-03/anf03-07.htm#P737_306909
Thus, too, Eleazar in Hades, (attaining refreshment in Abraham’s bosom) and the rich man, (on the other hand, set in the torment of fire) compensate, by an answerable retribution, their alternate vicissitudes of evil and good.
• Clement Of Alexandria [A.D. 153-193-217] The Instructor “
There was a certain man,” said the Lord, narrating, “very rich, who was clothed in purple and scarlet, enjoying himself splendidly every day.” This was the hay. “And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s gate, full of sores, desiring to be filled with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.” This is the grass. Well, the rich man was punished in Hades, being made partaker of the fire; while the other flourished again in the Father’s bosom.
• Cyprian (A.D. 200-258) Epistle 54 To Cornelius, Concerning Fortunatus And Felicissimus, Or Against The Heretics
Whence also that rich sinner who implores help from Lazarus, then laid in Abraham’s bosom, and established in a place of comfort, while he, writhing in torments, is consumed by the heats of burning flame, suffers most punishment of all parts of his body in his mouth and his tongue, because doubtless in his mouth and his tongue he had most sinned.
• Archelaus [A.D. 277.] The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes.
41. There was a certain rich man, (Luk_16:19, etc.) who lived after the manner of the Gentiles, and passed his time in great luxury every day; and there was also another man, a poor man, who was his neighbour, and who was unable to procure even his daily bread. It happened that both these men departed this life, that they both descended into the grave,333 and that the poor man was conveyed into the place of rest, and so forth, as is known to you. But, furthermore, that rich man had also five brothers, living as he too had lived, and disturbed by no doubt as to lessons which they had learned at home from such a master. The rich man then entreated that these should be instructed in the superior doctrine together and at once.334 But Abraham, knowing that they still stood in need of the paedagogue, said to him: “They have Moses and the prophets.” For if they received not these, so as to have their course directed by him, i.e., Moses, as by a paedagogue, they would not be capable of accepting the doctrine of the superior master.
• Methodius [A.D. 260-312.] From the Discourse on the Resurrection. Part III.
XIX. He says that Origen holds these opinions which he refutes. And there may be a doubt concerning Lazarus and the rich man. The simpler persons think that these things were spoken as though both were receiving their due for the things which they had done in life in their bodies; but the more accurate think that, since no one is left in life after the resurrection, these things do not happen at the resurrection. For the rich man says: “I have five brethren; . . . lest they also ome into this place of torment,” (Luk_16:28) send Lazarus, that he may tell them of those things hich are here. And, therefore, if we ask respecting the “tongue,” and the “finger,” and “Abraham’s bosom,” and the reclining there, it may perhaps be that the soul receives in the change a form similar in appearance to its gross and earthly body.
But the rich man in torment, and the poor man who was comforted in the bosom of Abraham, are said, the one to be punished in Hades, and the other to be comforted in Abraham’s bosom, before the appearing of the Saviour, and before the end of the world, and therefore before the resurrection; teaching that now already, at the change, the soul rises a body.
Whence, also, in Hades, as in the case of Lazarus and the rich man, they are spoken of as having a tongue, and a finger, and the other members; not as though they had with them another invisible body, but that the souls themselves, naturally, when entirely stripped of their covering, are such according to their essence.​

The above "explanation" of the story of Lazarus and the rich man has no basis in scripture or historically. It is a made up explanation made to fit someone''s assumptions/presuppositions.

 

[Der Alte]

Aionios and ainion are adjectival forms of the noun aion. Aion means "age" from which we get the English word eon. An adjective such as aionios cannot change the meaning of the noun which it modifies to a completely opposite meaning - from "age" to "eternal." Therefore, age-long is the appropriate meaning of aionios. Matt 25:46 refers to the sheep-goat judgment; not the great white throne judgment. Therefore the sheep go to age-long (1,000 years) life while the goats go to age-long (1,000 years) punishment during the Millennial reign of Christ.

This is oft repeated internet nonsense not supported by any accredited Greek lexicon. Here is the definition of aionios from BADG one of, if not, the most highly accredited lexicons in print.

αἰώνιος (ία ③ pert. to a period of unending duration, without end (Diod S 1, 1, 5; 5, 73, 1; 15, 66, 1 δόξα αἰ. everlasting fame; in Diod S 1, 93, 1 the Egyptian dead are said to have passed to their αἰ. οἴκησις; Arrian, Peripl. 1, 4 ἐς μνήμην αἰ.; Jos., Bell. 4, 461 αἰ. χάρις=a benefaction for all future time; OGI 383, 10 [I b.c.] εἰς χρόνον αἰ.; EOwen, οἶκος αἰ.: JTS 38, ’37, 248–50; EStommel, Domus Aeterna: RAC IV 109–28) of the next life σκηναὶ αἰ. Lk 16:9 (cp. En 39:5). οἰκία, contrasted w. the οἰκία ἐπίγειος, of the glorified body 2 Cor 5:1. διαθήκη (Gen 9:16; 17:7; Lev 24:8; 2 Km 23:5 al.; PsSol 10:4 al.) Hb 13:20. εὐαγγέλιον Rv 14:6; κράτος in a doxolog. formula (=εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας) 1 Ti 6:16. παράκλησις 2 Th 2:16. λύτρωσις Hb 9:12. κληρονομία (Esth 4:17m) vs. 15; AcPl Ha 8, 21. αἰ. ἀπέχειν τινά (opp. πρὸς ὥραν) keep someone forever Phlm 15 (cp. Job 40:28). Very often of God’s judgment (Diod S 4, 63, 4 διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐν ᾅδου διατελεῖν τιμωρίας αἰωνίου τυγχάνοντα; similarly 4, 69, 5; Jer 23:40; Da 12:2; Ps 76:6; 4 Macc 9:9; 13:15) κόλασις αἰ. (TestReub 5:5) Mt 25:46; 2 Cl 6:7; κρίμα αἰ. Hb 6:2 (cp. κρίσις αἰ. En 104:5). θάνατος B 20:1. ὄλεθρον (4 Macc 10:15) 2 Th 1:9. πῦρ (4 Macc 12:12; GrBar 4:16.—SibOr 8, 401 φῶς αἰ.) Mt 18:8; 25:41; Jd 7; Dg 10:7 (cp. 1QS 2:8). ἁμάρτημα Mk 3:29 (v.l. κρίσεως, κολάσεω, and ἁμαρτίας). On the other hand, of eternal life (Maximus Tyr. 6, 1d θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰ.; Diod S 8, 15, 3 life μετὰ τὸν θάνατον lasts εἰς ἅπαντα αἰῶνα; Da 12:2; 4 Macc 15:3;PsSol PsSol 3:12; OdeSol 11:16c; JosAs 8:11 cod. A [p. 50, 2 Bat.]; Philo, Fuga 78; Jos., Bell. 1, 650; SibOr 2, 336) in the Reign of God: ζωὴ αἰ. (Orig., C. Cels. 2, 77, 3) Mt 19:16, 29; 25:46; Mk 10:17, 30; Lk 10:25; 18:18, 30; J 3:15f, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2f; Ac 13:46, 48; Ro 2:7; 5:21; 6:22f; Gal 6:8; 1 Ti 1:16; 6:12; Tit 1:2; 3:7; 1J 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20; Jd 21; D 10:3; 2 Cl 5:5; 8:4, 6; IEph 18:1; Hv 2, 3, 2; 3, 8, 4 al. Also βασιλεία αἰ. 2 Pt 1:11 (ApcPt Rainer 9; cp. Da 4:3; 7:27; Philo, Somn. 2, 285; Mel., P. 68, 493; OGI 569, 24 ὑπὲρ τῆς αἰωνίου καὶ ἀφθάρτου βασιλείας ὑμῶν; Dssm. B 279f, BS 363). Of the glory in the next life δόξα αἰ. 2 Ti 2:10; 1 Pt 5:10 (cp. Wsd 10:14; Jos., Ant. 15, 376.—SibOr 8, 410 φῶς αἰῶνιον). αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης 2 Cor 4:17; σωτηρία αἰ. (Is 45:17; Ps.-Clem., Hom. 1, 19) Hb 5:9; short ending of Mk. Of unseen glory in contrast to the transitory world of the senses τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια 2 Cor 4:18.—χαρά IPhld ins; δοξάζεσθαι αἰωνίῳ ἔργῳ be glorified by an everlasting deed IPol 8:1. DHill, Gk. Words and Hebr. Mngs. ’67, 186–201; JvanderWatt, NovT 31, ’89, 217–28 (J).—DELG s.v. αἰών. M-M. TW. Sv.
[1] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., pp. 33–34). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.​