I’m sure you are sorely mistaken my friend. If Jesus spoke about Gehenna and he commanded them to teach all he taught, then they failed! Period. Only James mentioned Gehenna. Once. Figuratively concerning the destructive force of the tongue. “Judgement to come“ does not equate to teaching about hell.
Are you saying that, because they didn't write about it, it didn't happen?
My reply: Hmmmmmmm, let me think about this for a moment? YES! Pretty darn important topic to leave out of the revealed, written Word of God. No?
I don’t think the disciples were epic failures either!
Neither do I.
I believe they did what Jesus commanded ...
As do I.
... but they obviously didn’t preach hell because it is not found in the Scriptures!
From AI Overview:
There is no specific record of an apostle martyred exclusively for preaching about hell. However, early church traditions and historical accounts indicate that the apostles—most notably Peter, Paul, Jude, and Bartholomew—were martyred for their fearless preaching of the entire Gospel, which included warnings of eternal judgment and damnation.
The primary biblical and historical sources detailing the apostles' ministries and fates provide further context:
- The Apostle Peter: Peter was executed (crucified upside down) in Rome around AD 64 during Emperor Nero's persecution. In his writings, he frequently warned against false teachers and the certainty of divine judgment, referencing the fall of angels and the coming destruction (2 Peter 2).
- My reply: Yep! All the above but strangely missing in his letters AND preaching is the doctrine of hell. Weird!
- The Apostle Jude (Thaddeus): Often cited for his emphasis on the final judgment of the ungodly, Jude's New Testament letter fiercely warns against apostasy and the eternal consequences of sin. Historical tradition dictates that he was martyred in either Armenia or Persia, frequently tied to being executed with arrows or an axe for his unyielding teachings.
- My reply: Ok. And? Still nothing about hell.
- The Apostle Paul: While Paul focused predominantly on God's grace, he did not shy away from preaching about the "judgment of God" and "everlasting destruction" for those who rejected the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1). He was beheaded in Rome.
My Reply: You have 13 epistles from Paul and not a single mention of hell? Paul made a bold stand against the philosophers at Mars Hill and he failed to tell them of hell? Nothing from Peter? Nothing from Stephen? And your retort is to go to AI to get some sort of affirmation to bolster your belief system because the Scriptures don’t support your view? I thought all Scripture was given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine …? You fight tooth and nail against science to defend the Scripture as your only source of truth. Yet, you hold to a doctrine that the Apostles never spoke or wrote about. And your reply is “I’m sure Paul spoke about hell.” Yea. Sure. Ok.
Again! Not one mention of hell in their preaching!
You were there?
My reply: Well, no you got me there brother. But I’m thinking if they were being lead by the HolySpirit to both write of the things God wants us to know AND to be bold in their preaching concerning those things God wants us to know, just maybe they might have spoken about this horrific place which awaits those who reject Jesus! No? Let me remind you of what Paul so boldly proclaimed:
”But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.“
Acts 20:24-27 ASV
Would you consider your doctrine of hell considered to be, I don’t know, a part of the whole counsel of God? Kinda an important topic to cover. Yes? Apparently Paul didn’t think so … nor Peter or any other Apostle for that matter.
If Jesus taught about Gehenna then why didn’t the disciples?
Again ... how do you know they didn't?
Ac 20:7 ¶ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
That was a long time preaching.
A long time.
Are you going to tell me Paul didn't say one word about Hell in that hours and hours long sermon?
My reply: Well my brother you are correct. That IS a long time to share the Scriptures. I wonder why God didn’t think it was important to let people know where they were headed for their unbelief. Kind of a sick joke or prank to pull on mankind. No?
You know the Christian saying, “practice what you preach?”
Yup.
Well, they did … They didn’t preach about hell.
Either that, or they did.
My reply: Not according to the revealed written Word of God they didn‘t! You know, the Word of God you trust and defend so ardently?
They didn’t write about hell.
How do you know?
Do you have everything they wrote about?
My reply: Yep, that is I have everything God intended for me to have of their writings contained in his preserved written, authoritative Word.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say you don't have one tenth of the letters you have received in your lifetime.
My reply: silly thought my brother.
I could be wrong, but hopefully you get the point I'm making.
My reply: The point you are making is meaningless. God doesn’t need you to defend what you think “could have been written about or spoken about!” Why don’t you stick to what he has revealed and let go of what is not revealed?
They didn’t believe in hell.
Did they tell you that?
My reply: Yep. They never mentioned it. Something of this magnitude I am pretty sure, if they believed it, and were obedient to the command of Christ Jesus, they would have said so. No?
It’s just a pagan, demonic doctrine, promoted by the church, which cast shame on the Gospel and slanders the character of God.
Are you accusing Jesus of promoting pagan doctrine?
My reply: Nope. I’m saying Gehenna is not hell. It pertains to the Jews only. THAT is why I believe the Apostles never preached or warned of this Gehenna. Now please note the following. John writes this in The Revelation of Jesus Christ:
”And death and
Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire.“
Revelation 20:14 ASV
Jesus reveals to John that death and
Hades (not Gehenna) were cast into the lake of fire. By the way, the Lake of Fire, is also not hell since Jesus just tossed hell (Hades) into it.
