Dante's depiction of Hell in his literary work, "The Divine Comedy," is not found in the Bible. While the Bible does contain descriptions of punishment for the wicked, such as the "lake of fire" in Revelation, Dante's portrayal of Hell includes many elements and levels that are not described in the Bible.
Dante's vision of Hell is based on his own personal beliefs and experiences, as well as the teachings of his time, which included both Christian and classical sources. His depiction of Hell is primarily a work of fiction, intended to convey moral and theological ideas through vivid imagery and allegory.
Therefore, the concepts and imagery of Dante's Hell are not explicitly found in the Bible, and his work should not be interpreted as a literal representation of the Bible's teachings on Hell.
The word
hades from the
Greek was used as a counterpart to the Hebrew word
sheol and is more accurately defined as a
state rather then a place.
We have adapted the meaning, which the Greeks have put upon this word, and we have been synonymous in our definition with
sheol, hades, gehenna,
katakaio, and
tartaros as that of eternal torment…..
Those are the words used that have been translated into our one English word hell; they are not the same.
Gravedom is a word coined by Bullinger…. and is a great word for
hell; it is the
state,
reign or
time period of being in the grave; I am
not talking about the grave itself which employs the Greek word (
qeber). I am speaking of the time when one takes his last breath, until the return of our savior Jesus Christ.
We must disregard the meaning that is placed on the word
hell today. The Bibles’ definition is…. “the state of being when one dies,” it’s a continuing state until the resurrection.” That’s it ….it is that simple, and that defined in the Bible.
Sheol {Hebrew} Old Testament and
Hades {Greek}New Teatament are basically the two words I am addressing, both meaning grave or gravedom.
Sheol is translated
grave 31 times,
hell 31 times, and
pit 3 times.
Hades is translated
hell 10, times and
grave 1 time.
Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible {1962 vol. 1 p788} states “
The English word
hell has taken on the mythological Greek meaning associated with the pagan god of the underworld where the dead continue to live on in torment….
The standard for truth in defining words has got to come from the Bible itself,
not from the meaning (s) attached to it, which is where the confusion comes in.
In Greek mythology
Hades was the god of the underworld and his name came to represent this fictitious place that we understand as Hell. The Septuagint was a second century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament, and in it the word
Hades was chosen as the counterpart to the Hebrew
Sheol.
As is done with
Sheol, many English versions of the Bible erroneously translate the Greek word
Hades as
hell rather than
grave.
The Old Testament is the fountain-head of the Hebrew language. It has no literature behind it. But the case is entirely different with the Greek language The Hebrew word Sheol is divine in its origin and usage. The Greek Hades is human in its nature and come down laden with centuries of development, in which it has acquired new senses, meaning and usages.
Nowhere in the Old Testament is the abode of the dead regarded as a place of punishment or torment. The concept of an infernal “hell” developed in Israel only during the Hellenistic period.
As with anything in the Bible context determines the usage …Determing the use of the words
sheol, hades, gehenna,
katakaio, and
tartaros and their meaning according to context will help to distinguish the truth….
There is not eternal torment for those who rejected God there is annihilation (in fire)… The only thing(s) that burn for some time is the devil and devil spirit… Rev_ 20:10 translates
aiōn “forever and ever” …It is for a period of time, but not eternity …possibly because it takes longer to utterly destroy spirit beings ….don’t know.
