this we admitted, that Matthew expressed more than was included in the mode of expression used by Luke. 2d, We have explained the phrase "to be able to cast into Gehenna or hell" in Luke, and consequently the language in Matthew also, to refer to the temporal miseries coming on the Jewish nation. The evidence adduced, we leave our readers to judge of, and to consider, if a peculiar Hebrew idiom in the passage in debate, ought to invalidate it. But it is urged in the above objection," but in Matthew you suppose God is said to be able, not only to subject the persons to this destruction, and thus in the most distressing and awful manner destroy their natural lives, but to continue them in this state, so that they should not live again. Here is an additional idea conveyed by Matthew, not suggested by the phrase in Luke; that is, on the supposition that by soul natural life is meant." We surely never admitted this as our own sentiment, but introduced this for the purpose of showing, that even admitting it, and also interpreting the words kill and destroy in a strict literal sense, the passage did not teach the doctrine of endless misery. It is one thing to admit this as true, and another to admit it for the sake of showing, that being admitted, it does not prove what was intended by it. Those who interpret soul and body in Matthew to mean the mortal and immortal part of man, and also the terms kill and destroy, strictly, not only ought to believe, that those who perished in the siege of Jerusalem shall never live again, but are totally annihilated. But surely we never thought of such a view which would lead to such consequences. 3d, I may just add, that whatever difficulty there may be in explaining the peculiar phraseology of this passage, it is an allowed rule of interpretation, that an obscure passage ought to be explained by those which are plain, where the same or similar subject is treated of. We think it has been shown, from Matth. xxiii. 33. and other texts in which the punishment of hell or Gehenna is treated of, that a place of endless misery is not meant. Persons applying this rule here, can be at no loss, as to what is intended in this passage. But in whatever way the passage is interpreted, it is evident that Christ was addressing his disciples and though his power or ability is asserted to do what is said in the passage, yet neither here nor any where else is he ever said to do it. NOTE B, page 329. THE following is all that is to be found in the Targums, in the places to which Whitby and Parkhurst re fer us. "Ruth ii. 12. The Lord shall abundantly recompense thee in this age, for thy good work, and shall be thy complete reward to the age that shall come, from the presence of the Lord God of Israel; because thou hast come to join thyself to his people and worship, and find protection under the shadow of the majesty of his glory, and for this righteous conduct thou shalt be delivered from the punishment of Gehenna, that thy portion may be with Sarah and Ribhah, and Rachel and Lea." "Psalm cxl. 10, 11. Let coals of fire fall from heaven upon them; let him cast them into the fire of Gehenna; into miry pits; from which let them not rise to eternal life. Let the angel of death hunt the violent man, and cast him into Gehenna." "Isaiah xxvi. 15. Thou hast been revealed to us, O! Lord! as about to assemble the dispersed of thy people; it shall also come to pass that thou wilt collect them from their wanderings; that thou mightest appear in thy power, to cast all the wicked into Gehenna." "Isaiah xxvi. 19. And those who transgress thy word, thou wilt deliver into Gehenna." "Isaiah xxxiii. 14. Who among us shall dwell in Zion, where the splendor of his majesty is as consuming fire? Who among us shall dwell in Jerusalem, where the wicked are to be judged, and cast into Gehenna, into everlasting burnings?" Our readers have now before them, all that we can find in the Targums, and we leave them to decide, if such glosses on such texts, are a good foundation for the doctrine of eternal punishment in hell or Gehenna. |