Being new to this whole debate, I came across this text in Matthew and found that UR might find some support in it, especially at verse 26. Within the immediate context Jesus speaks of "judgment" and the "fire of Gehenna". Yea or nay?
Mt 5:21 ¶ "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26 "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
If hell is seen as "being thrown into prison" it seems that a way of escape is possible when "you have paid the last penny."
Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
-
look2jesus
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:18 pm
- Location: Mesa, Arizona
Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowlege and discernment...Philippians 1:9 ESV
-
Candlepower
- Posts: 239
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:26 pm
- Location: Missouri
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
Question: Do verses 25 and 26 deal with a different subject from the previous verses? In other words, is there actually a relationship between 25/26 and the preceding verses that requires us to connect "prison" with "hell?"
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
25 "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26 "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
As Candlepower said the context of this is about earthly matters so we would have to read into this what Jesus could have been alluding to. So this would be on the list of possible support but just about at the bottom of the list, but it's a good observation.
26 "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
As Candlepower said the context of this is about earthly matters so we would have to read into this what Jesus could have been alluding to. So this would be on the list of possible support but just about at the bottom of the list, but it's a good observation.
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
Many commentators, for reasons not entirely clear, do apply these verses to the afterlife—either to hell or to purgatory. I have never seen any reason for doing any such thing. Jesus is clearly talking about doing right by your neighbor. Here He seems to be saying, if you have wronged your neighbor in the past, go and make it right with him. After all, a magistrate may settle it in his favor if you neglect to settle out of court. That is what the words actually say.
I think it is a traditional mindset that many of us bring to the New Testament, assuming that Jesus is going to tell us a lot about the afterlife (isn't that what people look to "religion" for?). So we take His references to the kingdom" as if He means "heaven." We assume the "wrath to come" and "gehenna" must be about the afterlife also. It is a real transformation in our thinking when we let Jesus talk about this present life. Religious people seldom think about how "religion" is supposed to affect life in this present time, and are always looking for tickets out of hell. Jesus wasn't religious. He was about the Kingdom of God (which came when He did), about loving God and man, and about doing the right thing. I find relatively little in His teaching that shed any light on what happens in the next life.
I think it is a traditional mindset that many of us bring to the New Testament, assuming that Jesus is going to tell us a lot about the afterlife (isn't that what people look to "religion" for?). So we take His references to the kingdom" as if He means "heaven." We assume the "wrath to come" and "gehenna" must be about the afterlife also. It is a real transformation in our thinking when we let Jesus talk about this present life. Religious people seldom think about how "religion" is supposed to affect life in this present time, and are always looking for tickets out of hell. Jesus wasn't religious. He was about the Kingdom of God (which came when He did), about loving God and man, and about doing the right thing. I find relatively little in His teaching that shed any light on what happens in the next life.
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
Hi Steve,
You wrote:
I am curious why you emphasize the negative "ticket out of hell" instead of the positive, seeking after that great reward, heaven?
Hebrews 11:6 (New King James Version)
6. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Here we find we must believe that we will be rewarded for our faith(fulness). And that reward necessarily involves the avoidance of hell. As we read through the list of heroes in Hebrews 11 we find that Abraham was promised a blessing, an inheritance, was looking for a city (heaven), they were looking for a "better resurrection", Moses was looking for "a reward". Paul indicated he was running the race for an imperishable prize.
So would you regard "seeking a ticket to heaven" as a bad thing?
Blessings, Homer
You wrote:
What is meant by "religious people"? Christians? And upon what do you base your conclusion regarding what these people think? How do we judge the heart? I know many Christians who obviously live very different lives than unbelievers, but my experience is naturally limited. Is your conclusion based on your experience among fellow charismatics? My insurance agent was a member for some time of the largest "pentecostal" church in the area. The last time I saw him I asked if he was still attending that church and he said he left it because all they were interested in was something spectacular while they lived no differently than unbelievers. But that is just one church. He is in another church now.Religious people seldom think about how "religion" is supposed to affect life in this present time, and are always looking for tickets out of hell. Jesus wasn't religious.
I am curious why you emphasize the negative "ticket out of hell" instead of the positive, seeking after that great reward, heaven?
Hebrews 11:6 (New King James Version)
6. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Here we find we must believe that we will be rewarded for our faith(fulness). And that reward necessarily involves the avoidance of hell. As we read through the list of heroes in Hebrews 11 we find that Abraham was promised a blessing, an inheritance, was looking for a city (heaven), they were looking for a "better resurrection", Moses was looking for "a reward". Paul indicated he was running the race for an imperishable prize.
So would you regard "seeking a ticket to heaven" as a bad thing?
Blessings, Homer
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
Homer,
My reference to "religious people" was not particularly one about Christian people. I am thinking less provincially and more globally. I meant that the religious impulse found in all people, as human beings, of every culture, motivates them to find some security beyond this life. I consider "religion" primarily to consist of rituals of some description. This is true of virtually all religions. If one wishes to think, instead, of practices like charity, prayer, humility, submission to the divine, etc., I am more inclined to speak of this as "spirituality" than "religion"—regardless what the tradition. Of the adherents of all religious systems the world over, true Christians are the least susceptible to being categorized as "religious people" as I am using the word—but we too have our religious impulses.
As far as the question whether more people are seeking a ticket "out of hell" or a ticket "into heaven," there may be only a hair's-breadth of difference (if any at all) in the minds of the average religious person. I don't know anyone's heart, unless they express it to me. However, over the years, I have had hundreds of people express their religious sentiments to me, and my impression is that those who are in it for the afterlife are more eager to avoid what they perceive hell to be than they are enamored with their vision of heaven. In fact, very many people in our own churches are quite afraid that they will find heaven boring.
My reference to "religious people" was not particularly one about Christian people. I am thinking less provincially and more globally. I meant that the religious impulse found in all people, as human beings, of every culture, motivates them to find some security beyond this life. I consider "religion" primarily to consist of rituals of some description. This is true of virtually all religions. If one wishes to think, instead, of practices like charity, prayer, humility, submission to the divine, etc., I am more inclined to speak of this as "spirituality" than "religion"—regardless what the tradition. Of the adherents of all religious systems the world over, true Christians are the least susceptible to being categorized as "religious people" as I am using the word—but we too have our religious impulses.
As far as the question whether more people are seeking a ticket "out of hell" or a ticket "into heaven," there may be only a hair's-breadth of difference (if any at all) in the minds of the average religious person. I don't know anyone's heart, unless they express it to me. However, over the years, I have had hundreds of people express their religious sentiments to me, and my impression is that those who are in it for the afterlife are more eager to avoid what they perceive hell to be than they are enamored with their vision of heaven. In fact, very many people in our own churches are quite afraid that they will find heaven boring.
Re: Does Matthew 5:21-26 support Universal Reconciliation?
Hi Steve,
I see what you mean. There is an Alison Krauss song from a few years ago titled "Everyone Wants To Go To Heaven But Nobody Wants To Die". And there is some truth in that. The problem for most of us in the West is that we have a pretty comfortable life, and this is a spiritual handicap. It is easy to be satisfied here. Most people throughout history have lived a miserable life, and many still do.
A dear Christian niece who loved the Lord but suffered greatly in this life died a couple years ago at 51 and her sister told me she died in peace and joy.
Homer
I see what you mean. There is an Alison Krauss song from a few years ago titled "Everyone Wants To Go To Heaven But Nobody Wants To Die". And there is some truth in that. The problem for most of us in the West is that we have a pretty comfortable life, and this is a spiritual handicap. It is easy to be satisfied here. Most people throughout history have lived a miserable life, and many still do.
A dear Christian niece who loved the Lord but suffered greatly in this life died a couple years ago at 51 and her sister told me she died in peace and joy.
Homer