links mentioned in this episode:<\/h2>\n\n- Biblical Studies Academy<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Gospel of Peter<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
episode description<\/h2>\n
Disclaimer: We use an AI generation tool for episode summaries.<\/p>\n
Episode 184 explores a central but often misunderstood Christian idea: hell as eternal fiery torment. Bart Ehrman argues that this widely held belief is not actually found in the Bible as traditionally assumed. Instead, he explains that both the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus lack any concept of eternal conscious torment after death<\/strong>.<\/p>\nIn the Hebrew Bible, humans are not seen as having immortal souls that survive death; rather, a person is a unified body animated by breath. When that breath ceases, the person no longer exists. Concepts like Sheol refer simply to the grave, not a place of punishment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/MJ.png\" "\\"MJ\\"")
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Get key insights, episode summaries, and exclusive content you won’t hear on the podcast.<\/p>\n
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Turning to the New Testament, Ehrman emphasizes that even passages often cited\u2014such as the \u201clake of fire\u201d in Revelation or Jesus\u2019 warnings about fire\u2014do not describe eternal torment<\/strong>. Instead, they reflect a belief in annihilation: the wicked are ultimately destroyed, not endlessly tortured. This aligns with Jewish apocalyptic thought, where a future resurrection leads either to eternal life or permanent destruction.<\/p>\nThe idea of hell as eternal suffering, Ehrman argues, emerges later as Christianity spreads into the Greek world. Influenced by Greek philosophy\u2014especially the notion of an immortal soul\u2014Christians began to reinterpret punishment as everlasting torment.<\/p>\n
The episode concludes that the modern doctrine of hell is a theological development, not a teaching rooted in Jesus<\/strong> or the earliest biblical traditions.<\/p>\nready to dive deeper?<\/h2>\n
Related Courses offered by Bart Ehrman and\/or Paths in Biblical Studies:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- The Parables of Jesus: Jewish Insights into Gospel Ethics, Humor, and Provocation<\/a><\/li>\n
- Jesus and the Old Testament<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Related Articles (Free Resources): <\/strong><\/p>\n\n- The Parable of the Good Samaritan<\/a><\/li>\n
- Jesus and the Old Testament<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
ways to watch or listen to the misquoting jesus podcast:<\/h2>\n\n- Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/li>\n
- Spotify<\/a> (audio only)<\/li>\n
- Apple Podcasts<\/a> (audio only)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
And many more! \u00a0Just search for the show title in your favorite podcast app!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Did Jesus Invent Charity? (vIDEO) Welcome to the home of Episode 177 of the Misquoting Jesus Podcast with Bart Ehrman. \u00a0Below, you can watch the entire episode, read its description, and see links to related resources. links mentioned in this episode: Biblical Studies Academy The Gospel of Peter episode description Disclaimer: We use an AI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":25478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"
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episode description<\/h2>\n
Disclaimer: We use an AI generation tool for episode summaries.<\/p>\n
Episode 184 explores a central but often misunderstood Christian idea: hell as eternal fiery torment. Bart Ehrman argues that this widely held belief is not actually found in the Bible as traditionally assumed. Instead, he explains that both the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus lack any concept of eternal conscious torment after death<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the Hebrew Bible, humans are not seen as having immortal souls that survive death; rather, a person is a unified body animated by breath. When that breath ceases, the person no longer exists. Concepts like Sheol refer simply to the grave, not a place of punishment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Misquoting Jesus<\/p>\n Never Miss an Episode of Misquoting Jesus<\/p>\n Get key insights, episode summaries, and exclusive content you won’t hear on the podcast.<\/p>\n __CONFIG_colors_palette__{“active_palette”:0,”config”:{“colors”:{“68c4b”:{“name”:”Main accent”,”parent”:-1},”847d2″:{“name”:”Accent Light”,”parent”:”68c4b”,”lock”:{“lightness”:1,”saturation”:1}}},”gradients”:[]},”palettes”:[{“name”:”Default”,”value”:{“colors”:{“68c4b”:{“val”:”var(–tcb-skin-color-0)”},”847d2″:{“val”:”rgb(248, 245, 241)”,”hsl_parent_dependency”:{“h”:34,”l”:0.96,”s”:0.33}}},”gradients”:[]},”original”:{“colors”:{“68c4b”:{“val”:”rgb(47, 138, 229)”,”hsl”:{“h”:210,”s”:0.77,”l”:0.54,”a”:1}},”847d2″:{“val”:”rgb(243, 246, 249)”,”hsl_parent_dependency”:{“h”:209,”s”:0.33,”l”:0.96,”a”:1}}},”gradients”:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__ __CONFIG_colors_palette__{“active_palette”:0,”config”:{“colors”:{“3e1f8”:{“name”:”Main Accent”,”parent”:-1}},”gradients”:[]},”palettes”:[{“name”:”Default Palette”,”value”:{“colors”:{“3e1f8”:{“val”:”rgb(199, 149, 47)”,”hsl”:{“h”:40,”s”:0.6179,”l”:0.4824,”a”:1}}},”gradients”:[]},”original”:{“colors”:{“3e1f8”:{“val”:”rgb(19, 114, 211)”,”hsl”:{“h”:210,”s”:0.83,”l”:0.45}}},”gradients”:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__ Join 50,000+ listeners <\/a><\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to receive marketing emails. Unsubscribe anytime.<\/em><\/p>\n PLUS: Get our free course:<\/p>\n Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Actually Write the Gospels?<\/p>\n PLUS: Get our free course:<\/p>\n Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Actually Write the Gospels?<\/p>\n Turning to the New Testament, Ehrman emphasizes that even passages often cited\u2014such as the \u201clake of fire\u201d in Revelation or Jesus\u2019 warnings about fire\u2014do not describe eternal torment<\/strong>. Instead, they reflect a belief in annihilation: the wicked are ultimately destroyed, not endlessly tortured. This aligns with Jewish apocalyptic thought, where a future resurrection leads either to eternal life or permanent destruction.<\/p>\n The idea of hell as eternal suffering, Ehrman argues, emerges later as Christianity spreads into the Greek world. Influenced by Greek philosophy\u2014especially the notion of an immortal soul\u2014Christians began to reinterpret punishment as everlasting torment.<\/p>\n The episode concludes that the modern doctrine of hell is a theological development, not a teaching rooted in Jesus<\/strong> or the earliest biblical traditions.<\/p>\n Related Courses offered by Bart Ehrman and\/or Paths in Biblical Studies:<\/strong><\/p>\n Related Articles (Free Resources): <\/strong><\/p>\n And many more! \u00a0Just search for the show title in your favorite podcast app!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Did Jesus Invent Charity? (vIDEO) Welcome to the home of Episode 177 of the Misquoting Jesus Podcast with Bart Ehrman. \u00a0Below, you can watch the entire episode, read its description, and see links to related resources. links mentioned in this episode: Biblical Studies Academy The Gospel of Peter episode description Disclaimer: We use an AI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":25478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nready to dive deeper?<\/h2>\n
\n
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ways to watch or listen to the misquoting jesus podcast:<\/h2>\n
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