Most of the teachings of Christians from the New Testament focused on proclaiming the kingdom of God, otherwise referred to as heaven. As described by Jesus Christ, heaven is a beautiful place full of treasures and everlasting life. There is no suffering in heaven. On the other hand, Jesus described Hell too, and many Christians have been asking the crucial question, “What did Jesus say about hell?”
Jesus said that Hell is a place full of suffering, eternal fire, and gnashing of teeth. This suggests that it is a place that no human should dream about going to. While describing heaven with the sweetest words possible, Jesus used harsh and scary words to describe Hell. He wanted his followers to understand that to avoid what he had described; they had to follow the word of God.
Several Christians only have a handful of ideas about Hell from the Bible. They have been asking many questions about Hell. What did Jesus say about Hell? How did he describe Hell? What can I do to avoid going to Hell? These and other questions have been discussed in this article. Read on to find out.
Where in the Bible does Jesus talk about Hell?
Mark 9:47-48 says, “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into Hell, where the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.” This was a sermon that Jesus gave to warn people of the severity of the status of Hell. A place with unquenchable fire and worms that eat people and do not die is terrifying for any human. It is, therefore, crucial that, as a Christian, you do away with anything that will distract you from entering heaven, even if it is valuable to them.
Matthew 8:12 says, “But the kingdom’s subjects will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In this verse, Jesus describes Hell as a place full of darkness with weeping and teeth gnashing. Christians associate darkness with most of the vices that God detests. Light is associated with the good deeds that God appreciates. A place full of darkness, weeping, and regrets is a tormenting that every Christian must fight to avoid.
Matthew 5:22 says, “But I tell you that anyone angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Hell.” In this verse, Jesus describes Hell as a place with fire. This suggests that the burning aspect at that place could mean that the people who go there will face the fire. Hell being a place of fire is also quoted in Matthew 24:41.
Jesus talks about Hell as a place full of suffering, torment, regrets, and scary creatures like worms that eat people. He was confirming to Christians that Hell is not a place we should crave to go to. We must strive to enter heaven, where there is promised joy and eternal life.
Did Jesus imply that Hell is a real place?
With his sermons, Jesus implied that Hell is a real place. The reward for a Christian doing good is going to heaven, where God and the angels dwell. When a Christian does evil, Hell is promised as the reward. Since Jesus mentioned Hell many times for insistence, biblical scholars have supported that it is a place that truly exists.
In John 14:16, Jesus describes himself as the way, the truth, and the life and that nobody goes to the father except through him. This suggests that every word that Jesus muttered from his mouth was the truth from God since he spoke about Hell and even described how the place looks like the Bible implies and the torment of Hell.
What did Jesus say Hell looks like?
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus describes Hell as a place of fire. From this, we can assume the place to be extremely hot and uncomfortable. It is also considered a place where people experience burns from the fire, which must be a painful experience no Christian should share.
In Mark 9:47-48, Jesus describes Hell as a place full of immortal worms that eat people and everlasting fire. This suggests that Hell is full of pain and torment, while the eternal fire that burns there indicates that the suffering will never stop.
In Matthew 8:12, Jesus describes Hell as a place full of darkness and gnashing of teeth. This suggests that the place is not lucrative and is full of regrets. This is a place that every Christian must avoid.
Why did Jesus descend to Hell first?
The idea of Jesus descending to Hell was noted in the Apostle’s Creed. Some biblical scholars have supported this and have explained why. According to scholars, between the death of Jesus and his resurrection, he visited Hell and had a mission there, as noted by Christian traditions.
The traditions note that Christ descended into Hell to declare victory over death and evil. Since he had been granted both the keys to heaven and Hell, Jesus visited Hell to proclaim that he had indeed triumphed over death and sin and that Satan no longer had the power of Hell.
Did Jesus say Hell is eternal?
In Mark 9:47-48, Jesus says that the fire that burnt in Hell is eternal. If the fire is burning eternally, then we can assume that Hell will also be there eternally. This means that those going to Hell will be subjected to eternal suffering.
What can Christians do about Jesus’ teachings about Hell?
Jesus’s teachings about Hell are significant to the life of a Christian since the teachings remind you that if you don’t fight to get to heaven, a gruesome place named Hell will be waiting for you. The teachings were given to remind Christians that we have a choice between heaven and Hell.
The teachings are meant to provoke a Christian to form a genuine friendship with Jesus Christ, who came to earth to die for our sins. He also announced that he had triumphed over sin and evil by going to Hell. This suggests that Christians who believe in him and follow his teachings will one day triumph over sin and death and experience everlasting life.
On the other hand, those who do not believe in him will not enjoy eternal life. Jesus says that he is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can go to the father except through him. This is a crucial message from Jesus that to make it to heaven; one must be born again, accept Jesus Christ in your life, and start doing his will.
Jesus left, having told the disciples that he would always be with them everywhere. This means that as a believer and true disciple of Jesus, he is always with you. Pray to him to lead you not into temptations so that you make it to heaven.
References
The Bible’s take on Hell being real and eternal
What a Christian can do to avoid going to Hell
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
