Hades/Sheol

[holdencaulfield]

We should talk about this. What are your thoughts?

 

[Pax]

I assume that you are asking if there is a difference between the two terms. Hades is the Greek word for the abode of the dead. Sheol is the Hebrew term for the abode of the dead. The terms are interchangeable as long as we use them both in the Jewish sense as opposed to the meaning that emerges from Greek mythology.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Since the terms “hell” and “hades” have beocome confused in popular speech, not to say even trivialized, I prefer to use the terms “sheol” and “gehenna” (as appropriate) in my liturgical translations.

 

[yeshua]

Bear in mind as well that in the Syriac tradition Sheol is also a term used to refer to the afterlife where souls wait for Christ’s judgment, “God’s waiting room” in more colloquial terms (I apologize if that sounded insensitive).

Arguments for whether this is an equivalent to purgatory are still very contested.

Peace and God Bless!

 

[holdencaulfield]

Well I have thought of it like this. Hades/Sheol is where everyone goes to after death. They are then judged and based on how they did in life they suffer in Hades/Sheol (Hell), they suffer but await purification (Purgatory) or they are rewarded (Heaven). However these are all merely states of being in one place Hades/Sheol. Then is the Final Judgment and then the good go to Heaven (New Earth) and the evil go to Hell.