Purgatory? Part 1 of 2

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As a child I remember watching Greyfriar’s Bobby. It is a film based on the story of a Skye Terrier dog called Bobby in 19^th century Edinburgh who after his master died, stayed beside his master’s grave until his own death, reportedly some fourteen years later. In life and after death this dog was faithful to his master. When Jesus, the master, returns, every believer would like to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. But will every believer hear such words?

It is very difficult to find any early church father’s writing regarding a believer going straight to heaven when they die or that Christ emptied Hades when He rose from the dead. The ascension of believers was reserved until the second coming of Christ. It appears the Ecumenical Council of Florence 1438-1445 was the first codified writing of such an idea:

‘Also, the souls of those who have incurred no stain of sin whatsoever after baptism, as well as souls who after incurring the stain of sin have been cleansed whether in their bodies or outside their bodies, as was stated above, are straightaway received into heaven and clearly behold the triune God as he is, yet one person more perfectly than another according to the difference of their merits.’¹

I have previously argued that all souls, whether Christian or not go to Hades, the place of departed souls. But we must now ask the questions: What is Hades like, what happens there and is the idea of Purgatory biblical? The Roman Catholic Catechism states regarding Purgatory:

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.”²

In order to answer these questions I will look at the words of Jesus and the words of the New Testament writers in this blog and the next.

The rich man and Lazarus: Luke 16v19-31

Jesus tells a story to the Pharisees and compares a rich man, brilliantly clothed, who lived a luxurious lifestyle everyday whilst there was a beggar, named Lazarus, full of sores licked by dogs, who lay at the rich man’s gate hoping to receive a few crumbs from the rich man’s table. Both die. Lazarus is taken to Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was in torments in Hades. Hades is a real place, Lazarus is a real name and Abraham was a real man and therefore this is not a parable but a story with real names and places, whether an example story, reality prior to Jesus telling this or reality to come after. What can we learn about the afterlife from this story?

Although the body dies, a person’s soul continues. There is no such thing as soul sleep or annihilation after death;
After death a soul can communicate with another soul;
Although the body dies, a soul can still see, hear, speak, feel;
After death, there is a real place where a soul receives torment and a real place, Abraham’s bosom, where comfort is found;
From my previous blog, all souls whether Christian or not go to Hades and therefore Abraham’s bosom must be a distinct part in Hades with a gulf between it and the place of torment; It would be logical to deduce Abraham’s bosom is the place called Paradise which Jesus referred to while on the cross with the thief. Abraham’s bosom is not, as some suggest, heaven or the place which was emptied upon Jesus’ resurrection.

The emphasis of this story is the love of money and doing nothing to help others in need. The rich man did nothing to help Lazarus while they were both alive. We are not told if either man had faith. However, it would seem reasonable that Lazarus did, to be taken to Abraham’s bosom. Without faith it is impossible to please God, so how would Lazarus be carried to Abraham’s bosom without having faith? Abraham was the Father figure of Israel and is the New Testament writers’ example of faith and of works.

It is at this point the assumption is made that the rich man had no faith, evidenced by the fact he did nothing to help Lazarus while alive. However, we do not know if the rich man had faith or not. What if the rich man was like the person James describes in James 2v15-17 where you see a brother or sister naked and destitute of daily food (sounds like the rich man and Lazarus) but do nothing to help? There is faith, but it is by itself, and is therefore dead because there are no works. From this story we do not know if it is impossible for a person who has faith (leading to eternal life) but not works done in faith (leading to the kingdom, prize and reward) to be in the place of torment in Hades. We must continue to search the scriptures to find out.

The wicked servant: Mat 18v22-35

Jesus tells Peter a parable relating to the kingdom of heavens on the subject of forgiveness. A king/master wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One servant owed him ten thousand talents, a huge debt. He was unable to pay and the master ordered that he, his wife, children and all that he had be sold and that payment be made. When the servant begged for patience the master had compassion and forgave him his debt. The servant then went and found one of his fellow servants (by logic, also a servant to the master) who owed him a hundred denarii (small in comparison to his debt to the master) and demanded payment. However, when his fellow servant begged for patience, just as he had done to the master, he threw him into prison until he could pay. The fellow servants told the master what had happened. It is often the case that only others can see our wrong doing and we are blind to our own sinful, fleshly conduct. The master then called for the ‘wicked servant’ and because he had no compassion on his fellow servant delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due his master. Then these frightening words of warning from Jesus follow:

“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Matthew 18v35

Jesus’ warning is to His disciples/believers and the warning is about not forgiving ‘his brother’ which means you must be a brother to forgive your brother. The ‘wicked servant’ in the parable was a servant to his master, just like his fellow servants, and a forgiven one at that. Only believers are servants to Jesus, the king/master. The question therefore is where and when will the torturing take place for the wicked servant or unforgiving believer, until they have paid Jesus the king all that is due to Him? Did Jesus not pay for all of our sin on the cross? Yes, for the repentant and forgiving believer but an unforgiving believer, just like the wicked servant, will have to pay Jesus all he owes Him.

The unprofitable servant: Matthew 25v14-30

Jesus tells His disciples privately another parable relating to the kingdom of heavens, this time, on the subjects of investment and faithfulness. A man gave money to three of his servants, 5, 2 and 1 talent respectively according to their ability. When the lord of the servants returned the one with 5 had gained 5 more, the one with 2 had gained 2 more but the one with 1 buried it in the ground. The first two servants were commended, the lord saying, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ However, the third was not commended, the lord saying, “You wicked and lazy servant”. Jesus finishes the parable this time with these words:

And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25v30

Notice all three are servants. Upon the lord’s return, two were commended for their faithfulness with what they had been given whereas the third was cast into outer darkness. It is not difficult to see the lord as Jesus leaving after his 1^st coming and wanting to settle accounts upon His second coming. To be consistent all three servants are like believers. It is inconsistent to interpret this parable as two servants were believers and one was not. The difference between the servants was not whether they belonged to the lord or not, but their faithfulness to invest with what they had been entrusted with. The first two servants were good and faithful; the third was not. The question again arises where and when is an unprofitable servant cast into outer darkness?

The unfaithful steward: Luke 12v42-48

Jesus speaks a further parable to his disciples after instructing His disciples to be ready and watchful for His return in the preceding parable in Luke. He tells them of the faithful and wise steward who will be blessed to rule over his master’s household when he comes. However, Jesus continues to warn if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and then is unfaithful and unwise to the master’s other servants; he will ‘cut him in two (or severely scourge him) and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.’ Notice the phrase, ‘that servant’ which can only be a reference to the first servant. It is therefore possible that a faithful and wise servant can become a bad servant. ‘Unbelievers’ could mean those not regenerate or it could mean those regenerate but unfaithful. Either way, there is punishment for an unfaithful and unwise servant. The parable continues to instruct us that the severity of punishment will be based upon knowing the master’s will and acting accordingly.

If the presupposition is that all Christians go straight to heaven when they die then the interpretation of this parable becomes the bad servant was never regenerate, as how could a believer receive punishment when Christ returns, or they were once regenerate but have lost their eternal life. To be a servant of the Master one must be given the gift of eternal life and I have shown in the blog The Gospel Part 1, that those who have been given the gift of eternal life, can never lose such. This parable is not teaching the difference between those who have or do not have eternal life. It is about the stewardship of disciples.

As I have attempted to show in my previous blog on Heaven, Hell and Hades the Bible teaches that all souls go to Hades upon death and so is it possible for the master’s servants, who have the gift of eternal life, but are or become unfaithful, to receive purifying or punishment after death? The parables above would say a humbling ‘yes’. Why would there be a need though for purifying or punishment after death? I hope to answer these questions in my next blog.

TO BE CONTINUED

¹ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF FLORENCE (1438-1445) | EWTN Session 6—6 July 1439

²Catechism of the Catholic Church – IntraText (vatican.va) ref 1030

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