West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-02-05
GEHENNA.
MATTHEW s.ao-R. V.

MATTHEW 5;2o-R. v.
'lf thy right eye offend, pluck il ont and
cast II from thee; for /, is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should per.
ish and not thy whole body 60 into hell. 4"
We are glad that our friend of GAINESVILLE
dares to 'ralk back" lie has given us but
, one scripture text in proof that at is ueht
to do evil that good may result" and in sup.
port of his proposition that God is the
author of all things good and bad, aud that
Satan is really an Angel of Light in the dis
guise Of an adversary.
We briefly present the text in its. eonnec-
tions and le, its due weight appear. /, is
from the lips of the true Angel Of Light
that shall yet "enlighten every man that
cometh into the world" lie stands the
chief reaper and Judge IN the harvest of the
Jewish age and is contrasting the operation
of Gods law. Under the New Covenant
with It's operation under the Old or Jewish
Covenant eye have heard that II hath been
said" etc. "But say unto you" that the
real import Of Gods law lies much deeper
and reaches farther than the outward letter.
The point lie was making was tha, IL they
found the surface significance of the law
so difficult in their fallen state, they must
now see the impossibiltiy Of their keeping
the finer meaning the law revealed in Him.
And furiher, His hearers nigh, draw the
lesson that the furiure lite is of inest.mable
value and that il would richly repay them
to deny themselves of things dear to them
as right hand, precious as an eye, and SER
vieeable as foot, rather than by grati6ca.
ton forfeit the life to come and be utterly
destroyed in Gehenna--ihe second death.
The Jews having no conception Of place
or torment and knowing the word "Gehen.
ma to refer 10. the valley, outside their city,
which was mot place Of torment nor a
place where.any living thing was cast, but
a place for the utter destruction Of the re.
fuse Of the city. and recognizing the Lords
expression regarding eyes and limbs TO be
hgufaiiye, knew that "Gehenna" was also
used in the same fguraiive sense to symtol.
i1e utter desirueiion-,he opposite Of life
at is better for thee to 60 into life maimed
than having two hands to 90 into Gehenna,"
the opposite Of life
Our text gives its evidence to our own
propositions. Our Lords teachings we're
an anima,ing force in society. His words
we're life. They acted powerfully on all
the existing ethical and intellectual schools.
Condensed and cutting, they could not he
passed over BY the learned Senate Of Jewish
Rabbis. The conflict mean, death to all
wherein they thought they had life or 10
the man who spake as man had never before
spoken viz.i Upon the broad principles Of
righteousness and truth whose effects reach
on into the eiernrties, not bounded by even
the highest present interests. The crisis Of
the world had come. Our Lord was pro.
claimed at his baptism, ''This Is My be
loved Son" Imbued with an energy that
was irresistible, yet symbolized by dove:
legions Of angels ready =, Ills call, ye, moth
ing Is found in Him that does not place the
responsibility for evil where Il belongs.
Satan was not created an adversary bat
superior, glorious and perfect being who
"kepi not his 6ru estate" and 10 him and
to the angels and man whom he seduced Is
ehafgeabie all Of the sin and iniquily Of the
earth Side by side with truth he has
placed lie and I'll who sccspt his lie are
accounted as bis children. bseouen Of lies,
and judged according to their wilfulncss in
maintaining !, against reasonable evidence
to The contrary. Our Lords testimony 70
the Jews Is conclusive. "Ye are Of your
father, the devil, and the lasts Of your