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Josephus' Discourse to the Greeks Concerning Hades By: Flavius Josephus (38?-100?) |
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By Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston 1. Now as to Hades, wherein the souls of the of the good things they
see, and rejoice in the righteous and unrighteous are detained, it is
necessary to speak of it. Hades is a place in the world not regularly
finished; a subterraneous region, wherein the light of this world does
not shine; from which circumstance, that in this region the light does
not shine, it cannot be but there must be in it perpetual darkness. This
region is allotted as a place of custody for souls, ill which angels
are appointed as guardians to them, who distribute to them temporary
punishments, agreeable to every one's behavior and manners. 2. In this region there is a certain place set apart, as a lake of
unquenchable fire, whereinto we suppose no one hath hitherto been cast;
but it is prepared for a day afore determined by God, in which one
righteous sentence shall deservedly be passed upon all men; when the
unjust, and those that have been disobedient to God, and have given
honor to such idols as have been the vain operations of the hands of men
as to God himself, shall be adjudged to this everlasting punishment,
as having been the causes of defilement; while the just shall obtain an
incorruptible and never fading kingdom. These are now indeed confined in
Hades, but not in the same place wherein the unjust are confined. 3. For there is one descent into this region, at whose gate we believe
there stands an archangel with an host; which gate when those pass
through that are conducted down by the angels appointed over souls, they
do not go the same way; but the just are guided to the right hand, and
are led with hymns, sung by the angels appointed over that place, unto a
region of light, in which the just have dwelt from the beginning of the
world; not constrained by necessity, but ever enjoying the prospect of
the good things they see, and rejoice in the expectation of those new
enjoyments which will be peculiar to every one of them, and esteeming
those things beyond what we have here; with whom there is no place of
toil, no burning heat, no piercing cold, nor are any briers there; but
the countenance of the and of the just, which they see, always smiles
them, while they wait for that rest and eternal new life in heaven,
which is to succeed this region. This place we call The Bosom of
Abraham. 4. But as to the unjust, they are dragged by force to the left hand by
the angels allotted for punishment, no longer going with a good will,
but as prisoners driven by violence; to whom are sent the angels
appointed over them to reproach them and threaten them with their
terrible looks, and to thrust them still downwards. Now those angels
that are set over these souls drag them into the neighborhood of hell
itself; who, when they are hard by it, continually hear the noise of
it, and do not stand clear of the hot vapor itself; but when they have
a near view of this spectacle, as of a terrible and exceeding great
prospect of fire, they are struck with a fearful expectation of a future
judgment, and in effect punished thereby: and not only so, but where
they see the place [or choir] of the fathers and of the just, even
hereby are they punished; for a chaos deep and large is fixed between
them; insomuch that a just man that hath compassion upon them cannot be
admitted, nor can one that is unjust, if he were bold enough to attempt
it, pass over it. 5. This is the discourse concerning Hades, wherein the souls of all men
are confined until a proper season, which God hath determined, when
he will make a resurrection of all men from the dead, not procuring
a transmigration of souls from one body to another, but raising again
those very bodies, which you Greeks, seeing to be dissolved, do not
believe [their resurrection]. But learn not to disbelieve it; for while
you believe that the soul is created, and yet is made immortal by
God, according to the doctrine of Plato, and this in time, be not
incredulous; but believe that God is able, when he hath raised to life
that body which was made as a compound of the same elements, to make it
immortal; for it must never be said of God, that he is able to do some
things, and unable to do others... Continue reading book >>
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