Appropriateness of Preaching Hell from the Pulpit
Preaching about hell has been a consistent, though sometimes debated, aspect of Christian proclamation throughout history. The concept of divine vengeance on the reprobate is often described in scripture through corporeal imagery such as darkness, wailing, gnashing of teeth, inextinguishable fire, and an "ever-gnawing worm" [10]. These descriptions are understood to be the Holy Spirit's way of impressing dread upon all senses [10].
The appropriateness of preaching on hell can be understood within broader discussions of Christian teaching. For instance, the apostle Peter's statement about Christ preaching "to the spirits that were in prison" (1 Pet. 3:19) has been a subject of significant theological inquiry, with figures like Augustine and Calvin grappling with its meaning [4, 5, 6]. Augustine, for example, found the question of how to interpret this passage, particularly concerning hell, to be perplexing [6]. Calvin suggested that Christ "illumined" those who had died before his time, enabling them to perceive the grace that was then manifested [5]. Other interpretations suggest that Christ, through Noah, exhorted people to repentance, threatening punishment, or that he announced redemption to souls in Hades [1]. Clement of Alexandria believed that the Gospel was preached to both Jews and Gentiles in Hades, allowing those who lived righteously but imperfectly to repent [8].
The manner of preaching is also a significant consideration. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Ephesians, emphasizes that the "whole system of Gospel doctrine" should be taught and preached "in love" [2]. one tradition argues that "scolding and abuse from the pulpit or press, in matters of religion, are truly monstrous," and that truth should be propagated only through means that love to God and humanity provides [2].
While the doctrine of hell is a serious one, some traditions have noted that the preaching of the Gospel, including its warnings, can sometimes be met with resistance. Calvin observed that some critics argue that preaching the Gospel makes the world worse, leading to obstinacy and destruction [7]. However, he maintained that such ministrations are acceptable to God regardless of the outcome [7]. Thomas Aquinas considered whether it is lawful for religious persons to teach and preach, concluding that it is unlawful if there is something in the person contrary to the act, such as sin [3].
The concept of hell and divine judgment is a foundational element in Christian theology, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's grace [9]. The severity of divine vengeance is a theme that has been consistently addressed in Christian teaching [10].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 130: p. 570. The majority of modern interpreters adopt the old interpretation. Bretschneider 469 469 Bretschneider, Dogmatik, 3d edit., Leipzig, 1828, vol. ii. p. 219. expresses the sense of the passage thus: “As God once through Noah exhorted men to repentance, and threatened to bring upon them the flood, as a punishment, so Jesus preached redemption, or announced the completion of the work of atonement, to the souls of men in Hades.” According to others the souls to whom Christ preached were those who in the days of Noah had rejected the of”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 4:15: But, speaking the truth in love - The truth recommended by the apostle is the whole system of Gospel doctrine; this they are to teach and preach, and this is opposed to the deceit mentioned above. This truth, as it is the doctrine of God's eternal love to mankind, must be preached in love. Scolding and abuse from the pulpit or press, in matters of religion, are truly monstrous. He who has the truth of God has no need of any means to defend or propagate it, but those which love to God and man provides. Grow up into him - This is a continuance of the metaphor taken”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Those Things That Are Competent to Religious, Art. 1: Article: Whether it is lawful for religious to teach, preach, and the like? I answer that, A thing is declared to be unlawful to a person in two ways. First, because there is something in him contrary to that which is declared unlawful to him: thus to no man is it lawful to sin, because each man has in himself reason and an obligation to God's law, to which things sin is contrary. And in this way it is said to be unlawful for a person to preach, teach, or do li”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. IV. -- 10. You perceive, therefore, how intricate is the question why Peter chose to mention, as persons to whom, when shut up in prison, the gospel was preached, those only who were unbelieving (part 3): name that is above every name, for this end, I that in His name every knee should bow, not only of things in heaven and on earth, but also of things under the earth.1 But if we accept this opinion, according to which we are warranted in supposing that men who did not believe while they were in life can in hell believe in Christ, who can be”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 52: there that the soul of Christ should go down thither to set them at liberty? I readily admit that Christ illumined them by the power of his Spirit, enabling them to perceive that the grace of which they had only had a foretaste was then manifested to the world. And to this not improbably the passage of Peter may be applied, wherein he says, that Christ “went and preached to the spirits that were in prison,” (or rather “a watch-tower”) ( I Pet. 3:19 ). The purport of the context is, that believers who had died before that time were ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — LETTER CLXIV. (A.D. 414.) (part 1): TO MY LORD EVODIUS MOST BLESSED, MY BROTHER AND PARTNER IN THE EPISCOPAL OFFICE, AUGUSTIN SENDS GREETING IN THE LORD. I. The question which you have proposed to me from the epistle of the Apostle Peter is one which, as I think you are aware, is wont to perplex me most seriously, namely, how the words which you have quoted are to be understood on the supposition that they were spoken concerning hell ? I therefore refer this question back to yourself, that if either you yourself be able, or can find any other per”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 12.20: does it give great offense, but Satan powerfully excites his followers to raise a dislike of instruction on the pretense of its being not merely useless, but even injurious; that it renders men more obstinate, and leads to their destruction. At the present day, those who have no other reproach to bring against the doctrine of the gospel maintain that the only effect produced by the preaching of it has been, that the world has become worse. But whatever may be the result, still God assures us that our ministrations are acceptable to him, beca”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. VI.--THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED TO JEWS AND GENTILES IN HADES.[2] (part 2): my opinion, that as here, so also there, the best of the disciples should be imitators of the Master; so that He should bring to repentance those belonging to the Hebrews, and they the Gentiles; that is, those who had lived in righteousness according to the Law and Philosophy, who had ended life not perfectly, but sinfully. For it was suitable to the divine administration, that those possessed of greater worth in righteousness, and whose lif”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 95: ever before. The temple at Jerusalem is to be rebuilt; the sacrifices restored; and all the details of the Mosaic ritual, as described in Ezekiel, again introduced. ( d .) The Bible teaches that after the end of the world, as described in 2 Peter iii. 10 and in the Apocalypse, there are to be a new heavens and a new earth. This theory teaches the “earth’s eternal perpetuity.” 879 879 The Last Times and the Great Consummation. By Joseph A. Seiss, D. D. Philadelphia and London, 1866. p. 73. On p. 75, the author says, “The earth shall not pa”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 80: the contest, are already depicting to themselves imaginary triumphs. 12. Moreover, as language cannot describe the severity of the divine vengeance on the reprobate, their pains and torments are figured to us by corporeal things, such as darkness, wailing and gnashing of teeth, inextinguishable fire, the ever-gnawing worm ( Mt. 8:12 ; 22:13; Mark 9:43 ; Isa. 66:24 ). It is certain that by such modes of expression the Holy Spirit designed to impress all our senses with dread, as when it is said, “Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for ”