In this last article in the series, we will look at the Greek work “tartaroo” which is found but one time in the New Testament. The only writer to use this word was the apostle Peter and he did so in the following: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Pet. 2:4). It is to be understood at the beginning, this verse is one of debate, as to meaning and subject. It is clear that Peter is addressing the fact God punished the evil doers. This is not a subject of debate! It is as though Peter is saying, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment, he will not spare you either!” Therefore, the first point is fully understood!
Before looking at the Greek word and what it means, let us notice a few things in the text itself. Peter is writing about “the angels that sinned” and he says three things about them; first, they were cast down to “hell;” second, they were “delivered” into “chains of darkness;” and third, they were “to be reserved unto judgment.” There is nothing good about any of these three points! This leaves us with two major points of debate: 1) the word “angels” and 2) the word “hell.”
First, a study of the word “angels” will be of great help, not only here, but elsewhere as well. The Greek word translated “angels” is “aggelos” and means: “a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, and a messenger from God.” The translators have done us a disservice by translating this Greek word into our English word “angel.” They should have translated it into the English word, “messenger,” and allowed us the freedom to determine if it is a heavenly or earthly “messenger.” By translating the Greek nearly always into the word “angel,” they have, in some cases, misdirected us. Therefore, it is my conclusion, in the text under study that the Greek word “aggelos” should have been translated into the English word “messenger;” thus allowing us to determine, was Peter writing about heavenly “messengers that sinned,” or was he writing about earthly “messengers that sinned?” It is my humble opinion, after years of study that Peter is writing about earthly messengers who sinned!
Second, the Greek word “tartaroo,” and to what does it refer? It is a place the wicked dead go, thus, spirits of the dead go to suffer punishment, but not the final punishment! Now, take the time and think; asking yourself this question, “What does this remind me of, that has already been studied?” Does it not remind you of the rich man, who was in “hades” being in torments, as he suffered for his evil? Yes, it does! It is only natural to conclude, that “tartaroo” is the place in “Hades” which equals the word “torments.” Therefore, “tartaroo” is the place the “messengers” who sinned were case down to, and being “reserved unto judgment.” The whole text lines up with Hades, and the part described in the word “torments” and being reserved unto the final judgment.
At the resurrection, when Christ shall come, the bodies shall come forth out of the graves and the spirits shall come forth out of Hades, both the just and the unjust; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Remember what Jesus said: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left” (Matt. 25:31-33). The end result of this text reads: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. 25:46).
It needs to be understood, that at death, our spirit/soul does not go to heaven, if we are saved and neither does it go to “Gehenna,” if we are lost! No, all souls at death go to Hades, there to wait for the second coming of Christ, the final judgment, then, eternal heaven or hell. With this, it is hoped that you have a better understanding of “Hell.”
My friends, we are all determining our eternity as we live day by day; we cannot change the truth: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9). God’s grace is in obeying his dear Son. Forgiven waits on those who “obey him!” God’s grace is found in: believing the gospel, repenting of our sins, confessing Jesus is Lord, being baptized unto remission of our sins, and living faithfully unto death. You are not going to find God’s grace somewhere else!
— Frank R. Williams