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(Rev. 20: 11-15). The choice of the word "hurt" by the A.V. translators may have been
influenced by such passages as:
"Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt"
(Dan. 3: 25).
"So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him"
(Dan. 6: 23).
In contrast with the three who were not "hurt" in the furnace is the fate of the men
who stoked the fire (Dan. 3: 22) and in contrast with Daniel, is the fate of those who
accused him (Dan. 6: 24). The word translated "hurt" in Rev. 2: 11 is adikeo, which is
so rendered in eight other passages in the Apocalypse, and twice translated "unjust" in
Rev. 22: 11. The overcomer in Smyrna, being a believer, had no need to be told that he
would not be CAST INTO the lake of fire, but that he should not be HURT by it, a
different matter altogether. From what we have already seen, it will be recognized
that some wider survey of the references to "fire" and its implications is called for.
Matt. 5: 22 coming in the Sermon on the Mount, has reference to disciples and not to the
ungodly outside world. It is set in a form of progression, the penalty keeping pace with
the offence thus:
"Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of
THE JUDGMENT: and
Whosoever shall say to his brother Raca, shall be in danger of
THE COUNCIL: but
Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of
HELL FIRE."
The "Council" here is the Sanhedrin. Raca is a word like "empty-head", "Hell fire"
here is Gehenna.
"But what was there more grievous in the word `fool' than in the word `Raca'? Let
King Solomon be interpreter, who, everywhere, by a "fool" understands a wicked and
reprobate person; foolishness being opposed to spiritual wisdom. `Raca' denotes indeed,
`morosity' and lightness of manners and life; but `fool' judgeth bitterly of the spiritual
and eternal state" (Lightfoot).
While we can recognize a series of degrees in these actions, and that they are
accompanied by corresponding degrees of punishment, it still seems to be inexplicable
that for saying raca, a man was amenable to the Sanhedrin, but for saying fool, the
offender was in danger of hell fire. Put into modern terms, we could read:
The first offence would be liable to a fine imposed by a magistrate.
The second offence might lead to assizes, and a term of imprisonment.
The third offence to a punishment of inconceivable horror, far worse than that of being
beheaded or hanged.
If we turn to Matt. 25: we shall be met with a similar problem. There, at the Second
Coming of the Lord, the nations of the earth gather before Him and they are judged on
one issue only, namely, the way in which they have treated His "brethren".