mortal adj. 1 that must eventually die 2 of man as a being who must eventually die 3 of death
immortal adj. 1 not mortal; living forever 2 enduring
corrupt adj. 1 evil; depraved –vi. to make or become corrupt –corruptible adj.
destroy vt. 1 to tear down; demolish 2 to wreck; ruin 3 to do away with 4 to kill
(Webster’s New World Dictionary, pp. 384, 294, 137, 164)
The Watchtower cult has taught Jehovah’s Witnesses that the wicked will be destroyed into nonexistence by hellfire. The basis for their reasoning lies in their misunderstanding of the application of the Greek words for ‘destruction’ in the Scriptures. Pages 6-7 of their April 15, 1993 issue of The Watchtower explains:
In Britain, one [Bible scholar], John R. W. Stott…explains that when the Bible refers to the final state of damnation (“Gehenna”; see box, page 8), it often uses the vocabulary of “destruction”, the Greek “verb apollumi (to destroy) and the noun apoleia (destruction).” Do these words refer to torment? Stott points out that when the verb is active and transitive, “apollumi” means “kill.” (Matthew 2:13; 12:14; 21:41) Thus, at Matthew 10:28, where the King James Version mentions God’s destroying “both soul and body in hell,” the inherent idea is destroying in death, not in eternal suffering. At Matthew 7:13,14, Jesus contrasts the “narrow…road leading off into life” with the “broad…road leading off into destruction.” Comments Stott: “It would seem strange, therefore, if people who are said to suffer destruction are un fact not destroyed.” With good reason he reaches the conclusion: “If to kill is to deprive the body of life, hell would seem to be deprivation of both physical and spiritual life, that is, an extinction of being.”—Essentials, page 315-16.
The Watchtower’s misinterpretation of the words for ‘destruction’ becomes clear when one considers the words of the apostle Paul: “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the very last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54, KJV). We shall not all be dead at that moment, for many of us will not yet have tasted death. But we shall ALL be changed—those asleep in death, just as those who are living—both righteous AND wicked. This change will occur at the last trump of the trumpet—the dead being raised. Man is both corruptible and mortal, for we all have a tendency to be evil, and we all die. Our mortal and corruptible bodies will be changed into incorruptible and IMMORTAL bodies!
This raises the question of how the words ‘apollumi’ and ‘apoleia’ are applied to the meaning of the Scriptures. In the Greek language, just as in the English language, the words ‘destroy’ and ‘destruction’ can have multiple meanings. A person is said to be destroyed if he is doused in gasoline and set ablaze to burn and die. Likewise, a rich man who suddenly loses his fortune and is forced into a life of poverty and homelessness is said to be destroyed because his future looks hopeless. Also, an athlete with great physical attributes, who develops a degenerative and crippling disease is said to be destroyed by his illness. The first example is a literal physical destruction (in harmony with definitions 3 and 4 of ‘destroy’ above). The other two examples show a figurative destruction (in harmony with definitions 1 and 2). A question then arises: According to the above definition of the word ‘immortal’, if a body is raised immortal, will it be destroyed? Though ‘destruction’ unto nonexistence by hellfire does sound logical on the surface, it loses its logic when the question of immortality comes into the equation.
An immortal body does not die, and cannot be destroyed by the flames of hellfire, but rather lives forever, enduring the flames, as defined above. This is logical. Watchtower reasoning on this topic contradicts Scripture, and is therefore illogical. This raises other questions: Does God do things in vain? Isn’t there a purpose in everything He does? What is the purpose of raising a body immortal if it is to be destroyed in hellfire? Is this logical? The answer is obvious.
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