Is Purgatory Mentioned in Scripture?
 The Holy Scriptures are full of references to Purgatory. Though the term
“Purgatory” was a name that Christians came up with after the Bible was
written, it is very clear that the notion of a place of cleansing
before entering Heaven has always existed. Remember, even the term “Holy
Trinity” is never mentioned in the Bible – but that does not mean that
the Holy Trinity itself is not to be found in Scripture.
When thinking of Purgatory, we can liken it to Peter’s experience when
he looked Christ in the eye after denying Him 3 times: Peter “wept
bitterly”. Purgatory is like this - becoming aware of our sinfulness in
the face of pure love. After the weeping comes mercy.I. A State After Death of Suffering and Forgiveness
Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59
Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will
be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get
out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko)
is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1
Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1;
Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with
satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a
prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to
God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the
last penny is paid.
Matt. 5:48
Jesus says, "be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect." We
are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching,
this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a
transitional state we call purgatory.
Matt. 12:32
Jesus says, “And anyone who says a word against the Son of man
will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be
forgiven either in this world or in the next.” Jesus thus clearly
provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase “in the next”
(from the Greek “en to mellonti”) generally refers to the afterlife
(see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for
similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is
no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after
death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.
Luke 12:47-48
when the Master comes (at the end of time), some will receive light or
heavy beatings but will live. This state is not heaven or hell, because
in heaven there are no beatings, and in hell we will no longer live with
the Master.
Luke 16:19-31
in this story, we see that the dead rich man is suffering but still
feels compassion for his brothers and wants to warn them of his place of
suffering. But there is no suffering in heaven or compassion in hell
because compassion is a grace from God and those in hell are deprived
from God's graces for all eternity. So where is the rich man? He is in
purgatory.
1 Cor. 15:29-30
Paul mentions people being baptized on behalf of the dead, in the
context of atoning for their sins (people are baptized on the dead’s
behalf so the dead can be raised). These people cannot be in heaven
because they are still with sin, but they also cannot be in hell because
their sins can no longer be atoned for. They are in purgatory. These
verses directly correspond to 2 Macc. 12:44-45 which also shows specific
prayers for the dead, so that they may be forgiven of their sin.
Phil. 2:10
Every knee bends to Jesus, in heaven, on earth, and "under the earth" which is the realm of the righteous dead, or purgatory.
2 Tim. 1:16-18
Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him “on that day.” Paul’s
use of “that day” demonstrates its eschatological usage (see, for
example, Rom. 2.5,16; 1 Cor. 1.8; 3.13; 5.5; 2 Cor. 1.14; Phil. 1.6,10;
2.16; 1 Thess. 5.2,4,5,8; 2 Thess. 2.2,3; 2 Tim. 4.8). Of course, there
is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell.
Where is Onesiphorus? He is in purgatory.
Heb. 12:14
Without holiness no one will see the Lord. We need final sanctification
to attain true holiness before God, and this process occurs during our
lives and, if not completed during our lives, in the transitional state
of purgatory.
Heb. 12:23
The spirits of just men who died in godliness are "made" perfect. They
do not necessarily arrive perfect. They are made perfect after their
death. But those in heaven are already perfect, and those in hell can no
longer be made perfect. These spirits are in purgatory.
1 Peter 3:19; 4:6
Jesus preached to the spirits in the "prison." These are the righteous souls being purified for the beatific vision.
Rev. 21:4
God shall wipe away their tears, and there will be no mourning or pain,
but only after the coming of the new heaven and the passing away of the
current heaven and earth. Note the elimination of tears and pain only
occurs at the end of time. But there is no morning or pain in heaven,
and God will not wipe away their tears in hell. These are the souls
experiencing purgatory.
Rev. 21:27
Nothing unclean shall enter heaven. The word “unclean” comes from the
Greek word “koinon” which refers to a spiritual corruption. Even the
propensity to sin is spiritually corrupt, or considered unclean, and
must be purified before entering heaven. It is amazing how many
Protestants do not want to believe in purgatory. Purgatory exists
because of the mercy of God. If there were no purgatory, this would also
likely mean no salvation for most people. God is merciful indeed.
Luke 23:43
Many Protestants argue that, because Jesus sent the good thief right to
heaven, there can be no purgatory. There are several rebuttals. First,
when Jesus uses the word "paradise,” He did not mean heaven. Paradise,
from the Hebrew "sheol," meant the realm of the righteous dead. This was
the place of the dead who were destined for heaven, but who were
captive until the Lord's resurrection. Second, since there was no
punctuation in the original manuscript, Jesus’ statement “I say to you
today you will be with me in paradise” does not mean there was a comma
after the first word “you.” This means Jesus could have said, “I say to
you today, you will be with me in paradise” (meaning, Jesus could have
emphasized with exclamation his statement was “today” or “now,” and that
some time in the future the good thief would go to heaven). Third, even
if the thief went straight to heaven, this does not prove there is no
purgatory (those who are fully sanctified in this life – perhaps by a
bloody and repentant death – could be ready for admission in to heaven).
Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8
Here are some examples of ritual prayer and penitent mourning for the
dead for specific periods of time. The Jewish understanding of these
practices was that the prayers freed the souls from their painful state
of purification, and expedited their journey to God.
Baruch 3:4
Baruch asks the Lord to hear the prayers of the dead of Israel. Prayers
for the dead are unnecessary in heaven and unnecessary in hell. These
dead are in purgatory.
Zech. 9:11
God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the
waterless pit, a spiritual abode of suffering which the Church calls
purgatory.
2 Macc. 12:43-45
The prayers for the dead help free them from sin and help them to the
reward of heaven. Those in heaven have no sin, and those in hell can no
longer be freed from sin. They are in purgatory. Luther was particularly
troubled with these verses because he rejected the age-old teaching of
purgatory. As a result, he removed Maccabees from the canon of the
Bible. |
II. Purification After Death By Fire
Heb. 12:29
God is a consuming fire (of love in heaven, of purgation in purgatory, or of suffering and damnation in hell).
1 Cor. 3:10-15
Works are judged after death and tested by fire. Some works are lost,
but the person is still saved. Paul is referring to the state of
purgation called purgatory. The venial sins (bad works) that were
committed are burned up after death, but the person is still brought to
salvation. This state after death cannot be heaven (no one with venial
sins is present) or hell (there is no forgiveness and salvation).
1 Cor. 3:15
“if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself
will be saved, but only as through fire.” The phrase for "suffer loss"
in the Greek is "zemiothesetai." The root word is "zemioo" which also
refers to punishment. The construction “zemiothesetai” is used in Ex.
21:22 and Prov. 19:19 which refers to punishment (from the Hebrew
“anash” meaning “punish” or “penalty”). Hence, this verse proves that
there is an expiation of temporal punishment after our death, but the
person is still saved. This cannot mean heaven (there is no punishment
in heaven) and this cannot mean hell (the possibility of expiation no
longer exists and the person is not saved).
1 Cor. 3:15
Further, Paul writes “he himself will be saved, "but only" (or “yet so”)
as through fire.” “He will be saved” in the Greek is “sothesetai”
(which means eternal salvation). The phrase "but only" (or “yet so”) in
the Greek is "houtos" which means "in the same manner." This means that
man is both eternally rewarded and eternally saved in the same manner by
fire.
1 Cor. 3:13
When Paul writes about God revealing the quality of each man's work by
fire and purifying him, this purification relates to his sins (not just
his good works). Protestants, in attempting to disprove the reality of
purgatory, argue that Paul was only writing about rewarding good works,
and not punishing sins (because punishing and purifying a man from sins
would be admitting that there is a purgatory).
1 Cor. 3:17
But this verse proves that the purgation after death deals with
punishing sin. That is, destroying God's temple is a bad work, which is a
mortal sin, which leads to death. 1 Cor. 3:14,15,17 - purgatory thus
reveals the state of righteousness (v.14), state of venial sin (v.15)
and the state of mortal sin (v.17), all of which are judged after death.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Peter refers to this purgatorial fire to test the fruits of our faith.
Jude 1:23
The people who are saved are being snatched out of the fire. People are
already saved if they are in heaven, and there is no possibility of
salvation if they are in hell. These people are being led to heaven from
purgatory.
Rev. 3:18-19
Jesus refers to this fire as what refines into gold those He loves if
they repent of their sins. This is in the context of after death because
Jesus, speaking from heaven, awards the white garment of salvation
after the purgation of fire (both after death).
Dan 12:10
Daniel refers to this refining by saying many shall purify themselves, make themselves white and be refined.
Wis. 3:5-6
The dead are disciplined and tested by fire to receive their heavenly reward. This is the fire of purgatory.
Sirach 2:5
For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
Zech. 13:8-9
God says 2/3 shall perish, and 1/3 shall be left alive, put into the
fire, and refined like silver and tested like gold. The ones that perish
go to hell, and there is no need for refinement in heaven, so those
being refined are in purgatory.
Mal. 3:2-3
Also refers to God's purification of the righteous at their death. |
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