Jehovah's witnesses, y would Jesus make up hell in a parable knowing it was pagan and didn't exist?

Greetings Luke 16:19-31 is one of the *primary* proof texts used by those who believe in literal torment in Hell, because it is the only Scripture which links Hades with "torment." But, there are many problems with interpreting this account as literal. First, parables are fictitious stories meant to teach us a point.

We are not being given a literal account of what happens after death here. It would be ridiculous to take the details of this parable literally. Since *every one* of its details are figurative.

Abraham, Lazarus, Dives, their "dying," as well as the "fire" and "torment" must be symbolic features of an allegorical story. In parables you must interpret what the various details "mean." "The preacher can use such stories to make his points effectively without danger of his hearers taking him literally."--J. W.

Wenham Death pictured an unexpected change of circumstances. The "bosom position" is a common symbol in Scripture for a favored position (Jn 1:18; 13:23-25). Thus the common people, pictured by "Lazarus", now had God's blessings of spiritual discernment (Rm.2:29; cf.

Gal.3:7-9). Logically, just as Abraham's bosom is a symbol of a favored state, Hades is here a symbol of an unfavorable state and commonly applied to living people. But, we must answer the question "Why would Jesus even use Sheol/Hades and associate it with "torment?"

The reason is quite simple when we recognize that in the Bible Sheol/Hades is a very common symbol. It is regularly used in the Scriptures as a symbol of a despicable state. Several times David thanked God for delivering him from HADES (Ps.30:3; 86:13, LXX).

When Jonah was in the belly of the fish he said he was in HADES. Was David or Jonah literally in HADES? No.

But they were in a despicable condition and wanted to be released. Likewise, in parabolic language "HADES" here in Luke is not literally the place where dead souls are. It is the figurative Sheol/Hades as used by David, Jonah and many others.

Many Bible scholars recognize this figurative use HADES: S.T. Bloomfield in his Notes on the N.T. says HADES is a "hyperbolical expression, figuratively representing the depth of adversity." Adam Clarke: "The word 'hell', used in the common translation, conveys now an improper meaning of the original word;...Here it means a state of the utmost woe, and ruin, and desolation." A parallel usage of HADES is in Lk 10:15 (Mt.

11:23). "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell" (hades). No one would contend that the city of Capernaum was literally in heaven, nor was it to be literally sent to hell.

The word hell here is a figure of a "state of utmost woe, and ruin, and desolation" as a result of God's rejection. Likewise, the Greek word for "torment" (BASANOS) means "to go to the bottom" and was used figuratively for the touchstone by which gold was tested for their quality. So, "torment" is a fitting symbol for testing a person's worth in God's sight.

This parable that Jesus was giving, was not to support that Hell exists. If he wanted his listeners to believe that, he would have done so in a much clearer and consistent way. Instead, this parable was to show how two classes, a rich class and a humble class were to be favored when in death symbolically.

He was teaching his disciples, and the Pharisees that were listening, how God views material riches. He wanted to point out that the ones that recognize their spiritual needs, the Lazarus class, were to be lifted to the "bosom's of Abraham" a favor position and the rich man, who discarded spiritual things, was to be in torment, meaning a disfavored position. He really was condemning the Pharisees, supposedly rich in spiritual privileges and opportunities for denying the "Lazarus class" ,the common people, of spiritual nourishment.

He wanted to show that it will change in that the Pharisee-like leaders would be the ones to be disfavored by God and the Lazarus-like people who hunger for the spiritual food would be lifted up and be protected by God spiritually.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.