Sometimes what a passage does not say is more important than what it does say. This is called reading “the white.” Matthew 9:36-38 is certainly one of those passages.
When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, (distressed and dispirited – NAS ) like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Mt. 9:36-38 NKJV
Do you see what is missing in this passage? If not, stop and read it again until you see it.
This is one of the most powerful passages in all the Bible discrediting the idea of eternal torment for a lost humanity. If ever there was a scenario or sermon or parable where Christ should have mentioned an eternal hell, this is certainly it! Why? Because here He reveals precisely why we need to share the Gospel – because people are distressed and dispirited, NOT because they are doomed to an eternal hell and we must reach them before they breathe their last breath! People are hurting in this present life. They are distressed and dispirited!
The world is a dark place with little hope. People are hurting everywhere – children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, the aged, the blind, the crippled, the insane, alcoholics, prostitutes, drug abusers, and innocent victims of crimes and accidents and wars. Suffering is all around us. Just visit your nearest hospital or nursing home or prison. Let us not be like ostriches with our heads in the ground. Look out at the world. Oh that we too would be full of compassion for a hurting world!
When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, (distressed and dispirited – NAS )like sheep having no shepherd.
If the doctrine of eternal torment were true, how could Christ, in this context, have failed to mention it and speak only of earthly and temporary sorrows? The temporary sufferings of this short life are nothing, absolutely nothing, compared with a supposed eternity of suffering in hell!
Please read “the white” in this passage:
He…shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death…and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Heb. 2:14-15 NIV
Why is the fear of an eternal hell of torment not mentioned in this passage?
It’s remarkable that the first question many people ask when presented with the “Blessed Hope” is “Why preach the Gospel if there is no eternal hell?” For some strange reason, the “fear of death” does not cross their mind with its accompanying anguish evident in the words “distressed” and “dispirited” (Mt. 9:36 NAS).
Once Christ opens our eyes to the truth we begin seeing the whole Bible differently. We start noticing “the white” throughout its pages – “the white” which contradicts an eternal hell.
Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Luke 6:20-21
What is “the white” in this passage telling you? It tells me that the doctrine of eternal torment is false. Christ was not only speaking to believers (see Luke 6:19, 7:1; Matthew 5:1-2, 7:28-29; 8:1), He addressed the crowd. Clearly all the world’s poor and hungry and sorrowful are not on their way to an eternal hell if they will be rewarded for having unjustly suffered in this world.
“Dear Lord, please remove the veil that still blinds so many of us of your glorious Being and wonderful “GOOD NEWS”- the glad tidings of good things! (Rom. 10:15).
All nations… shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your Name. For You are great, and do wondrous things! Psalms 86: 9-10
What is “the white” in this passage telling you?
Gerry Beauchemin
If this message blessed you, maybe forward it to someone?
July 1, 2010
Dear Gerry,
I enjoyed your article very much.
I have a suggestion for your website. Unless I missed it, I couldn’t find a “friendly print” feature. When I printed it I got 4 pages where two would have sufficed and maybe it is just my printer but words on the RH did not print our completely.
In Christ,
Elmer
July 1, 2010
Dear Gerry,
This totally blessed me! I will be reading my Bible more carefully from now on, paying attention to “the white.”
Amen to the above!
In his love,
Rose Herczeg
July 1, 2010
This is more evidence of what Christ came to do and how we are to minister. Another passage that screams the same message is John 3:16- 19. In verse 19 Jesus explains very clearly the consequence for not believing…. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. They are condemned to darkness until they come to the light. Jesus could have said; And this is their condemnation… eternal torment without relief. Instead he explains the results of a life without light and the hope for those who will embrace so great a salvation; nothing more.
Thanks for your encouragement.
Mark
July 1, 2010
Dear Gerry,
PTL and…once again, a powerful word! To look at (read) the white spaces of Gen. 2?17,if we really look, we again see the absence of any mention of eternal torment. Surely if such a horrific “truth” were really true, God certainly would have made a point of mentioning (!) it.
I trust that if we were to peruse scripture, we would find numerous such “white spaces.”
I shall be calling you for some of those Hope cards (what a splendid and loving idea).
Father has raised you up, Gerry, for such a time as this. Not because I think we are going to be “raptured out” at any moment, or that the “Antichrist” is ready to take over the world (rather imagine the spirit of such has been around for a couple of millennia), but because it is a message that ALL are hungry to hear.
Blessings…
July 1, 2010
Hi Gerry. I received your A Most Revealing..e-mail and the link was not undfesrlined asnd many people would have a problem of copying it down or delaying and missing it…You may need to send it out again….Sure enjoyed the wisdom of your article…
Much Love and appreciation, Harold
July 1, 2010
Hi Gerry
Thanks for your thoughts! I am amazed as well that people can ask “why preach the gospel if there is no eternal punishment”…..it seems obvious that we should want people to know the good news just as we do. It is obvious that we should not want people to have to live another day without the blessed hope of knowing the Saviour; of knowing His leading; His comfort & love!! I am so glad that the Jesus I know today is nowhere near as harsh & demanding as the one I once knew. The One I know today is kind & caring & knows exactly who I am & has done all that will ever need to be done to secure for me (& the world) everything pertaining to salvation. He knows my heart & sees all my short comings. He knows I need restoration & yet He is faithful…..so faithful! He will complete the work that He started! Praise God!!
I am continually amazed by the things I see around me, in church; in converstaions I have with other believers that there aren’t too many folk who actually “get” this stuff! Every “Christian” parameter is changed & challenged by this understanding. I am acutely aware of a hurting world & their need to know a good & wonderful God – one whom the fundamnetalist / evangelical etc church just cannot give to them. The really exciting thing is that it’s as easy as telling the truth about a good God who truly loves them & has paid the price & will save them.
What a blessed hope we have.
Blessings to you & all the best with your Utube video – can’t wait to watch it.
Steve Martin.
July 1, 2010
Just this week the LOrd has been impressing me on Heb. 2:14-15 from the standpoint of Jesus. Here are my rough notes. Did Jesu have any fear of deatdh? Did he fear they would beat Him to death?. Did He fear the pain He would suffer on the cross and the death. Did He ever fear that He would not rise again from the grave? did He ever fear that the resurrection life wa only for HIm and not for the whole wordl? Did He ever fear that He misunddestood Gd, that maybe He was not to go through with the death on the cross? He could have called ten legions of anges at any time in His mock trial to rescue Him. Did Hefea GOD WAS PLaYING A Trick ON Him regarding the resurrction or that God would come up with a different plan of salvation? or that His death on the cross would be in vain becasue so many in this life would not believe Him?
No. No a thouand times no. He could not have had one iota of fear and still deliver all mankdnd from the fear of death. We have no need to fear death.
July 1, 2010
Great Word brother Gerry, sometime it is easy to overlook what’s not said as focus only on the words
July 5, 2010
Very good article.
Grace and Peace Wil;lie & virginia Cripps