On the Last Sunday of Lent “we commemorate the Second and
Incorruptible Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The expression “we
commemorate” of the Book of Saints confirms that our Church, as the Body of
Christ, re-enacts in its worship the Second Coming of Christ as an “event” and
not just something that is historically expected. The reason is, that through
the Divine Eucharist, we are transported to the celestial kingdom, to
meta-history. It is in this orthodox perspective, that the subject of paradise
and hell is approached.
In the Gospels (Matthew, ch.5), mention is made of “kingdom” and
“eternal fire”. In this excerpt, which is cited during the Liturgy of this
Sunday, the “kingdom” is the divine destination of mankind. The “fire” is
“prepared” for the devil and his angels (demons), not because God desired it,
but because they are impenitent. The “kingdom” is “prepared” for those
who remain faithful to the will of God. “Kingdom” (the uncreated glory) is
Paradise. “Fire” (eternal) is hell (eternal hell, v.46). At the beginning of
history, God invites man into paradise, into a communion with His uncreated
Grace. At the end of history, man has to face paradise and hell. What
this means, we shall see, further down. We do however stress that it is
one of the central subjects of our faith – it is Orthodox Christianity’s
philosopher’s stone.
1. Mention of paradise and hell in the New Testament is
frequent. In Luke 23, 43, Christ says to the robber on the cross: “Today you
will be with me in paradise”. However, the robber also refers to paradise, when
he says: “Remember me, Lord…in your kingdom”. According to Theofylaktos
of Bulgaria (P 123, 1106), “for the robber was in paradise, in other words, the
kingdom”. The Apostle Paul (Corinthians II, 12: 3-4) confesses that,
while still in this lifetime, he was “swept up to paradise and heard unspoken
words, which are inappropriate for man to repeat.” In Revelations, we
read: “To the victor, I shall give him to eat of the tree of life, which is in
the paradise of my God” (2,7). And Arethas of Caesaria interprets:
“paradise is understood to be the blessed and eternal life” (PG 106, 529).
Paradise-eternal life-kingdom of God, are all related.