Shepherd's Chapel, a religious group, teaches annihilationism, the belief that the unsaved cease to exist rather than face eternal punishment in hell. This doctrine, also held by groups like Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses, contradicts the traditional biblical understanding of eternal judgment (Matthew 25:46). This article examines the errors in Shepherd's Chapel’s interpretation, focusing on their misuse of key scriptures, and presents a clear, biblically grounded argument for eternal punishment.
Misinterpreting Matthew 10:28
A primary verse cited by Shepherd's Chapel to support annihilationism is Matthew 10:28 (KJV):
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Shepherd's Chapel emphasizes the word "destroy" (Greek: apollymi, Strong's #G622), claiming it means annihilation or cessation of existence. However, this interpretation is flawed. In biblical Greek, apollymi does not imply obliteration but rather ruin, loss, or separation. For example, in Matthew 10:6, the same word is translated as "lost" in reference to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." These sheep are not annihilated but separated from their shepherd, Christ. Similarly, other verses use apollymi to describe loss without cessation of existence:
Matthew 18:11 (KJV): "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
Luke 15:4 (KJV): "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them..."
Luke 15:24 (KJV): "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."
In each case, apollymi denotes loss or separation, not annihilation. Thus, in Matthew 10:28, the destruction of the soul in hell refers to eternal separation from God, not cessation of existence. This undermines Shepherd's Chapel’s claim that the verse supports annihilationism.
Biblical Evidence for Eternal Punishment
The Bible consistently teaches that hell involves eternal, conscious punishment, not annihilation. Several key passages clarify this:
Matthew 25:46 (KJV)
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Shepherd's Chapel argues that annihilation could be considered "everlasting punishment" since the result is permanent. However, the Greek word for "everlasting" (aionios) modifies the noun "punishment" (kolasis), an action noun emphasizing the ongoing process of punishment, not its outcome. A parallel use of aionios appears in 2 Thessalonians 2:16, where it modifies "comfort" (paraklesis), another action noun, indicating ongoing comfort. Thus, Matthew 25:46 describes an ongoing, eternal punishment, not a one-time act of annihilation.
Revelation 14:11 (KJV)
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Shepherd's Chapel claims this verse refers only to the "smoke" rising forever, not the torment itself. This interpretation is untenable. The smoke is explicitly described as resulting from their "torment," implying that the torment itself is ongoing. Furthermore, the phrase "they have no rest day nor night" directly indicates continuous suffering, not annihilation. If the unsaved were annihilated, there would be no need to specify their lack of rest.
Revelation 20:10 (KJV)
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
This verse describes Satan, the beast, and the false prophet enduring eternal torment in the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 extends this fate to all the unsaved, who are cast into the same lake of fire (see also Matthew 25:41). The consistent use of the lake of fire imagery links the eternal torment of Satan to that of the unsaved, refuting the idea of annihilation.
Revelation 22:14-15 (ESV)
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
This passage, describing the state of the unsaved after the final judgment, places them "outside" the New Jerusalem. Their ongoing existence, excluded from God’s presence, contradicts the claim that they are annihilated.
Daniel 12:2 (KJV)
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
This Old Testament prophecy distinguishes between the eternal destinies of the saved and unsaved at the resurrection and judgment (cf. Revelation 20). The saved receive "everlasting life," while the unsaved face "everlasting contempt," not annihilation. The parallel structure reinforces that both states are eternal in duration.
The Meaning of "Forever and Ever"
Shepherd's Chapel argues that the phrase "for ever and ever" (Greek: eis tous aionas ton aionon) denotes a limited period rather than eternity. This claim is unsupported. The phrase, used throughout the New Testament (e.g., Galatians 1:5, Philippians 4:20, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 1:6, 4:9, 5:13, 7:12, 10:6, 11:15, 15:7, 22:5), consistently describes eternal attributes, such as God’s glory and dominion, which are inherently unending. In Revelation 20:10 and 14:11, this phrase underscores the eternal nature of torment, not a temporary state.
Conclusion
Shepherd's Chapel’s doctrine of annihilationism misinterprets key scriptures, particularly Matthew 10:28, by misapplying the Greek term apollymi to mean cessation of existence rather than eternal separation. Biblical passages like Matthew 25:46, Revelation 14:11, 20:10, 22:14-15, and Daniel 12:2 affirm that the unsaved face eternal, conscious punishment in hell, not annihilation. The consistent use of terms like aionios and eis tous aionas ton aionon supports the traditional view of eternal judgment. Shepherd's Chapel’s position lacks exegetical and systematic support from Scripture, failing to align with the clear teaching of God’s Word.
Soli Deo Gloria