One of my favourite Bible teachers is Scot McKnight. I appreciate his historical study of Scripture, his respect for church history and also for his strong focus on helping the church be what God has called it to be in the 21st century.
He recently gave a short teaching at Fuller Theological Seminary in which he looked at Luke 16:19-31, which is Jesus’ well-known parabolic teaching on hell (or really hades).
In the short teaching, McKnight says that our focus on this parable is not really in line with Jesus’ main point. The text isn’t given so much to teach us whether God’s judgement entails eternal conscious punishment or that of annihilationism. Rather this parable teaches us something connected to the figure of Lazarus.
What is it? Watch the short teaching below. And just to say, as the teaching finished, tears began welling up in my eyes. Continue reading