Monday, October 19, 2015

The Bible and Inferno

Upon talking about the wrathful sinners and their punishment, it made me think of a Bible verse that I've heard a few times describing Hell. Dante's Inferno says that these souls were forced to constantly partake in a physical altercation. The book says that in this circle "They fought with each other, not with hands alone, but struck with head and chest and feet as well, with teeth they tore each other limb from limb," (Dante 1235-1236). I could definitely see how Dante pictured this imagery from the verse I am thinking of in the Bible. Matthew 13:41-42 says, "The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." You can also see the similarities of this verse to Dante's Inferno in the descriptions of the wailing and moaning throughout each of the circles along with the burning imagery that is seen in many of the punishments, as well.

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