Origins of Purgatory


The ancient tribes of the area where modern Egypt is located each had its own myths and gods along with their many legends. Around 3200 BC all of these tribes were incorporated into the nation of Egypt, and a national religion was founded to unite all these tribes in a unified theology. This national religion incorporated the idea some of the tribes had about a place wherein a soul would be purged of their sins so that they could enter into Elysium. This Elysium was similar to what is now called heaven. This national religion also created many theological writings, among them what is now called the Book of the Dead. Then, about 400 years before Christ, the capture of the known world by Alexander the Great introduced the Greek language which became the common language of the people. This was the time that Greek myths mixed with Egyptian myths, including a whole phalanx of gods, were philosophized in many writings of the last four centuries before Christ. Out of this conglomeration grew the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha writings which had a great influence among later philosophers of the Christian period.

One may also find that Plato promoted this idea of a purgatory in his books: the Ggorgias, the Phaedrus, the Republic, and the Phaedo. One's soul is relegated to purgatory for sins committed while in the body. Those whose sins were not all that serious had a short stay wherein they were punished and purged of their sins, then released to inhabit a new body. Those committing more serious sins had to endure a longer stay in purgatory and face more sever punishments: murder being one of the worst sins. One who was convicted of murder could only be released from purgatory when their victim forgave them. However, purgatory was not a permanent place of punishment. All who arrived at that place would eventually get out so that they could enter Elysium as their final resting place.

All of these writings influenced many later philosophical writers of Christianity. The idea of a purgatory entered the mainstream of both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman churches of Christianity, and persisted until the reformation under Luther and Calvin.

One man, a Roman Catholic priest named Albert J. Nevins, M.M., in his book Life After Death, (1983) page 70, has this to say: The teaching of purgatory finds its clearest Old Testament reference in the Second Book of Maccabees. In 2 Maccabees 12:38-46, it is told how Judas Maccabeus took up a collection among his soldiers to send to Jerusalem for expiatory prayers for their dead companions because he had the resurrection of the dead in mind, adding, 'Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.' This perfectly describes purgatory, the place where we are freed from the effects of sin, where the prayers of the living can help us. He goes on to say that some exegetes would probably differ in his interpretation, and that the New Testament does not specifically name purgatory (or, I may add, what it teaches). He also admits that It is tradition that the Catholic Church uses in defending its teaching.

While this priest defends the old teachings of Purgatory with many arguments, almost everything he says depends on old philosophical writings and not scriptures: even though he references modern writings, which in themselves also depend upon philosophical ideas of ancient times; times after the Apostles were no longer around to correct these ideas.

While most of you who have read my book, Church Doctrines: Right or Wrong? (You Decide), do not hold to this purgatorial doctrine, if you have any questions, feel free to ask anyway. My first thought on this matter is encompassed by the question, What is forgiveness? If you forgive a debt, say a certain monetary amount, do you continue to insist that it be paid back? If you do, have you really forgiven that debt? I'd say no. When Jesus said that your sins are forgiven, did he mean that he still expected you to have to suffer punishment for that sin? The Bible teaches us that a sin forgiven is no longer remembered. That is forgiveness!