You will not get out until you have paid the last penny?

[DesiredHaven]

My mom was a tough old bird herself when she got riled up, but I suppose, like the song goes, I might have been the only hell my Mama ever raised. LOL

With boys you have to be tougher, I certainly cant blame your mother, you likely gave her a real tough time lol

 

[Jon4TheCross]

We know that some never have forgiveness...cause unforgivables exist. This means eternal punishment exists for at the least...the unforgivables.
So...just food for thought...
It may be possible to be in eternal torment temporarily...

 

[Jon4TheCross]

The fire/torment/darkness may be eternal cause theres always unforgivables enduring such...but it may be possible to be in such a place temporarily.

 

[Kaycie]

He was speaking about living in the world. But the spiritual meaning is still true- if you can't get out of hell until you've paid for all your sins, and our blood can't even pay for one sin- that would mean that day will never come for you.

 

[Least]

I think this passage is talking about both hell and life in the here and now. Matthew 5 gives a little more understanding to this than Luke does.

Mat 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

This parable like all parables is written in symbolic language. The adversary is the accuser of the brethren, the judge is Moses or the law. Our adversary uses the law to accuse us. On the eternal level, if we agree with our adversary that we truly are guilty as charged of breaking the law then we avoid hell because Jesus paid the uttermost farthing for us.

On the temporal level, if we agree with our adversary that we are still guilty of breaking the law even after salvation and rest in the finished works of Jesus, then we avoid the prison of works salvation.

In both scenarios, we can't in and of ourselves pay the uttermost farthing, Jesus has to pay it.

Very good points KJV1611. This brought to mind King Saul, and 1 Cor ch. 5.

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Is this parable about hell?

No, it isn't. It is about a man who claims to be righteous but who does not pay his debts. John Gill's commentary on v. 58 makes that clear. (My apologies in advance: Gill's commentary uses the KJV.)

Gill: Luke 12:58
When thou goest with thine adversary
The creditor, as the Persic version, and who is the prosecutor, that has commenced a suit of law against another, in order to obtain his right: for Christ is here speaking of a bad man, that will not pay his just debts, so that his creditor is obliged to prosecute him, and have him to the

magistrate;
ruler, or prince; the Nasi, or prince of the sanhedrim, who sat as judge there: as thou art in the way; going along with the creditor, or prosecutor, to the court of judicature;

give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him.
The Persic version renders it, "give him the money"; and the Arabic version, "give what thou owest"; and the Syriac version, "give the gain"; or pay the interest, about which the dispute is, and so escape out of his hands; lest when the matter is brought into court, sentence should be given, to pay both interest and principal, with all costs and charges; or however, make up matters with him, satisfy him in some way or other, before things are brought to an extremity:

lest he hale thee to the judge;
the same that is called the magistrate, or prince before, that sits chief upon the bench, hears and tries causes, and passes sentence:

and the judge deliver thee to the officer:
who upon hearing the matter in difference, and giving the cause against the defendant, and for the prosecutor, delivers the debtor into the hands of a proper officer, in order to commit him to prison: the word rendered "officer", signifies an exactor of debts, or fines, and was one that obliged such as were cast, to do what the judge appointed to be done: in the Septuagint on ( Isaiah 3:12 ) it answers to an "oppressor"; and such men were wont to use rigour, to bring persons to the payment of their debts, or fines:

and the officer cast thee into prison;
which he had power to do, when committed into his hands by the judge, in case the sentence pronounced was not immediately complied with; (See Gill on Matthew 5:25).

Obviously there is no way to "buy your way" out of hell, as the judgment is final, and eternal. Thanks be to God we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

[john832]

Before this turns into a "hell doesn't exist" thread, I want to address the fact that I believe in eternal hell.

Is this parable about hell? If so, why does Jesus reference a "getting out" if it is for ever and ever?

57 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Because it is not an explanation of hell.