Outer darkness: A thousand years? or for eternity?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by ABrotherinFaith

But you did interpret the parable. You chose to see death where it says sleep because in other places death is called sleep. But in other places sleep is just sleep. Ecc. 5:12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.

1 Thes 5:7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.


Acts 20:9 ( a clear disctinction) Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.

Jer 31:26 At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.

These are just a few.

Here are some where sleep is, indeed, death:

Ps 13:3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

Jn 11:11 and 11:13 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

11:13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.


Just because sleep is death in certain places doesn't mean it always is.

I think something similar was said about leaven here a few weeks ago...and the birds roosting in the mustard tree. Things sometimes mean multiple things. But I suspect you knew that-- having gone through your concordance so thoroughly.

Little sarcastic here?

Obviously we need to interpret the parables of The Lord a little differently from that of a tired Psalmist.