t is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go to hell". It is as Guthrie says, " There is no way of avoiding the conclusion that Jesus firmly accepted that there was a counterpart to heaven for those who were condemned before God " (Guthrie p.888). It is clear that Guthrie believes that there is an eternal and literal hell. Therefore, because Jesus stated it, and Guthrie supported it, shows that it must have a certain importance about it.
             In Mark chapter nine verses forty-two through fifty, Jesus is talking about the importance of understanding of the implications of a sinful life and where it will lead. In the following passage, the usage of the word 'hell' is interpreted as the Greek word 'Gehenna' and Jesus says, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out" (Mark 9:43). It can be construed from this statement that Jesus is adamant about the reality of the conditions in hell. It can be assumed that Jesus is not advocating the actual removal of the hand, but is speaking about the horrifying reality of hell. He is admonishing those who are listening to understand that theoretically, not having one of your hands would be better than spending eternity in hell. As Stamps says in the notes of the Full Life Study Bible, " the place of unquenchable fire is so terrible that every influence of sin must be opposed and rejected no matter what the cost "(Stamps p. 1497). Clearly, hell is an eternal existence that would be far worse than a missing limb.
             Next, Stagg states in The Broadman Bible Commentary that Gehenna was a term that "came to symbolize the place of judgment for the wicked" (Stagg p. 109). Furthermore, Stagg declares that Gehenna is derived from Hinnom, a valley west of Jerusalem, where the garbage w...