Los potępionych w Apokalipsie św. Jana

Abstract

The problem of existence of eternal damnation and its nature in the context of eschatological expectations and Christs last coming (parusia) finds its peculiar expalantion and recapitulation in the Apocalypse of St. John. Semantic analisis of the revealed data, included in the Book of Revelation, allow with a whole certainty to claim that the nature of damnation consists in mans selfcommitted rejection of God's love being revealed in His merciful action. This is closely connected with, also received, human right to decide freely upon his future. Therefore true is the Biblical expression that for a man hell may begin already on earth when he consciously destroyw in himself God's image by being closed for the presence of God (cf. J 3,18). According to the Apocalypse such conduct results in a symbolically expressed by the Evangelist the so called "second death" (cf. Ap 2, 11; 20, 6.14; 21, 8) as a sentence of the Last Judgment (cf. Ap 20, 11-15; Mt 25, 31-46) which means suffering "torture for timeless ages" (Ap 14,11) in "the lake of fire and sulphur" (cf. Ap 19,20; 20,10.14-15; 21,8) "in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb" (Ap 14,10). Metaphorical language of these images unablesto define precisely the nature of tortures. It is mere analogy that permits us to consider them as endlessly suffered inability to satisfy the desire of love in spite of the nearness of God's Majesty (cf. bk 16,19-26). This makes the punishment even more cruel. The eternal panishment understood in this sense has its specific role and importance in the Apocalyptic kerygma. Namely, it is to evoke reflection upon oneself and conversion in order to obtain salvation in God.