"And so we see the crux of the reason for the RCC's addition of the Apocrypha to their bible. If it ain't in Scripture, add more text.
As far as the concept of Gehenna and Hell being the same place. Prior to the revelation of God's plan of salvation through the sacrifice of His Son, it is not likely that anyone would have a separate concept of the two."
Uh, Hoss, 2 Maccabbees was written about 150 years BEFORE Jesus, so far from being "not likely" that there would be a separate concept of the two, as you suggested, the Jews actually had a pretty clear understanding of atonement for sins in Gehinnom, with prayers for the dead helpful for their atonement and eventually release to Gan Eden. Jesus said "Gehenna". He didn't say "Hell". He didn't say "Purgatory". He said "Gehenna". Want to know what Gehenna MEANS? Ask the Jews, of our time, or even long before Jesus' time, as they wrote in 2 Maccabbees.
Jesus always corrected the Scripture tradition and other Jewish tradition when it needed correcting. He just used Gehenna flat, plain, just like that.
I note here that the CATHOLICS are arguing with me, as I said they would, because I am saying that all of the wedding cakes of logic built up in the middle ages about Purgatory versus Hell, etc., are all unneccessary embellishments: Jesus said Purgatory IS Hell, with just that one word: Gehenna.
And I note the Protestants, like you, are coming out of your chairs because your own traditions say that Purgatory is unneccessary, and it's bloody inconvenient to have Jesus talking about Purgatory (Gehenna) and Hell, and not making the distinction you make in your tradition, which is that hell is forever, but there is no Purgatory at all, and all you have to do is believe in Jesus. Jesus said no such thing. Jesus gave the two commandments and told people to DO, and NOT DO, a lot of things in the love and service of each other. He said that the failure to do these things would get you tossed into Gehenna.
What does this mean?
The Christian who commits adultery - which Jesus said not to do or you'll get tossed into Gehenna - are we to believe, based on Protestant tradition, that Jesus didn't MEAN IT when he said that if you commit adultery you go to Gehenna? That by being crucified and dying nastily and bloodily that was it, the Christian's forgiven and goes to heaven, period, even if he defies Jesus and does all those things that Jesus said not to do or you get thrown into Gehenna?
That is completely preposterous.
*LOL I am saying your opinion of Christian Doctrine as explicated by the Catholic Church is flat out laugh out loud funny.
As a Catholic, I'll take the Church and let you take the cake :)
Might it not be possible that Jesus was referring to the then-current (pre-cross) place of Gehenna where people existed in either paradise (aka Abraham's bossom) or a place of torment?
However you slice or dice it. There is not evidence that the place of torment is temporary. The exception to this is a parable (fictional story) that the Lord used to demonstrate an unrelated point.
NO SCRIPTURE, NO ARGUMENT!