Category:Last Judgment (subject)

Last Judgment (1541 Michelangelo), art

• @2016 Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

It was widely believed in Second temple Judaism, that the Last Judgment would occur at the End of Times and would result in the punishment (and destruction) of the sinners and the reward (and salvation) of the righteous.

It was also generally understood that the Last Judgment would be "according to each one's deeds", even though there were discussions and disagreements about which deeds would be considered.

The ancient world did not know the modern principle that "the Law is equal for everyone". The practice and experience of ancient societies was that different laws apply to different people. Therefore, it was commonly accepted the fact that different people would be judged differently even in the Last Judgment. Everything depended on what different people were expected to do. Males and females, free people and slaves, Jews and Gentiles were subjected to different laws.

God was viewed as the supreme Judge, but in some Jewish apocalyptic circles there was a widespread belief that the Last Judgment would be the work of God's Messiah, the Son of Man. Christians claimed that Jesus was the Messiah Son of Man who would return at the end of times as the Final Judge.

The Judgment was understood to be done with Justice and Mercy. Those Jewish groups that stressed the freewill of humans insisted that the Last Judgment was a test of human responsibility. God however would take mercifully into account the good deeds also, and would not limit the judgment to the punishment of transgressions. Apocalyptic groups, who put much more emphasis on the superhuman origin of evil, would rather stress the divine attitude to forgiveness. In the Parables of Enoch (ch.50) it is stated that at the end God would forgive those sinners who repent. Christians believed that God had sent his Messiah Son of Man as the Forgiver.

The Last Judgment according to Paul

Paul accepted the fact that the Judgment would be based “on each one’s deeds” (Rom 2:6). The Jews would be judged according to the Mosaic Torah. Gentiles would be judged according to their own conscience (they also know the difference between good and evil and therefore are equally accountable, even thought they are not subjected to the same law as the Jews).

As an apocalyptic Jew Paul had a dramatic understanding of the power of evil. "All, both Jews and Gentiles, are under the power of sin” (3:9-10). There is an advantage of being raised a Jew, and yet both Jews and Gentile are subjected to the power of evil. “Sin came into the world through one man [i.e. Adam]” (5:12). Paul is very pessimistic. Humankind lost their battle with the Devil and are now "slaves of sin." Does it men that no one would be saved in the Last Judgment; not at all, but the condition of slavery makes it very hard for people to be saved, as the slave is at the mercy of an evil master.

Paul, however, is a Christian; he also believes that in order to counterbalance the power of evil God sent his Son as a sacrifice of atonement for forgiveness of sins. "18 Just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous" (5:18-19).

Through baptism "sinners" (Jews and Gentiles alike) can receive justification (i.e. forgiveness of sins). “We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the death by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life… For whoever had died is freed from sin” (6:3-11).

Justification does not mean "salvation" in the Last Judgment. “Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means!” (6:1-2). Justification is a second chance, acquired by faith; Baptized people are expected to live a blameless life. “Should we sin because we are not under the Torah but under grace? By no means!” (6:15). We were “slaves of sin” (6:17), now “we have become “slaves of righteousness” (6:18).

In Paul there are three paths to salvation. Righteous Jews are saved if they follow the commandment of the Torah; righteous gentiles are saved if they follow the voice of their conscience; sinners (Jews and Gentiles alike) are saved if they repent and accept by faith the gift of justification that Jesus offered to everybody through his death.