TARTARUS  


 

TARTARUS

1. Basic orientation
The word tartarus does not occur in the bible.
The verb, tartaroo, only occurs at 2 Peter 2:4, but it comes from the old noun, tartaros.
In Greek mythology (Homer), the noun refers to the place located below Hades which
contains fallen immortals.
The book of Enoch (22:2) refers to gehenna as the place for dead apostate Jews
and Tartarus as the place for fallen angels.
In the LXX, it occurs at Job 40:15 and 41:23, but used for a very low valley and the deepest part of the sea respectively.

2. Hades before the resurrection of Christ:
   A. Divided into 3 compartments based on Luke 16.
   B. Torments: for the unbelievers - Vs. 23, 28
   C. Paradise: for the believers, and is called Abraham's bosom,
        but CF Lk. 23.43 where Jesus calls it "paradise."
   D. The great chasm between: v.26, which is probably to be Identified with -
     1. The abyss of Rev. 9.1-2; 20.1-3
     2. And tartarus of 1 Pet. 3.19-20; 2 Pet. 2.4; Jude 6

3. Jude 6
The SECOND example of sexual immorality – The angelic infiltration
Although this incident of the angelic infiltration is presented in the apocryphal book of Enoch, Jude's use of similar language does not validate that book as inspired. The book of Enoch records the traditional account of what happened in Genesis 6. Both Peter and Jude, through inspiration, validate that account.
   A. The angels: This refers to a group of FALLEN angels. It refers to an event that
       occurred AFTER the fall of the angels. The angelic revolt occurred before the
       creation of the human race. The event in view here occurred before the flood,
       over a period of 120 years from 1536 AH to 1656 AH.

   B. who kept not their own domain: archā means “beginning.”
       But in the context of Genesis 6, it refers to their own “sphere of existence”
       or created physical boundaries.
   C. but abandoned their own dwelling: oikātārion refers to one’s physical realm of living.
   D. Study topic: Angelic Infiltration
and commentary on Genesis six.

    E. He has kept: tāreō as a perfect active indicative. He has preserved in the past with
      the result that the condition of that action remains in effect until the doer of the
      action or someone greater than the doer reverses it. In this case, no one can reverse
      the judgment that God has placed upon these angels.
   F. in eternal bonds: desmos refers to something that TIES something down.
       Eternal is the word, haidios. Only used here and at Romans 1:20.
       There it is used of God, referring to His eternal power.
      This refers only to this specific group of fallen angels. The other fallen angels are
      quite active operating under Satan’s administration. Eph. 6:12; 1 Tim. 4:1
   G. under darkness: dzophos refers to darkness or gloom. The idea is both a physical
      and a functional experience. The location of this judgment is in tartarus.
       1 Peter 3:18-20; 2 Peter 2:4
      This is a place IN hades, probably to be identified as the great chasm that existed
       between “torments” and “paradise.”
       See Topic: Physical death

    H. For the judgment of the great day: This refers to the final judgment placed upon
       Satan and his angels which will occur in two stages.
       1. Immediately after the battle of Armageddon: Revelation 20:1-3
       2. At the end of the millennial reign of Jesus: Rev. 20:7-10; Mt. 25:41; Zech 13:2.
       3. It does seem likely that these fallen angels are released for a short time to
       oppress the citizens of the beast's kingdom during the Day of the Lord
       judgments.  See discussion at The 6 Trumpets.

4. 2 Peter 2:4 
    A. For if God did not spare the angels when they  sinned: As seen above,
         this refers to the fallen angels that infiltrated the human race.
    B. but he committed them: This is an aorist active indicative of paradidomi
    C. to pits of darkness: seiros (dative plural) plus dzophos
    D. having tartarized them: The verb is tartaroo as an aorist active participle.
         It indicates the mechanics and the location of this imprisonment.
         It means “to hold captive in tartarus.” Thus, “having imprisoned (them) in tartarus.”
         Or, “by imprisoning in tartarus.”
    E. It comes from an old noun, tartaros.
        In Greek mythology (Homer), the noun refers to the place located below Hades
        which contains fallen immortals.
        The book of Enoch (22:2) refers to gehenna as the place for dead apostate Jews
        and Tartarus as the place for fallen angels.
        In the LXX, it occurs at Job 40:15 and 41:23, but used for a very low valley and the deepest
        part of the sea respectively. 

 
 
 

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