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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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