SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:26
Y adems de todo esto, una grande sima est constituida entre nosotros y vosotros, que los que quisieren pasar de aquí a vosotros, no pueden, ni de all pasar a nosotros.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. And besides all this , etc.] The different circumstances of each, both past and present, which should be observed and considered: between us and you there is a great gulf fixed ; as this may regard the state of the Pharisees after death, it intends not the natural distance between heaven and hell; though there may be an allusion to the notions of the Jews concerning that, who on those words in ( Ecclesiastes 7:14). God hath set the one over against the other, say f511 , this is hell and paradise, what space is there between them? an hand's breadth; R. Jochanan says a wall, but the Rabbans say, they are both of them even, so that they may look out of one into another. Which passage is cited a little differently f512 , thus; wherefore did the holy blessed God create hell and paradise? that they might be one against another; what space is there between them? R. Jochanan says, a wall, and R. Acha says an hand's breadth: but the Rabbans say, two fingers.
And elsewhere it is said, know that hell and paradise are near to one another, and one house separates between them; and paradise is on the north east side -and hell on the north west.
Mahomet seems to have borrowed this notion from them, who says f514 , between the blessed and the damned, there shall be a vail; and men shall stand on Al Araf, (the name of the wall or partition, that shall separate paradise from hell,) who shall know every one of them by their mouths.
But not this natural space, be it what it will, but the immutable decree of God is intended here, which has unalterably fixed the state of the damned, and of the blessed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence ; not that those in heaven can desire to go to those in hell; though those in hell, may wish to be in heaven; but the sense is, that by this irrevocable decree of God, the saints in heaven are eternally happy, and the wicked in hell eternally miserable: and this also agrees with the notions of the Jews f515 , who represent it impossible: for a man, after he has descended into hell, to come up from thence any more: but as this may regard the Jews state of captivity and affliction, since the destruction of their city and temple, upon, and for their rejection of the Messiah; it may denote the impossibility of Christ's coming again upon the same errand he came on before, to be a Saviour of sinners, and a sacrifice for sin; and of the Jews believing in him, so long as they lie under the spirit of slumber, and are given up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-31 - Here the spiritual things are represented, in a description of the different state of good and bad, in this world and in the other. We ar not told that the rich man got his estate by fraud, or oppression; but Christ shows, that a man may have a great deal of the wealth, pomp, an pleasure of this world, yet perish for ever under God's wrath an curse. The sin of this rich man was his providing for himself only Here is a godly man, and one that will hereafter be happy for ever, in the depth of adversity and distress. It is often the lot of some of the dearest of God's saints and servants to be greatly afflicted in thi world. We are not told that the rich man did him any harm, but we d not find that he had any care for him. Here is the different conditio of this godly poor man, and this wicked rich man, at and after death The rich man in hell lifted up his eyes, being in torment. It is no probable that there are discourses between glorified saints and damne sinners, but this dialogue shows the hopeless misery and fruitles desires, to which condemned spirits are brought. There is a day coming when those who now hate and despise the people of God, would gladl receive kindness from them. But the damned in hell shall not have the least abatement of their torment. Sinners are now called upon to remember; but they do not, they will not, they find ways to avoid it As wicked people have good things only in this life, and at death ar for ever separated from all good, so godly people have evil things onl in this life, and at death they are for ever put from them. In thi world, blessed be God, there is no gulf between a state of nature an grace, we may pass from sin to God; but if we die in our sins, there is no coming out. The rich man had five brethren, and would have the stopped in their sinful course; their coming to that place of torment would make his misery the worse, who had helped to show them the way thither. How many would now desire to recall or to undo what they have written or done! Those who would make the rich man's praying to Abraha justify praying to saints departed, go far to seek for proofs, when the mistake of a damned sinner is all they can find for an example. An surely there is no encouragement to follow the example, when all his prayers were made in vain. A messenger from the dead could say no mor than what is said in the Scriptures. The same strength of corruptio that breaks through the convictions of the written word, would triump over a witness from the dead. Let us seek to the law and to the testimony, Isa 8:19, 20, for that is the sure word of prophecy, upo which we may rest, 2Pe 1:19. Circumstances in every age show that n terrors, or arguments, can give true repentance without the specia grace of God renewing the sinner's heart __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ επι 1909 PREP πασιν 3956 A-DPN τουτοις 5125 D-DPN μεταξυ 3342 ADV ημων 2257 P-1GP και 2532 CONJ υμων 5216 P-2GP χασμα 5490 N-ASN μεγα 3173 A-ASN εστηρικται 4741 5769 V-RPI-3S οπως 3704 ADV οι 3588 T-NPM θελοντες 2309 5723 V-PAP-NPM διαβηναι 1224 5629 V-2AAN εντευθεν 1782 ADV προς 4314 PREP υμας 5209 P-2AP μη 3361 PRT-N δυνωνται 1410 5741 V-PNS-3P μηδε 3366 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM εκειθεν 1564 ADV προς 4314 PREP ημας 2248 P-1AP διαπερωσιν 1276 5725 V-PAS-3P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:26 {Beside all this } (en pasi toutois). {In all these things} (or regions). {Gulf} (casma). An old word from chain", to yawn, our chasm, a gaping opening. Only here in the N.T. {Is fixed} (esteriktai). Perfect passive indicative of sterizw, old verb (see on Lu 9:51). Permanent chasm. {May not be able} (me dunwntai). Present middle subjunctive of dunamai. The chasm is there on purpose ({that not}, hopws m) to prevent communication.
