St. Isaac the Syrian on Hell: Love Misunderstood as Fire

[LanaPodesta]

Many people—atheists and Christians alike—have a distorted view of Hell, imagining it as a literal torture chamber where God actively punishes sinners with fire and brimstone. But this is not the teaching of the Church Fathers. St. Isaac the Syrian, one of the greatest ascetic theologians, offers a radically different perspective:

"It is wrong to think that sinners in hell are deprived of the love of God… But love acts in two different ways, tormenting the wicked while delighting the righteous."

Hell is not separation from God—it is His presence experienced as torment by those who reject Him. God is not vengeful or wrathful in a human sense; He is pure love. But when a soul refuses to accept that love, it feels like fire. The same divine presence that fills the saints with joy is agony to the unrepentant.

Think of it this way: imagine a man who has lived in darkness all his life. Suddenly, he is exposed to brilliant, blinding light. It hurts, not because the light is bad, but because his eyes were never prepared for it. This is how Hell functions—it is not God's hatred, but the soul’s inability to receive His love.

This is why repentance matters. It is not about avoiding punishment, but about becoming the kind of person who can actually stand in the presence of divine love without recoiling in pain.

So the question is: are we preparing our hearts to receive God's love as joy, or as torment?

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

Many people—atheists and Christians alike—have a distorted view of Hell, imagining it as a literal torture chamber where God actively punishes sinners with fire and brimstone. But this is not the teaching of the Church Fathers. St. Isaac the Syrian, one of the greatest ascetic theologians, offers a radically different perspective:


Hell is not separation from God—it is His presence experienced as torment by those who reject Him. God is not vengeful or wrathful in a human sense; He is pure love. But when a soul refuses to accept that love, it feels like fire. The same divine presence that fills the saints with joy is agony to the unrepentant.

Think of it this way: imagine a man who has lived in darkness all his life. Suddenly, he is exposed to brilliant, blinding light. It hurts, not because the light is bad, but because his eyes were never prepared for it. This is how Hell functions—it is not God's hatred, but the soul’s inability to receive His love.

This is why repentance matters. It is not about avoiding punishment, but about becoming the kind of person who can actually stand in the presence of divine love without recoiling in pain.

So the question is: are we preparing our hearts to receive God's love as joy, or as torment?

Church Fathers were not inspired by God and can have wrong interpretations of the Bible. I leave open the interpretation of the "outer darkness" and "fire and brimstone" passages for eternal punishment of lifelong rebels against God. I think that the Bible is clear that hell is a place where the souls of those rebels live without all the idols that they depended on for security and happiness, very sadly. That's why there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in that place. It is not an expression of God's love but of his perfect justice that rightly declares them guilty of rebellion and punishes them with the absence of God's great, glorious gifts in the new heaven and earth.

 

[LanaPodesta]

Church Fathers were not inspired by God and can have wrong interpretations of the Bible. I leave open the interpretation of the "outer darkness" and "fire and brimstone" passages for eternal punishment of lifelong rebels against God. I think that the Bible is clear that hell is a place where the souls of those rebels live without all the idols that they depended on for security and happiness, very sadly. That's why there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in that place. It is not an expression of God's love but of his perfect justice that rightly declares them guilty of rebellion and punishes them with the absence of God's great, glorious gifts in the new heaven and earth.

Why should I believe your interpretation above that of a Church Father?

Church Fathers were not inspired by God and can have wrong interpretations of the Bible

Glossing over how ridiculous it is to say the Church fathers 'were not inspired by God', who says they were trying to interpret the Bible?

 

[Hidden In Him]

But when they see how those who have sinned and who have denied Jesus by their words or by their deeds are punished with terrible torture in unquenchable fire, the righteous, who have done good, and who have endured tortures and have hated the luxuries of life, will give glory to their God saying, ‘There shall be hope for him that has served God with all his heart!’ (Clement of Rome, “Second Clement” 17:7)

We are persuaded that when we are removed from the present life we will live another life, better than the present one…or, if they fall with the rest, they will endure a worse life, one in fire. For God has not made us as sheep or beasts of burden, who are mere by-products. For animals perish and are annihilated. On these grounds, it is not likely that we would wish to do evil. (Athenagoras of Athens, “Apology”)

All souls are immortal, even those of the wicked. Yet, it would be better for them if they were not deathless. For they are punished with the endless vengeance of quenchless fire. Since they do not die, it is impossible for them to have an end put to their misery. (Clement of Alexandria, from a post-Nicene manuscript fragment)

Standing before [Christ’s] judgment, all of them, men, angels, and demons, crying out in one voice, shall say: ‘Just is your judgment!’ And the righteousness of that cry will be apparent in the recompense made to each. To those who have done well, everlasting enjoyment shall be given; while to the lovers of evil shall be given eternal punishment. The unquenchable and unending fire awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die and which does not waste the body but continually bursts forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no appeal of interceding friends will profit them (Hippolytus of Rome “Against the Greeks” 3)

An ever-burning Gehenna and the punishment of being devoured by living flames will consume the condemned; nor will there be any way in which the tormented can ever have respite or be at an end. Souls along with their bodies will be preserved for suffering in unlimited agonies… The grief at punishment will then be without the fruit of repentance; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late will they believe in eternal punishment, who would not believe in eternal life (Cyprian of Carthage, “To Demetrian” 24)