What the Bible and Theologians Say About Hell

What happens after death has been a debated and documented topic dating back to shortly after the death of Jesus Christ. It is basically impossible to get certain evidence to back up beliefs. We are forced to rely on religious material and theologians to paint a picture for us. Even then it is hard to truly grasp what happens after death. It is proposed that you either go to heaven, or you go to hell. What do we actually know of the latter? The general consensus of society is that hell is a place full of demons and is controlled by Satan. The belief and understanding of hell has changed drastically since its first understanding. What do the Bible and theologians say about hell?
One of the first theologians to document his understanding of hell was Ignatius of Antioch back around 90 AD. Ignatius believed in the existence of hell as an unquenchable fire. There was very little mentioned of eschatology from theologians of early times because it was not their main focus. They were still studying the main subjects and religion in general and did not go into too much depth in regards to hell. However, he still believed strongly in the final judgment of God and the rewards and punishments that are meted out, “Physical death seems to be the decisive moment for all men—they pass either to life with Christ or to the unquenchable fire.” The final judgment is nothing more than a separation of the divine and wretched. He recognizes that Satan has powers of temptation which cause us to sin that must be cast down. Ignatius viewed hell more as a spiritual torment rather than a physical torment as it is described in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, “They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength.” The people in hell understand the opportunity they missed by not obeying the gospel and by not knowing God. They experience a sort of spiritual torment because they want to repent now but will never be able to as the rich