Matthew 25:41

Everlasting fire. Described elsewhere as “unquenchable fire” (see on ch. 3:12) and “hell fire” (see on ch. 5:22). All three refer to the fires of the last day that will devour the wicked and all their works (2 Peter 3:10-12; Rev. 20:10, 14, 15).

The word aidnios, translated “everlasting,” or “eternal,” once, “for ever,” means literally, “lasting for an age,” in the sense of being continuous and not subject to capricious change. The ancient Greek papyri contain numerous examples of Roman emperors being described as aidnios. The reference is to the continuous nature of their tenure — they held office for life. It is thus clear that the English words “everlasting” and “eternal” do not accurately reflect the meaning of aidnios. Aidnios, literally, “age lasting,” expresses permanence or perpetuity within limits; “everlasting” and “eternal” imply duration unlimited. The duration signified by aidnios must, in each case, be determined by the nature of the person or thing it describes. In the case of Tiberius Caesar, for instance, aidnios describes a period of 23 years, that is, the time from his ascent to the throne until his death.

In the NT aidnios is used to describe both the fate of the wicked and the future state of the righteous. Following the principle stated above, that the durative quality of aidnios is to be determined by the person or thing of which it is used, we find that the reward of the righteous is life to which there is no end; the reward of the wicked is death to which there is no end (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23; etc.). In John 3:16 “everlasting life” is contrasted with “perish.” In 2 Thess 1:9 the wicked are said to be “punished with everlasting destruction.” The expression does not signify a process that goes on forever, but an act whose results are permanent.

“Fire” is the means by which punishment for sin is inflicted (Matt. 18:8; 25:41). That “fire” is “everlasting,” aionios, does not signify that it is of endless duration. This is clear from Jude 7. Obviously the “eternal fire” that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah burned for a time and then went out. Elsewhere, the Scriptures refer to the fires of the last day as “unquenchable” (Matt. 3:12), meaning that they will not be extinguished until they have burned up the last vestiges of sin and sinners (see on v. 12). For ‘olam, the OT equivalent of aionios, see on Ex. 21:6.

For the devil. See 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6, 7. The fate of the devil and his angels is already determined. These beings “which kept not their first estate” are destined to perish in the fires of the last day. All who follow their example of rebellion will suffer the same fate.