Purgatory

The word purgatory comes from the Latin "purgatorium", the neuter noun derived from "purgatorius", meaning "purifying" or "that which purifies". This term itself comes from the verb "purgare", which means "to cleanse" or "to purge". Originally, people spoke of purgatorial fire before the word designated a specific place. This term therefore derives from the biblical principle of purification from sin, as stated in 1 John 1.9:

Purgatory is considered by the Catholic Church to be a state after death in which souls that need further purification find themselves before entering the kingdom of God. Even if the idea is interesting, it is nevertheless, at first sight, contradicted by Hebrews 9.27:

So if we follow this idea of souls that are not completely forgiven, they would have to undergo additional personal purification. How is this purification carried out according to the principle proposed by the Catholic Church?

1 - By spiritual fire: Certain biblical texts, such as 1 Corinthians 3.13-15, speak of a fire that tests and purifies the works of believers.

In these verses, we do not find the principle of purification. They highlight everyone's works and assess their quality. Although works do not save, they nevertheless follow us. It is therefore important to judge each person's work, this judgment taking place on the day of the last judgment before the judgment seat of Christ. The métaphore — afficher la définition INF181 of fire illustrates the quality of the works, as indicated in 1 Corinthians 3.12.

2 - By the prayers of the living: The Catholic Church encourages prayer for the souls in purgatory, notably through masses and specific intentions. This principle of praying for the dead and for their salvation has no scriptural basis. It is not recognized by the Protestant Church.

You can consult the appendix ANN110: Death, what the Bible says. Catholic exegetes put forward the following argument: according to 2 Timothy 1.16-18, the apostle Paul prays for Onesiphorus, who, following their interpretation, would be dead.

Onesiphorus

It is the apostle Paul who speaks of Onesiphorus, and he mentions him in only one instance:

Look at the NEG version.

Look at the Darby version.

2 Timothy 1.16–18 (PVV)

¹⁶ On the other hand, Onesiphorus often comforted me. May the Lord make his goodness felt to all his family. He, at least, was not ashamed to visit me in prison.

¹⁷ As soon as he arrived in Rome — afficher la définition INF004, he set about actively searching for me; he shrank from no hardship, and so he finally found me.

¹⁸ May the Lord Jesus grant him to share in the goodness of God on that Day (of judgment). You know better than anyone how many services he rendered me in Ephesus.

The verse of 2 Timothy 1.16 states only the wish and prayer of the apostle Paul that God would bless the family of Onesiphorus. Indeed, in view of the journey he made to Rome — afficher la définition INF004, we may suppose that Paul was implying his absence during that period.

The verse of 2 Timothy 1.18, particularly the first part: "May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day", can be difficult to interpret within the framework of a purgatory option. It may more simply mean that, at the last judgment, the apostle Paul wishes that the Lord would regard Onesiphorus's actions as beneficial and encouraging to himself. Moreover, it is possible that Paul hoped that Onesiphorus would never lose his faith and his salvation, unlike some of the people around him at that time.

3 - By divine mercy: Purgatory is a process enabling souls to attain the holiness necessary to enter paradise.

Divine mercy is expressed in the offer of universal salvation made to humanity through the atoning death of Jesus the Messiah. Holiness, understood as absolute purity or moral perfection, may seem unattainable. However, the notion of holiness as separation from the world becomes tangible through conversion to God.

It is worthwhile to examine the origin and historical development of this dogma, which, let us remember, remains entirely distinct from biblical doctrines. We consider that the livres apocryphes — afficher la définition INF029 do not belong to the canon of the Bible.

Prayer for the dead is mentioned in the Second Book of Maccabees, in 2 Maccabees 12.46. This passage describes Judas Maccabeus ordering an atoning sacrifice for the soldiers fallen in battle so that they might be delivered from their sins. This verse is cited as the "biblical" reference for the doctrine of purgatory and of prayer for the dead in Catholicism. It is important to note that the four books of Maccabees are not included in the biblical canon.

(The four books of Maccabees

There are four books of Maccabees, but their recognition varies according to religious traditions:

Judaism does not include them in the Bible hébraïque — afficher la définition INF012.

Catholicism recognizes only the first two as livres deutérocanoniques — afficher la définition INF039.

The Orthodox Churches accept all four books among the livres deutérocanoniques — afficher la définition INF039.

Protestantism regards them as apocryphal and classifies them among the intertestamental books.

The first two books recount the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucids, while the third and fourth books deal with philosophical and historical themes.)

The notion of purgatory began to take shape in the 11th century, but it was above all in the 12th century that it took on a more definite form. The historian Jacques Le Goff even speaks of the "birth of purgatory" at that time.

Subsequently, the doctrine was officially affirmed by the Catholic Church at the first Council of Lyon in 1245, then at the second Council of Lyon in 1274, and finally at the Council of Florence in 1439. The word "purgatory" itself was used for the first time in a decree of the Council of Trent in 1547.

It was at the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that purgatory was confirmed as a dogma, and the Catholic Church insists on the importance of prayers and indulgences for souls undergoing purification.

How can we explain this proposal of purgatory in the Middle Ages?

Doctrinal affirmation: The Church sought to structure its teaching on the afterlife more fully and to respond to the questions of the faithful about the fate of souls after death.

Encouragement of prayers and indulgences: The doctrine of purgatory made it possible to justify prayers for the dead and indulgences, which were a means for the living to help souls reach paradise.

Social and religious control: Some historians, such as Jean Delumeau, have suggested that the Catholic Church used purgatory in a "pastoral of fear" to strengthen its influence over the faithful.

Response to popular beliefs: Many local traditions already spoke of intermediate places or states after death. The Church incorporated these beliefs into an official doctrine.

Today, preaching on purgatory is less common, and the Catholic Church gives greater emphasis to divine mercy rather than to purifying sufferings. Although purgatory remains a Catholic dogma, it is less frequently addressed in contemporary theology.

The texts of the biblical canon do not mention an intermediate state between salvation and perdition. They take a binary approach, offering only two possibilities: "saved" or "lost".

The Bible states explicitly that man himself determines his future status by his earthly choices. Throughout his life, up to the last moment before death, he remains free to accept the salvation offered through the atoning death of Jesus the Messiah (Luke 23.39-43).

We will not revisit here the various studies we present on biblical doctrines. These appendices contain detailed statements based exclusively on the texts of the Bible.

This dogma therefore appears as an adaptation of the biblical text intended to make access to the kingdom of God easier. But this proposal remains a human word, rather like that of the artist (Michel Polnareff) who sang that everyone will go to Paradise. Human imagination has no power over the future of man.