Is there Purgatory

As we are accustomed to this spiritual work of mercy, pray for the dead, the belief in Purgatory is in the Catholic doctrine and its one of the most strongly denied by the Protestants. They simply deny this doctrine and claim that there are no references to it in Holy Scripture. They think it’s useless to make supplications to God for the faithful departed.

But let's first look at 2 Peter 2 v 1 (False Teachers & their Destruction)

(NIV) - False Teachers & their Destruction:

(2 Peter 2 v 1)

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Now is there any place in Scripture that tells us to pray for the DEAD?

Jews Prayer for the dead:

Prayers for the dead form part of the Jewish services. The prayers offered on behalf of the deceased consist of: Recitation of Psalms; Reciting a thrice daily communal prayer in Aramaic which is known as "Kaddish".

Kaddish actually means "Sanctification" (or "Prayer of Making Holy") which is a prayer "In Praise of God"; or other special remembrances known as Yizkor; and also a Hazkara which is said either on the annual commemoration known as the Yahrzeit as well on Jewish holidays.

The form in use in England contains the following passage: Have mercy upon him; pardon all his transgressions . . . Shelter his soul in the shadow of Thy wings. Make known to him the path of life.

El Maleh Rachamim is the actual Jewish prayer for the dead, although less well known than the Mourner's Kaddish. 

While the Kaddish does not mention death but rather affirms the steadfast faith of the mourners in God's goodness, El Maleh Rachamim is a prayer for the rest of the departed. There are various translations for the original Hebrew which vary significantly. One version reads:

“God, filled with mercy, dwelling in the heavens' heights, bring proper rest beneath the wings of your Shechinah, amid the ranks of the holy and the pure, illuminating like the brilliance of the skies the souls of our beloved and our blameless who went to their eternal place of rest. May You who are the source of mercy shelter them beneath Your wings eternally, and bind their souls among the living, that they may rest in peace. And let us say: Amen.”

 

A record of Jewish prayer and offering of sacrifice for the dead at the time of the Maccabees is seen being referred to in 2 Maccabees, a book written in Greek, which, though not accepted as part of the Jewish Bible, is regarded as canonical by Eastern Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church.

What is Kaddish About - The Jewish Prayer for the Dead:

 

Kaddish

ˈkadɪʃ

1. an ancient Jewish prayer sequence regularly recited in the synagogue service, including thanksgiving and praise and concluding with a prayer for universal peace.

   * a form of the Kaddish recited for the dead.

The Kaddish is a deeply meaningful prayer that expresses and reflects the values of the Jewish people. A male mourner is obligated to recite the Mourner's Kaddish during the three daily prayer services. 

This continues for the first eleven months (less one day) for the parent, and for thirty days for other relatives. Kaddish is then said on each Yartzeit (anniversary of passing). A step-son or an adopted son may take upon himself to recite the Kaddish, but he is not obligated to do so.

If a relative has left no sons, close male relatives have a responsibility to ensure that the Kaddish is recited for eleven months and three weeks, and on each Yartziet thereafter.

The Kaddish is in essence a prayer of praise for G-d. It was written in Aramaic, the common language in Talmudic times, to ensure that everyone understood what was being said.

The title "Kaddish" is translated as "holy," and its recitation brings holiness to G-d's name and to all those who respond "Amen" while it is being recited.

What is Kaddish? Elevating Souls of the Deceased

Rabbi Shalom Gold talks about the essence of saying Kaddish for a deceased family member. Includes clips of Rabbi Gold saying Kaddish at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Why We Say Kaddish - by Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein.

The kaddish prayer is all about G-d and says nothing about death or our loved one. Why is it that one of the most important things we can do for a departed soul is say kaddish? What is the significance of this prayer?

Protestants Look at:

(NIV) - Hebrews 9:26

26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.

 But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

(NIV)- (LUKE 16:22-23)

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment,

(NIV)- (LUKE 16:26)

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

(KJV)- (2 Corinthians 5:8)

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Catholic Look at:

“The tradition of the catholic church, by reference to certain texts of scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before final JUDGEMENT, there is a purifying fire”

By Catholic Church.

“ … there exists purgatory, in which the souls of the just who die with the stains of sins are cleansed by expiation before they are admitted to heaven…

‘stains of sins’… means the temporal punishment due to venial or mortal sins already forgiven as to guilt…”

 “…but not fully remitted as to penalty when a person dies. It may also mean the venial sins themselves, not forgiven either as to guilt or punishment before death”

By John A.Hardon, 

The Great Debate VI - Purgatory 

(Matt 18:32-35)

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." Matt 18:32-35

"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."--Matt. 5:25

"But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though ONLY as one ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES. 1 Cor. 3:11-15

Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 -- Jesus teaches us, "Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny." The word "opponent" (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won't get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This "prison" is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.

Matt. 5:48 - Jesus says, "be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect." We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory.

Matt. 12:32 -- Jesus says, "And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next." Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase "in the next" (from the Greek "en to mellonti") generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.

Luke 12:47-48 - when the Master comes (at the end of time), some will receive light or heavy beatings but will live. This state is not heaven or hell, because in heaven there are no beatings, and in hell we will no longer live with the Master.

Luke 16:19-31 - in this story, we see that the dead rich man is suffering but still feels compassion for his brothers and wants to warn them of his place of suffering. But there is no suffering in heaven or compassion in hell because compassion is a grace from God and those in hell are deprived from God's graces for all eternity. So where is the rich man? He is in purgatory.

1 Cor. 15:29-30 - Paul mentions people being baptized on behalf of the dead, in the context of atoning for their sins (people are baptized on the dead's behalf so the dead can be raised). These people cannot be in heaven because they are still with sin, but they also cannot be in hell because their sins can no longer be atoned for. They are in purgatory. These verses directly correspond to 2 Macc. 12:44-45 which also shows specific prayers for the dead, so that they may be forgiven of their sin.

Phil. 2:10 - every knee bends to Jesus, in heaven, on earth, and "under the earth" which is the realm of the righteous dead, or purgatory.

2 Tim. 1:16-18 - Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him "on that day." Paul's use of "that day" demonstrates its eschatological usage (see, for example, Rom. 2.5,16; 1 Cor. 1.8; 3.13; 5.5; 2 Cor. 1.14; Phil. 1.6,10; 2.16; 1 Thess. 5.2,4,5,8; 2 Thess. 2.2,3; 2 Tim. 4.8). Of course, there is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell. Where is Onesiphorus? He is in purgatory.

Heb. 12:14 - without holiness no one will see the Lord. We need final sanctification to attain true holiness before God, and this process occurs during our lives and, if not completed during our lives, in the transitional state of purgatory.

Links:
* Purgatory Catholic & Biblical (Segment 1 & 2).
* The Great Debate VI - Purgatory - Stravinskas.
* Hades.
* Kaddish.