Q: “You wrote an article about hell a couple of months ago. However, you never
addressed in Mark 9:44, 46, and 48, where it says “their worm dieth not.” What does
that mean in relationship to hell and destruction?”

Q: “You wrote an article about hell a couple of months ago. However, you never
addressed in Mark 9:44, 46, and 48, where it says “their worm dieth not.” What does
that mean in relationship to hell and destruction?”

A: Jesus is quoting Isaiah 66:24 in Mark. Isaiah is in reference to the last great
battle that will take place where dead bodies of those who transgressed will be
everywhere, presenting a great, unending feasts for the worms. It points to the judgment
that will take place. In the end they will know the ways of death and they will not be
remembered.

Worms in this text points to maggots that eat on dead bodies. Job mentioned that
which would destroy his physical body in Job 19:27, in light of him still seeing his
redeemer at that day when he would be raised again in a new body. The Bible tells us
that Jesus’ body would not see corruption due to His resurrection (Psalm 16:10; Acts
2:27; 13:33-35). In fact, upon death, the Jewish people of that day anointed the body for
burial, but the transgressors will have no such spiritual preparation, and in some cases,
no physical preparation. They will simply become food and residue.

In Mark, Jesus is referring to those who do sin and walk in it. In fact, it is better to
cut off whatever is associated with sin, whether feet or hands than the whole body be
cast into hell. The worms point to the fact that death in any capacity involves an ongoing
decay and breaking down of all semblance of life as one knows it. In fact, it will
eventually make a person unrecognizable as they digress into complete ruin.

When it speaks of the worm not dying, it speaks of ongoing damnation where
everything is being constantly broken down into a wretched state of spiritual despair and
destruction. On the other hand, Matthew Henry relates the worm to a type of gnawing of
conscience and keen self-awareness in such punishment as one pays the
consequences for sin. Every aspect of the soul will be consumed by the emptiness of
the endless activity of vanity that leaves one unsatisfied, along with endless desperation
that has no end to it. There will be a spiritual thirst that desires satisfaction, but will
never be quenched. After all, the required wages of sin, is death, separation from the
life God has promised those who believe on Jesus and by faith receive His life into their
spirit through the new birth experience of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3, 5; Romans 6:23).

We must also note what the concept of the worm is in relationship to the fires of hell
not being quenched. These fires of lusts are consuming to the soul and yet they do not
burn the soul up, but rather leave it in utter torment and despair. Both the worms and
fire point to something that is consuming, but never ends because the depths of death,
hell, and destruction can’t be measured according to man’s understanding and
judgments.

The concept of hell will not cause people to flee it, but it brings a contrast as to the
two choices man has when it comes to his eternal destination. To choose heaven, we
must have faith and the love of God outweighing the fear and dread of hell. The proper
fear is to dread meeting God outside of His redemption and facing just how far away we
are from heaven and how close and real hell is.