Shades of Sheol: Death and Afterlife in the Old Testament

by Philip S. Johnston

"For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise?" (Psalm 6:5) Philip S. Johnston explores these and other issues. He examines Israelite views on death and afterlife as reflected in the Hebrew Bible and in material remains, and sets them in their cultural, literary and theological contexts. Johnston argues in detail that the Israelites were not as preoccupied with the underworld or the dead as some scholars have recently alleged. Instead, their faith that Yahweh was the God of the living, and that Sheol was cut off from him, led eventually to the hope of a positive afterlife. This important study sheds fresh light on Israelite beliefs in an area central to the later development of the Christian faith.

Genres: Theology, Judaism, Religion, Biblical Studies

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2002

Reviews

[Rodney Sills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very exhaustive approach toward the understanding of Sheol for not only the Israelite culture but Egypt and Mesopotamia as well (many others).
I especially appreciate the summarizing of the chapter giving at the end of each chapter. Mr. Johnston handles an extreme amount of information well and works hard to bring that research down to Earth. If you are interested in digging into the underworld and ancient culture, this is a great read.

[Pearlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never thought of how I had presupposed my view of heaven and hell on the OT. It never occurred to me that the OT view of life after death is not only different, it is actually not very much discussed. Moreover, the topic of resurrection is almost absent, maybe except for Deuteronomy 32, 1 Samuel 2, Isaiah 26 and Daniel 12.

Philip Johnston has indeed provided us with a very indepth study on the topic in the OT: death and afterlife.

He first examined death in general in the milieu of the OT. This is quite interesting as he describe how the people of that time view death in its various forms: death and diversity, death as an end of life, death as a friend, death as an enemy, death as a separation, death as a reunion?, death by sacrifice, death by suicide, and more.

He then looked into the realm of the death i.e. the underworld, particular at this place called Sheol in the OT. He examines biblical verses to try to draw a picture as to what Sheol refers to, who goes there and what is thought to be there. It is clear that the OT has little interest in the underworld.

Next, he explored the inhabitants of the underworld and concludes that in the OT times, the dead were of minimal importance.

Finally, he looked into the afterlife: is there communion beyond death and is there resurrection from death. The first, he concluded that for most of the Israelites, hope remained firmly anchored in the present life but a few seem to glimpse some form of continued communion with God beyond life. On resurrection, they recognised that God has the power to bring life but it was rarely brought up or explored - the belief itself was enough to begin with.

The book was indeed a very good read, albeit tough at certain parts. It made me realise that the doctrine of life and death had actually developed through time as God revealed himself to us, and it might indeed continue to develop as we meditate more and more on Scripture and on this God-given life itself as it unfolds before our eyes.

[Rev Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a difficult time trying to decide on a rating. In the end, I went with 4 stars because the material collected by the author and placed in the book is not found in any other source. One should not develop a view on the Old Testament's picture of the Afterlife without first consulting Johnston's book. I do not agree with all of his conclusions. I think he wastes a great deal of time debunking other authors who saw the underworld in every possible passage in the OT, but he does present a thorough study on Sheol that I have never seen in another book. I think his argument is strong that Sheol always means the Afterlife and is never a reference to a pit or tomb. I disagree with him on the lack of emphasis he see on the resurrection and peace in the Afterlife. I think some of the passages that he dismisses do present hope in life after death for those who believe in God. If you are looking for a thorough summary on Sheol that covers the length of the entire OT, this is best place to go. I think the vast majority of the good materials is in parts A&B. Parts C&D feel a little bit like fillers. Pick up Shades of Sheol if you want to begin to learn the exciting and at times complicated picture of life after death found in the Bible.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a background study on rhe issue on death and the afterlife in the Old Testament. He divides the book into four parts covering: death, the underworld, the dead and the afterlife. Previously most books I have read on the subject have been from a New Testament perspective and tended to focus purely on the resurrection. However, I have found this surprisingly enjoyable in the author's ability to take a subject which most people would not touvh with a barge pole and make it so interesting.

[Ray Clendenen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about the afterlife according to the Old Testament. It's full of myth-busting and careful exegesis. It's a must read for anyone interested in what the Bible says about death (and why would anyone NOT be interested in that!).

[James Colton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book full of helpful background information. Would have given 5 stars, but too much time was spent debunking some wacky theories that probably didn't deserve the attention they got.

[Pandaduh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 2023.

[Nikolas Larum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of academic theological works. Even if the writers are believers, as Johnson appears to be, it seems they must give lip service to textual criticism, humanist development of the text, and an evolutionary world view behind the development of belief. Jesus quoted Daniel and stated unequivocally that YHWH's declaration to Moses in Ex 3:6 was proof text of the resurrection (Matt 22:31-32). In contrast, the author goes to great pains to marginalize a faith in the resurrection and an understanding of an afterlife for Jews, but then in his final paragraph exhibits faith in Christ. I find it a bit incongruous. Academia may demand seeing the New Testament as a development of the Old through purely human processes. Belief in divine revelation demands that we view the New Testament as a revelation of the Old.

The book does give an extensive overview of the terms used in reference to the dead and the afterlife in the Old Testament. Useful, perhaps, as a reference.

[Annie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book on the concept of the afterlife in the Hebrew Bible.