Hello everybody,
If you have read my introducing message to the forum, you may remember I studied Modern Hebrew for some seven years (in fact, this is the only language I've studied formally). Now, Modern Hebrew is not like biblical Hebrew; it is more like a Slavic language (Yiddish) with a Semitic ---i. e., Hebrew and Aramaic--- lexicon. In fact, believe it or not, when all is said and done, Arabic is closer to biblical Hebrew than Modern Hebrew… Notwithstanding, the study of Modern Hebrew did opened the gates for me to study biblical Hebrew and Aramaic (both the biblical and the Syriac kind). For me, this has been of God (anyway, as everything is of Him).
Now, what I wanted to point out here is that I have found, a few years ago, that both Jesus and the apostles have made many quotations and allusions to the Aramaic translations/exegesis of the OT books known as the Targumim (plural for Targum, which means “translation”).
One of these allusions has to do with the expression “second death”, which is found in five or six passages in the Targums. Those passages are:
DEUTERONOMY
33:6. Let Reuben live in this world, nor die the second death which the wicked die in the world to come… (Pseudo-Jonathan)
33:6. Let Reuben live in life eternal, and not die the second death… (Onkelos)
PSALMS
49:11. For the wise will see the wicked, who die the second death; in Gehenna they will be judged…
ISAIAH
22:14. The prophet said, with mine ears I was hearing when this was decreed from before the Lord of Hosts: that this your iniquity shall not be forgiven you till you die the second death… (Pseudo-Jonathan)
65:6. Behold, it is written before me: I will not give unto them prolongation in this life; but I will recompense unto them the wages for their sins, and deliver their bodies to the second death. (Pseudo-Jonathan)
There is also an occurrence in the book of Jeremiah, which I cannot find right now.
Now, with this in mind, go now to Revelation 20:14: “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. THIS is the second death.”
In my view, the one above is a clarification made by Jesus Christ through John of an expression not strange at all to the readers/hearers of Revelation.
As you may grasp, I saw this finding as one of huge importance in order to understand God's plan in general and the book of Revelation in particular.
In due time, I will be submitting other findings related to the Targumims for you to consider with God's help.
Let all the glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mariano