Why Did Jesus Go To Hell For 3 Days

Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?

QuestionAnswer Currently, there is a considerable degree of uncertainty around this subject. According to the Apostles’ Creed, which declares, “He descended into hell,” the belief that Jesus went to hell after His death on the cross is essentially derived from this verse. The Bible contains several passages in which Jesus is described as going to “hell,” depending on how the passages are interpreted. Prior to delving into this topic, it is critical to grasp what the Bible has to say regarding the realm of the dead.

Sheol/hades, according to other passages in the New Testament, is a transitory realm where souls are held while they await the final resurrection and judgment.

The lake of fire serves as a permanent and ultimate repository for the souls of the dead.

Many people refer to both hades and the lake of fire as “hell,” which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding.

  • As described in Matthew 11:23–18, Luke 10:15–16:23, and Acts 2:27–31, sheol/hades was a realm divided into two divisions—a region of blessing and a place of condemnation.
  • The abodes of the rescued and the abodes of the lost are divided by a “huge gap” (or abyss in Hebrew) (Luke 16:26).
  • The aspect of sheol/hades that deals with judgment has remained constant.
  • Is it true that Jesus died and went to sheol/hell?
  • Some of the misunderstanding has originated from texts such as Psalm 16:10–11, which is translated as follows in the King James Version: “For thou wilt not abandon my soul to the depths of hell; nor wilt thou allow thine Holy One to be corrupted.
  • A accurate reading would be “the grave” or “sheol.” Jesus said to the thief beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43); He did not say, “I will see you in hell.” Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit departed to live with the blessed in sheol/hades.
  • This idea is completely unbiblical.

It was His shed blood that effected our own cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7–9).

He became sin for us: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This imputation of sin helps us understand Christ’s struggle in the garden of Gethsemane with the cup of sin which would be poured out upon Him on the cross.

(John 19:30).

His soul/spirit went to hades (the place of the dead) (the place of the dead).

Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died.

He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to hell? No. Is it true that Jesus died and went to sheol/hell? Yes. Questions regarding Jesus Christ (return to top of page) Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?

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Where was Jesus for the three days between His death and resurrection?

QuestionAnswer On the cross, after saying, “It is done,” Jesus bent his head and surrendered his spirit, according to the Bible (John 19:30). When Jesus died on the crucifixion, his corpse stayed there until it was brought down and laid in a neighboring tomb (John 19:40–42). His spirit, on the other hand, was somewhere else. Thirty-two hours later, He was raised from the dead by the reunification of his body and spirit (John 20). There has been some debate concerning where Jesus was during the three days between His death and resurrection—that is, where His spirit was during that time period.

  1. During Jesus’ entry into His kingdom, the believing thief requests to be remembered, and Jesus responds, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42).
  2. As a result, upon His death, Jesus was taken to the region of blessing where God resides—heaven.
  3. Another text is frequently cited in the debate of where Jesus was during the three days that elapsed between His death and His resurrection.
  4. (ESV).
  5. According to this understanding, the spirits Jesus addressed may have been either demonic or human in nature, but not both.
  6. Peter does not tell us what Jesus said to the spirits that were imprisoned, but it could not have been a message of redemption since angels cannot be rescued, as we know from the Bible (Hebrews 2:16).
  7. However, there is another reading of the text from 1 Peter.
  8. The fact that Jesus had “in spirit” taught to the people of Noah’s day while they were still alive on earth is provided by Peter as a footnote to the passage.
  9. The wordnow in 1 Peter 3:19 is included for clarity in the Amplified Bible and the New American Standard Bibles of 1977 and 1995, and it contrasts with the words “long ago” (NIV) and “formerly” (ESV) in 1 Peter 3:20.

The Amplified Bible and the New American Standard Bibles of 1977 and 1995 include the wordnow in 1 To further understand, consider the following paraphrase of 1 Peter 3:18–20: When Jesus died in the flesh, He was raised to life in the Spirit (it was by means of this same Spirit that Jesus preached to those who are currently imprisoned—those souls who rebelled during the period of God’s great patience when Noah was constructing the ark).

The prophet Noah was used by Jesus to teach spiritually to the people of Noah’s day, according to this viewpoint.

Another verse, Ephesians 4:8–10, is cited in the explanation of Jesus’ actions during the three days that elapsed between His death and resurrection.

According to the English Standard Version, Christ “led a multitude of prisoners.” Some believe that phrase alludes to an occurrence that is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, namely, that Jesus gathered all of the saved who were in paradise and transported them to their eternal home in heaven.

Another interpretation of Ephesians 4 is that the phrase “ascended up high” is a direct allusion to Jesus’ ascension.

In His triumph, Jesus had beaten and captured our spiritual adversaries, including the devil, death, and the curse of sin, and He had taken them captive.

The only thing we can be certain of is that, according to Jesus’ own words on the cross, He was taken up to be with the Father in paradise.

As well as this, we may confidently state that because His work of salvation was completed, Jesus did not have to suffer in hell. Questions regarding Jesus Christ (return to top of page) What happened to Jesus during the three days that elapsed between His death and resurrection?

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Did Jesus Go to Hell?

QUESTION: Did Jesus go to Hell or was he saved? ANSWER:More precisely, did Jesus spend any time in hell between the time of His death on Good Friday and the time of His resurrection on Easter Sunday? The Apostles’ Creed declares that Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins “he was crucified, died, and was subsequently buried He was sent into the depths of hell. On the third day, Jesus resurrected from the dead once more.” The Athanasian Creed says of Jesus, “Who suffered for our salvation, fell into hell, and rose again the third day from the grave,” which is a reference to his resurrection.

The quick answer to this question is “No.” The long answer is “Yes.” When it came to word choice, the biblical authors were more accurate than some of our Bible translators or creed writers.

(Greek is the language in which the original manuscripts of the New Testament of the Bible were composed.) (Matthew 25:41) Hell, also known as thelake of fire and the perpetual fire, was created for the Devil and his henchmen and will be populated by all the unrighteous after the final judgment (Matthew 25:41).

  • Since Jesus’ Second Coming, there is no scriptural indication that anybody has traveled there or will travel there until that time (Revelation 19:11-16).
  • The alternative Greek term is Hadas, which means “destroyer” (from which we get the English wordHades).
  • Prior to Jesus’ ascension, the spirits of all humans were exiled to the underworld, or Hades.
  • After His crucifixion, Jesus made His way into this area (Acts 2:25-31 in which Peter quotes from Psalm 16:9-10).
  • This might also refer to Jesus’ sojourn to Hades prior to His ascension into heaven.
  • He will be expelled from the world once the last judgment is rendered (Revelation 20:14).
  • The early church claimed that Jesus was crucified and afterwards resurrected from the dead.

140), the sentence “He fell into Hell” did not exist, and it also did not appear in the later Nicene Creed (A.D.

It appears to have been a late addition to the game (perhaps around A.D.

The term initially occurred in the Creed of Aquileia, which means “Creed of Aquileia” (4th century, in the Latin wordsdescendit in inferna- descended into Hades).

So, what’s the deal with the addition?

381), according to one theory.

For the church, on the other hand, Jesus’ death had to be a real death and an effective sacrifice for sin in order for it to be a true death and an effective sacrifice.

As early as the Middle Ages, the terms Hell and Hades had gotten muddled, and it was believed that Jesus had been sent into the depths of Hell.

Christ’s

The God I believe in is God, the Father Almighty, who is the Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, and who descended into hell after his death. He resurrected from the dead for a third time on the third day. Ascending into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, he will come to judge the living and the dead when the time comes.

Amen.

This raises an important question: how accurate is the Apostles’ Creed’s depiction of this issue in terms of accuracy?

Using the biblical character of Jonah as an example, Jesus proclaims in Matthew 12:40, “Just as Jonah was swallowed up by a colossal fish for three days and nights, so will be the Son of Man for three days and three nights in the center of the earth.” And it is undeniable that when Christ died, he surrendered his spirit (John 19:30).

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All that is left is to determine what Scripture means when it talks of Christ descended into the depths of the earth (or the heart of the earth).

Most scholars agree that this deep part of the earth represents the netherworld (i.e., the place wherein the spirits of the dead reside) — it wasn’t until relatively recently that hell began to be associated with the specific location wherein the damned are punished for all eternity (as opposed to the general concept of “hell”).

There are three noteworthy viewpoints to consider:

  1. Christ spent his three days suffering the wrath of God
  2. Christ spent his three days proclaiming his victory over the Satanic kingdom
  3. Christ spent his three days preaching the Gospel to the Old Testament believers who lived in a separate portion of the netherworld
  4. Christ spent his three days preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles who lived in a separate portion of the netherworld

The analogy between Jonah and Christ is advantageous to the first viewpoint in this debate. It is not difficult to understand that, just as Jonah spent his time in suffering in the deep (or the grave), it is possible that Christ too spent time in suffering in the realm of the dead. The apostle Peter states in Acts 2:24 that Christ’s resurrection freed him from the clutches of death “since it was not possible for him to be held or conquered by them” — implying that Christ had been writhing in agony under the weight of death prior to his resurrection.

  1. According to the second viewpoint, Christ is shown as descending into the depths of hell to declare his victory over sin and death.
  2. Death has been conquered.
  3. This is a wonderful photograph.
  4. In this section, we will look at the third and final position, which arises from a problem with interpretation1.
  5. The most difficult question that arises from such an interpretation is one of motivation: why would Christ go out of his way to speak to individuals who had already accepted his message?
  6. It was decided that they were justified in their actions.
  7. While it is possible that Christ presented the Gospel in this manner, it does not appear to be required.
  8. The solemn and joyful responsibility of the Christian then is to let the Scriptures to speak for themselves.

Since it is not an issue of division, every Christian should give his or her brother or sister a little leeway in their interpretation while still preserving godly fellowship that is formed of love and charity.

Did Jesus Descend to Hell Between His Death and Resurrection?

We know from Jesus’ response to the thief that when someone dies, they are instantly brought into the presence of the Father. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise,” says Jesus in Luke 23:42. “Truly, I tell to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” This remark also informs us that Jesus died and was resurrected by His Father. We don’t know much more than that regarding Jesus’ whereabouts throughout those three days. It’s important not to read too much into a parable or narrative, as this might lead to confusion.

Did Jesus Descend to Hell? Bible Verses for this Theory

1 Peter 3:18-20 is the scripture of Scripture most frequently cited by people who believe in the existence of hell. “Because Christ also died for sins once and for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, namely, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” “In which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,” they say, referring to the verses in question.

  1. According to legend, Jesus descended into Hell and preached to the souls of the damned.
  2. There is no indication in the Bible that a lost soul who has died receives a second opportunity at redemption.
  3. However, there is another reading of this verse that is more logical.
  4. You may have daily words of encouragement emailed to your inbox.

Interpreting the Scripture

Jesus was crucified in the body, yet he was raised to life by the Holy Spirit after his death. The term “brought alive” is a passive verb, which means that someone other than Jesus was responsible for bringing Jesus back to life. Either Jesus was brought back to life by the Spirit, or He was brought back to life by His spirit. Regardless of the outcome, the Spirit must have had a role. The chapter then goes on to tell us who these souls in prison are: they are those who did not listen to Noah (who was preaching repentance to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit under the direction of God at the time of his imprisonment).

However, just eight persons heeded the warning and were saved—”brought safely through the floodwaters” The term “jail” is used in a metaphorical sense.

Furthermore, a wide gap has been established between us and you, in order that anyone who seek to pass over from here into you will not be able to do so, and that none who wish to cross over from there will be able to do so.” Jesus did not go to hell for those three days, according to the Bible, which is not mentioned anywhere else.

Most people believe Jesus’ physical body stayed in the tomb, just as ours will remain in the grave once we die.

The distinction is that God did not allow Jesus’ body to degrade like other people’s bodies did.

Other Bible Verses about Jesus’ Descent to Hell

Other Bible scriptures, such as Romans 10:6-7, Ephesians 4:8-9, and Acts 2:27, that have been cited to support the belief that Jesus went to hell between his crucifixion and resurrection have also caused confusion. But these verses are routinely taken out of context and handed significance beyond their purpose, as illustrated inthis ZondervanAcademic.com article. Also, a subsequent addition to the Apostle’s Creed says, “and he went into hell.” Did Jesus Descend into Hell Before He Was Resurrected?, a film by Garrett Kell, explored this question.

Did Jesus go to Hell for three days? #AskAlpineBible

06.08.16 Topics include Heaven and Hell, as well as Christ’s death. 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 4, John 19:30, and Psalm 16:10-11 are examples of biblical texts. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video in order to see this video.

Did Jesus go to Hell for three days?

AskAlpineBible We were recently approached with a fascinating inquiry about Jesus’ death and what happened to him after he died. Is it possible that he spent three days in hell? Where had Jesus gone? I believe the short answer to this question is: no. Jesus did not end up in hell. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he declared, “It is finished,” according to John 19:30. That sentence literally translates as “completely paid.” Jesus is alluding to the fact that he paid the price for our sin.

  • When you read the tale of Lazarus and the wealthy man in Luke 16, you will be reminded of this.
  • The rich guy is on one side of the table, while Lazarus is on the opposite.
  • The wealthy individual was on the side of the outer darkness.
  • I believe Jesus’ announcement was a declaration of his victory over sin, Satan, and death, among other things.
  • The Bible refers to Jesus as the first fruits, which means that he was the first to be resurrected and that he set the captives free into eternity in his presence, where they will be able to experience him for all eternity.
  • In that chapter, the term for Sheol is translated as “hell” by the King James Version.
  • In Psalm 16, it appears to be the site where the dead are interred, which I believe is the case.
  • It’s making a prophecy about what would happen to Christ at the time.

It’s true that the definition of hell might be confusing at times, but I do not think Christ was sent to hell. I believe that Jesus went to Abraham’s bosom and declared his victory over sin, Satan, and death, and that he did it in the presence of Abraham.

Did Jesus ‘Descend into Hell’ after his death?

Following his crucifixion, did Jesus “Descended into Hell,” as millions of Christians say in The Apostles’ Creed every week during their weekly church services? It is supported by nearly 2,000 years of Christian tradition, as well as a biblical reference in 1 Peter 3:19-20: “After being raised from the dead, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – to those who had been disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” (This is the New International Version.) What is referred to as the “harrowing of hell” is what Christ experienced while descending into Hades or hell between his death and resurrection.

During the early centuries of the Christian church, it was thought that after his death, Christ went into hell in order to save the souls of the righteous, such as Adam and Eve.

Ancient paintings from the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as similar icons that are still in use in Greek and Russian Orthodox churches today, depict Christ standing over the broken gates of hell, angels binding Satan and Satan crushed under the gates of hell, while Christ pulls out two figures representing Adam and Eve who have been imprisoned because of their sin.

The Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus, written around 215 A.D., is an early version of the Apostles’ Creed that alludes to Christ’s ascension into the world of the dead.

He was raised to life again on the third day, after which he ascended into heaven, where he is now sitting at the right side of the Father, and he will return to judge those who are alive and those who are dead.

2.27 and 31 of Acts as a result of your refusal to abandon me to the world of the dead, as a result of your refusal to allow your holy one to witness deterioration As a foreshadowing of what was to come, he talked of the Messiah’s resurrection, stating that he had not been abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor had his body begun to decay.

  • 10 He who descended is also he who soared far beyond all the heavens, in order that he may fill all things with himself.) 17th chapter of Revelation When I first saw him, I collapsed at his feet, like if I were dead.
  • What exactly is Hell?
  • Damnation, according to historian Alan Bernstein, author of the book “The Formation of Hell,” has a rich cultural past that predates the Christian doctrine of hell.
  • While in Babylonia, Jews were introduced to Zoroastrianism, which holds that there is an unending battle between good and evil, with virtue ultimately triumphing.
  • Between around 300 B.C.
  • Translations from Hebrew to Greek were made by using the phrases Tartarus, Hades, and Gehenna in place of the Hebrew ones.
  • Historically, the name Gehenna was used to refer to a ravine outside of Jerusalem that served as a waste dump.
  • As a waste dump, it was almost certainly a frequent source of fire as trash was burnt, further stressing the idea of the fires of everlasting damnation as the source of all evil.

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He Descended into Hell?

Upon his crucifixion, did Jesus “Descend into Hell,” as millions of Christians believe he did in the Apostles’ Creed, which they read during weekly church services? This is supported by nearly 2,000 years of Christian tradition, as well as a biblical reference in 1 Peter 3:19-20: “After being raised from the dead, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – to those who had been disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being constructed.” International Version (New International Version) of the phrase During his descent into Hades or hell between his death and resurrection, Christ endured what is known as the “harrowing of hell.” Christ, according to early Christian belief, went into hell after his death in order to save the souls of the righteous, such as Adam and Eve.

  • Jesus descends and destroys the gates of hell, freeing the captives and leading the righteous to paradise on the cross.
  • The figures are Adam and Eve who have been imprisoned because of their sin.
  • This is an early form of the Apostles’ Creed that is still in use today.
  • He was raised to life again on the third day, after which he ascended into heaven, where he is now sitting at the right side of the Father, and he will return to judge those who are alive and those who have died.
  • 2.27 and 31 of Acts.
  • Paul said in Ephesians 4:8 that Accordingly, “When he went to the highest point, he led a multitude of prisoners, and he bestowed presents on men.” 9 “He ascended,” after all, what else could it possibly signify but that he had also sunk into the lower regions of the earth?
  • The Book of Revelation, Chapter 17 After seeing him, I collapsed to the ground like if I were dead.
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This weekend, on Easter Sunday, millions of Christians will gather to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection.

As the Bible was being written, human conceptions of hell were still in flux.

Because of the pain they were experiencing from godless adversaries who appeared to be living an unfairly nice life on Earth, the ancient Hebrews became preoccupied with the afterlife following their Babylonian captivity.

As Bernstein points out, the Hebrew notion of “Sheol” – the kingdom of the dead – may also have been influenced by the Greek legend of Tartarus, which was described as a place of endless punishment for the Titans, a race of gods who were overthrown by Zeus.

and 300 A.D., these influences were blended with Hebrew conjecture about an impending retribution against the wicked of the earth.

Although Hades is seen as a realm of retribution in Greek mythology, it is more accurately described as a place of separation between the dead and the living.

As a result of its past as a site of child sacrifice, it has come to represent anguish and sorrow.

There are numerous colorful depictions of hell in the Bible, including images of fire and darkness, such as the one found in the Gospel of Matthew, which speaks of “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” and “the outer darkness” where “men will weep and gnash their teeth,” among other things.

What Is Death?

First and foremost, what precisely is death. In death, there is a division between things that should be joined together. Fundamentally, it is a state of being separated from God. According to Ephesians 2:1–2, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins,” which means “dead in your former way of life.” It is to be dead, to be enslaved to evil spirits, to be alienated from God, and to be offspring of his wrath to continue to live in sin. It is an estrangement, a hostility, and an alienation from the life and hope of the living God when this form of separation occurs.

  • Death, on the other hand, is more than merely being separated from God.
  • Death shatters the bond that God created between embodied souls and ensouled bodies, and death is the tearing apart of that union.
  • Psalm 16:10 provides us with a window into the teaching of the Bible.
  • “God created human beings to be both embodied souls and ensouled bodies,” says the author.
  • In addition to the spirit being abandoned “to Sheol,” the body also saw degeneration or decay.
  • As a result, before to Jesus, when a person died, their souls were often sent to Sheol (or Hades) and their bodies (flesh) rotted.
  • A brief look at the Bible will reveal why Peter believes David’s prophesy in Psalm 16 is such excellent news for the world.

What Is Sheol?

Sheol is the location of the souls of the deceased in the Old Testament, including both the good (such as Jacob in Genesis 37:35 and Samuel in 1 Samuel 28:13–14) and the wicked (such as Abel in 1 Samuel 28:13–14). (Psalm 31:17). According to the New Testament, the Hebrew wordSheolis is translated asHades, and the portrayal of Sheol in both the Old and New Testaments has a striking resemblance to the Greek mythological figure of Hades. It is located under the surface of the earth (Numbers 16:30–33), and it resembles a city with gates (Isaiah 38:10) and bars (Numbers 16:30–33).

  1. In this country of darkness, the shadowy spirits of mankind can be found, as can be found in any other area of gloom (Isaiah 14:9; 26:14).
  2. The most essential aspect of Sheol is that it is a realm where no one praises God (Psalm 6:5, 88:10–11, 115:17, Isaiah 38:18, among other passages).
  3. From there, we learn that the biblical Sheol is divided into two compartments, similar to the Hades of Greek mythology, namely, Hades proper (where the wealthy man is transferred, according to Luke 16:23), and “Abraham’s bosom” (where the angels carry Lazarus, Luke 16:22).
  4. While Abraham’s bosom is within hearing distance of Hades, it is separated from it by “a huge gap” (Luke 16:26), and it serves as a haven of solace and repose, similar to the Greek Elysium.
  5. In Sheol/Hades, all deceased souls are sent, but Sheol is separated into two different sections, one for the virtuous and another for the evil.

They remained in Sheol with Abraham, and though they were cut off from the land of the living (and, as a result, from Yahweh’s worship on earth), they were not tortured in the same way that the wicked were, as the wicked were.

Where Did Jesus Go When He Died?

In the aftermath of his atoning death for sin, Jesus travels to Hades, the City of Death, and pulls the gates off their hinges. As a result, what can we infer about Jesus’ whereabouts on Holy Saturday from this? Several Christians believe that following Jesus’ death, his soul was taken up into heaven to be in the presence of the Father, in accordance with Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross recorded in Luke 23:43. In contrast, the passage in Luke 23:43 states that Jesus would be in the presence of the thief (“Today you will be with mein paradise”), and based on the Old Testament and Luke 16, it appears likely that the now-repentant thief would be at Abraham’s side, a place of comfort and rest for the righteous dead, which Jesus here refers to as “paradise.” Following his death on the cross for sin, Jesus travels to Hades, the City of Death, and pulls the gates off their hinges in a show of defiance.

John the Baptist and the rest of the Old Testament faithful are ransomed from Sheol’s tyranny by him.

Heb.

Following his resurrection, Jesus ascends to heaven, bringing with him the ransomed dead, resulting in paradise no longer being located down near the region of agony, but rather up in the third heaven, the highest heaven, where God resides (2 Corinthians 12:2–4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13).

But the wicked remain in Hades in torment until the final judgment, when Hades releases the souls of the dead who dwell there and they are judged in accordance with their deeds, and then Death and Hades are thrown into hell, where they will burn for an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13–15).

Good News for Us

In what ways does this have ramifications for Holy Week? Christ’s journey to Hades indicates that he was, in fact, created in the same manner as we are. Along with bearing God’s wrath on our behalf, he had to undergo death, which was the severance of his spirit from his physical body. In Luke 23:50–53, his body was in Joseph’s tomb, and his spirit had been in Sheol, which means “in the depths of the ground,” for three days (Matthew 12:40). The celestial choir and the saints of old come together in worship of the Lamb when we die.

However, unlike our bodies, Jesus’ body did not deteriorate after burial.

As the firstfruits of the resurrection harvest, God resurrected him from the grave and rejoined his soul with his now-glorified body, making him the firstfruits of the resurrection crop.

As an alternative, when we die, we unite with the heavenly choir and the saints of old to sing praises to the Lamb who was killed on the cross for our sakes and the salvation of all mankind. The Lord has risen from the dead. The Lord has certainly risen from the dead.

He Descended into Hell, or Did He?

The Apostles’ Creed is one of the oldest ancient confessions of the Christian faith. To this day, it is still in use by a large number of Protestant groups as well as the Roman Catholic Church, among others. In spite of this, it has a particular phrase that has sparked much dispute throughout history. The creed is as follows: I believe in God the Father Almighty, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, and I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, as revealed in the Bible.

  1. He was sent into the depths of hell.
  2. He has climbed to the throne of God the Father Almighty and is now sitting at the right hand of the Almighty.
  3. For the sake of my own salvation, I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic (or Universal) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiving of sins, the resurrection of the body, and a hereafter in which we will live forever.
  4. It is the statement “he fell to hell” that has been the source of ongoing debate in the church for centuries.
  5. Is it possible that he truly went to hell?
  6. Let’s take a look at this crucial and intriguing issue in further detail.
  7. When the question “Did Jesus genuinely fall into hell?” is posed, we must first clarify the concepts used in the discussion.
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Jesus didn’t go to that place.

As a result, when early Christian writers wrote things like “He went to hell” or “He descended to the dead,” they were referring to this.

His body was laid to rest, and his spirit was transported to the land of the dead.

One such phrase is “the abyss,” which appears in Romans 10:7.

“Paradise,” for example, is a representation of the last resting place of the virtuous dead.

Then there are words like as “Gehenna” and “Hades,” which relate to the location where the unrighteous dead are buried.

(e.g.

What Do You Think of 1 Peter 3?

The text reads as follows: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order that he might reconcile us to God, having been put to death in the flesh but raised to life in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they had previously refused to obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, namely, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, with angels, authorities, and powers subjected to him, baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

  1. Jesus’ descent is mentioned here, but Peter also speaks about the entire path of Christ’s obedience—his life, death, and resurrection—in this passage.
  2. If you take that term to apply to the time period between Christ’s death and resurrection, it refers to the time when Christ went out and “announced” his triumph over Satan, death, and all evil, which was accomplished via his substitutionary death.
  3. At one point during the fall, it’s almost as if Jesus is shouting, “Hey everybody, I won!” and proclaiming his victory to everyone there in the land of the dead.
  4. In 1 Peter 3, he is preaching it to people who live under the surface of the earth.
  5. At the end of both 1 Peter 3 and Philippians 2, we see that he is being recognized as Lord by all people in heaven, on earth, and under earth—that is, the place where the dead are interred.
  6. Jesus is referred to as “King” in that country as well.
  7. What makes Jesus the King that he is?

According to author Michael Heiser’s book The Unseen Realm (which I do not endorse in its whole), this land of the dead is actually a representation of the dominion of the serpent as described in the Old Testament.

During his ascension, Jesus kicked down the gates of the kingdom of the serpent, demonstrating that he is also King there.

God, in the person of Jesus, penetrated even the realm of death and announced his victory as he descended into the depths of the earth.

The most important reason is that it provides a clear picture of why the old heresy of Apollinarianism is not real.

To put it another way, according to Apollinarian philosophy, Jesus was merely a material creature on earth, in terms of his human nature, during his time here.

And what better theory to use to oppose this error than the concept of Jesus’ descent, which holds that Jesus, according to his human soul, deliberately went to the region of the dead and declared triumph there?

According to my research, the emphasis placed on the descending clause in successive revisions of the Apostles’ Creed may have been due to the church’s ardent opposition to Apollinarianism at the time.

As a result, it is significant in terms of soteriology.

During his ascension, Jesus was victorious over the dominion of the adversary.

In his descent, he wasn’t attempting anything novel.

In the face of death and the world of the dead, he has achieved victory by his death on the cross.

In addition to his victory over death and, thus, his capacity to raise us from the grave and into new life in him, this substitution has a number of other consequences.

In many cases, the arguments against this belief are based on statements made by Jesus during his crucifixion.

First and foremost, in John 19:30, Jesus declares, “It is finished.” This was just before he was killed.

When Jesus stated, “It is completed,” he was referring to the completion of his active obedience.

There was nothing further that could be done in that situation.

Because death is a component of the punishment for sin, he is effectively dead during his descent.

He took our place and endured the brunt of our wrath.

He wasn’t attempting anything new this time.

As a result of what I’ve already done, here’s what happened: “I’m the winner!” His finished work on the cross was applied to his physical life, his post-resurrection teaching and ministry, and the realm of the earth after his resurrection.

Christ now has complete authority over all things as a result of his sinless life and atoning death.

The applications of what he has already done to save people in every realm of reality—under the earth, on the earth, and in the heavens—are as diverse as the people he has saved.

Several metaphorical terms are used in Scripture to refer to the righteous compartment of the place of the dead, one of which is “paradise,” as you may recall.

When the dead are waiting for the resurrection, they are waiting “down” in the place of the dead, to use the Bible’s spatial and metaphorical language.

The nature of paradise has changed as a result of Jesus’ resurrection, which took place on Easter Sunday.

As a result, we’re talking about going to heaven today because that’s where Jesus is and where the righteous dead are, respectively.

“Yes, Jesus went down to the place of the dead, to paradise, to the righteous compartment, because he was righteous,” would have been the universally acknowledged conclusion.

As a result, the spatial language shifts.

He’s in the throne room of heaven, and the rest of the angels have accompanied him there.

Please keep in mind that Dr.

Brian Arnold go into greater detail about this doctrine on Episode 25 of Faith Seeking Understanding.

Matthew Emerson is a professor of religion at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he also holds the Floyd K.

He is the author of “He Descended to the Dead”: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday, which was published in 2008. (IVP Academic, 2019). Dr. Emerson graduated with honors from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned his Ph.D.

Theology Thursday: Where Did Jesus Go When He Died?

Dr. Valerie J. De La Torre contributed to this article. When it comes to Jesus Christ, who is the second member in the Trinity, the second article of the Apostles’ Creed is a broader grouping of assertions that are centered on him. This section reveals Christ’s birth, suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, as well as his predicted return to judge all of mankind (Matthew 25:31-46). In order to understand the short word that proclaims that Jesus “descended into hell,” we must first understand what it means.

We discover early references to Christ experiencing human mortality, whether viewed literally or symbolically, which makes it a fascinating factor to consider (Acts.

So, what exactly happened to Jesus when he passed away?

Did Jesus Go to Hell?

The area referred to as “hell” in this creedal declaration was formerly referred to in the Bible asGehenna, which means “the land of the dead” in Greek. It is seen as a region of perpetual torment for individuals who are rejected at the final judgment. The Hebrew name Sheol is used to describe the location in the Old Testament, and it alludes to the grave — a place far removed from God’s presence where the virtuous and the wicked both stay — in the Old Testament. As a result, the issue must be raised as to whether this is the location where Jesus was taken after his death.

  1. According to a subsequent interpretation, this site of descent represents Christ’s victory over the Kingdom of Satan, which was accomplished in death.
  2. That is, the promise of the approaching judgment at Christ’s return, in which the final victory over death and evil will be revealed, is supported by this second viewpoint.
  3. Although a later medieval opinion argued once more that only Christians of the pre-Christian time were in fact recipients and beneficiaries of Christ’s preaching in Hades, as intimated in Matthew 27:52 and again in Hebrews 12:23, this position was rebutted by a later medieval view.
  4. In other words, the anguish of the crucifixion alone was a vicarious suffering of what it could be like to be separated from God in hell.

Resolution in the Context

When spoken as part of one’s baptismal vows in ancient times, this credo was intended to draw attention to the Trinitarian nature of the ceremony, and we must examine this fact. This was seen as a profoundly symbolic and representational experience of dying and rising, which it was. The old life was now dead, and the new life was now being physically performed in the same way that Jesus’ death and dying, as well as his resurrection from this real grave experience, had been modeled. It seemed like life had triumphed over death all over again.

When considering this essential portion of the Apostles’ Creed, let us also take into consideration an updated version of the phrase which states: “he descended to the grave.” In the following creedal statement, the emphasis is on Christ’s resurrection on the third day, which points to the larger picture of this creedal declaration as a whole, and leaves no mistake as to its goal.

As a result, we can argue that Jesus came from the highest reaches of heaven only to descend to the lowest depths of hell on our behalf, ensuring that this would never become our permanent home.

Check out all of the articles from Theology Thursday and make sure to check back each week for a new installment.

These are the author’s own views and opinions, and they do not necessarily reflect those of Grand Canyon University. The views and ideas stated in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the university. Any sources that were quoted were up to date at the time of publication.

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