In the Apostles’ Creed, we come across a strange sentence that states that Jesus Christ descended into hell. The inclusion of this phrase was so important that following the confirmation of Hamel’s pregnancy, his birth, crucifixion and death are mentioned. Early Christians believed this saying, but many today struggle with the idea that the Son of God went to hell.
Reflecting on this, what I initially found was that I had no real answer to the question, “Did Jesus descend into Hell?” This caused me to re-examine what I believed about Hell, Sheol and Hades, which ultimately brought me back to the original question. As you’ll see, I’ve come a long way to this point, and I believe that in most cases, slow discovery is the more fruitful path; The gradual rise of the sun in the east often has a more lasting effect.
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Why did Jesus Christ need to die to save us from hell?
The Christian faith makes it clear that we are more than mere physical beings; We are a combination of spiritual and physical elements. Both physical and spiritual death began with the fall of man, and from then on, every child born enters a world that moves immediately toward physical death, but not only that, but they are born into the world spiritually dead. Coming. This separation from God is the central theme of the salvation offered by the sacrifice of Jesus. In this sacrifice, he defeated death and also provided a way for us to be resurrected spiritually. He tore the “veil” of separation so that we could access God the Father and receive life.
No other subject captures the human psyche as much as death, and along with it, the question that arises is what happens after death. We Christians find the roots of our belief in life after death in the Hebrew concept of “Sheol”. In the Old Testament, all souls went to Sheol after death and this place has two distinct parts within it: one is a place of torment and the other is a place of peace. In the first part, the wicked are tormented by fire, while in the second part, the rewarded are taken to “Abraham’s Bosom”, also called Paradise. The saints of the Old Testament were sent to the bosom of Abraham/Heaven. Remember, they lived under the Levianese sacrificial system and the blood of animals provided a “covering” for a person’s sins. Sheol was a kind of “holding place” until the full atonement came in the form of Jesus Christ. (See Galatians 16:3; Galatians 4:4-5; Genesis 22:17:18).
As the New Testament unfolds, parallels are seen between the Greek Hades and the Hebrew Sheol. In Jesus’ story about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, we see that in Hades, like Sheol, there is both a place of torment and a paradise. The Greek paradise, Elysium, is replaced by Abraham’s bosom by biblical writers. Other notable similarities: Sheol and Hades are both underground (Numbers 16:30-33; Philippians 2:10); No work is fruitful in them, and wisdom is not found there (Ecclesiastes 9:10); And no one praises God there (Psalms 17:115).
The Hebrew word “sheol” is usually translated as the English word “hell,” which is unfortunate and misleading. Furthermore, in the New Testament we see that the Greek word “Hades” is also often translated as “hell,” but neither of these places is the true hell, and this is where the problem with the wording in the creed begins. Looking at Revelation 20:14, we find a description of the events after the White Throne Judgment, “…Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire…” The “lake of fire” is another description of hell. If Sheol and Hades were places of hell, then this verse would not make sense. However, another word used by the New Testament writers that translates as “hell” helps to clarify the matter. The Greek word Gehenna describes a place of eternal torment and corresponds to our understanding of hell, as does the description given by Jesus (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 25:4; Mark 9:43).
What does the Bible say about the descent of Jesus Christ into hell?
There are several biblical references to the descent of Jesus, and Jesus himself prophesied it in Matthew 12:40. There are two main views on this matter: one is that Jesus descended into Hades, as stated in the Creed, while the other denies that this event took place, and each of these views has different nuances. For the purposes of this article, we’ll take the former position, and I assure you, we’re not alone. At the outset we must remember that the early Church Fathers, Tertullian, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, and Thomas Aquinas all agreed that Jesus went to Hades based on what the Creed states. Also, the two great reformers, Jean Calvin and Martin Luther, shared the view of the Church Fathers on this matter.
We begin with Ephesians 4:8-10. Here, Paul is describing spiritual gifts to the Ephesian church and providing a commentary on Psalm 68:18. He infers from this psalm that before his ascension, Jesus had descended to “…the lowest parts of the earth…”, a reference to Hades. The answer to the question of “why” he descended to Hades was at first elusive, but gradually dawned on me. Jesus Christ was on a mission, and his mission in Hades basically had three aspects: payment, proclamation, and deliverance.
Three specific stages of Jesus Christ’s mission in Hades
According to the belief that Jesus descended into Hades, his mission there had three distinct stages:
First step: payment
Jesus Christ came down to provide the perfect atonement for our sins (Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20). The Bible clearly states that the penalty for sin is death. Jesus Christ bore our sin on the cross and died for our sin (Romans 6:23). Remember that there is a big difference between committing sin and incurring sin, but even in incurring it there must be a reckoning. Jean Calvin wrote: “If Christ had only experienced physical death, this death would have been ineffectual. Nay, at the same time it was necessary for him to endure the severity of God’s vengeance, to appease His wrath, and to satisfy His judgment. Because of this, he must also contend with the armies of hell and the terrors of eternal death.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 10)
Second stage: announcement
The second part of his mission is found in the verses that mostly refer to the descent of Jesus (1 Peter 3:18-20). If you read this passage, what you discover is a summary of Christ’s work on earth: He suffered for our sins, He was condemned to death, and He was made alive by the Spirit. In verse 19 we read “… He (Jesus Christ) went and preached to the priests who were in prison.”
Within the context of the belief that Jesus descended into Hades, there is disagreement about what he preached and to whom he preached. A word search shows that the word “preach” used here is not the usual word we encounter in the New Testament writings, meaning to share “good news” or “gospel.” That Greek word is “evangelion.” Instead, what we find in this section is the Greek word “kerusso,” which in the text used is better translated as “announcement.” Now, please understand that “kerusso” can be used to describe someone who preaches the gospel, but its predominant use is to proclaim or proclaim. So, if we conclude that he was not preaching the gospel, what was he proclaiming, and again to whom?
The third stage: liberation
Hebrews 2:14-15 states that Jesus became flesh and blood to free those who were held captive. This “sermon” that Jesus preached in Hades was a declaration to Satan that his right to rule over those who have been redeemed by him (Jesus Christ) has been revoked. Jesus was “kerusso” his work on the cross to Satan and his demons. (See Colossians 2:14-15)
Today in the article : How Many Times Did Jesus Appear after His Resurrection? We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
