Jesus in Hell?

[Elijah1993]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

[Rufus_1611]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

Below is a sermon to consider in your research.
The Transportable Garden (http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1100710174) - SermonAudio Sermon - Pastor Joey Faust

[markdrums]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

In early translations they used the word "Hell" to describe "the abode of the dead"... or "sheol".
Jesus didn't actually descend to Hell when he died physically; On the cross he said, "Father, into thine hands I commit my spirit".
So, he went to Heaven (as he told the thief on the cross, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise.")

After Jesus' crucifixion, & ascention to the Father, he then "descended" (so to speak) to the abode of the dead, to pronounce victory over sin & death.
So, he wasn't there for "punishment" as some people might think.... he preached the word of victory to the spirits who were there, and to lead the faithful to Heaven with him.

Hope that helps.

:)

[Tanya~]

Hi Elijah1993,

I think there is a concrete answer. Read through to the end of this and see if it makes sense to you.

Before Christ’s resurrection when a person died, their soul departed from the body (Gen 35:18) and went the place of the dead. In Scripture, the place or abode of the dead is called Sheol in Hebrew, and Hades in Greek. Sometimes different Bibles call this "Hell" but it isn't what we think of as hell today. It was just the place where the souls of the dead were.

Both believers and nonbelievers went to Sheol, but they were separated from one another. Those who had faith in the Lord were carried by angels to the place of rest while the others found themselves in torment (Luke 16:19-31).

During His earthly ministry Jesus made this prophecy after Peter declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God:Matt 16:18
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
NKJVThe “gates of Hades” is a reference to the prison gates of death. It was not possible that Jesus could be confined in this place, because:

Acts 2:23-24
23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
NKJV
Rev 1:18
18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
NKJVNot only was Jesus Himself not confined in Hades, but He was given the power to release those who believe in Him from this place as well. This Psalm speaks of Christ:Ps 68:18-20
18 You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the LORD God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation!
Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
NKJV

Eph 4:9-10

9(Now this, "He ascended" — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
NKJV
Those who die in faith now go to be with Christ where He is, which is in heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote:Phil 1:21-24
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
NKJVSo Jesus didn't "go to hell" to be punished for our sins. He went to the abode of the dead to rescue those who were held captive by death, to set them free, to take them to be with Him. He was not held there because He could not be. He rose from the dead.

[RoadWarrior]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

Hi Elijah, and thanks for asking the question. Something that helped me a lot when I was a new Christian and beginning to understand the Bible, was to learn how to find the meaning of the original word, in this case, for hell.

I learned that in the OT, the Hebrew word Sheol has been translated as hell, but the Hebrew understanding of the term simply meant "the place of the dead." No torture is implied, just a "sleep" state perhaps.

If you look at the word in Strong's concordance, it will look like this:
OT:7585
she'owl (sheh-ole'); or sheol (sheh-ole'); from OT:7592; Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates:

KJV - grave, hell, pit.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

In the New Testament, you will find the Greek word Gehenna translated as hell. The valley mentioned here was a place for throwing garbage and perhaps dead bodies of animals. It was a very unpleasant place, always burning as garbage pits are wont to do.

NT:1067 geena (gheh'-en-nah); of Hebrew origin [OT:1516 and OT:2011]; valley of (the son of) Hinnom; ge-henna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment:

KJV - hell.
(Ibid)

You will also find the Greek word Hades translated as hell, which has a similar meaning as Sheol - a place of the departed souls.

NT:86
haides (hah'-dace); from NT:1 (as negative particle) and NT:1492; properly, unseen, i.e. "Hades" or the place (state) of departed souls:

KJV - grave, hell.
(Ibid.)

In the book of Revelation, we get another term, the Lake of Fire. This is a place prepared for Satan, but those who follow him will also suffer his fate.

If this is the most important part of your question, you can spend some time searching out those words and learn what the Bible has to say about each one.

If your question is really about something else, we can try again!

[Revinius]

I think Jesus experienced Hell (on the cross), but didnt actually go there.

[mcgyver]

Hi Elijah! Let me see if I can help you out a little bit with the Apostle's Creed :)

The Apostle's creed as we recite it in the church today, comes from the late 4th or early 5th century, and was originally written in Latin. The confusion comes from the translation of a certain word into English.

This is how it is written in Latin, and I'll give you the (common) English translation and point out the word that causes confusion:

In Latin the creed reads:

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae,
I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,
and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord

qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary

passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried

descendit ad ínferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,
He descended into Hell, and rose again from the dead the third day

ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Patris omnipotentis,
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.
From whence He shall come again to judge the living and the dead

Credo in Spiritum Sanctum,
I believe in the Holy Spirit

sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,
The Holy catholic church, the communion of saints

remissionem peccatorum,
the forgiveness of sins

carnis resurrectionem,
the resurrection of the body

vitam aeternam.
and life everlasting

Amen.

The Latin word "Inferos" which is translated "Hell"; literally is translated as: "The abode of the dead", "the underworld", or "the netherworld".

Hope this helps you! :hug:

BTW...This threw me a little bit when I was a young Christian :)

[DanDMan64]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fulfill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:Hello Elijah, I believe there is a good explanation in scripture that tells us exactly what Jesus was doing in "Hell" or "Hades" sometime during the three days He was physically dead on earth, before the resurrection.

In 1st Peter 3:18-20 we read: "18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. "

So you see, what Peter is telling us is that Jesus went to preach the gospel, "the good news" of His own death on the cross to pay for the sins of all humanity, including those who died before the flood, because they deserved a shot at repentance and salvation just as much as the rest of us.

Now we don't know how they responded to His announcement, but I would imagine, after being tormented for their "disobedience" for thousands of years in "hades" they would have no doubt jumped at the chance to repent and be saved, and I would imagine that most, if not all of them, are part of that group of "the captivity" that were led by Jesus as "captive" out of "hades" and up to heaven to serve God.

This is of course just my opinion, and some may disagree, and I'm OK with that, I'm just pointing-out what I believe the text is telling us.

I hope that helps! :)

[tango]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

You're going to get an awful lot of differing opinions on this one. To be perfectly honest with you it's more important to focus on the sacrifice that Jesus made for you than to get too bogged down in the minutae of exactly what happened to Jesus between death and resurrection.

We can always focus on the theological fine detail later :)

[slynx]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:

Modern people tend to confuse hell and the lake of fire. They also tend to confuse the terms torment and torture. So lets get those confusions out of the way first.

Hell is shoel (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek). It is the "holding place" for the dead.
The lake of fire is the place of eternal torment to which all unbelievers will be condemned at the last judgement.

The fantasy of a fiery hell where the devil rules and demons torture people is straight out of Dante's Inferno - ie fiction. God has created no place where anyone will be tortured.

God HAS created a place for the devil and his cohorts - the other fallen angels: the lake of fire. It is a place where people will be separated from God forever. Biblically, fire is used as imagery to denote punishment - the punishment is eternal separation from God - and everything that God IS - love, peace, etc. That this place does not actually consist of fire can be inferred from the fact that fire produces light, but Jesus referred to the place of eternal punishment as outer darkness. Such a place - by its very nature of having nothing of God in it - will have no need for torture; it will be enough to be forever separated from everything good.

Now - place Jesus went to was the "holding place" for the dead. Jesus gave a good description of this place in Luke 16.
Luk 16:19 "Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
Luk 16:20 "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
Luk 16:21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
Luk 16:22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
Luk 16:23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
Luk 16:25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
Luk 16:26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'
Luk 16:27 "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house--
Luk 16:28 for I have five brothers--in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
Luk 16:29 "But Abraham *said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
Luk 16:30 "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'
Luk 16:31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"
We know this is not a parable because Jesus told us the name of one of the people: Lazarus (he never gave names in parables).

From Jesus' description we see that there were 2 sections of this place of the dead. Abraham's bosom (also called Paradise in other scriptures) and an unnamed section where unbelievers were. These sections were separated by a "great chasm".

When Jesus died, He went to this place - Hades, shoel, paradise, Abraham's bosom. The thief on the cross also was there - as promised. There He proclaimed His sacrifice for Sin:
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
1Pe 3:19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison

After this He made a brief "stopover" at the tomb and spoke to Mary Magdelene:
Joh 20:17 Jesus *said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"


Then He went to the heavenly holy of holies and presented His blood to cleanse the heavenly temple:
Heb 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
Heb 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
*******************
Heb 9:21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.
Heb 9:22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Heb 9:23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
Heb 9:25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.


Jesus also emptied out paradise & led the people there to heaven.
Eph 4:8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.
**********************
Mat 27:52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
Mat 27:53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Those who were unsaved - those not on the Paradise side of Hades - remained in Hades. And that is where unsaved people still go - being held there until the last judgement at the White Throne;


Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it
************
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Rev 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.



whereas saved people now go directly to heaven to be with Jesus when they die.
Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Php 1:22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
Php 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
Php 1:24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.


Hope this clarifies things a little.

[wondercoolguy]

When Jesus was on the cross and the theif called out to him Jesus said Luke 23:43 "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Jesus, did not go to any form of hell. If he did the why would an all knowing all powerful God tell a man on the cross that he would be with him in paradise?

[JesusisGod]

Hi Elijah1993.
The creed gets this idea from 1 Pe.3:19. Jesus didn't go to hell and preach to the dead. The verse actually means, "By which (that is, by the Holy Spirit) also He (Christ) went and preached to the spirits [who are now] in prison."

The "spirits in prison" were once people. As an example, Peter uses the people who lived before the flood (vs.20).

[Gillian]

I have recently discovered that, according to the creed, Jesus descended into hell after he had died on the cross.
This confuses me, what reason would Jesus have for going into hell? I am not sure how to really depict hell, either as an actual place or distance from God - could God have somehow separated himself from himself? Or, if Hell is an actual place, would God really have purpose in torturing himself? Would that be a climax to completely fufill the sacrifice?
:(OK, lots of possibilities. Is there a concrete answer to my question? I would dearly love to know!:spin:


Hello

Before I go on, I believe and understand about hell but I get confused and forgot like now! what name for hell and place of those who awaiting reward to heaven. so skip over the grammer word i wrongly may used here.

Hell was created for devil and angels not people. Since the fall. Jewish as their religion might imply respert half hope waiting for the Messiah. I think it got to be, sad yes but quite amazing for them to see long awaited Messiah came to free them from that place. like on earth Jews not yet christians before Christ same in death "waiting for Christ". Jesus fullfiled it in both death and living to saints. which in a way I beleive steamed out as tyciapl twisted so u get suddcuss in Jesus time who belive in soul-sleep catholics type of view and musilms many relilgions is much silimar view of waiting place in hell. which one is right one? forgive me i havent got bible with me right now.
bible mentioned in speficlly words like,
`these spirits that was disobence since the days of Noah` who Jesus preached to. and `it now empty`
`before he ascend he must descend and lead captives teachers, pastors, bisnops on to high and gave them gifts according to their works`

that apart from ovbious story of rich man and begger

while I realise most christians may not accept what i beleive, Jonah literually died in bowels of hell and saved soul because he shouted out in prayer save me from thsi place of courrption.

corruption refer to hell. as it said in Psalms passage of Jesus curcfition. the Holy One would not be left in corruption, refering hell.
Hell often mentioned by Christ and some others " belly, upper parts,lower parts, heart of earth, bowels" I beleived with these words why use them in partilcur along some today after death experices books. maybe it not too far the wall to think hell like some body shape type. Im not refering that as literally because hell not made of set measure. hell is unmeasure and "never full because hell enlargen herself" for more sinners coming in. I think bible time heaven sybmols seem great deal importment to God. so hell refer in these parts. like any prisons. I think it not ususal for satan to meting out trouture worse then others sinners there. possible because of it implyed about "it better for Juduas if he never was born" he propley get the worse deal by angry demons and devil in hell itself. sparking that chain they tried to hard to prevent from happing knowing the OT prochecies Jesus came to died for us. not devil will but Man own will end up actually did Jesus a favour in the end God trumip!

hell like a place of different seactions according to death of man wicked. ever devil and his demons gotta to have some systems to remember every single deeds. prison type system devil cant read our mind like God can. despite it God also use some system in heaven use of angels etc anyway.

sorry i know i could write better :rolleyes:

Gillian

[slynx]

When Jesus was on the cross and the theif called out to him Jesus said Luke 23:43 "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Jesus, did not go to any form of hell. If he did the why would an all knowing all powerful God tell a man on the cross that he would be with him in paradise?

You are confused because your definitions of words are incorrect.

Hell is not the final place of punishment; that is the lake of fire. Hell is simply the grave - the holding place for dead spirits.

The section of "hell" or Hades called Abraham's bosom was also called Paradise.

Paradise is NOT heaven - it could not be equated with heaven (at least at the time of Jesus' death) - it was the place for righteous dead spirits. At that time, heaven was the place of God and the angels - NOT the place of dead spirits - whether they were righteous or not!

Since Jesus emptied out Paradise, and no saint has gone there since that time, it is understandable that one might confuse Paradise with Heaven now -- but, technically, Paradise is still the section of Hades reserved for the righteous - it is just empty now.

[1of7000]

There is a lot of good info in this thread on the grave, hell etc. but the word for hell in 2ptr2:4 is tartaroo. in greek lit. it is the place where the titans were banished after they were defeated by zeus and his crew. biblically it is the holding cell for the devil spirits that caused the flood that noah survived.

The Christ went down there after His resurrection and preached to them that despite all that was tried by the devil God has the victory.