Within the Apostle’s Creed, we find a curious statement declaring that Jesus had descended into hell. The inclusion of this verbiage was of such importance that it followed the affirmation of His conception, birth, crucifixion, and death. The early Christians believed this statement, but many today struggle with the thought that the Son of God went to hell.
As I pondered this subject, what I initially found was that I had no real answer to this question, “Did Jesus descend to hell?” It forced me to re-examine what I believed regarding hell, Sheol, and Hades, which then brought me back to the original question. As you will see, I took a long way around with this subject, and I believe, in most cases, the slow discovery is a more fruitful path; the sun slowly rising in the east oftentimes gives a more lasting impression.
Why did Jesus need to die to save us from hell?
The Christian faith makes it abundantly clear that we are more than just physical creatures; we are an amalgamation of the spiritual and physical. Physical and spiritual death both began with the Fall, and since then, every child born has been birthed into a world in which they immediately begin a march towards physical death, but not only that, they are born spiritually dead. This separation from God is the central theme of the redemption provided by Jesus’ sacrifice. In it, He vanquished death, and He also provided the way for us to be spiritually alive again. He “tore open the veil” of separation so we could access God the Father and receive life.
There is no other topic that haunts the human psyche more than that of death, and accompanying that is the question of what happens after we die. As Christians, we find the roots of our belief in the afterlife in the Hebraic concept of Sheol. In the Old Testament, all souls went to Sheol upon death, and it holds two distinct places within its borders: one is a place of torment, and the other is a place of rest. In the former, evildoers are tormented by fire, while in the latter, those rewarded are taken into “Abraham’s Bosom,” also called Paradise. It was to Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise where the Old Testament saints were sent. Remember, they lived under the Levitical sacrificial system, and animal blood provided a “covering” for a person’s sin. Sheol was a “holding place” of sorts until the perfect Atonement came in the form of Jesus Christ. (See Gal. 3:16; Gal. 4:4-5; Genesis 22:17:18).
As the New Testament unfolds, the similarities between the Greek Hades and the Hebrew Sheol are observed. In Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, we find that in Hades, like in Sheol, there is a place of torment, as well as a Paradise. The Greek paradise, Elysium, is exchanged by the biblical authors for Abraham’s Bosom. Other notable similarities: Sheol and Hades are both located under the earth (Numbers 16:30-33; Philippians 2:10); nothing fruitful is performed, nor is wisdom to be found (Ecclesiastes 9:10); and none praise God (Psalm 115:17).
The Hebrew word “Sheol” is usually translated to the English word “hell,” which is misfortunate and misleading. Furthermore, in the New Testament, we discover the Greek word “Hades” is often translated to the word “hell” as well, but neither of these places is hell, and this is where the trouble begins regarding the statement in the Creed. As we look at Rev. 20:14, we find a description of events after the White Throne Judgment, “...Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire…” The “lake of fire” is another descriptor of hell. If Sheol, and Hades were the location of hell, then this verse would not make sense. However, there is another word used by the New Testament writers, which is translated as “hell,” which will help clarify this issue. The Greek word “Gehenna” describes a place of eternal punishment and fits our concept of hell, as does the description provided by Jesus: Matt. 8:12; Matt. 25:4; Mark 9:43. As we will find, hell was not Jesus’ destination as stated in the Creed, it was in fact, Hades. I suggest that as we proceed forward, we replace the word “hell” with the word “Hades,” and the reason why, coupled with what we have just learned, will become evident. “…He descended to Hades…”
What does the Bible say about Jesus' descent to hell?
There are several scriptural references to Jesus’ descension, and Jesus Himself prophesied of it in Matthew 12:40. There are two primary views on this topic: one is that Jesus did descend into Hades as stated in the Creed, while the other denies that the event took place, and there are varying nuances of each of these opinions. For the purposes of this article, we will take the former position, and I can assure you we are not alone. We must bear in mind at the outset that the early church fathers, Tertullian, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, and Thomas Aquinas, all agreed that Jesus went to Hades, as stated in the Creed. Also, the two great reformers, John Calvin and Martin Luther, shared the church fathers’ view on this subject.
We will begin with Ephesians 4:8-10. Here, Paul is describing spiritual gifts to the church at Ephesus and provides commentary on Psalm 68:18. He makes an inference from the psalm that prior to Jesus’ ascension, He had descended into the “…lower parts of the earth…” which would be a reference to Hades. The answer to the question of “why” He descended into Hades was at first elusive, but it slowly began to come into focus. Jesus was on a mission, and His mission into Hades was basically threefold: payment, proclamation, and emancipation.
What were the three specific stages of Jesus' mission in hell?
The first stage of His mission was: “payment.” He descended in order to provide full reparations for the penalty of our sin: Galatians 1:4; Gal. 2:20. Scripture is clear that the penalty for sin is death. Jesus bore our sin on the cross and died for our sin (Rom. 6:23). Keep in mind that there is a vast difference between the commission of sin and the bearing of sin, but even in the bearing, there must be an accounting. John Calvin wrote, “If Christ died only a bodily death, it would have been ineffectual. No, it was expedient at the same time for Him to undergo the severity of God’s vengeance, to appease His wrath and satisfy His judgment. For this reason, He must also grapple hand to hand with the armies of hell and the dread of everlasting death.” The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 10
The second part of His mission is found in the most often quoted verses referencing Jesus’ descension:1Peter 3:18-20. If you study this passage, what you discover is a summation of Christ’s work on earth: He suffered for our sins, He was put to death, and He was made alive by the Spirit. In verse 19 we find “…He (Jesus) went and preached to the spirits in prison.” Within the view that Jesus descended into Hades, there are variations as to what it was He preached and to whom He was preaching. A word study reveals that the word “preached” utilized here is not the typical word we encounter in the New Testament writings, meaning to share the “good news” or the “gospel.” That Greek word is “evangelion.” Instead, what we find in this passage is the Greek word kerusso, which would be better translated in the context used here to “proclaim.” Now, please understand that kerusso could be used to describe one preaching the gospel, but its prevalent usage seems to be that of heralding or proclaiming. So, if we deduce that He was not preaching the gospel, what was it He was heralding or proclaiming, and again, to whom?
Hebrews 2:14-15 states that Jesus became flesh and blood in order to release those held in bondage. This “preaching” that Jesus performed in Hades was the proclamation to Satan that his right to reign had been annulled for those redeemed by Him. Jesus was kerusso-ing to the devil and his demons His work upon the Cross. (See Colossians 2:14-15)
The third part of His mission was to free the Old Testament saints from Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise. An argument against Jesus’ descent is the story of the penitent thief found in Luke’s Gospel. However, when you carefully read Luke 23:43, the passage does not say the thief would be with God or in heaven, but Jesus told him, “…you will be with Me in Paradise,” and you will recall Paradise is also known as Abraham’s Bosom. Remember, the New Covenant does not begin until Jesus’ ascension; thus, the penitent thief is under the Old Covenant. 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven, taking with Him the Old Testament saints that had dwelled in Abraham’s Bosom (Ephesians 4:8), and since His ascension, Abraham’s Bosom has remained empty. All believers now go straight to heaven upon death (John 14:6), while those who reject Christ go to Hades. The unrepentant are the only occupants of that place, and it is yet a temporary dwelling. All of those souls will be resurrected and judged at the White Throne Judgment, and afterward, they will be condemned to the Lake of Fire along with Death and Hades (see Rev. 20:15). Please understand that all sin must be accounted for, and Jesus has paid the price for each of us, all we must do is receive His gift. By receiving, we can then enter heaven. To reject Him is to declare that you want to pay for your own sin, and that is exactly what will occur. We each must make the decision to look to God and declare, “Thy will be done.” Or, God will look upon those who reject Christ and declare, “Thy will be done.”
Like the early church fathers, we, too, can rest in the knowledge that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He descended to Hades, paid the price for us, proclaimed His victory over the enemy, and freed the OT saints. What is more, He took the keys of Hades and Death. He has defeated all that would hold us bound to the enemy. Our destination is certain when we choose Him. Heaven awaits us.
“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.” Revelation 1:18
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