He Descended into Hell (pt 2)

Another of the questions which arises from the clause, "he descended into hell", is "If we could show that this clause is not true, would that cast doubt on the other clauses of the creed?"

Is the rest of the Creed Safe?

The descent into hell is hardly a central article of the Christian faith. If it were proved to be untrue it would not invalidate the rest of the creed. I argue this for two main reasons.

The evidence suggests that this clause was not contained in the earliest known versions of the creed. Indeed, it is a comparatively late addition.
All the other clauses of the creed are supported by scriptural evidence generally accepted by most Christians.

However, despite the fact that there is no direct statement in scripture that Jesus descended into hell, there are a number of scriptures which could be used to support the doctrine and it is to those scriptures I will turn now.

Bible Evidence

Ps 16:10

because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

This verse is seen as a prophecy which suggests a descent into sheol but sheol cannot hold God's "Holy One". That the passage, which was originally written about David, is seen by the earliest Christians to refer to Jesus is evident in the fact that Peter quoted the passage in his famous speech at the feast of Pentecost. Peter says

God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. (Acts 2:24).

Now this phrase could simply mean that Jesus couldn't stay dead or, since he was refering to the Psalm, "death" could indicate a power or place of death - sheol.

Romans 10:6 - 7 says

But the righteousness that is by faith says: Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "Who will descend into the deep?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

This is a strange passage but it clearly suggests that when Christ died he descended into the deep - Tartarus or Sheol. It would seem possible that Paul thought that Jesus was in sheol between his death and his resurrection.

In Ephesians 4:8 - 10

This is why it says: 'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.' (What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

Again, it is not completely clear what is meant by "the lower, earthly regions". Notes in the Good News Bible seem to suggest that it simply means the earth itself but in that case the phrase is redundant. Prof. William Barclay says "The lower parts of the earth is yet another name for sheol." The reference to leading captives in his train is thought, by some people, to refer to the releasing from sheol those who had been captive to death but who, in their lifetime, had been obedient to God and worthy of salvation.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 9 - 11)

In this wonderful passage we can easily miss the fact that Paul refers to those in heaven and on earth and those under the earth . There is no doubt here that those who dwelt "under the earth" were the dead and that they also would bow the knee to Jesus.

In Rev. 5:13 it says:

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'

Once again there is reference to those "under the earth" worshipping Jesus. Now these two references do not say that Jesus went to sheol but since his victory obviously extends to that place it seems not unlikely that he did, in fact, descend to the lowest place.

Finally we should look at two passages in 1 Peter.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago . . (1 Pet 3:18 - 20)

In this passage there is no doubt at all that the "prison" referred to is sheol and that the spirits are those of the dead. Exactly what Peter was referring to here is uncertain since it seems strange that the disobedient should have a second chance for salvation. Perhaps, since only Noah's family were saved from the flood, there were others who were not totally corrupt and whom God wished to save.

For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Pet 4: 6)

Here it is more clear that those to whom Jesus preached were righteous people whom death had held but now Jesus offers them life.

None of this is totally conclusive, of course, and much depends upon ones interpretation of the word "hell". Either way we must not think that the early church thought that Jesus went to sheol or to hell to be punished. He bore the curse for us on the tree, not in hell. Those who insisted that "he descended into hades" believed that he went there to take from Satan the "keys of death and hades" (Rev 1:18)

(All full biblical quotations in this article are taken from the New International Version and have been inserted into the text using "QuickVerse for Windows" from Parsons Technology .)