In Defense of the Faith

Did Jesus Descend into Hell?

Question: I’ve read your rejection of the teaching that Jesus was tortured in hell by Satan. Yet the Apostles’ Creed says that Jesus “descended into hell.” Did Jesus descend into hell or not? I’ve searched and searched the Scriptures and asked several pastors about this and still have no satisfactory answer.

Response: First of all, the so-called “Apostle’s Creed” is misnamed. There is no record that it was either composed or recited by any of the apostles. Even if it had been, like Catholicism’s so-called “apostolic tradition,” there would be no way to know for certain by tracing it back to the apostles. There were no tape recorders in that day and it is not part of a known written record as are the epistles. Even Catholic encyclopedias admit that this creed does not come from the apostles but is a forgery that was composed sometime in the fourth century.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word sheol, meaning the place of the dead, is sometimes translated “hell” and at other times simply as “grave.” The comparable words used in the New Testament are hades or Gehenna, the place of the departed dead. In telling the fate of the rich man, (“in hell [hades] he lifted up his eyes, being in torments” —Luke:16:23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
See All...) and of Lazarus the beggar, Jesus taught that before the Cross there were two compartments in sheol or hades: one for the lost (hell) and one for the saved, known as “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke:16:22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
See All...) or “paradise.”

It was to the latter that Christ went in death, as did the believing thief crucified with Him, to whom He said, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke:23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
See All...). There He spent “three days and three nights,” as prophesied (Jonah:1:17Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
See All...; Matthew:12:40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
See All...). During that time He undoubtedly proclaimed to the redeemed the good news that His death upon the Cross had paid the full penalty for their sins.

Those in the place of the damned could hear what Jesus said (see Luke:16:23-31 [23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. [24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. [25] But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. [26] And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. [27] Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: [28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. [29] Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. [30] And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. [31] And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
See All...); and He may even have addressed a few words specifically to them. Thus, Peter writes, “He went and preached unto the spirits [of the dead] in prison [hell], which sometime were disobedient . . . in the days of Noah” 1 Peter:3:19-20 [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.
See All...). After His resurrection, Jesus took the souls and spirits of the redeemed to heaven: “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive” (Ephesians:4:8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
See All...; cf. Psalm:68:18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
See All...).

Since Christ’s resurrection, the souls and spirits of the redeemed go immediately upon death to be with Christ: “absent from the body . . . present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians:5:6-8 [6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: [7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) [8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
See All...). From thence He will bring them to rejoin their resurrected bodies at the Rapture of the saints (1 Thessalonians:4:13-18 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
See All...). On this subject, as on every other, the Word of God all fits together beautifully and assures believers of eternal salvation.