Did Jesus Descend into Hell For Three Days?

Question

Hi!

I have been going to a Luthern Church with a friend of mine for a couple of weeks now. I was thinking about joining the church (going to classes, etc.). However, I have one small problem, the Apostles' Creed... or actually, the part which says that Jesus descended into hell...

"I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again."

I grew up Christian (non-denominational) and I have never heard of that before. I'm not saying that it's not true, I just need to see it in the scripture to believe it. If it is in the Bible, then I believe it.

So... do any of you know where it says in the Bible that Jesus descended into hell after he was crucified?

Thanks...
T.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostles_Creed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism

Thanks everyone for the wonderful answers!!! There were so many good ones that I couldn't choose... so this question is going to vote!

Best Wishes...
T.

Answer 1

Yes, Jesus was in hell for three days.
Acts 2:31--"Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."

Hell is mankinds common grave so Jesus was not left in his burial place (grave) but was resurrected by his Father.
All people, good and bad go to the Bible hell. Jesus is positive proof of that.

Answer 2

Hell -- hades -- the realm of the dead

St. Luke 16:19-31
At the time prior to the Crucifixion, it seems that Hades had two compartments ... with a great gulf fixed between them. One part was Paradise, "Abraham's bosom", a place of bliss; the other was "Torments".

But even the O.T. "saints" were being held "captive", waiting until the Atonement had been offered.

After the Crucifixion, while His body lay in the grave ... Jesus went and proclaimed deliverance; then afterwards "led captivity captive" -- he led those O.T. Saints (captives) from that Paradise to the new residence in Heaven.

At least that is one understanding of those Scriptures.

You shouldn't hesitate to ask the Lutheran Minister to explain, from the Scriptures, that (or any other) part of the Apostles' Creed!!

Answer 3

Jesus went to Paradice and brought the Old Testiment Saints out to go with him to Heaven.... Before you make up your mind on a denomination I invite you to my websit and to a page I have on Luterans... I looked into them when I had a new daughter-in-law show up who is a non-practicing Lutheran... I hae some disagreements with them...but do think the do teach The Salvation Message... So I do concider that one could become of The True Christian Faith through the teachings of The Lutherans...at least the Missouri Synod ones... I have done some reading on Luther and have some dificulty with some of the things he wrote...But as Christ is The Head... I can overlook some of Luthers harshness...

here is the direct link to my lutheran page.

http://pages.zdnet.com/mikevanauken/outreach/id85.html

You will find the link to the Missouri Synod website there also... they have some good reading stuff you might find interesting.

Answer 4

It's not biblical, it's tradition. The understanding is that Jesus really died, he descended into sheol, the common grave of humanity, where he liberated all the good people who had died before him. (You wouldn't expect the Son of God to just hang out for three days, would you?

I believe the original Greek uses "hades", the closest equivalent to the Hebrew. But English doesn't have such a word. We use "hell" for everything, hades, tartarus, Gehenna, words that have specific meanings that are lost in translation.

No doubt there will be some who will proclaim it was hell itself Jesus went to, to wring Satan's neck or somesuch, but that's just hyperbole. The composers of the creed meant only that Jesus truly died.

Answer 5

Upon his death and before his resurrection, Jesus Christ visited the spirit world and preached to the righteous spirits. He assigned and dispatched worthy priesthood holders into the portion that held the unrighteous and preached to them--thereby bridging the long-held gap between paradise and the spirit prison.

(See Luke 16:19-31 and 1 Peter 3:18-21).

Answer 6

Here's a link to the teaching on Christs descent into hell. It's taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which explains it the best. Lutheranism is the closest Protestant denomination to Catholicism and they both agree on the Apostles Creed and it's meaning. Take a look. . . .

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1R.HTM

Answer 7

Yes, the Creator become a Man went into Hell and suffered, then the Father RECREATED Jesus, Jesus Rose Victoriously---Jesus became the FIRST Begotten of GOD Almighty----if there is a First, then there will be a Second, Third so on.
GOD wants a BIG FAMILY-----it is a BIG UNIVERSE out there.

Answer 8

1 Peter 3:18-20

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

It is possible to interpret verse 19 that Jesus went to the spirit-world (demonic host) and made a proclamation after His death on the cross.

Answer 9

I wouldn't interpret that as the literal hell. I believe He, being the only perfect being, was overcoming death & the grave to give us all immortal life and salvation if we accept His teachings. In some unknown process in the Garden of Getheseme, He took all our sins upon himself prior to the crucifixion. That process was so painful that He bled from every pore.

Answer 10

yes Jesus did go into hell for 3 days after he was crucified. but when he was resurrected, he took the keys to death and hades and so anyone who should call on his name to be saved need not fear death or hell because he has conquered death and hell. And all authority was given to him.