Soon after the Crucifixion, did Jesus descend into Hell? If so, what did he do there?

Question

And is there a scriptural basis for this?

Thanks.

If Christ did not do this, then He would not have been able to save the souls of those who came before Him.

Answer 1

Sheol / Hades is a realm with two divisions (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27-31), the abodes of the saved and the lost. The abode of the saved was called “Paradise” and “Abraham's bosom.” The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a "great gulf fixed" (Luke 16:26). When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He took the occupants of Paradise (believers) with Him (Ephesians 4:8-10). The lost side of Sheol / Hades has remained unchanged. All unbelieving dead go there awaiting their final judgment in the future. Did Jesus go to Sheol / Hades? Yes, according to Ephesians 4:8-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-20.

Some of the confusion has arisen from such passages as Psalm 16:10-11, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption....Thou wilt show me the path of life..." “Hell” is not a correct translation of this verse. A correct reading would be “the grave” or “Sheol.” Jesus said years later on the Cross to the thief beside Him, "Today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." His body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “Paradise” realm of Sheol / Hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from Paradise and took them with Him to Heaven. Unfortunately, in many translations of the Bible, translators are not consistent, or correct, in how they translate the Hebrew and Greek words for “Sheol,” “Hades,” and “Hell.”

When Jesus cried upon the Cross, "Oh, Father, why have You forsaken Me?" it was then He was separated from the Father because of the sin poured out upon Him. As He gave up His spirit, He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." His suffering was completed in our stead. His soul/spirit went to the Paradise side of Hades. Jesus did not go to Hell. Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to His glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to Hell? No. Did Jesus go to Sheol / Hades? Yes.

Answer 2

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to described the realm of the dead is "Sheol." It simply means the "place of the dead" or the "place of departed souls/spirits." The New Testament Greek word that is used for hell is "Hades," which also refers to “the place of the dead.” Other Scriptures in the New Testament indicate that Sheol / Hades is a temporary place, where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection and judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 gives a clear distinction between the two. Hell (the lake of fire) is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades is a temporary place. So, no, Jesus did not go to “Hell” because “Hell” is a future realm, only put into effect after the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

Sheol / Hades is a realm with two divisions (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27-31), the abodes of the saved and the lost. The abode of the saved was called “Paradise” and “Abraham's bosom.” The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a "great gulf fixed" (Luke 16:26). When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He took the occupants of Paradise (believers) with Him (Ephesians 4:8-10). The lost side of Sheol / Hades has remained unchanged. All unbelieving dead go there awaiting their final judgment in the future. Did Jesus go to Sheol / Hades? Yes, according to Ephesians 4:8-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-20.
Jesus said on the Cross to the thief beside Him, "Today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." His body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “Paradise” realm of Sheol / Hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from Paradise and took them with Him to Heaven.

Answer 3

"Hell" is not a place. It is a "condition"
It is NOT permanent.
The Greek word for 'Hell' is 'Hades'
this is what the Bible says about it.
(Revelation 20:14) And death and Ha′des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire.

So when death is done away with, so will Hades/Hell.

(Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

So when no one dies anymore, then there will be no more graves.

therefore, Hades/Hell is really man's grave.

Thats where jesus was for three days...In the cave that was his grave.
From there he was resurrected [ by his heavenly Father]
Resurrection meaning ' a standing up'
This can't really apply to a spiritual being, having no physical body.
Almighty God stood up his son, Jesus, in another fleshly body to spend another forty days on earth with his disciples.
(Luke 24:41-43) But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and were wondering, he said to them: “Do YOU have something there to eat?” 42 And they handed him a piece of broiled fish; 43 and he took it and ate it before their eyes.

It was only AFTER the 40 days that Jesus was taken back to heaven.

Answer 4

Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, "hell"—Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek—because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God. Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into "Abraham's bosom": "It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham's bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell." Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.

For a more exhaustive explanation please go to this link and look for section 632 and following.
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt2art5.htm

Peace and every blressing!

Answer 5

Yes, Jesus descended into hell/hades, shattered its gates and freed those stuck their - there is an Eastern Icon of the resurrection depicting Jesus standing over the gates of hell helping out Adam and Eve...

This expression is found in the Apostles Creed.

"The scriptural basis for asserting it is usually thought to be this rather obscure passage from 1 Peter, which says that "he was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison…." (I Peter 3:19)"

We also find a reference in Ephesians 4: 8 - 10 "Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

Answer 6

"Descended into hell" is a poor translation. It is better translated, "descended first into the lower parts of the earth".

There are different words translated "hell". One is hades (Greek) or sheol (Hebrew) which translates as "the grave". Another is Gehenna (Hebrew), which is eternal torment. This scripture in Ephesians 4:9 speaks of a dimensional "holding area" where those who were waiting for the promise of Messiah were on standby for the fulfillment. (Now note that when you die, you enter timelessness, so this may have only seemed a moment of waiting). This waiting area was called by Jesus in Luke 16:22, "Abraham's Bosom" and was the area spoken of in 1 Peter 3:18-20.
It is important to understand that there could be no going before God until the sacrifice on the cross was complete (when Jesus said, "it is finished"). This is seen in the model of the tabernacle. Once The Lamb had been slain, the blood could be brought in to the Holy of holies, and access could be gained.
Jesus died on the cross, took those who were in captivity out and took them as His own captives into Paradise. (Note again that Paradise is not heaven, but the waiting area before heaven). This is why Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "Today, you shall be with me in Paradise."
Jesus is the one with the keys of death and the grave (as we see in Revelation), so He was the one able to unlock the chains of darkness holding those who died in faith, waiting for their salvation.

Answer 7

Jesus went to Sheol the place of the dead. Which was where those were who had died before Jesus sacrificial death.

1 Peter 3:18-20.
For Christ died for the 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 when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

Answer 8

Yes, Jesus went to hell (which is our English word for Hades (Greek) or Sheol (Hebrew). They are the same words. And yes, he preached to those in prison. But he preached to the lost as well as the saved. Why? Even on earth he said, "the healthy have no need of a doctor!" It was the lost that Jesus called to. He says, "Behold I have the keys to Hell and Death!" (Revelation 1:18 - literally, I have the keys to Hades (Greek) and Thanatos ("seperation"). And it says, "Thou has ascended on high, thou hast led CAPTIVITY captive (!) and received gifts ("sacrificial offerings") for men! yea, for the rebellious (literally "backslidden" or "stubborn") also that the Lord GOD might dwell among them (Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8 both quote the same thing!) Jesus truly is the savior of ALL men! Specially those that believe. He opens than no man can shut. And He holds the keys to hell/hades/sheol and death/thanatos/separation because he triumphed over death. We have great, great hope for all mankind because of this truth!

Answer 9

at this moment there isn't really a hell as most understand, there is a sheol(o.t.) or hades (n.t.), translated the grave. This is were the souls of both the lost and the saved wait for final judgement( they are seperated by a great gulf). The firey place of torture is to be to final resting place of souls after judgement day. The best I can give you is this : hell is eternal seperation from God, that is forever completely seperated from the one who provides all things, who is love and who gives rest, peace and joy. think of being away from someone you love very very much for a long time. it becomes unbearable, now times that by infinty. Jesus,though completely human, is also fully God, and could not possibly be seperated from himself. he did not decend into hell as most people misconcept, but into sheol, on the saved side, to take all the the saved with him to heaven when he ascended.

So yes, he decended, but not into hell.

Answer 10

Yes Jesus descended into hell. He was just sleeping not conscious of anything. Eccl.9:5 Ps. 146:4 Ezek.18:4

Job prayed to go there.Job 14:13

Acts 2:25 David speaks of HIM (Jesus) being in hell
People get out of hell Rev.20.13&14

When Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead, he told his disciples that Lazarus was sleeping. Jesus' disciples didn't understand what it meant until Jesus said, Lazarus is dead and I go there to awaken him.

The word hell means covered hole or grave.