Bible Question???? Help??

Question

Ok, so don't get too mad at me if I'm wrong, but recently I read in the bible that Jesus descended into Hel and ascended into heaven when he died. Why would he go to Hel?? I know he went to heaven but why was Jesus in the underworld for even a minute?? Could someone please explain this to me?? Thanks!

Answer 1

When He descended into Hades or Sheol (Hell is really an English word and tends to cause some confusion because it can refer to Hades/Sheol or to the Lake of Fire, which is a future place of torment) - anyways the Bible tells us He did two things:
1)He announced His victory to His adversaries and took away from Satan the keys to Hades (I Peter 3:18-20; also Revelation 1:18)
2) He rescued all who were waiting for Him in Hades in a place of comfort called "Abraham's Bosom" or Paradise, and He took these with him when He ascended into Heaven. That is why it says "He led captive a host of captives" (Ephesians 4:8-10 and I Peter 4:6).
For a description of Sheol (Hebrew word) or Hades (Greek word), the place of the dead, before Christ's redemptive work on the cross, see Luke 16:19-31)

Answer 2

Well, you won't actually find the word "Hell" in the Bible context. The language you are actually quoting quite closely comes from the Apostle's Creed, an attempt to put Biblical doctrine into a short formula. Most modern translations of it say "descended to the dead" instead of Hell.

The Bible passage you probably read was 1 Peter 3:19-20, which says Jesus went to "make a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the time of Noah."

Now that's an ambiguous passage, and it has been interpreted in various ways. Your concern seems to be whether Jesus suffered the pains of Hell, and there all agree, no, He did not. He apparently encountered some of those who died prior to His death and resurrection, and had some kind of message for them.

Where there is disagreement is as to the content and effect of that message. There is nothing more on the topic. (1 Peter 4:6 says the Gospel was preached even to the dead, but it doesn't say that Jesus was the preacher.) Some have said Jesus simply showed those who were outside His kingdom that He had won the ultimate victory. Others say that would just be boasting, so what would be the purpose? Those who follow this line of reasoning think that, if Jesus preached to someone, He must have wanted to bring them salvation, so the other view is that He liberated souls from a nether world (not the Hell of the eternally damned) who were unable to enter Heaven until after His death and resurrection.

So, there is more than one interpretation of this passage. We won't know exactly what was meant while we are on this earth. But does that really matter? Such questions are not related to the key message of salvation, which is so clear a child of six can understand it.

Answer 3

This is said in the Apostles Creed of the Catholic Church. Christ had victory over death.
Since Old Testament believers in God the Father had redemption through faith such as Abraham, but not Christ who was not born yet, I think He was setting them free on a spiritual level.
Catholics do you know any more?
See creed below:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

Answer 4

the real question here is the meaning of the word hell when used in the bible. the meaning is basically grave or the unconscious state of a person at death. so when the bible says that Jesus was in hell for 3 days, it just means for 3 days he was dead. think about this as proof Jesus was perfect and sinless, so why would he be in hell? if it was what some claim, a place of fire and torment ment as a punishment for the wicked? next the bible says the wages sin pays is death not fire and torment. the bible also says that the devil was hurled down to earth not that he rules over some fiery pit where the bad go after death.

Answer 5

He did go into hell but it was more like "the place of the dead" Gehenna or Sheol. He did that in order that those who died before He did, could be saved as well. Salvation was not available to them during their lifetimes. He preached freedom to the captives. I have a feeling this place emptied out completely when he left. Everyone believed in Him. He took all those souls to heaven. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

You're wrong! And I'm very mad at you! No I'm just kidding.

When the bible talks about Jesus descending into hell when he died they are talking about Jesus death. Israelites called hell hades which means grave. So Jesus went to hell and was there for three days after his Crucifixion. The word for hell has been bastardized by western society to mean a place with fire and flames. To the early Hebrews it meant no such thing. Hell is the grave. When the Bible talks about your soul burning for an eternity in the lake of fire. All they are really saying is that without Jesus you will be dead forever.

On another note. The Bible is false and should NOT be taken seriously. Yours was a Biblical question so I'm not going to shove atheism down your throat.

Good Day

Answer 7

The "dying and resurrected god" and the god who descends to the underworld are common motifs in pre-Christian myths. Both are metaphors for the sun and for planting seeds. The myth was retrofitted to fit the new religion of Christianity.

If you remember, Jesus told the thief on the other cross that he would meet him that day in Paradise. So I guess he didn't know about the descent into hell.

Answer 8

While his human body was in the tomb, Jesus' divine spirit and his human soul descended to the abode of the dead, where the souls of the just had been detained, where he freed the "captives" from their bondage, and admitted them to heaven.

This was the fulfillment of one of Isaiah's prophecies:

Isa 61:1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up.

We can only assume that one "hell" of a party ensued, immediately thereafter.

Jesus would otherwise have no need to spend even a moment in what we know as hell.

Answer 9

Jesus went to the part of hell called Abraham's bosom, that is where the Paradise is that he told the thief on the Cross he would be with him in, that part of hell was not like the bad part of hell where souls get tortured, Jesus told the gospel to all the souls that where there so they would have a chance to be forgiving their sins and get right with God.

Answer 10

He shared our humanity:

Hebrews 2
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

He took the power away from Satan, who took the power from Adam and Eve. There was power that Satan had before Jesus, and then he lost, because Jesus took it back.

Hell wasn't made for humans, it was made for the devil and his rebellious angels, humans went ( and will go there ) to Hell because they fell out of grace.

Since Jesus was the way to escape going there, we have to claim it, otherwise we are not covered and still condemned.