what did jesus have to say about hell

Throughout centuries, a hot push button topic has arisen in the Christian church. This topic regards the question, did Jesus descend into hell? There are schools of thought that say He did and others that disagree. There is no articulate reply to this question in scripture, but, as you report deeper there is a meliorate agreement to be had.

Christianity is a religion that has always undergone scrutiny in some parts of the world. To gainsay this, kings, emperors, and rulers take convened councils to discuss the bug and resolve contingencies. The effect of these councils has been a group of creeds that were statements of faith. Scripture and theologians of the twenty-four hours were referenced to develop these creeds.

The two most well-known creeds in the Christian church are the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. Both creeds state similar beliefs, but the one major divergence is the statement "he descended into hell" found in the Apostles' Creed.

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Where Did The Idea of Jesus Descending to Hell Originate? And Did Jesus Descend to Hell?

The Apostles' Creed is an expanded version of the Old Roman Creed that was being used equally early on as the 2nd century. Scholars are not exact on the reasons for creating the Apostles' Creed. Early on church leaders believed the creed was written by the apostles themselves, but we don't really know.

This statement that Jesus descended into hell is believed to have been added later, around AD 390. This would have been at the same time a bishop named Apollinarius was instruction. He was stating that Jesus was not fully human, therefore, could not be an constructive sacrifice for the sins of mankind. At the Quango of Constantinople in AD 381, this doctrine was condemned.

There are several thoughts every bit to why this argument is not in the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed was adult at the Council of Nicaea in Advertisement 325. Emperor Constantine gathered church building leaders to create a statement of organized religion in response to the teachings of a homo named Arius. Constantine wanted the Christian church to have a statement of faith that would unite each denomination.  This would have been earlier the addition in the Apostle'due south Creed.

Beyond the development of these creeds is the scriptural references that are viewed as evidence that Jesus descended into hell. Most scholars use 1 Peter 3:18-22 as scriptural prove to stand upon. This reference along with Ephesians four:9 develops the understanding that Jesus may take descended into hell after his expiry on the cross.

Understanding the Linguistic communication and Meaning  of the Apostles Creed

Understanding the text of a document is extremely important. A person must know what the language is and what the words of that language mean. If there is a misunderstanding, the entire pregnant of a document or statement can change. Christians and scholars today must sympathise that documents from the early church are written in languages that tin can exist hard to interpret. When nosotros begin to interpret Hebrew or Greek into English, nosotros must be careful.

Hell is referred to in the Onetime Testament with the Hebrew word Sheol. This give-and-take means hell, but information technology refers to the nowadays Hell. The understanding that those who have died in their sin and are lost volition immediately enter this place upon expiry is what the discussion Sheol describes.

The reference to hell in the Greek is establish in the New Attestation. Since the Apostle's Creed was originally written in Greek, we will focus closely on this language. Translating Greek into English is difficult because two words describe the "abode of the dead."

The word in Greek that speaks of the place of hell is "Gehenna." This discussion describes a terminal retribution or physical place. The Apostles Creed does not utilise this word.

In the Apostle's Creed, we discover the statement "he descended into Hell" using the Greek discussion "Hades." The discussion Hades, in Greek, refers to the land of decease. It could be translated as "descended to those below." It does non refer to the place we recognize today as hell – it refers to the physical state of death.

Theological scholar Kenneth West explains this in the post-obit argument regarding 1 Peter 3:18-22.

"Information technology is clear that our Lord as the man Christ Jesus went to a identify of the departed dead called in the Quondam Testament 'Sheol' and in the New Testament, 'hell,' the give-and-take 'hell' beingness the translation of the Greek word 'Hades.'"

Modern churches take changed the significant of the words in the Apostles Creed. This is a change that happened as time marched forward. Words in the English language began to accept unlike meanings than their before counterparts. Specifically, the word hell began to mean the identify where Satan lives. In the languages of the Bible, this was not what hell was.

Today, nosotros tin notice many churches that don't recite the Campaigner's Creed. The ones that still do frequently get out out this phrase.

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Did Jesus Descend to Hell?

The events immediately following Jesus' death are recorded in Matthew, Marker, and Luke. Each account gives a vivid and articulate explanation of these events.

In Matthew 27:50-53 nosotros read that Jesus cried out and gave upwardly His spirit. So the curtain of the sanctuary fell downwardly and the earth shook. Rocks were split and the tombs of the saints opened upwards.

Marker xv:38 says "Then the drape of the Temple was torn in 2 from meridian to lesser."

Luke 23:44-45 states "It was now virtually noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, because the sun's low-cal failed. The pall of the sanctuary was separate down the middle."

Matthew'southward business relationship is the about vivid of the three. In his description, he shares with readers about the earthquake and darkness that was prophesied by Daniel, Elijah, and Zechariah. Even more importantly, Matthew shares that the veil was torn.

The tearing of the veil is mentioned in all three accounts and speaks to the importance of this event. The veil was the separation of the clean and the unclean. It hung in the Temple over the entrance to the Holy of Holies. This identify was and then holy that no i could enter except the high priest.

In Exodus 26 we learn that on the Day of Atonement, Aaron could enter and place the blood on the amende seat. The Israelites could not come into the presence of the Lord merely anytime. This speaks volumes most the violent of this veil.

Did Jesus descend to hell?

Jesus' death and resurrection meant that no longer did we accept to go through rituals or prepare sacrifices to enter into God's presence. The ultimate cede had been made. Everything spoken of by the Old Testament prophets had happened.

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Why Do Some People Retrieve Jesus Descended into Hell?

The belief that Jesus descended into hell is institute in Christian churches today and many have questioned this. Some just cannot wrap their minds around this concept. Fr. Sev Kuupuo explains why Jesus did descend to hell and what the purpose of His descent was:

"Jesus went to Hell to liberate souls who accept been held in prison. The job of Jesus in descending into Hell was for liberation of the Old Attestation holy people. Some theologians explicate that Jesus Christ went into Hell to experience the total rigor of suffering, which is the full touch on for human sin, and so every bit to give a comprehensive amende for the sin of humanity."

It is believed that the fulfillment of Jesus atoning for our sins could non happen without Jesus going into the identify of Hell. He had to likewise rescue the holy people of the Old Testament that were awaiting Him in Abraham'south bosom.

R.C Sproul backs this thought upward with his statement: "He goes to hell to liberate those spirits who, from antiquity, have been held in prison. His chore in hell and then is one of triumph, liberating Quondam Testament saints."

In conclusion, those who practise believe Jesus descended into hell, believe He went there to rescue souls and fulfill the sacrifice for our sins. It is non a conventionalities that He went there and stayed awhile.

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Why Do Some People Believe Jesus Did Non Descend into Hell?

People who confess their belief that Jesus did not descend into hell accept diverse arguments to testify their case. The almost popular is that Jesus was God in mankind. He made the place we know as hell. He banned Satan from sky to live in hell forever.

If God created hell and determined its purpose, then how could he go there? Wasn't Jesus holy and in no style could enter this place?

Others have researched this and came to their conclusions based upon what they have learned. They accept understood what this statement means. Jesus did descend to hell because this word in Greek ways the place of the dead not the place of eternal damnation.

How Should Christians Respond to This?

This question tin accept many answers, and opinions will mold those answers. Christians today can struggle with what to practice with this statement because they do not alive in Greek society. They practice not speak Greek. Nosotros just don't know what certain words mean in Greek.

Our response should be to accept the time to study the Word. Do some enquiry into the Biblical languages. Enquire questions of your pastor or fellow person in Christ. This volition assist you to understand and process something that is truly beyond our human comprehension.

John Jones of the First Presbyterian church building states "no confessional argument should exist affirmed without agreement what it means. Understood properly, the Apostles Creed affirms a very important doctrinal truth."

The Apostles Creed has fabricated a statement that is controversial for some Christians. The key to agreement this argument is to know what the words mean. We must accept the time to report before nosotros take a stand on something.

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. He was put to death on a cross. He did die and enter a place of the expressionless. The gloriousness of this is that he did not stay there. He rose again and will render.

Sources:

Erickson, Millard J. "Introducing Christian Doctrine." 252. Grand Rapids: Bakery Publishing Group, 1992.

Guertner, Daniel M. "The Veil Was Torn in Two." Desiring God. April 19, 2019. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-veil-was-torn-in-2 (accessed March 4, 2020).

Wuest, Kenneth Due south. Word Studies in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Visitor, 1973.

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Ashley Hooker is a freelance author who spends her time homeschooling her two children, ministering aslope her husband as he pastors a rural church in Westward Virginia, and writing virtually her faith. Currently, she is a contributing writer for Journey Christian mag. She has taken part in mission trips with the NC Baptist Men during the destruction of Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey in Mississippi and Texas. In her local church, she has served on various committees focusing in the surface area of evangelism along with traveling to West Virginia and Vermont to share the Gospel. Her dream is to spend her time writing and sharing the beloved of Christ with all she meets.

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