Hard Questions -Where was Jesus for the three days in between His death & resurrection?

Introduction

Over the last year I have been writing down a list of questions that I do not know the answers to. Questions that I want to study out and find out the Biblical answer to these questions. And so once in a while, throughout the year, I am going to study and preach one of these “Hard Questions.”

The question for tonight’s service is one I’ve had on my list for a long time. In fact some of you have asked me about this question.

So the question for tonight is: Where was Jesus for the three days in between His death and resurrection? The main question I want to answer tonight could be phrased as this: Did Jesus go to Hell?

Did Jesus go to Hell? Did Jesus have to spend time in Hell to complete the payment for our sin?

There is a great deal of confusion regarding this question. The concept that Jesus went to hell after His death on the cross comes primarily from....

Psalm 16:10 KJV - 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Sheol,); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Now turn to Acts 2

This is after the resurrection of Jesus and Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost.

Peter preaches

Acts 2:22-32 KJV - 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 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; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Peter says that David was NOT speaking of himself but he was prophesying and he was speaking of Christ who would one day come.

So according to these verses, at first glance, it would appear that Jesus did in fact go to Hell.

But....before we close our Bibles and call it a night, let’s not forget the most important rule of Bible study:

let’s compare Scripture with Scripture....

1 Corinthians 2:13 KJV - 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Now we know that Jesus' body was in the grave, but where was His soul/spirit and what was He doing?

So the question is: Did Jesus go to hell in between His death and resurrection?

(Prayer)

The first thing I want to examine is......

I. The Definition of Hell

Often when we think of the word Hell, only one definition comes to mind. We think a lake of fire, darkness, and torture.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe 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 equivalent of sheol 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.

(Turn) Revelation 20:11–15 gives a clear distinction between hades and the lake of fire:

Revelation 20:11-15 KJV - 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The lake of fire is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost.

Hades, then, is a temporary place.

Many people refer to both hades and the lake of fire as “hell,” and this may cause a bit of confusion.

So remember....the Word “Hell” means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.”

Sheol/hades is a realm with two divisions—a place of blessing and a place of judgment

The word Hell is often used as a the place of torment and destruction for those who do not believe:

A. “Hell” as a place of destruction

The word Hell is often used as a the place of torment and destruction for those who do not believe:

(Turn) Matthew 10:28 KJV - 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

(Turn) Luke 16:23 KJV - 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Psalm 9:17 KJV - 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Matthew 18:9 KJV - 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Matthew 23:33 KJV - 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

This word Hell “Hades or Sheol means “a place of destruction”

The place that Satan shall spend eternity:

Isaiah 14:9-15 KJV - 9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Matthew 5:29-30 KJV - 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

So we have looked at some examples of the word Hell as a the place of torment and destruction for those who do not believe.

Now let us look at the word......

B. “Sheol” as "the place of the dead”

(Turn to) Jonah 2:1-4 KJV - 1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell (same word as Psalm 16:10) cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

So did Jonah go to hell? No he was in the belly of a whale.

Remember this is the same word as Psalm 16:10 KJV - 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

So Jonah is crying from Hell (“sheol”) which in this case means “the place of the dead”

II. The Distinctions Sheol and Hades

Old Testament

Sheol as place of torment: (These mean Hell Fire):

sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit

1. the underworld

2. Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead

Psalm 9:17 KJV - 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,[H7585] and all the nations that forget God.

Proverbs 27:20 KJV - 20 Hell[H7585] and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Sheol as “the pit” (still a place of torment) Numbers 16:33 KJV - 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit,[H7585] and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

Sheol as “the grave” (These verses don’t refer to hell fire but rather to death)

Genesis 37:35 KJV - 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave[H7585] unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

1 Samuel 2:6 KJV - 6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave,[H7585] and bringeth up.

Psalm 6:5 KJV - 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave[H7585] who shall give thee thanks?

Psalm 30:3 KJV - 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave:[H7585] thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psalm 49:15 KJV - 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave:[H7585] for he shall receive me. Selah.

New Testament

hadēs

Luke 16:23 KJV - 23 And in hell[G86] he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Hades as a place of torment:

Revelation 1:18 KJV - 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell[G86] and of death.

Revelation 20:13-14 KJV - 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell[G86] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell[G86] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Hades as the grave (death)

1 Corinthians 15:55 KJV - 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave,[G86] where is thy victory?

Acts 2:27, 31 KJV - 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,[G86] neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ... 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,[G86] neither his flesh did see corruption.

The abodes of the saved and the lost are both generally called “hades” in the Bible.

The abode of the saved is also called “Abraham’s bosom” (KJV) in Luke 16:22 Luke 16:22 KJV - 22 And 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;

The abode of the saved is called“paradise” in Luke 23:43. Luke 23:43 KJV - 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26).

When Jesus died, He went to the blessed side of sheol, or paradise. (Some believe, based on a particular interpretation of Ephesians 4:8–10, that Jesus took believers with Him from sheol to another place of bliss that we now call heaven. More likely, Ephesians 4 refers to the ascension of Christ.) All the unbelieving dead go to the cursed side of hades to await the final judgment. All the believing dead go to the blessed side of hades to await the resurrection. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes, according to Jesus’ own words, He went to the blessed region of sheol.

Jesus did not go to a place of torment after His death, but He did go to hades.

III. What redeems us from sin?

Did Jesus have to suffer in Hell fire to redeem us from our sin?

Some have the viewpoint that Jesus went to “hell” or the suffering side of sheol/hades in order to further be punished for our sins.

This idea is completely unbiblical.

It was the death of Jesus on the cross that sufficiently provided for our redemption.

It was His shed blood that effected our own cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7–9). 1 John 1:7 KJV - 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

It’s all sin!

1 John 1:7-10 KJV - 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

As He hung there on the cross, He took the sin burden of the whole human race upon Himself. He became sin for us:

“2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV - 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This imputation of sin helps us understand Christ’s struggle in the garden of Gethsemane with the cup of sin which would be poured out upon Him on the cross. As Jesus neared death, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). (Turn)

His suffering in our place was completed.

His soul/spirit went to hades (the place of the dead).

Jesus did not go to “hell” or the suffering side of hades; He went to “Abraham’s side” or the blessed side of hades.

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 glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to hell? No. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.

Conclusion

Jesus did not go to “hell” or the suffering side of hades; He went to “Abraham’s side” or the blessed side of hades.

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 glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to hell? No. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.

Luke 23:43 KJV - 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.