He Descended into Hell

Introduction:

If I say the word “hell,” what comes to mind?

What sorts of things do you think of?

We continue the Apostles’ Creed with this phrase...

He descended into hell...

So the question before us today...

What does it mean that Christ descended into hell?

Phrase’s Origin:

Sacred Dissertations, on What Is Commonly Called the Apostles’ Creed, Vol. 2 Dissertation XVIII: On Christ’s Descent into Hell

Christ descended into hell, nowhere occurs, in so many words, in holy writ. He is said to have descended; he is said to have been in hell: but we never find the expression, he descended into hell.

It’s an addition into the Creed

We don’t know it’s origin

We do know that by the 4th century it was being included

What you do have as you look back through early church history is different phrases being used to mean the same thing

What you’ll find as you search the ancient creeds is that the ones that used the phrase, “He descended into hell,” omitted the phrase, “he was buried.”

Sacred Dissertations, on What Is Commonly Called the Apostles’ Creed, Vol. 2 (Dissertation XVIII: On Christ’s Descent into Hell)

“[What] the Churches of the East originally understood by Christ’s descent into hell [is] what the Churches of the West denominated his burial.”

In other words - “He was buried” (West) = “He descended into hades” (East)

About the 4th century, you started to have Creeds contain both phrases...

One even puts it this way....

Sacred Dissertations, on What Is Commonly Called the Apostles’ Creed, Vol. 2 Dissertation XVIII: On Christ’s Descent into Hell

I find in Socrates,* however, that the Arians, by the appointment of Acacius, met at Constantinople, to the number of fifty, and there compiled a Creed, in which they profess that they believe in Christ, “who was dead, and buried, and who penetrated the subterranean regions, at whom even Hades was struck with terror.”

So what does the phrase mean?

Words that Matter...

How does Scripture use these words?

Hades - Greek -

Sheol - Hebrew -

Synonymous terms for the place of the dead

Don’t think good and bad

Just think - the place or the state of the dead

Acts 2:27 “27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.”

Psalm 16:10 “10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”

Genesis 42:38 “38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.””

Psalm 89:48 “48 What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah”

Hell (Gehenna) (Lake of Fire)

Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs Hell: The Wicked Will Be Banished into Endless Misery

The New Testament views hell (Gehenna, as Jesus calls it, the place of incineration, Matt. 5:22; 18:9) as the final abode of those consigned to eternal punishment at the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:41–46; Rev. 20:11–15). It is thought of as a place of fire and darkness (Jude 7, 13), of weeping and grinding of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30), of destruction (2 Thess. 1:7–9; 2 Pet. 3:7; 1 Thess. 5:3), and of torment (Rev. 20:10; Luke 16:23)—in other words, of total distress and misery.

Revelation 20:14 “14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents “weeping and gnashing of teeth”

Matthew 25:31-46 The Final Judgment “Eternal punishment”

Lower Parts of the Earth

Ephesians 4:9 “9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?”

Isaiah 44:23 “23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.”

Isaiah 44: 23 KJV 23  Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: Shout, ye lower parts of the earth: Break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein:

Quick Quiz

Luke 12:4–5 “4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Verse 5 mentions hell - what does Luke mean by this word?

He is not simply talking about death - death is not the end

He uses the word “Gehenna” - so everlasting punishment

What does the Phrase mean?

Christ died and was buried.

Westminster Confession of Faith

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition (Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter XXXII)

CHAPTER XXXII. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

THE bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption, but their souls, (which neither die nor sleep,) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth none.

II. At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.

III. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious body.

What does it mean when we talk about Christ’s humiliation?

Westminster Larger Catechism

The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Westminster Larger Catechism Question 50

Q. 50. Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?

A. Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.

“In the materials supplied by the Westminster Assembly (1643-1648), the version of the Apostles' Creed printed there contains a footnote to the words "descended into hell" which reads as follows: "i.e. Continued in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day."”

What does the Phrase not mean?

Christ did not go to a place of eternal torment to continue to suffer the penalty of our sins.

John 19:28–30 “28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

It is finished - tetelestai

A transactional market term to say that the transaction is complete - the payment is complete - no additional funds required

No, the agony that Christ faced in all of his humiliation was complete.

His humiliation, up to and including his death, was sufficient to pay the penalty of our sins

Why does this matter?

So Christ really died - he really was buried - why does this matter?

1 Corinthians 15:26–28 ESV

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Hebrews 2:8–10 ESV

8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Jesus Christ - in his death and burial - defeated death and Devil.

Now there is certainly an “Already/Not Yet” tension to this...

But, there is still a present reality

And that reality is that we don’t have to fear death

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 ESV

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ conquered death - so that we don’t have to fear death