Did Christ Descend into Hell or Hades? | Doug Wilson
Canon Press・2 minutes read
The Apostles Creed mentions Christ descending into Hades, not hell, with belief in Old Testament saints awaiting the completion of atonement before ascending into heaven. Christ's atonement was through his suffering on the cross, not torment in hell, as seen in his proclamation "it is finished" before death.
Insights
- The Apostles Creed mentions Christ descending into Hades, a place of the departed dead, not Hell, which is distinct from Gehenna, associated with final torment in the New Testament.
- Jesus' descent into Hades is viewed as a proclamation to disobedient spirits, followed by his ascent into heaven after completing atonement through suffering on the cross, not through torment in Hell.
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Recent questions
What is the Apostles Creed?
A statement of Christian beliefs.
What is the significance of Christ's descent into Hades?
To proclaim to disobedient spirits.
What is the difference between Hades and gehenna?
Hades is for the departed, gehenna for final torment.
How did Jesus complete the atonement?
Through suffering on the cross.
Where did Old Testament saints go after death?
To Shale or Abraham's bosom.
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Summary
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Variations in Apostles Creed and Christ's Descent
- The Apostles Creed has varying versions, with some mentioning Christ descending into hell or Hades, which is interpreted differently by different theologians.
- The original Greek word in the Creed is Hades, which is closer to the Hebrew word Shale, referring to the place of the departed dead.
- Hades is distinct from gehenna, which is associated with the final torment and the Lake of Fire in the New Testament.
- Jesus' descent into Hades is seen as a proclamation to the spirits who were disobedient at the time of Noah, followed by his ascent, leading captivity captive, and ascending into heaven.
- The atonement completed by Christ was through his suffering on the cross, not through torment in hell, as he proclaimed "it is finished" before his death.
- Old Testament saints were believed to go to Shale or Abraham's bosom upon death, awaiting the completion of the atonement before ascending into heaven, emphasizing the eventual resurrection of the body.
