“He descended to hell.”
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Crucified Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Ever wondered what’s the deal with this peculiar statement in the Apostles’ Creed regarding Christ’s descent to hell after He suffered, was crucified and buried?
We don't speak of hell much, because the Bible simply alludes to the concept of hell at best; so why would the Apostles’ Creed contain such a theologically problematic statement?
Did Jesus really spend Saturday in hell? Did He actually make the trip there?
Well, if we considered these notions, we would have to somehow reconcile His whereabouts – in hell or otherwise - with the biblical fact that Christ did account for at least one of His otherworldly destinations when He responded to the repentant criminal saying, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The truth is, we can never know for sure – at least, not on this side of eternity.
In Christian tradition, the day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is known as Holy Saturday – the day the body of Jesus Christ laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea; and His soul seemingly unaccounted for.
Now, all of which may seem perplexing, and rather peripheral when we consider our present reality.
And yet, we are compelled to contemplate Christ’s stopover in the nether-world because it is part of the Apostles’ Creed – which we should, not only because biblical evidence demands it, we would be surprised at how relevant this particular statement is especially when we consider our present reality.
What has Christ’s descent to hell have to do with us today?
In our current socio-philosophical climate where hell is inconsequential in the scheme of life and readily dismissed, the Bible speaks clearly of the existence of a place where the dead goes and where souls are imprisoned after the first death prior to Christ’s imminent return. (Note: Revelations 20:11-15 and 21:8 on the other hand speaks with certainty regarding the second and eternal death of unbelievers whose names are not found in the book of life.)
Consider these biblical evidences:
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits - to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. (1 Peter 3:18-20)
For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)
At some point during His Messianic mission for our Salvation - which is commonly thought to have been either in the moment of Christ’s proclamation “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (Mark 15:34) or the time between Christ’s death and resurrection – our Lord Jesus proclaimed the completion of His work on the Cross and preached His supreme victory in a place that held the souls of the disobedient and the dead.
Hell exists in our present reality. We always knew that.
In fact, His death alone wrought victory over the devil, and freed death’s slaves.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
What is imperative for us to understand today is that - Christ has been to hell; His Sovereign presence has been felt and fully acknowledged there – to this very day!
Philippians 2:6-11 – also known as the Christ-hymn of Philippians – speaks to this very reality.
‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (emphasis mine)
Thus, our contemplation of the significance of Christ’s descent to hell, is that:
Understanding Christ’s ‘descent to hell.’
We all think we know of Christ’s power and authority in all of Creation.
But what truly changes in our understanding of His power and authority is when we consider carefully that His reach extends through the heavens, all throughout the earth, and even into every crack and crevice in the depths of hell.
Christ's power, authority and victory is ALL-ENCOMPASSING - transcending and enfolding all time and space.
How does that change your perception of Christ’s Power, Sovereignty and Supremacy?
It blows my mind.
Christ’s descend into hell and victory over the devil and ‘death’ reveals that He is truly God who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
True to His Omnipresence, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no place in the cosmos that God cannot be – so for us who thought that Christ has no influence in the place known as hell, think again.
True to His Omnipotence, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no place in the cosmos that God’s victory is not recognized.
True to His Omniscience, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no person in the cosmos that God has not proclaim His Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ – for even in the depths of death, the dead has heard; every soul is accounted for.
Is this your understanding of Christ’s extent of power, authority and victory – that at His Name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?
Is this the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you trust, believe in and worship?
Is this the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have an intimate relationship with?
Do you believe in the Omnipresence, Omnipotence and Omniscience of Christ our God?
Believe, dear brethren, BELIEVE!
For there is a profound purpose which follows this faith.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us with the reason why we need to embrace the reality of Christ’s absolute, complete and encompassing Supremacy,
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1Corinthians 15:57-58)
My brothers and sisters in Christ, shed all your fears today, including your fear of death – for Christ’s victory is absolute, complete and encompassing, and God has given us that same victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
For in that victory, our faith in God becomes immovable.
In that victory, we are free to live and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
In that victory, we know that even if we are to depart from this world right now, WE WILL BE WITH OUR LORD JESUS IN PARADISE TODAY.
Believe in Christ.
Believe in His Victory.
Everything else is a lie.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank you for your daily bread today - in divine revelation of Christ’s absolute, complete and encompassing victory over death, and the devil who holds the power of death.
Lord Jesus, I believe that Your Name is above every name – and with all Creation, I acknowledge Your Supreme and Sovereign Lordship.
I acknowledge that Your descent into hell and victory over the devil and ‘death’ reveals that You are truly God who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
There is no where in all of Creation that Your presence is not felt.
There is no where in all of Creation that Your victory and supreme authority and power is not recognized.
There is no person in the Cosmos who is unaware of God’s Salvation plan through Jesus Christ - for even in the depths of death, the dead has heard; every soul is accounted for.
Lord, forgive my unbelief. Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!
Holy Spirit, I ask that You guide and lead me in the reality of Christ’s Supremacy over all of Creation – in order that I may live more boldly, and freely in giving my life to God’s work in the world.
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in Jesus! Teach me to grow daily in understanding the extent of Christ’s power, authority and victory in all of Creation – so that I may live victoriously through my Lord Jesus Christ.
May my faith in God be more resolute and immovable than before, in my knowledge that ‘Christ descended to hell’ in order that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Lord Jesus, indeed, Your victory knows no bounds and reaches throughout the universe now and forevermore!
May this revelation impact every aspect of my life – to the glory of God our Father.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Crucified Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Ever wondered what’s the deal with this peculiar statement in the Apostles’ Creed regarding Christ’s descent to hell after He suffered, was crucified and buried?
We don't speak of hell much, because the Bible simply alludes to the concept of hell at best; so why would the Apostles’ Creed contain such a theologically problematic statement?
Did Jesus really spend Saturday in hell? Did He actually make the trip there?
Well, if we considered these notions, we would have to somehow reconcile His whereabouts – in hell or otherwise - with the biblical fact that Christ did account for at least one of His otherworldly destinations when He responded to the repentant criminal saying, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The truth is, we can never know for sure – at least, not on this side of eternity.
In Christian tradition, the day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is known as Holy Saturday – the day the body of Jesus Christ laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea; and His soul seemingly unaccounted for.
Now, all of which may seem perplexing, and rather peripheral when we consider our present reality.
And yet, we are compelled to contemplate Christ’s stopover in the nether-world because it is part of the Apostles’ Creed – which we should, not only because biblical evidence demands it, we would be surprised at how relevant this particular statement is especially when we consider our present reality.
What has Christ’s descent to hell have to do with us today?
In our current socio-philosophical climate where hell is inconsequential in the scheme of life and readily dismissed, the Bible speaks clearly of the existence of a place where the dead goes and where souls are imprisoned after the first death prior to Christ’s imminent return. (Note: Revelations 20:11-15 and 21:8 on the other hand speaks with certainty regarding the second and eternal death of unbelievers whose names are not found in the book of life.)
Consider these biblical evidences:
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits - to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. (1 Peter 3:18-20)
For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)
At some point during His Messianic mission for our Salvation - which is commonly thought to have been either in the moment of Christ’s proclamation “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (Mark 15:34) or the time between Christ’s death and resurrection – our Lord Jesus proclaimed the completion of His work on the Cross and preached His supreme victory in a place that held the souls of the disobedient and the dead.
Hell exists in our present reality. We always knew that.
In fact, His death alone wrought victory over the devil, and freed death’s slaves.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
What is imperative for us to understand today is that - Christ has been to hell; His Sovereign presence has been felt and fully acknowledged there – to this very day!
Philippians 2:6-11 – also known as the Christ-hymn of Philippians – speaks to this very reality.
‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (emphasis mine)
Thus, our contemplation of the significance of Christ’s descent to hell, is that:
- Jesus most certainly died – and presented Himself to the depths of hell;
- Through His death, Jesus destroyed the devil "who holds the power of death”, along with all whom ‘death’ held; and
- In His Resurrection thereafter, Christ’s mission to save the world is utterly fulfilled – for indeed, all who hears Him will live! (John 5:25)
Understanding Christ’s ‘descent to hell.’
We all think we know of Christ’s power and authority in all of Creation.
But what truly changes in our understanding of His power and authority is when we consider carefully that His reach extends through the heavens, all throughout the earth, and even into every crack and crevice in the depths of hell.
Christ's power, authority and victory is ALL-ENCOMPASSING - transcending and enfolding all time and space.
How does that change your perception of Christ’s Power, Sovereignty and Supremacy?
It blows my mind.
Christ’s descend into hell and victory over the devil and ‘death’ reveals that He is truly God who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
True to His Omnipresence, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no place in the cosmos that God cannot be – so for us who thought that Christ has no influence in the place known as hell, think again.
True to His Omnipotence, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no place in the cosmos that God’s victory is not recognized.
True to His Omniscience, Christ’s descend into hell clearly reveals that there is no person in the cosmos that God has not proclaim His Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ – for even in the depths of death, the dead has heard; every soul is accounted for.
Is this your understanding of Christ’s extent of power, authority and victory – that at His Name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?
Is this the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you trust, believe in and worship?
Is this the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have an intimate relationship with?
Do you believe in the Omnipresence, Omnipotence and Omniscience of Christ our God?
Believe, dear brethren, BELIEVE!
For there is a profound purpose which follows this faith.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us with the reason why we need to embrace the reality of Christ’s absolute, complete and encompassing Supremacy,
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1Corinthians 15:57-58)
My brothers and sisters in Christ, shed all your fears today, including your fear of death – for Christ’s victory is absolute, complete and encompassing, and God has given us that same victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
For in that victory, our faith in God becomes immovable.
In that victory, we are free to live and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
In that victory, we know that even if we are to depart from this world right now, WE WILL BE WITH OUR LORD JESUS IN PARADISE TODAY.
Believe in Christ.
Believe in His Victory.
Everything else is a lie.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank you for your daily bread today - in divine revelation of Christ’s absolute, complete and encompassing victory over death, and the devil who holds the power of death.
Lord Jesus, I believe that Your Name is above every name – and with all Creation, I acknowledge Your Supreme and Sovereign Lordship.
I acknowledge that Your descent into hell and victory over the devil and ‘death’ reveals that You are truly God who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
There is no where in all of Creation that Your presence is not felt.
There is no where in all of Creation that Your victory and supreme authority and power is not recognized.
There is no person in the Cosmos who is unaware of God’s Salvation plan through Jesus Christ - for even in the depths of death, the dead has heard; every soul is accounted for.
Lord, forgive my unbelief. Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!
Holy Spirit, I ask that You guide and lead me in the reality of Christ’s Supremacy over all of Creation – in order that I may live more boldly, and freely in giving my life to God’s work in the world.
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in Jesus! Teach me to grow daily in understanding the extent of Christ’s power, authority and victory in all of Creation – so that I may live victoriously through my Lord Jesus Christ.
May my faith in God be more resolute and immovable than before, in my knowledge that ‘Christ descended to hell’ in order that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Lord Jesus, indeed, Your victory knows no bounds and reaches throughout the universe now and forevermore!
May this revelation impact every aspect of my life – to the glory of God our Father.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.