DID JESUS DESCEND INTO HELL?

 

This is a question I am often asked: Did Jesus descend into hell? The Apostles’ Creed does say something to this effect, He “was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell.” It must be clarified that the clause “he descended to hell” should not be taken to mean literally that Christ went to the place of hell itself. Most fundamental and evangelical theologians agree that the “descent” is to be understood figuratively to mean (1) that He suffered the torments of hell while on the cross, and (2) that He truly died and was buried.

In other words, Jesus’ “descent” was His humiliation and sufferings on the cross. The Westminster theologians for instance explained it that way. Answering Q50 of the Larger Catechism: “Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?,” they wrote, “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 has been otherwise expressed in these words, he descended into hell.”

Here is Calvin’s explanation on Christ’s “descent” into hell. On Acts 2:24 where it is stated, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”, Calvin in his Institutes commented, “This verse tells us that not only the body of Christ was given as the price of our redemption, but that there was another greater and more excellent ransom, since He suffered in His soul the dreadful torments of a person condemned and irretrievably lost… the Son of God was involved in ‘the pains of death,’ which proceed from the Divine wrath and malediction,which is the origin of death. We affirm also that, according to Hebrews 5:7, Matthew 27:46 and Isaiah 53:4, Christ sustained the weight of the Divine severity. … We ought, therefore, … fearlessly to acknowledge the sorrow of Christ, unless we are ashamed of the cross. If His soul had experienced no punishment, He would have been only a Redeemer of the body.”

The Lord Jesus when He suffered on the cross, suffered in His whole Being—body and soul. See Luke 23:32-46. What did Jesus say to the repentant thief on the cross? “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). Note that at the very moment of death, Jesus said He would be in heaven (paradise), not hell.

How about 1 Peter 3:18-19?

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (1 Pet 3:18-19). Does this passage not tell us that Christ went to hell to preach the gospel to the people who were in hell?

Calvin interacted with various views in his commentary: “But as the obscurity of this passage has produced, as usual, various explanations, I shall first disprove what has been brought forward by some, and secondly, we shall seek its genuine and true meaning.

“Common has been the opinion that Christ’s descent into hell is here referred to; but the words mean no such thing; for there is no mention made of the soul of Christ, but only that he went by the Spirit: and these are very different things, that Christ’s soul went, and that Christ preached by the power of the Spirit. Then Peter expressly mentioned the Spirit, that he might take away the notion of what may be called a real presence.

“Others explain this passage of the apostles, that Christ by their ministry appeared to the dead, that is, to unbelievers. I, indeed, allow that Christ by means of his apostles went by his Spirit to those who were kept as it were in prison; but this exposition appears incorrect on several accounts: First, Peter says that Christ went to spirits, by which he means souls separated from their bodies, for living men are never called spirits; and secondly, what Peter repeats in the fourth chapter on the same subject, does not admit of such an allegory. Therefore the words must be properly understood of the dead. Thirdly, it seems very strange, that Peter, speaking of the apostles, should immediately, as though forgetting himself, go back to the time of Noah. Certainly this mode of speaking would be most unsuitable. Then this explanation cannot be right.

“Moreover, the strange notion of those who think that unbelievers as to the coming of Christ, were after his death freed from their sin, needs no long refutation; for it is an indubitable doctrine of Scripture, that we obtain not salvation in Christ except by faith; then there is no hope left for those who continue to death unbelieving. They speak what is somewhat more probable, who say, that the redemption obtained by Christ availed the dead, who in the time of Noah were long unbelieving, but repented a short time before they were drowned by the deluge. They then understood that they suffered in the flesh the punishment due to their perverseness, and yet were saved by Christ, so that they did not perish for ever. But this interpretation cannot stand; it is indeed inconsistent with the words of the passage, for Peter ascribes salvation only to the family of Noah, and gives over to ruin all who were not within the ark.

“I therefore have no doubt but Peter speaks generally, that the manifestation of Christ’s grace was made to godly spirits, and that they were thus endued with the vital power of the Spirit. Hence there is no reason to fear that it will not flow to us. But it may be inquired, Why he puts in prison the souls of the godly after having quitted their bodies? It seems to me that φυλακὴ rather means a watchtower in which watchmen stand for the purpose of watching, or the very act of watching, for it is often so taken by Greek authors; and the meaning would be very appropriate, that godly souls were watching in hope of the salvation promised them, as though they saw it afar off. Nor is there a doubt but that the holy fathers in life, as well as after death, directed their thoughts to this object. But if the word prison be preferred, it would not be unsuitable; for, as while they lived, the Law, according to Paul, (Ga 3:23,) was a sort of prison in which they were kept; so after death they must have felt the same desire for Christ; for the spirit of liberty had not as yet been fully given. Hence this anxiety of expectation was to them a kind of prison.”

I believe the text is best taken to mean the Spirit of Christ speaking through Noah—the preacher of righteousness—in the years before the Flood, prophesying of the impending judgement and preaching repentance and salvation in the Ark (2 Pet 2:5). But all rebelled, save Noah and his family. Thus, only Noah and his family were saved (1 Pet 3:20). All the finally impenitent in those days perished in the Flood and are now imprisoned in hell. JK

MISSIONS REPORT FROM TANZANIA

 

Greetings to all the co-labourers in missions in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

By the grace of God, we completed our schedule in Korea and returned to Africa. We are deeply grateful for the bountiful love and kindness shown to the missionary family during our stay in Korea. Your support has been invaluable. As we move forward, we would like to share some prayer requests.

Opening of a New Semester

The Bible College of East Africa (BCEA), Tanzania, opened on August 5th. This semester, we will be studying with 25 students. Also, there are 66 students studying at Chemchem Kindergarten. Please pray that God will give the teachers wisdom to teach God’s word well and that the students will learn God’s word humbly and grow in faith.

Construction of the Mission House

The construction of the Mission House must be completed as soon as possible. It has been delayed due to the reconstruction of the Church. We urgently need your prayers for God’s wisdom to make the house useful for missionaries.

Alumni and Bible Project

The construction in the College compound is almost complete. Now, it seems God is guiding us to do something for the College alumni who are in the ministry. We need to start building churches for the alumni. We have not done this in ten years. We did not plan this, but things are now happening this way, so we are happy to handle it. We need to build a few churches, so please pray for us. Also, we plan to distribute the Bible to church members when the church construction is completed.

Jacob’s Dream (Chun-sik) Project

The College compound was originally a swamp. We were worried because there was always plenty of water, unlike in other parts of Africa. No matter how long the drought is, we can see water ponds when the ground is dug up. This is the reason the grass always grows lushly. It is far from the desolation of Africa. The grass grows so fast that the students who cut it down cannot keep up with the speed. Missionary work is usually consuming, but this time, we decided to turn this troublesome situation into a more productive way.

Missionary Park JongHwi bought a calf last January to raise and kill for the College students. The calf’s name is “Chun-sik.” It is eating the grass and is growing well. When we thought about it, we felt that more cows like Chun-sik could be raised, and they could eat the grass like Chun-sik. We also felt we could help the alumni in the ministry and the College with the grown cows. We do not know how successful this project will be, but it is worth starting. Please pray for the “Jacob’s Dream (Chun-sik) Project.”

Please continue to pray for BCEA, Chemchem Kindergarten, Glory Bible Presbyterian Church, and especially for our family. There is much work in Africa. In Christ, Park SeungKyu, Ra ChaeWon, Park JongHwi, 15 August 2024