Jesus after His death

[sachi]

Can someone help me with this question?

Did Jesus after His death on the Cross go to hell and get back the keys, or did He go into Sheol to bring out the spirits of the righteous ?

[wordsower]

It's 1 Peter 3:18-22 and there is a lot of debate as to what it actually means.

From what I can gather from scripture, the people that died before the cross were in a holding pattern as there sins could not be forgiven until the penalty was paid by Christ. They were sort of on "lay-away" they gave sacrifices to sort of put there redemption on "credit" Then when Jesus died, it says He was dead in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit and went a preached to those spirits that were in prison. Verse 20 is what sort of confuses me as it refers to Noah's day, since there were none found righteous.

I'm not much help, hu?

I think it's one of those mysteries we can't really get a concrete answer to.

[sachi]

Wordsower:

Thanks for the scripture reference

I will have to look that up and research it myself.

I came across two versions of the Apostles Creed.

In the modern version it says

'He (Jesus) died and went to the dead..."

The older version says "He died and went to hell . . ."

I realize He went there to bring out the souls of those in 'that holding pattern' you refer to. But I wonder how it is that our Lord who is holy could/ would go to such an awful place -

Anyway- maybe someone with some theological background on this may come up with an answer . .

Edited September 18, 2004 by sachi

[ServingHim]

50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; 52 the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. Matt 27:50-53

In reading today's readings, I thought this was amazing! :il:

[ServingHim]

I think it's one of those mysteries we can't really get a concrete answer to.

yes, and I think there are MANY mysteries that are just like this...that we just can't get concrete answers to, as much as we might think we know exactly what it means...

[johnP]

Hello sachi.

Did Jesus after His death on the Cross go to hell and get back the keys, or did He go into Sheol to bring out the spirits of the righteous ?

1 Peter 3:18-20.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

(1 Peter 1:11 says that the Spirit of Christ was in the Old Testament prophets as they spoke the word of God. trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing...)

I do not know what keys He needed as it is His prison. The idea that Jesus went to the prison and released the saints is wrong in that, 1. If He went to release the saints then why are they in prison? 2. If He went to save the lost after they died then the scriptures would contradict, Heb 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. If the objection to this is that some people have died and God made them alive again I would say that this is an occassional happening for the glory of God and never an amnesty.

It is obvious that the spirits referred to are not saints as they are in prison and had been disobedient.

wordsower.

Then when Jesus died, it says He was dead in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit and went a preached to those spirits that were in prison. Verse 20 is what sort of confuses me as it refers to Noah's day, since there were none found righteous.

alive in the Spirit

By the Spirit not in the Spirit.

...made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison...

Now. The ones in prison now.

...who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

They were disobedient when Noah, speaking by the Spirit of God, preached to them. None were saved except Noah and company.

Peter is writing about those in prison now who disobeyed when Noah preached to them.

sachi.

'He (Jesus) died and went to the dead..."

The older version says "He died and went to hell . . ."

They mean the same thing. The word 'Hell has changed it's meaning since the KJV and now means the place of everlasting punishment. When used as it was back then it just meant the grave. Sheol or Hades.

I realize He went there to bring out the souls of those in 'that holding pattern' you refer to.

Those saints who died before the crucifixtion went straight to Heaven. Those sinners who had not been forgiven for their sins went to a place where God holds the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment, 2 Peter 2:9.