Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?

Answer

There is a significant amount of confusion surrounding this issue. The belief that Jesus descended to hell after His crucifixion is mainly derived from the Apostles’ Creed, which states, “He descended into hell.” Additionally, there are a few Bible verses that, depending on the translation, mention Jesus going to “hell.” To properly address this matter, it is crucial to first grasp what the Bible teaches about the realm of the deceased.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the term used to denote the realm of the dead is sheol, simply meaning “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The Greek equivalent in the New Testament is hades, also signifying “the place of the dead.” The New Testament clarifies that sheol/hades is a temporary abode where souls await the final resurrection and judgment. Revelation 20:11–15 distinguishes between hades and the lake of fire, with the latter being the permanent place of judgment for the damned. Hades, therefore, is a temporary state. The confusion arises when people interchangeably use “hades” and “hell” to refer to both the temporary abode and the final place of punishment. Jesus did not descend into a place of torment after His death, but He did enter hades.

Sheol/hades consists of two compartments—a place of blessing and a place of judgment (Matthew 11:23;Matthew 16:18;Luke 10:15;Luke 16:23;Acts 2:27-31). The locations of the saved and the lost are both generally referred to as “hades” in the Bible. The dwelling of the saved is also identified as “Abraham’s bosom” (KJV) or “Abraham’s side” (NIV) in Luke 16:22 and as “paradise” in Luke 23:43.The dwellings of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” «And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. », (Luke 16:26). When Jesus died, He went to the blessed side of Sheol, or paradise. (Some believe, based on a particular interpretation of Ephesians 4:8-10; that Jesus took believers with Him from Sheol to another place of bliss that we now call heaven: More likely, Ephesians 4 refers to the ascension of Christ:) All the unbelieving dead go to the cursed side of Hades to await the final judgment. All the believing dead go to the blessed side of Hades to await the resurrection. Did Jesus go to Sheol/Hades? Yes, according to Jesus’ own words, He went to the blessed region of Sheol.

Some of the confusion has arisen from such passages as Psalm 16:10–11 as translated in the King James Version: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. . . . Thou wilt show me the path of life.” “Hell” is not a correct translation in this verse. A correct reading would be “the grave” or “Sheol.” Jesus said to the thief beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” «And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. », (Luke 23:43); He did not say, “I will see you in hell.” Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to be with the blessed in Sheol/Hades. Unfortunately, in many versions of the Bible.

Generally, translators are inconsistent or inaccurate in their translations of the Hebrew and Greek words for “sheol,” “hades,” and “hell.”

Some people believe that Jesus descended to “hell” or the torment side of sheol/hades to receive further punishment for our sins. This belief is entirely unscriptural. It was Jesus’ death on the cross that fully provided for our redemption. His bloodshed brought about our cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7-9). While hanging on the cross, He bore the burden of sin for all humanity. He took on our sins: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” «For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.», (2 Corinthians 5:21). This imputation of sin helps us comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed for the cup of sin to be taken from Him «And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. », (Matthew 26:39).

As Jesus approached death, He declared, “It is finished” «When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. », (John 19:30). His substitutionary suffering was complete. His soul/spirit descended to hades (the realm of the dead). Jesus did not descend to “hell” or the torment side of hades; He went to “Abraham’s side” or the blessed side of hades. Jesus’ suffering ceased the moment He died. The debt for sin was paid in full. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His.

Return to glory in His ascension. Did Jesus descend to hell? No. Did Jesus descend to Sheol/Hades? Yes.