– 2min Read
When Jesus died, did He descend into Hell? Or, did He descend into Hades? Is there a difference between Hell and Hades? What does Ephesians 4:8-10 teach exactly? These are questions that Christians are currently wrestling with. I say “currently” because as Justin Bass points out in this book, for almost all of Church history, Christians have affirmed that Christ descended somewhere when He died on the cross.
In the Apostles’ Creed we say; “[Christ] was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into Hades; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven…” [1]. Is this part of the creed some form of Christian mythology or lore rather than derived from biblical truth? Justin Bass helps explain that there is an overwhelming biblical case to be made for Christ’s descent into the Underworld upon His death. Even though Revelation 1:18 is part of Justin’s main argument, he does interact with other texts like 1 Peter 3:18-20, Acts 2:24-33, and others like;
Therefore it says,
– Ephesians 4:8-10 (LSB)
“When He ascended on high,
He led captive a host of captives,
And He gave gifts to men.”
9 Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.
In the book, Bass also highlights the historical background and language concerning Hades and how this will help us read the biblical authors rightly. The Battle for the Keys: Revelation 1:18 and Christ’s Descent into the Underworld by Justin W. Bass is a great contribution to the discussion of the Descensus and I encourage every Christian seriously considering or wrestling with it to read this book.
Notes
[1] Some translations of the creed say “Hell” instead of Hades. The word inferos is best translated as “underworld” or “Hades”. Not only is “Hades” a better translation, but it is orthodox; for Christ did not descend into Hell but to Hades (Eph. 4:8-10; 1 Peter 3:18-19; Rev. 1:17-18). No one has been thrown into Hell yet. Where Hades is a place of soul and spirit, Hell is a place of both body and soul (Matt. 10:28). Also, Hades will be thrown into Hell after the judgment (Rev. 20:14). The Old Testament Hebrew word sheol refers to the same place as the New Testament Greek word hades. The Greek word translated as “hell” is γέεννα (geenna). It is a place of future torment after the resurrection associated with fire and sulfur. The valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, was referred to as geenna. This is where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fitting symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.