A question about Jesus and the three days

[bratchaman]

I have heard many on this forum (not this section) say that during the three days before he rose, Jesus went to Hades or Hell and redeemed and/or preached to it's inhabitants. And then they go along to say some believed or all believed and Hades or Hell was emptied.

I can't find any reference to this event in any of the four Gospels. Anyone know about this???

 

[Macca]

I have heard many on this forum (not this section) say that during the three days before he rose, Jesus went to Hades or Hell and redeemed and/or preached to it's inhabitants. And then they go along to say some believed or all believed and Hades or Hell was emptied.

I can't find any reference to this event in any of the four Gospels. Anyone know about this???

in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, there is described two places, one is Sheol, where the rich man went. The other is called Abraham's bosom.
Both are "waiting places".
Abraham's bosom is also refered to as paradise, where the theif on the cross was going to be with Jesus.
The second is the place that Jesus went and emptied out, the place where the former saints were waiting for the appointed time.
Although, this is an anomaly if eternity is not restricted by time. But that's another area.
Macca.

 

[bratchaman]

any verses that point to this second place and that Jesus went there?

 

[filosofer]

1 Peter 3:19-21 - he went in victory, not as part of his punishment.

 

[Polycarp1]

The term "the Harrowing of Hell" is applied to Christ entering into Sheol and freeing those faithful who were held there until He paid the price for them.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Matthew 12:40 YLT
40 for, as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.


Ephesians 4:8-10 KJV
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

1 Peter 3:18-20 Webster
18 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 made alive by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison;
20 Who formerly were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.



The Apostles Creed:


1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
11. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

 

[@@Paul@@]

Yes but.... Hell is TWO parts...

 

[@@Paul@@]

I have heard many on this forum (not this section) say that during the three days before he rose, Jesus went to Hades or Hell and redeemed and/or preached to it's inhabitants. And then they go along to say some believed or all believed and Hades or Hell was emptied.

I can't find any reference to this event in any of the four Gospels. Anyone know about this???

All the answers lie in 1 & 2 Peter.

1Pe 3:19-22 KJV
(19) By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
(20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.​

......First thing to note. He didn't "preach" to saints- He preached to spirits. Second, preach (as used here) simply means to proclaim!! or to publish!! - He simply made known what had happened TO some "spirits". Now we need to know who or what.

Verse 20 gives a clue as they (the spirits) were said to have been disobediant while God extened His longsuffering during the days of Noah...

2Pe 2:4-5 KJV
(4) For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
(5) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;​

...In short, Angels sinned by "taking" the daughters of men, these were cast into "prison". I believe this is who Christ went to proclaim what had happened with His work on the cross.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.​

...Somehow the work of Calvary even reconciled "things in heaven".


My 2c...

 

[bratchaman]

I see. And I see why I didn't find it in the gospels too. Thank you everyone for the help. 1Pe 3:19-22 KJV <-- this verse seems to be the most evident of Jesus actually decending into Hell and cleared it. The other verse from Matt. and Ep. are good also but I get the feeling they may just be refering to his death and burial. Anyway, thans again everyone for the scriptural insight!

 

[@@Paul@@]

I see. And I see why I didn't find it in the gospels too. Thank you everyone for the help. 1Pe 3:19-22 KJV <-- this verse seems to be the most evident of Jesus actually decending into Hell and cleared it. The other verse from Matt. and Ep. are good also but I get the feeling they may just be refering to his death and burial. Anyway, thans again everyone for the scriptural insight!

Question: could you explain how you see 1 Pe 3:19 referring to Christ "clearing" Hell? - just wondering.

I do not agree,,, it simply says He preached to those in prison (Prison not being a reference to "Abraham's Bosom")...

 

[bratchaman]

Only as a relative statement. As I stated in my original post, some say that all believed and thus Hell was cleared. This is a mistake on my part and not what I intended to mean. I really meant that the verse was referring to Jesus decending into Hell and preaching to it's prisioners. Whether all believed or not is questionable, I guess.

 

[@@Paul@@]

Only as a relative statement. As I stated in my original post, some say that all believed and thus Hell was cleared. This is a mistake on my part and not what I intended to mean. I really meant that the verse was referring to Jesus decending into Hell and preaching to it's prisioners. Whether all believed or not is questionable, I guess.

There was nothing really to "believe" as this is not a "second chance" to hear the Gospel..... He was simply proclaiming what had been done - to the fallen Angels.

God Bless.

 

[filosofer]

Or to those of Noah's time who serve as representatives of all non-believers.

 

[Polycarp1]

...Somehow the work of Calvary even reconciled "things in heaven".

The Episcopal Church, which I attend, is fond of using the phrase that the Atonement "reconciled God and man." Not "reconciled man to God" but in the sense that a relationship is ruptured, whoever's fault it may have been, at both ends -- if man is separated from God, then by the obvious converse God is separated from man.

So in this sense, Christ reconciled Heavenly things as well as earthly -- by restoring the right relationship between God and man.

 

[bratchaman]

OK, I see. I was under the impression that Christ decending into Hell and preaching the Word was to redeem those who had died before his coming.

 

[RonBa]

I have heard many on this forum (not this section) say that during the three days before he rose, Jesus went to Hades or Hell and redeemed and/or preached to it's inhabitants. And then they go along to say some believed or all believed and Hades or Hell was emptied.

I can't find any reference to this event in any of the four Gospels. Anyone know about this???

You can't find any reference to it, I can't find any reference to it.

The reason being is that it is not there.

 

[bratchaman]

You can't find any reference to it, I can't find any reference to it.

The reason being is that it is not there.

good answer...

 

[GenemZ]

There was nothing really to "believe" as this is not a "second chance" to hear the Gospel..... He was simply proclaiming what had been done - to the fallen Angels.

God Bless.

You may like the insight my pastor offered for this one.

The theory goes as follows (in my own words).

Satan saw that certain angels were tempted by the beautiful women found in Genesis 6. Being the shrewd corrupt lawyer he is, he figured that if they could procreate with them, that this would bring about a mutant race, and from then on the promised seed of the Messiah could not come... For the Messiah had to be a man, as God created man to be.

On hearing this, the angels accepted this temptation because they strongly desired to see Satan reconcilled back into the fold. We must realize that one third of the angels preferred Lucifer over the Lord. Lucifer was greatly loved by the angels. The angels that stayed with the Lord were somewhat torn in the beginning, because they could not understand fully God's reasoning (God is omniscient) as to why their beloved Lucifer was to be rejected forever.

So, these particular angels thought they could have their cake and eat it too! They can give in to taking these beautiful women they lusted for, and win back Satan into the family! They rebelled, and were soon afterwards to be thrown into prison.

Now, these spirits in prison did not learn the outcome after the flood. They had been locked up for their rebellion. They had a burning hope that kept them persevering, that they had succeeded, and that the human race had become mutant. For that reason, the Messiah could not come. And, if the Messiah could not come, God's Word is not perfect! If God's Word is not perfect! Then his judgement also is not, and all those due for punishment would have to be made free!

When Jesus appeared to them and preached to them, he was showing them that their hero, Satan, had failed in his plan for gaining his freedom. There is to be no false hope given in Hell. These angels were a unique group. They needed to have all hope removed. For, the greatest pain of Hell will be the absence of hope. One can be tormented as long as they believe they have hope.

Grace and peace, GeneZ

 

[@@Paul@@]

You may like the insight my pastor offered for this one.

The theory goes as follows (in my own words).

Satan saw that certain angels were tempted by the beautiful women found in Genesis 6. Being the shrewd corrupt lawyer he is, he figured that if they could procreate with them, that this would bring about a mutant race, and from then on the promised seed of the Messiah could not come... For the Messiah had to be a man, as God created man to be.

On hearing this, the angels accepted this temptation because they strongly desired to see Satan reconcilled back into the fold. We must realize that one third of the angels preferred Lucifer over the Lord. Lucifer was greatly loved by the angels. The angels that stayed with the Lord were somewhat torn in the beginning, because they could not understand fully God's reasoning (God is omniscient) as to why their beloved Lucifer was to be rejected forever.

So, these particular angels thought they could have their cake and eat it too! They can give in to taking these beautiful women they lusted for, and win back Satan into the family! They rebelled, and were soon afterwards to be thrown into prison.

Now, these spirits in prison did not learn the outcome after the flood. They had been locked up for their rebellion. They had a burning hope that kept them persevering, that they had succeeded, and that the human race had become mutant. For that reason, the Messiah could not come. And, if the Messiah could not come, God's Word is not perfect! If God's Word is not perfect! Then his judgement also is not, and all those due for punishment would have to be made free!

When Jesus appeared to them and preached to them, he was showing them that their hero, Satan, had failed in his plan for gaining his freedom. There is to be no false hope given in Hell. These angels were a unique group. They needed to have all hope removed. For, the greatest pain of Hell will be the absence of hope. One can be tormented as long as they believe they have hope.

Grace and peace, GeneZ

Thanks!! That's good stuff... And exactly how i see it...