Bible Study Lessons

Jesus Went to Hell

A. Matt. 12:40 [HE WAS 3 DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH]

1. The term "heart of the earth" must be aligned with all the other scriptures concerning this issue. In light of them all we understand this term to be referring to his soul in hell, not his body in the grave.

2. Hell is located in the "heart of the earth" or in the center of the earth. Scientist even believe that it consists of hot molten lava which volcanoes spue out at eruption. According to scripture there is different compartments (Luke 16:23-26 Abraham's bosom {paradise} and hell; 2 Peter 2:4 "hell" Greek is tartaros, Latin is tartarus; Revelation 19:20; 20:10,14,15; 21:8 lake of fire; Revelation 20:1,3; 9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8 the bottomless pit.).

In the future "outer darkness" may prove to be even another compartment or aspect of hell (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). The phrase "the lowest hell" in Deut. 32:22 gives strong evidence to these various places in hell.

B. Acts 2:27,31; Acts 13:35; Psa. 16:10 [WILL NOT LEAVE MY (JESUS') SOUL IN HELL, HADES (GREEK) OR SHEOL (HEBREW)]

1. This proves that it was his soul that went to hades not his body.

2. This also speaks of God not leaving him in there as he apparently did others. All the righteous dead from Abel to Christ were held in captivity against their wills in the compartment called Paradise.

C. Eph. 4:8-10 [HE DESCENDED INTO THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH]

1. He led all the saved souls held in paradise out and on to heaven. He carried them captive to heaven as a good conqueror would do. Who wouldn't want to be a captive slave of Jesus?

2. But he had to descend first to where they all were. Jesus went to them and set them free. Here he made a public spectacle of the devil and took the keys of death and hell from him.

D. Luke 23:43 [HE WENT INTO PARADISE]

1. Paradise was also called "Abraham's bosom" in Luke 16:22.

2. Let this Paradise not be confused with the paradise in the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:1-4; Rev. 2:7). These are two different paradises. The one being discussed in this article is under the earth, the other is in heaven.

E. Rev. 1:18 [HE TOOK THE KEYS OF HELL FROM HELL]

1. Jesus went to hell to perform this good deed. Here he defeated Satan who held the keys up to this point.

2. Keys signify power and authority. Jesus now has the power and authority over death, in death and through death (1 Cor. 15:54-57).

F. Heb. 2:14,15 [CLEAR REFERENCE TO HIS CONQUEST OVER SATAN IN DEATH AND DELIVERED EVERYONE HELD IN BONDAGE TO DEATH FROM PARADISE.] Jesus had to enter into the realm of death in order to face the devil on his turf. Here he defeated him and stripped him of his power of death. All this activity took place during Jesus' death.

G. Col. 2:15 [HE MADE AN OPEN SHOW OF THEM IN HELL] The principalities and powers of darkness are not open to us in the physical realm. We (natural men) can't see them. So what public arena did Jesus use to make a spectacle of them in? No doubt this was done in hell in front of all the souls and spirits of the dead. As well as in front of the angels there.

H. 1 Pet. 3:19 [HE TOLD THE ANGELS THE BAD NEWS OF THEIR JUDGMENT]

1. The word "preached" here comes from the Greek word "kerusso" which means to proclaim as a public crier, or to announce something whether it be good or bad. Only the Greek word "evangelizo" means glad tiding of salvation, not kerusso.

2. Jesus marched in to tartaros and publicly announced the impending judgment upon the fallen angels bound there in chains of darkness (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6,7).

a.These are the angels who left their spiritual realm and entered the physical realm to marry and cohabit with women. This union produced a race of giants (Gen. 6:1-4). This happened twice, once before the flood of Noah and after the flood.

b.God judged them on the spot for crossing the line and boundary He set for them. This sin, of taking natural women for wives, was not tolerated by God.

I. 1 Pet. 4:6 [SECONDARILY, COULD REFER TO JESUS PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS TO THE CAPTIVES IN PARADISE]

1. Primarily, this passage refers to the fact that God began telling of the gospel with Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:15). He preached it through Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, and all Israel in the days of old. All these people were dead at the time of the writing of this book.

2. Secondarily, this could be referring to Jesus announcing to the righteous souls in paradise, during His death, of their coming deliverance in a couple of days.