Between his crucifixion and resurrection, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ was not just lying in a tomb. This article will take a closer look at when Jesus apparently entered the underworld, retrieved some mysterious keys to the gates of hell, and ultimately defeated death – all in just three days. Why do Christians believe this happened? Did Jesus go to hell? Is it in the Bible?
What Happened After the Death of Jesus?
According to the Gospels (Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Jesus Christ died on a Roman cross as an innocent man. Christians believe that Jesus was God incarnated, sent as a Messianic figure to save humanity from the claws of evil (A.K.A. sin).
During Jesus’ short 30-something years on Earth, he performed many miracles, cast out legions of demons, brought healing to many who had faith, but he mostly spent his time eating with sinners and befriending outcasts. He brought judgment on institutional sin and religious structures, yet most -if not all- of his actions were based in love.
It was only after his death, the Bible says, that Jesus supposedly descended into the underworld to fight evil at its core. There, he defeated sin and crushed the dark spiritual powers forever.
John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Where Did the Idea Come from that Christ Went to Hell?
Most probably popularized by the Apostles’ Creed, an idea began spreading that Jesus walked into hell (in the spiritual realm, while his body was lying in the tomb).
A more accurate translation from the original text indicates that Jesus did not go to the pit of fire (hell) but to the place of the dead (called Sheol or Hades). Those who hold this perspective say that Jesus went to the ‘good’ side of death, where God’s people are waiting until His Kingdom comes in full.
On the cross, Jesus turned to the sinner next to him and said: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” So, was he on his way to heaven or hell?
Ephesians 4:9 -“What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?”
But there’s also another perspective, which we need to consider below.
Christ in the Underworld
Another perspective states that Jesus had to descend into the depths of death and darkness to shine a light there. As Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 :
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So, at some point between his death and his resurrection, Jesus must have defeated death. In order to understand this, let’s rewind and listen to the words of Jesus before his death:
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” – John 12:24-25
An Issue of Life and Death
The Bible story is one of life and death. It begins with a Creator God who beautifully speaks the Universe into being; but this picture-perfect world cracks into a million pieces when God’s creation turns against him. Instead of eating from the Tree of Life, they chose the other tree, which led to death.
In all the years that followed – and all the stories recorded in the Old Testament – death reigned on the Earth, but God promised to make a way to teach his people how to live again.
When the promise (Christians believe this is Jesus) came true, he spoke of bringing life and life in abundance. Like light versus darkness, life versus death is a golden thread that runs through Scripture.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 – “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”
Understanding the Biblical Concept of a Ransom
Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of the word ‘ransom’ can help us understand why Christ descended into the underworld:
Ransom: “a large amount of money that is demanded in exchange for someone who has been taken prisoner”
The Bible narrative holds that when sin (death, darkness) entered the scene, humankind was taken captive by it. Romans 5:14-15 explains this in more detail:
“Death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”
According to the Bible, Jesus entered death so that we don’t have to…
