pastormustwacc: In the Apostles' Creed, there is a statement about Jesus descending into hell. Did he literally go there?—DEBRA BLACK, Alton, IllinoisEach Sunday, millions of Christians around the world recite the Apostles' Creed, including that statement:
"I believe that Jesus … descended into hell."

Yet a few years back at one Christian college, a series of chapel messages on the Apostles' Creed had to omit this item, because none of the 12 professors of Bible and theology believed it.

Actually the statement is not found in the earliest form of the Apostles' Creed. It echoes Acts 2:31, and seems to be there simply to make the point that Jesus' death was real and complete. Jesus went to hades, which in the Greek signifies the world of the departed—paradise for some, pain for others. When the Apostles' Creed took its English form in the sixteenth century, "hell" meant hades as such, rather than the final state of the lost (which Jesus called gehenna), as it always is today. So, should those who accept the Bible as their supreme authority for belief hold to the Creed's doctrine on this point?

Scripture tells us very little about Jesus' state between his death and resurrection. The most commonly cited biblical passages are Acts 2:31 ; Ephesians 4:8-10 ; 1 Peter 4:6; and, most importantly, 1 Peter 3:18-20. Ephesians 4 is likely a reference to the Incarnation, and 1 Peter 4:6 could apply to any preaching of the gospel. But numerous interpretations of 1 Peter 3:18-20 exist. Some say the 1 Peter 3 passage should not be taken literally—that it is symbolic, conveying in graphic form the idea that redemption is universal in its extent. This, however, involves a more spiritualized hermeneutic than usually practiced by evangelicals.
Others contend that this refers to a descent by Jesus into the realm of the dead between his death and resurrection, and an actual preaching to its occupants, either offering salvation to them or declaring his own triumph over death and judgment upon those who in their earthly life did not respond to God. This interpretation, however, seems in conflict with the rest of Jesus' life and ministry—and with the context of the passage, which emphasizes a faithful, gentle witness, giving a reason for one's faith, even in the face of opposition .

At the same time, the non-literal interpretation has difficulty accounting adequately for the reference to Noah , unless the preaching was restricted only to people from Noah's time, which seems strange. It also appears to conflict with the theological context, or how our interpretation fits with other, more clearly established doctrines. Here we encounter biblical references teaching the finality of death over and against any opportunity for salvation, at least since the time of Christ.

Many consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) pertinent to the question, as are much of Psalm 49 and Revelation 20:11-15. Hebrews 9:27 indicates a close linkage between death and judgment, with nothing mentioned as intervening. And Jesus' statement to the thief on the cross—"today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42,43)—also is relevant.

One other interpretation, held by Augustine and defended strongly by several evangelicals, seems more promising. In this view, Christ preached "in spirit" through Noah as Noah built the ark. This was a message of repentance and righteousness, given to unbelieving people who were then on earth but now are "spirits in prison" (i.e., in hell).

Source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/february7/31.74.html

pastormustwacc: This is interesting, but i really wonder the person that is really confused.

Joagbaje: Yes Jesus descended into hell. He preached to souls in hell. He set captives free in hell. Those who were held in hell against their wishes. Righteous men of old

pastormustwacc: Na wa o, i still need bible to tell us when he descended to hell. So the righteous souls have been suffering in hell all these years before jesus came to preach to them?
whatever happpened to - after death is judgement? o no, it is purgatory before judgement?

ijawkid:

Those spirits who were in prison that Jesus preached to were the ""angels"" who were disobedient during noahs day....

Those spirits were not the souls of righteous individuals.......

Those spirits were spirits(angels)..........

Let us remember that when a human dies,his or her spirit(breath of life ) returns to God and does not go somewhere else in a pit to live.....

Try comparing 1 peter 3:18-20 with 2 peter 2:4 and also jude 6....

Jude 6..
New Living Translation (©2007)
And I remind you of the angels who did not
stay within the limits of authority God gave
them but left the place where they belonged.
God has kept them ""securely chained in prisons""
of darkness, waiting for the great day of
judgment.
_______________________________

2 peter 2:4...
Young's Literal Translation
For if God messengers who sinned did not
spare, but with ""chains"" of thick gloom, having
cast them down to"" Tartarus"", did deliver them
to judgment, having been reserved,






Tarturus is a place meant for disobedient angels and not humans...........



Only 8 souls survived the deluge,while the rest humans died and ceased to exist.......

Thank you.......

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

pastormustwacc:

And i shall cancel all that one with one single scripture

1 Corinthians 6:3


Now if jesus has set free those angels that sinned, that one na to mean say na only satan will go to hell, no angels left for us to judge. Oya talk another one.

pastormustwacc: ^^^You did not read my post properly be that. Anyway, we are derailing the thread.
So you believe Jesus descended to hell?

pastormustwacc: ^^^But were the imprisoned spirits in hell

ijawkid:

Now there are many definitions of HELL.....

Na tartarus you dey talk about??

ijawkid:

Which captives??........

So the deluge that destroyed the wicked during noahs was just a joke??....

Which spirits did Jesus preach to??

chukwudi44: 1 Peter 3:18-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

18 For Christ also suffered[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which[b] he went and proclaimed[c] to the spirits in prison, [b]20 because[d] they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.[\b]

It is clearly stated that these were souls of men who perished in noah's flood yet people are here spewing rubbish

pastormustwacc: Kai, them don confuse me sef on this thread.

*Sweating profusely after reading posts*

pastormustwacc: Faints due to total dehydration from profuse sweating

*Wakes up and crawls out of the thread*

chukwudi44: Christ definitely descended to the realm of the dead to preach to those who died in noah's flood.although the word prison was used to describe where they were being held some have likened it to purgatory in view of the fact that hell is a place of eternal damnation which should not warrant Jesus going there to preach to anyone

frosbel:
Wrong !!

Jesus descended to the grave and was DEAD !!!

God then raised him up from the dead on the third day , which is why he is called the first-born from the dead , as an example of the mass resurrection of the saints at the last trump.

It is very amazing and even mysterious that many people hold the same pagan beliefs as Catholics.

pastormustwacc: Wakes up in the valley of dry bones after ministrations by frosbel.

Now this has turned into wrestling with two players:
Frosbel: weighing 500 pounds, with 500 wins and 0 defeats,
versus
chukwudi44: weighing only 25 pounds, with 0 wins and 419 defeats

We must to see the winner!!

pastormustwacc: ^^^Not meant to be that way, it is just interesting how everyone always pick their sides when it comes to some things.