I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended into hell; On the third day '
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the
right hand of God the Father almighty;
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
Scripture: Matthew 12:40, Jonah 2, Ephesians 4:9-10, Luke 23:39-43, Acts 2, 1 Peter 3:18-20, Revelation 1:18, Revelation 20, Romans 8.
Intro:
- Apostles' Creed: Ancient summary of Christian faith, based on Scripture.
- Focus on: "Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to hell, and on the third day, he rose again."
- Question: Is "He descended to hell" biblical, and why is it in the creed?
Biblical Basis:
- Matthew 12:40: Jesus compares his time in the "heart of the earth" to Jonah's time in Sheol (place of the dead).
- Ephesians 4:9-10: Descending to "lower parts of the earth."
- Luke 23:43: Jesus tells the thief, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
- Acts 2: Peter quotes Psalm 16, saying Jesus wasn't abandoned to Hades.
- 1 Peter 3:18-20: Jesus "made proclamation to the spirits in prison."
Understanding Sheol/Hades:
- Biblical authors describe one destination (Sheol/Hades) with two compartments:
- Abraham's bosom/Paradise: Place for the righteous dead.
- Hades/Sheol: Place for the unrighteous dead.
- Jesus went to this place, proclaiming victory over death.
- Revelation 1:18: Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades.
What "He Descended to Hell" Means:
- Jesus experienced a truly human death and remained dead.
- His soul departed to the place of the dead (Sheol/Hades), specifically the righteous compartment.
- This was an intermediate state, not eternal judgment.
- Jesus proclaimed his victory there.
What "He Descended to Hell" Does NOT Mean:
- Jesus was further tormented.
- He offered a second chance for salvation.
- Old Testament saints were cut off from God's presence.
- He emptied hell or destroyed it.
Hades vs. Hell:
- Hades: Temporary holding place for the dead, awaiting resurrection and judgment.
- Hell (Lake of Fire): Final, eternal place of judgment (Revelation 20).
- The creed's translation from Latin to German caused confusion with "Inferna" (Hell).
Why This Matters:
- Acknowledging Christ's full experience of death brings comfort.
- Jesus walked through the "valley of the shadow of death."
- He holds the keys to death and Hades, offering hope.
- No depth or darkness is beyond his reach.
- His mercy is extended to all who call on him.
Application:
- Find comfort in Jesus's presence in death.
- Remember his sacrifice and victory.
- Declare the truth of Romans 8: Nothing can separate us from God's love.
Invitation:
- Communion: Remembering Jesus's broken body and shed blood.
- Prayer for those walking through difficult times.
- Declaration of Romans 8 together.
Conclusion:
*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI.
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