Did Jesus Ever Visit Hell?

Jesus in Hell?! Preposterous!

Yet, that is exactly what is said in Acts 2:27...in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.*

Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell….

Now, before going any further, the Greek text has the word for Hades (hadays). So, did the translators of the KJV err? 

Perhaps not.

Two English words developed from a German ancestor that meant, a covered place:

• Hall: a covered (with a roof) place; and
• Hell: a covered (with earth) place.

Considering that people are buried in the ground after death, a covered with earth place (hell) describes the place of the dead. That is true in many cultures including that of the ancient Hebrews and Greeks. So, both the Hebrew word Sheol and the Greek word Hades referred to the place of the dead, or the underworld. Clearly, the original meaning of the English word hell fit both Sheol and Hades. So, at one time the word hell would have been a natural choice for translators.

Did the KJV translators think that hell meant place of the dead or underworld? It is impossible to read minds, but they did use the English word hell to translate the Hebrew word Sheol in 31 of its 65 occurrences. In the New Testament the English word hell was used to translate the Greek word Hades in all occurrences but one. So, it would appear that the KJV translators were using the original meaning of the English word hell.

Modern translations, however, now use the word hell fairly consistently for the eternal destruction of the ungodly after the final judgment. For that reason, the text of Acts 2:27 in modern translations reads as follows:

You will not abandon my soul to Hades….

With a better understanding why the KJV has the word hell in Acts 2:27, let’s reword the question for today using modern translations:

Did Jesus ever visit Hades?

To answer, first remember that Hades is not for the righteous, but the unrighteous dead. Their final destination will be the lake of fire.

Next, consider the text of Acts 2:27. Peter was preaching and quoted an Old Testament prophecy in reference to Jesus. The quotation was a plea that the soul of Jesus would not be abandoned in Hades. That suggests that Jesus was in Hades at some point.

Shortly after that prophetic statement Peter proclaimed that God had raised Jesus from the dead (v. 32). So, the resurrection of Jesus shows that He was not abandoned in Hades. Yet, it also suggests that Jesus was in Hades for the time between His death and His resurrection. Does that make sense?

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the coming Messiah saying that He would bear the sins of many. Validating its fulfillment Peter wrote:

He [Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness…. 

—1 Peter 2:24

Since Jesus “bore our sins,” He went to Hades after His death. However, the sins He bore were not His own. So, He did not deserve death and He did not deserve Hades. It is for that reason that God did not abandon Him in Hades. So, “Yes,” Jesus did go to Hades temporarily, so that we would not have to suffer eternal death.

That is why, on the day Jesus was crucified, people heard that heart-wrenching cry...

My God! My God! Why have you forsaken Me?

He was forsaken by God...but not abandoned!

Mark Stinnett

September 25, 2022


*The Douay-Rheims Bible (1609), an official English translation of the Roman Catholic Church, also used the word hell in Acts 2:27.

What Did Jesus Mean by the 'Gates of Hell'?

Getting the Text Right

The passage of Scripture in which Jesus used the phrase Gates of Hell is problematic. Some translations of the Bible have Gates of Hell while others have Gates of Hades. Refraining from speculation as to the reason for this difference, the Greek text of Matthew 16:18 is unmistakable. It reads, Gates of Hades. So, let's rephrase the question, “What Did Jesus mean by the Gates of Hades?”

The Occasion

Jesus asked His disciples how other people had identified Him. Then, Peter spoke up with his well-known confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To that declaration of faith Jesus responded, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

The Meaning of ‘Gates of Hades’

In my recent article on Hades I concluded that the Greek term for Hades referred to the temporary place of torment for the souls of the ungodly after death. Simple reasoning would suggest, then, that the Gates of Hades, that is, the entryway into Hades, is a figurative reference to death. In other words, only through death does a person enter into Hades. So, again, by simple reasoning...

Gates of Hades = death.

Of course, there are times in which a phrase takes on a cultural meaning somewhat different than the simple combination of words forming the phrase. Since this phrase, Gates of Hades, is used only once in the Bible, it would be interesting to know if it was used elsewhere in Greek literature. And the answer is, “Yes, it was.”

Going back as far as Homer (800 B.C.) and as recent as apocryphal literature (150 B.C.), the phrase Gates of Hades was used consistently as a figure of speech for death.

The Meaning of Matthew 16:18

Based on the usage in ancient Greek literature, we could substitute the word death for the phrase Gates of Hades without loss of meaning. Unfortunately, the speculation of some scholars over the meaning of this phrase has led to confusion, and perhaps even influenced the way translators have rendered this passage.

Some scholars explain that the Gates of Hades “is an orientalism for the court, throne, power, and dignity of the infernal kingdom. Hades is contemplated as a mighty city, with formidable, frowning portals….” (Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament) Some go on to explain that Satan rules over the Hadean realm striving to overcome the kingdom of God. However, these conclusions lack support in Scripture.

Look at the simplicity of Jesus’ statement to Peter: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) shall not overcome it.”

Why Jesus chose to use a figure of speech for death is unclear. Yet, His meaning was clear. Jesus was not talking about a city or kingdom called Hades, but simply death. He said that death would not overcome His church.

The writer of Hebrews stated: “...it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment….” (9:27) We probably do not need a verse of Scripture to tell us that we will all die someday. However, there is a question about the power of death. Will death have the final say, or is there hope for something more?

The words of Jesus in Matthew 16:18 provide brilliant hope for those who are a part of His church, the kingdom of God. Death will not overcome! 

Jesus has promised life after death to those in His church!


Mark Stinnett

July 17, 2022

What Does the Bible Say about 'Paradise'?

Our English word paradise originally came from ancient Persia where it described “a wide open park, enclosed against injury, yet with its natural beauty unspoiled, with stately forest trees, many of them bearing fruit, watered by clear streams, on whose banks roved large herds of antelopes or sheep.” (Smith’s Bible Dictionary) This picture, according to Smith was in the mind of the Greek traveler whenever he heard the Greek equivalent, paradeisos.

In the Hebrew Old Testament pardase, again of Persian origin, was used to describe…

• The king’s forest (Nehemiah 2:8);
• Parks built by Solomon (Ecclesiastes 2:5); and
• An orchard (Song of Solomon 4:13).

Perhaps surprising to some, the Hebrew pardase was never used in reference to the Garden of Eden. However, the word paradise would be an accurate description of the Garden of Eden. In fact, when the Jews translated the Old Testament into Greek they used paradeisos in place of the Hebrew phrase Garden of Eden, calling it simply, the paradise. In addition, at the end of the Bible Jesus referred to the tree of life stating that it was “in the Paradise of God.”

On two other occasions the Greek term for paradise is found in the New Testament:

Luke 23:43 — When the thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus assured him that he would be with Him in paradise. That was clearly a reference to paradise after this life.

2 Corinthians 12:4 — Paul referred to a man who was “caught up into Paradise.” That phrase is an exact parallel to being “caught up to the third heaven” found two verses earlier. The third heaven is the heaven that is beyond the first two created heavens, which are:

• The breathable sky where bugs, birds and butterflies fly and humans breathe; and
• The sky beyond the earth where the sun, moon, planets and stars are found.

There is one other reference to paradise in the New Testament but it is somewhat hidden by Jewish culture.

Jesus told a story that is often referred to as The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In the story a poor beggar died and was found in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man, after his death, was found in torment in Hades.

For the Jews to be in Abraham’s bosom meant that Lazarus was in close association with Abraham in comfort and safety. (Abraham had died centuries earlier, but was believed to be dining in the kingdom of heaven. See Matthew 8:11.) In short, the Jews used the phrase Abraham’s bosom to refer to the paradise of God. Since Jesus used this Jewish phrase without correction or further explanation, we can safely accept that connection as accurate.

The point of the story was intended to show the futility of earthly wealth in the afterlife, a lesson directed toward the Pharisees who were described as “lovers of money” (v.14). However, the story also gives insight into the afterlife:

• Paradise is a place of comfort and rest;
• A person cannot find relief in Hades, nor can he escape, cross over to paradise or send messages to those living on the earth.

Accepting that the bosom of Abraham and the three occurrences of paradise in the New Testament refer to the same place, then Paradise should not be thought to be a part of Hades, as some have taught. After all, Hades will be cast into the lake of fire, while Paradise is found in the presence of God and contains the Tree of Life. In the afterlife the righteous will be able to take and eat from the Tree of Life that is in the Paradise of God. So, Paradise is the resting place for righteous souls after death.


Mark Stinnett

July 10, 2022

What Does the Bible Say about the 'Lake of Fire'?

Unlike Hades, Sheol and Hell, there is no mystery about the meaning of the words that make up the phrase lake of fire. Yet, what exactly is the lake of fire?

The exact phrase lake of fire occurs only five times in the Bible and only in the book of Revelation. It is described as eternal torment (20:10) and as the second death (20:14). It is a place of destruction into which the following were thrown:

• The evil beast and false prophet described in the vision of John (19:20);
• The devil (Satan) (20:10);
• Death and Hades (20:14);
• Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life (20:15).

The lake of fire is also said to burn with brimstone (19:20 & 20:10). The phrase is only slightly different in 21:8 where it is called “the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.” From that verse we can add the following to the list of those to be cast into the lake of fire: “The cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murders and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars….”

You might notice the similarity between the description of the lake of fire and the way Jesus described gehenna (Hell). While there is no verse that states that gehenna and the lake of fire are the same:

• Both describe God’s ultimate judgment;
• Both are described as places of fire;
• Both are places of destruction and torment;
• Both are unending (eternal).

So, there is little doubt but that gehenna (Hell) and the lake of fire refer to the same thing.

It is easy to look at these verses and conclude that evil beings and all evil things will be thrown into the lake of fire. While that is correct, it may be a little naïve.

• The Cowardly refers to those who at one time believed in Jesus, but later gave up due to external pressure such as persecution or hardship or family pressure. (See 1 Corinthians 15:58.)
• The Unbelieving refers to those who never believed in Jesus. Speaking of Himself Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am He [the Christ], you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
• The Abominable refers to those who desecrate or pollute the holy things of God. They show aggression against Jesus by bringing into Christianity worldly things that God opposes.
• Murderers refers to those who have taken their aggression to the extreme: murder.
• Immoral persons refers specifically to sexual immorality, that is, any deviation from God’s design. It would include sex outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, and all other kinds of sexual perversion seen today.
• Sorcerers refers to those engaged in the use of magical arts. These would include fortunetellers, tarot card readers, astrologers, dream interpreters, those who claim to communicate with the dead, etc.
• Idolaters refers to those who set some other being or thing in place of God and bow, or submit, to that god.
• Liars deceive, mask reality and oppose truth.

The Apostle Paul warned about those who do not know God and do not make a faith response to the gospel of Jesus. He said:

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

—2 Thessalonians 1:9

THAT is the lake of fire;

     THAT is gehenna;

         THAT is Hell.

Mark Stinnett

July 3, 2022

What Does the Bible Say about Hell?

In this blog entry, I am using the word Hell as it is commonly used today: the destination of the souls of those who lived ungodly lives; a place of eternal torment. (For other considerations refer to last week’s entry: What is Hell?)

Some translations of the Bible occasionally use the word Hell in place of Sheol or Hades. Unfortunately that does not preserve the distinction that exists in the original languages. To be accurate Sheol is not Hell, nor is Hades. So, this article will address the Greek term gehenna which is most consistently rendered Hell in the NT.

Gehenna was actually the name of a valley off the southern end of Jerusalem. The name is first seen in the Hebrew text as ge-hinnom, translated: valley of Hinnom (ge = valley; Hinnom = the man who possessed the valley). Joshua 15:8 referred to the valley as a land border in Israel.

Later King Ahaz and King Manasseh of Judah gave the valley of Hinnom a bad name. They engaged in the unthinkable practice of sacrificing children in fire to foreign gods. There was a specific location in the valley of Hinnom in which a high place was built for those sacrifices. It was called Topheth.

Of particular interest is God’s use of Topheth in His divine judgment against the nation of Assyria. The prophet Isaiah warned Assyria of God’s judgment saying that “Topheth has long been ready.” He then described the death of the king being burned on “a pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the Lord, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.” (Isaiah 30:33)

Later, at the time of Jesus, the valley of Hinnom, gehenna, had become the city dump. The carcasses of animals used in sacrifices were dumped there as well as unclaimed dead bodies. Naturally, worms fed on the decomposing flesh. So to manage the stench and consume the bodies fires were kept burning in gehenna.

Jesus used gehenna on five occasions referring to judgment. When we hear references like “9-11” or “Pearl Harbor,” we understand the place-time historical significance; no explanation necessary. In a similar way the Jews of Jesus’ day understood His reference to gehenna; both its use in their day and its historical significance; no explanation necessary.

Jesus referred to gehenna saying, “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:47-48). That was descriptive of gehenna at that time but was undoubtedly connected to Isaiah’s prophecy against Assyria. It was clear that Jesus was referring to gehenna figuratively as God’s ultimate and final judgment, which will be like His judgment against Assyria. Though figurative, God’s gehenna is not mythical. The colorful language was used to illustrate the horror of God’s gehenna which has the following characteristics:

• A place of torment and destruction;
• A place with an undying worm and unquenchable fire;
• The eternal destination of evil.

Jesus warned his disciples not to fear those who could only kill the body, but to fear the one who has the authority to cast into hell (gehenna) (Luke 12:5). It is clear from the context that Jesus was referring to God. So, Satan has no authority to cast anyone into hell and he does not rule there. (You can just laugh at anyone that barks at you to “go to gehenna.” It’s a curse that won’t work.)

So, Jesus referred to gehenna as God’s ultimate and final judgment against the ungodly. It is a place of eternal torment. The English word Hell is now used where the term gehenna appears in the Greek text of the New Testament.

Mark Stinnett

June 26, 2022

What is Hell?

The task of answering the title question, "What is Hell?," is complicated and there are several reasons:

• English translations of the Bible use the word hell for the Hebrew word Sheol, and for the Greek word Hades as well as other Greek terms.
• Some English translations are inconsistent in using the word hell for the same Hebrew or Greek word.
• Various doctrines about hell that emerged after the writing of the Bible have influenced people’s understanding.
• Bible dictionaries and other seemingly neutral resources have conflicting, even contradictory explanations of hell.
• The English word hell has a meaning that does not correspond to the way it is normally used today.

I have chosen to first look at the English word hell. Let’s see what it means and then trace things back. Next week I will focus on what the Bible says about Hell.

In general usage today the word hell refers to an eternal place of fiery torment for unrighteous souls. It is often accepted as the domain or kingdom of Satan. Interestingly, the word did not start out with that meaning.

Our English word hell had Indo-European origins as kel, meaning, to cover or to hide. It descended into German as khal- and khel-. These roots are the sources of the English terms:

• Hall: a covered (with a roof) place; and
• Hell: a covered (with earth) place.

The English word helmet comes from the same root. The word hell is also akin to the Old Norse Hel, who, in Norse mythology, was the goddess of death and the underworld (and the daughter of Loki). So, the word hell originally referred to a hidden or covered place. It is descriptive of the underworld, that is the place where ancients believed souls went after death.

The current meaning of hell was greatly influenced by the Divine Comedy, a 12th Century epic poem by Dante Aligheri. In a section called Inferno a character journeys through inferno (hell), to purgatory, and then to paradise. It is heavily influenced by Roman Catholic theology.

The English word inferno is defined as Hell or any place suggesting Hell, usually characterized by great heat or flames. Inferno comes from the Latin infernus, meaning underground, lower, infernal. And the word infernal, from the same root as inferno, indicates the world of the dead, hell, etc. (Webster)

It appears that the English word hell would have been an adequate translation for infernal or inferno as descriptive of the underworld (i.e. the place of the dead). But it became associated with Dante’s Inferno and his description of a place of eternal torture ruled by Satan.

So, based on its origins and derived meaning, the English word hell would have been an excellent translation for the Greek term Hades. Of course, that is just not how we use it today.

Even though the English word hell has had a rather mixed up past, we do know that it is used in English translations of the Bible for the eternal destination of those who are evil. To better understand what God wanted us to know about this place of final judgment against evil, I’ll next look at the Greek term gehenna, which is rendered Hell in most, if not all, modern translations of the Bible. In addition I’ll explore the biblical use of the phrase lake of fire.

Mark Stinnett

June 19, 2022

What Does the Bible say about Hades?

Judgment:

In the next several blogs I plan to address a number of terms and subjects related to “Judgment.” These will accompany my sermon series on the same topic that began on June 5th.

When thinking about judgment, one’s mind naturally considers God’s judgment of mankind. And naturally, people ask, “What can a person expect after death?” Along with that are questions about heaven, Hell, Sheol, Hades and many other words and phrases used to describe various aspects of judgment and the afterlife.

I wish to begin by exploring what the Bible says about Hades.

Hades:
Matters become complicated immediately because English translations are not consistent in rendering the Greek term Hades. Some use the term Hell where the Greek text has Hades. Not only that, people can be influenced by ideas about Hades from Greek mythology.

Hades is a Greek word and does not have a specific meaning that can be identified with certainty. It was simply an ancient word used to identify the underworld, or the place where souls go after death. In Greek mythology, it was also the name of the god of the underworld.

Obviously, we should not assume that Hades in Greek mythology and Hades the Bible are exactly the same. Yet, it is not surprising that they are similar.

Since the Greek term behind Hades identified a place, it is transliterated into English. In other words, the spelling and sound of the Greek word is approximated by using equivalent English letters. So, the English word Hades approximates the corresponding Greek term.

Hades is found ten times in the Bible and only in the New Testament (NT). Some English translations add a footnote that Hades is equivalent to Sheol in the Old Testament. Some Bible resources say that Hades is a nickname for Hell. Neither is exactly true, though there are similarities between Hades, Sheol and Hell.

Jesus spoke of Hades as a place:

Jesus spoke out against the city of Capernaum saying, “You will be brought down to Hades,” because they did not respond to His miracles and they rejected His preaching. (Luke 10:15)

Jesus told of a rich man who mistreated a poor man named Lazarus. He said of the rich man after his death, “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment….” (Luke 16:23)

In Acts 2:27 the Apostle Peter quoted an Old Testament prophecy referring to Jesus: “You [God] will not abandon my soul to Hades.”

Hades is where souls go after death:

At the end of the book of Revelation it is written that “death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them….” (20:13)

Hades will ultimately be destroyed:

“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:146

[Other verses that mention Hades by name are: Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Acts 2:31; Revelation 1:18 and 6:8.]

Nowhere does the NT indicate that righteous souls go to Hades, but rather Paradise. So, the illustration of a split Hades with righteous souls on one side and unrighteous souls on the other is not accurate.

Conclusion:

What have we have gathered from the NT about Hades? 

Hades is a temporary place for the souls of those who die in unrighteousness. It is a place of torment and it will ultimately be destroyed, giving up its dead to be judged by God.


Mark Stinnett

June 5, 2022

What Did Jesus Mean by 'Gates of Hell'?

If you’re like me, you are probably not fond of discussions about word meanings that all too often turn into arguments. Not only that, the Apostle Paul told the young preacher Timothy to boldly instruct the disciples of Jesus “not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.” (2 Timothy 2:14)

Yet, surely we agree that words and phrases have meaning. When Jesus intentionally used the phrase ‘gates of Hell,’ He meant something.

I realize that your soul is not in danger if you do not fully understand the meaning of the phrase gates of Hell. Yet, I think you’ll be greatly encouraged if you do.

One of the difficulties in understanding this phrase is the differences found in translations. The ESV, ISV, KJV, and NLT* all have gates of Hell. However, other translations read: gates of Hades or something else.

Complicating matters more is a common misunderstanding among some that Hell and Hades are the same. In the Bible Hell is the final place of torment for those who are evil. Hades is more accurately the temporary place of the dead. In the Bible only ungodly people go to Hades. Then, at the final judgment a number of things will be thrown into the lake of fire (parallel in description to Hell). They are death, Hades, the devil and those whose names are not written in the book of life.

So, is it gates of Hell or gates of Hades?

Without a doubt the Greek text reads: gates of Hades. 

Here is the only Bible verse where the phrase occurs:

I also say that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

—Matthew 16:18

So, what did Jesus mean?

Unless you are a character from Greek mythology (Hercules), there is only one way to get to Hades, the place of the dead, and that is by dying. So, simple reasoning suggests that the gates of Hades, i.e., the entry to Hades, is a figurative reference to death.

Reasoning is fine, but is there concrete evidence that the phrase meant death at the time of Jesus. Yes, in ancient Greek literature Homer used the phrase gates of Hades for death in The Iliad. Much closer to the time of Jesus, no less than four non-biblical religious texts used the phrase gates of Hades for death.

So, when Jesus spoke of His church and said that “the gates of Hades will not overpower it,” He was saying that death itself would not overpower His church.

Now, that’s great news! That tells us that all who are a part of Christ’s church will not be overpowered by death. That does not mean that we will not die a physical death, but that death will not have the final say. We will be resurrected just as God promised.

Considering our resurrection, Paul wrote about the death of our physical bodies saying:

It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

     it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;

     it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

     it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

—1 Corinthians 15:42-44 & 55

Christ was victorious over death. Through faith in Christ, we are assured that the gates of Hades will not overpower us. In that we rejoice!

Mark Stinnett

June 27, 2021

*ESV—English Standard Version; ISV—International Standard Version; KJV—King James Version; NLT—New Living Translation.