Sarah Mitchell
The Apostles' Creed, which is often recited by Catholics, states that after his crucifixion and death, Jesus descended into hell and rose again. This has sparked curiosity among believers about the meaning of this affirmation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that hell in this context refers to 'Sheol' in Hebrew or 'Hades' in Greek—the abode of the dead, where those deprived of the vision of God reside. This understanding of hell is distinct from the common modern interpretation, which typically refers to the abode of Satan and the damned. According to Catholic belief, Jesus descended into this realm of the dead, not to deliver the damned, but to free the just souls who had gone before him and proclaim the Gospel to them. This event, also known as the Harrowing of Hell, demonstrates the completeness of Christ's human experience and serves as a powerful reminder of his victory over death.
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What You'll Learn
Jesus descended to hell to free the just
The belief that Jesus descended into Hell is a topic that has been debated for centuries within the Christian church. The Apostles' Creed, a statement of faith created by Emperor Constantine, states that after his death, Jesus "descended into Hell and rose again". However, this phrase is not found in the Nicene Creed, which was developed at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. This has led to differing opinions among Christians, with some interpreting this phrase literally and others believing it holds a different meaning.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the word "Hell" in the Apostles' Creed is not referring to the place of eternal damnation that we understand it to mean today. Instead, it is referring to the abode of the dead, or Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in Greek, where those who are deprived of the vision of God reside. This interpretation is supported by the fact that in Greek, the word "Hell" simply means the place of the dead, not the place of eternal damnation.
Jesus, being fully human, experienced death, and his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. However, he did not go to the place of the damned, but rather to free the just who had gone before him. This is known as the Harrowing of Hell, a rich tradition that developed later, asserting that Jesus triumphed over death and the devil, releasing Hell's captives. This is further supported by the Catechism, which states that Jesus' descent into Hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment, as it spreads Christ's redemptive work to all people.
Fr. Sev Kuupuo explains that Jesus went to Hell to liberate the souls who had been held in prison, specifically the holy people of the Old Testament. This is echoed in an Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday, which states that Jesus went to free Adam and Eve, our first parents, from their sorrow and captivity. In his human soul, united with his divine person, Jesus opened the gates of Heaven for the just, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.
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He proclaimed the Gospel to the dead
The Apostles' Creed, which is occasionally recited at Mass, states that after his death, Jesus "descended into hell and rose again". This has prompted many worshippers to ask what this means. Surely, Jesus did not literally go to hell, the place of the Devil and the damned.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "hell" here does not refer to the hell understood in the modern sense. Instead, it refers to "Sheol" in Hebrew or "Hades" in Greek—the abode of the dead, where those who are deprived of the vision of God reside.
Jesus, like all men, experienced death, and his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. However, he descended there as the Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there. This act brought the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment and was the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission.
The traditional Church doctrine known as the Harrowing of Hell, or more accurately, the Harrowing of Hades, states that Jesus, after his death on the cross, descended into the underworld of the dead and preached the gospel to the souls of those who were physically dead. Those who believed his message and accepted it ascended with him to heaven.
This interpretation is supported by Peter's writings in 1 Peter 4:6, where he mentions that the gospel was "preached also to those who are dead". While some interpret this to mean that Jesus preached to the physically dead, others suggest that Peter is referring to Jesus preaching to the people of Noah's day, just as he preaches to us today.
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Christ's descent into hell was the metaphysical complement to his burial
The Harrowing of Hell, or Christ's descent into Hell, is a significant event in Christian theology, especially within the Catholic Church. It refers to the period between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection, where he brought salvation to souls held captive in the underworld or the realm of the dead. This event is mentioned in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed, stating that Jesus "descended into the underworld" or "descended into Hell."
Christ's descent into Hell is understood as the metaphysical complement to his burial, as explained by Aquinas in the Summa Theologiae. Aquinas offers four explanations for this claim. Firstly, in dying, Christ fully embraced the consequences of a typical human death, including the separation of his soul from his body, with his body buried and his soul descending into Hell. This separation and descent demonstrate the reality of Christ's death on the cross.
Secondly, Aquinas emphasizes that Christ suffered 'infirmities and sorrows' during his time in Hell. This idea may be surprising to Catholics who believe that Christ's sufferings ended with his crucifixion. However, Aquinas clarifies that Christ's suffering in Hell was not meritorious but rather a continuation of the consequences of his mortal death.
Thirdly, Christ's descent into Hell served a redemptive purpose. He went to free the righteous souls who had gone before him, including the holy fathers of the Old Testament, from their captivity. These souls, detained in Hell due to original sin, were awaiting their Messiah, and Christ's descent brought them salvation and opened the gates of Heaven for them.
Lastly, Christ's descent into Hell was a period of transition and transformation. While still bearing the consequences of human death, Christ began to manifest his victory over death, foreshadowing his resurrection on Easter Sunday. This descent brought the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment, as Christ proclaimed the Good News to the spirits imprisoned in Hell, rescuing them and announcing his triumph over death.
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Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned
The Apostles' Creed states that after Jesus died, "He descended into hell and rose again". However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies that "hell" in this context does not refer to the hell of eternal damnation that we understand it to mean today. Instead, it refers to Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek—the abode of the dead, where those deprived of the vision of God reside.
In early Christianity, hell had two meanings. Firstly, it was the place of the damned who had rejected all that is good and just, condemning themselves to an eternity without God. This place is referred to as gehenna in the New Testament and is what we typically associate with hell today. However, the hell that Jesus descended into was not this place of eternal damnation.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him". This refers to the souls in limbo, or the limbo of the patriarchs, who were righteous souls cleansed of actual sin but still bore the stain of original sin, preventing them from entering heaven. Jesus' descent brought them his glory, and forty days later, they ascended to heaven with him.
Jesus' descent into hell was also a proclamation of his power, demonstrating that even in death, he was active, bearing our infirmities, rescuing the holy fathers, and announcing his victory over death. Additionally, his descent brought hope to the souls in purgatory, assuring them that the doors of heaven would open to them once their purifications were complete.
Thus, Jesus' descent into hell was not to deliver the damned but to fulfil his messianic mission, bringing salvation to those who had died before him, and offering hope and consolation to those still awaiting purification.
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The Apostles' Creed uses hell in a broader sense than how we use it today
The Apostles' Creed, a statement of orthodox belief, says that after Jesus died, "He descended into hell and rose again." However, the word "hell" in the creed is used in a broader sense than how we understand it today. In the creed, "hell" refers to "'Sheol' in Hebrew or 'Hades' in Greek, which broadly refers to the place where dead people go. It is described as a listless, shady, ambiguous, and dark abode where the dead are deprived of the vision of God.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies that Jesus did not go into hell as a place of damnation or to suffer but rather to liberate the just who had gone before him. He went to preach the Gospel to the spirits imprisoned there, proclaiming the Good News and fulfilling his messianic mission.
The inclusion of Jesus' descent into hell in the creed emphasizes the reality of his death and humanity. By descending into Hades, Jesus fully identified with our humanity, experiencing death and joining other souls in the realm of the dead. This aspect of the creed invites believers to contemplate the mystery of the incarnation and find comfort in knowing that Jesus truly understands the human condition.
It is important to note that the specific phrase "descended into hell" was likely a later addition to the Apostles' Creed, appearing around the middle of the third century or later. The inclusion of this phrase has caused controversy, as some interpret it literally, while others see it as a theological and biblical response to distorted teachings.
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Frequently asked questions
In the Apostles' Creed, it is said that after his death, Jesus "descended into hell" and rose again. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "hell" is the abode of the dead, also known as Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek. It is a place where those who are deprived of the vision of God reside.
Jesus descended into hell to free the just who had gone before him and to proclaim the Gospel to the dead. This act brought the Gospel message of salvation to fulfilment and demonstrated the reality of his death on the cross.
The phrase "descended into hell" may only be mentioned in the Apostles' Creed to avoid confusion among believers if it was repeated but not properly explained. Both the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed are valid and complement each other, allowing for deeper reflection on the mysteries of the Catholic faith.
The traditional teaching of the Catholic Church is that Jesus did descend into hell, but not into the place of the damned (gehenna). Instead, he visited limbo to free the just who had gone before him, including the holy fathers who did not have the sacrament of baptism to erase the guilt of original sin.
According to Aquinas, the descent into hell is the metaphysical complement to the burial of Christ's body. By dying, Christ assumed all the consequences of a normal human death, including the descent of his soul into hell.
