Jesus' Descent Into Hell

Jesus' Descent Into Hell

What happened between Christ's death and resurrection?​

What happened when people died before Jesus' Paschal Mystery?

-After Adam's sin, the "gates" of heaven became "locked" to humanity. In other words, with original sin and the loss of original holiness, humanity could not enter into perfect communion with God in heaven.

-With heaven "locked", what happened to people when they died? Those who died in the state of God's friendship went to "Paradise" (also referred to as "Abraham's Bosom" or the "Limbo of the Fathers").

-Those who rejected God's friendship suffered the fate of eternal damnation.

What was "Paradise" (or "Abraham's Bosom") Like?

-Paradise was a state of comfort and consolation, but it was not heaven.

-While the souls there did enjoy friendship with God, it was not nearly the same level of joyful communion with God that they would experience in heaven.

-Those in Paradise were still under the power of death and they longed for their salvation.

Multiple Choice

What was Paradise like?

• It was still hell, so it contained profound suffering

• It was a place of consolation, but the souls there were still longing for salvation

• It was heaven

• It was a place where people were finally free from the power of death

What did Jesus do between his death and resurrection?

-Jesus visited the souls of the dead in Paradise.

-He visited the souls of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David, and even his father Joseph. He visited all those who had died in God's friendship.

But wait! Why does the Apostle's Creed say that Jesus descended into "hell"?

-The creed calls the abode of the dead "hell" because all the souls there, whether righteous or unrighteous, were "locked out" of heaven. Their fates were different though: the righteous enjoyed comfort in Paradise while they waited for entrance to heaven; the unrighteous suffered torment because of their permanent rejection of God's friendship.

-"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" (CCC 633). Nobody suffers damnation unless they have chosen to exclude themselves from God, so it is because of Jesus' mercy and justice that he does not force them to be with God. Love must always be voluntary, so Jesus can't force anyone to love God without destroying that person's free will and humanity.

Multiple Choice

Why does the Apostle's Creed say Jesus "descended into hell?"

• Jesus freed all sinners (even those who had rejected God) from hell and destroyed that place of torment

• Jesus observed the sufferings of the damned so his human nature could better understand what he was trying to save people from

• Jesus temporarily suffered the fate of damnation so as to enter into communion with even the worst sinners.

• Jesus descended into the realm of the dead; it is called "hell" to indicate that both the righteous and unrighteous were locked out of heaven, even if their fates in death were very different.

What did Jesus do in Paradise and why does it matter?

-Jesus' time in Paradise was an essential part of the Paschal mystery! "The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfilment. This is the last phase of Jesus' messianic mission...the spread of Christ's redemptive work to all men of all times and all places" (CCC 634).

-Jesus came to preach the Good News to the dead that they were no longer to be bound by death. Jesus announced to them the news of their long awaited salvation!

-Remember, Jesus' divine nature remained united with his human soul after death. So it is not just the human soul of Jesus visiting the dead...it is God himself, the Second Person of the Trinity breaking down the doors of death to visit his people even in the abode of death!

Multiple Choice

What did Jesus do during his descent into hell?

• Preach the Gospel to the righteous and announce the news of their long awaited salvation

• Preach to the souls who had experienced damnation to offer them one last chance at salvation

• Experience the torments of hell so as to gain greater sympathy for sinners

• Punish the wicked souls for their sins

​Answer the last question on the following slide. Please note that clicking the back arrow on the question will undo anything you write for that question.

Open Ended

One day, your friend casually asks, "What does the Church mean when it says Jesus descended into hell? And why does his descent into hell matter?" How might you answer these two questions?