Did Jesus Descend into Hell? Ephesians 4:7–10, Part 3

Look at the Book
Teacher: John Piper

[deshaunhill]

im sorry for my sins lord jesus and i have faith in your lord and i believe u died on the cross for us in jesus name amen🛐✝️😇📖🙏🏾❤️

[radleyrayner]

Praise our Mighty Lord and God Christ Jesus🙌♥️🕊️

[kildacious]

I took it to mean that Christ. after His death, descended - in the Spirit - into Sheol and took the Old Testament saints who had been held captive by death to Heaven when He ascended...He led them out of Sheol and into Heaven in His Train [ie. like a mighty conqueror displaying the fruits of His victory]...and then, Having delivered these 'Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect' to the Father, He sat down at the right Hand of God...and then poured out Gifts on His church. He could do this because by His sacrifice He now owns the Keys of Hell and of Death. Or...something like that.

Such an interpretation doesn't seem unlikely since in Ephesians, Paul is taking us all the way back to before Time Began when God Chose us in Christ...and Forward to Eternity [the Length and Breadth aspect] when we are glorified and displayed as trophies of God's saving Grace [Eph 2:6-7]...and Here Paul is emphasizing the 'Height and Depth' [From the highest place in Heaven to the lowest place in Sheol] aspect of our Redemption...and all of this is explaining 'the length and breadth/Height and Depth' of the love of Christ that Paul mentions in chapter 3 [which passes understanding]. It also seems to fit in with Peter's mention about Christ being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the Spirit by whom He went and preached to the souls in Prison [ie. where the 'Captives' were].

At any rate...I absolutely love Pastor John and this study of Ephesians has been a mega blessing to me. His Exegesis of Ephesians is both scholarly and reflects a loving Pastors heart as well.

[AndreRosario-zmpf]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌏✝️ Isaiah 61:1 Thank God I will always honor my marriage and family. Kim Walker Matthew 1:18-24

[justinbennett]

Matthew 3:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God's purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

[kingsleyolaleyereubenwriter]

Thank you for such an edifying study. 🙏🏿

[rhoda]

This is interesting! I've always thought Jesus died and went to hell because that's what would have happened to us, with Him taking the full penalty of our sins. And then that's where He set captives free and broke the power of sin and evil for all time. This is true though, Paul was pointing us to the truth that we should be focusing on: Jesus Christ, the one we've heard about, is God! Whether He went down to sheol, to the ground or otherwise, He's in Heaven ruling now.

[brianshissler]

The glory of Jesus entering Sheol and freeing the souls there must have been so magnificent!

I wonder, is there a painting of this moment? a song? Something? It seems like such a wonderful moment not to memorialize.

[Richie]

St. Paul clarified people on the stories on Jesus in the Gospels; the same lowly crucified Jesus on the cross is the mighty God ruling over the earth and heavens.

[NJB]

What does the Bible say about Jesus’ death? Was it really insufficient? Was it necessary for Jesus to go to hell and suffer more under God’s wrath? According to Romans 3:25, Jesus’ blood served as the propitiation and satisfied the Father. That same truth is taught in 1 John 2:1-2. The most powerful verse that lays to rest the idea that God was not satisfied with Jesus’ death alone and required him to do more punishment in hell is found in Jesus’ own words from the cross in John 19:30 as John records the words of Jesus, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished, ’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
What exactly was finished? It’s clearly a reference to the work of atonement that Jesus accomplished in his death. To suggest that Jesus had to descend into hell and suffer more is simply a heretical addition to the gospel that must be rejected.

Jesus’ Promise from the Cross

The Biblical text teaches that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of his people (John 10:11). It never teaches that Jesus went to hell for the sins of his people. That’s a foreign concept to the gospel. 
When Jesus was dying on the cross, he was hanging between two criminals. As Jesus was suffering under God’s wrath (Isaiah 53:10), one of the criminals criticized and railed upon him saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us” (Luke 23:39)! However, one of the criminals embraced Jesus and was saved. He confessed his sin and called out to Christ (Luke 23:40-42). It’s essentially the only death bed conversion that we see in Scripture. Jesus made a promise to this criminal that echoes throughout the ages as a glorious promise of victory for all those who call upon the name of the Lord. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). 
Jesus didn’t say, “I will be with you in paradise after I go to hell for three days.” Jesus made it clear that when he left that cross, He went directly into the presence of the Father—into Paradise. The criminal, now redeemed by Jesus’ blood, would join him. This is a glorious truth that dispels the false teaching of Jesus going into hell.

[elisavetashabelnikova]

Well, I'm not convinced 😅 just this word "the lower", it seems to me, retain the feeling, that it is not earth. Because if it were just about Christ's having been on the earth during His earthly life, would it be said " the lower regions of the earth" instead of just "regions of the earth"? And above heavens certainly means not the sky, but the spiritual world, so isn't it meaningful to think that the lower regions of the earth relate to Sheol?) But of course it's just my speculation 😅🤪 Bit, dear pastor John, I'm so thankful for having learnt about " Look at the book"! It is amazing go so deep into the Word!!! Thank you very much! May God bless you!

[BloodCovenant]

I've always taken this to mean that Jesus descended to Sheol, maybe only Abraham's bosom part to declare the gospel so he could lead those captives free. That would be what 1 Peter 3:19 would appear to say or agree with "by whom also He (Jesus) went and preached to the spirits in prison, " So, I am still convinced that option #3 the lower regions/parts Hades/Sheol possibly only Abraham's bosom part of it is where the descension went.

[unc]

Like John said it’s important to “big picture” this.
Debating the meaning is really a side issue at this point.
The point that the writer was making is that the One that descended and set captives free, then rose again, is the same Jesus who the Ephesians were familiar with.
The Bible is a few things…
It’s a teacher to the generations,
It’s also demonstrates the interaction between God and man in the time that it was written.
God’s teaching style is different than the teaching style of modern man.
Sometimes He wants modern man to be a fly on the wall and observe ancient lessons and debates.
THEN, once you understand the former argument you have wisdom for the current.
Most of the time the goal is not how “we” interpret it but how “they” did.
“How we see it” is irrelevant!
How they saw it is where the treasure lies.
Today, the teacher asks the students a question and the student raises his hand “I know I know!”
That’s one style.
Another is like when medical students gather around a surgery being performed.
“To observe in silence.”
No questions. You don’t always get to say “I know I know!”

[Tyreemorris]

This was a good explanation, I found it hard to understand how this verse thoroughly says Jesus went to Sheol. God bless you Father.

[kirjian]

1:09 I had no idea the word "booty" actually meant loot or spoils, I thought it was a made up word for butts. Learn something new every day

[elizaleski]

That was good. Dude got his stuff together

[hotaruishere]

Do I not understand this as well as I should because I have not yet seen parts 1 and 2 of this miniseries? The idea of Jesus going to H*ll really worries and angers me.

[AdvEug]

1 Peter 3:19–20 "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (KJV)

So what about this? It seems that Jesus did in fact go to hell and told the spirits who are in prisoned and will be released during the tribulation that He preached to them. That Jesus work on the cross has set us free from sins grip on us. The devil has no hold on us.

[RodH-pjpy]

It still didnt give me an answer to that question....i understand it that Jesus actually went down to hell to preach to the dead since the times of Noah that died with a promise but no Christ. I find it troublesome cus if he didnt go down to hell for those 3 days in the tomb did he seize to exist? I dont believe that, and i think the keyword is "above all heavens" as it is explained that heaven is divided in regions and the highest being where God is. So earth is also divided in regions.

[michaelsamuel]

Paul was talking to The Ephesian believers; not referring to unrepentant SINNERS!!