Events of Good Friday and Easter
I’m a little confused as to where Jesus went when he died. In the Apostles' Creed it says he “descended into hell. The third day he rose again....” Where in the Bible do I find that Jesus descended into hell? On the cross Jesus said to the thief that day he would be with him in paradise, which seems like Jesus would be in heaven right away. Thanks so much for helping clear this up for me.
When death takes place, a person’s body and soul separate (Ecclesiastes 12:7). When Jesus died on Good Friday, his body remained on earth, while his soul went to heaven (Luke 23:46). The same was true for the repentant thief on the cross (Luke 23:43).
Resurrection is the reuniting of body and soul. Early on Easter Sunday morning, Jesus’ body and soul were reunited in the tomb. Jesus descended into hell to proclaim victory over sin, Satan and death. Then, he appeared to his followers on earth as their risen Savior.
1 Peter 3:18-20 teaches Jesus’ descent into hell. Many see Colossians 2:15 as describing the triumphant nature of Jesus’ descent into hell.