Jesus’ descent into hell
Professor Pope wrote in FIC this month teaching about Christ's time in the tomb. He said that Christ's soul went to heaven (paradise) immediately upon his death, while the corporeal body went into the grave. However, in the Creeds that we repeat every service we state that Christ descended into hell. The Small Catechism, section 143, also teaches the Jesus went to hell. My question boils down to which teaching is correct? Both use the Scripture as supporting their statement. I am quite confused now though I thought I actually knew something. Please expound on the teaching.
What I wrote in the Forward in Christ column and what we speak in the Creed are not at odds. Let me explain.
Death is the separation of body and soul (Ecclesiastes 12:7). When Jesus died, his body remained on earth, while his soul went to heaven (Luke 23:46). The same was true for the penitent thief on the cross (Luke 23:43).
On Easter Sunday morning Jesus’ body and soul were reunited in Joseph’s tomb. The Lord—body and soul—then descended into hell to declare his victory over Satan and his forces (1 Peter 3:18-20). After that, the risen Lord appeared to people here on earth.
The wording of the Apostles’ Creed can make it seem like Jesus descended into hell before his body and soul were reunited. When the Creed states that Jesus “descended into hell,” it is doing so on the basis that Jesus’ body and soul had already been reunited in the tomb. When the Creed states that Jesus “rose again from the dead,” it is referring to Jesus’ appearances to people on earth. When we speak the words of the Apostles’ Creed, we do not mean to say that Jesus descended into hell immediately after his death and burial.
I hope this explanation removes some of the confusion.