Last week we reviewed the first two statements Jesus made on the cross-one being to the penitent criminal: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Read my full notes from that sermon here: He Said It.

This begs a few questions…

What is paradise? Where did Jesus go for those three days before He rose again?

The Apostles Creed says that when Jesus died, He descended into hell. This idea originated because Jesus said that He would spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth when He died (Matt. 12:40).

But wait, what!?!? Did Jesus go to hell as in the eternal lake of fire? No.

Hang with me now…

When Jesus suffered on the cross, He experienced separation from the Father, which is spiritual death. Having died physically, His body went into the grave for parts of three days. His spirit went to “paradise,” namely, into the Father’s presence—where the spirits of the righteous dead abide until their reunion with their bodies at their resurrection.

When Jesus arose, the Father reunited His spirit with His then immortal body.

The ancients viewed “Sheol” (the Old Testament term) and “Hades” (the New Testament term) as being in the heart of the earth, or at least as being under the surface of the earth. *These terms seem to be synonymous.

You could read the Apostles Creed as “descended into Hades,” to make your mind wrap around it better.

Sheol/hades is divided into two parts:

#1. a place of blessing (where Lazarus was in Luke 16)

#2. a place of torment (where the rich man was in Luke 16).

In 1 Peter 3:19, Peter talks about “this Jesus, who by the same spirit by which he is raised from the dead goes and preaches to the lost spirits in prison.”

Peter doesn’t tell us who the lost spirits are that Jesus preaches to.

But we know his visit to the “abode of the dead” is triumphant because on the cross Jesus himself says, “It is finished.” And in the Greek we see this as a shout of victory, in an exclamatory way.

Therefore, I think it’s safe and clear to say that Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He didn’t descend to suffer. Seems like he descended to preach the good news and possibly free the holy saints of old. The parable from Luke 16 tells us the situation is different for the two different populations.

Jesus then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension.

All to say, Jesus didn’t go to hell, a place of torment. He went to Sheol/hades-a realm with two divisions—a place of blessing and a place of judgment . The “Saved” go to abraham’s bosom or side, paradise. When Jesus died, He went to this blessed side of sheol/hades, or paradise.

The lost or those who have rejected Christ are in the temporary abode of the dead in sheol/hades and have the lake of fire as their final destination.

What is paradise? The criminal on the cross didn’t have to wait for the kingdom to be with Jesus. We see that while hanging on the cross, he reviled Christ one minute, then converted shortly later and received forgiveness and salvation the next minute. Before sundown, he would be with Jesus “in paradise”—the place of righteous departed spirits—that very day when they both died.

Did Jesus go to hell? Technically not the one we usually think of.

Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.

Wow. That made my brain explode. But we can’t run away from hard truths. Diving into them will make our faith explode.

If yours just did, share this. Chances are someone else needs to hear it too.

Oh wait, what is the lake of fire? Gr8 question:

It’s mentioned in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, as the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels (Matthew 25:41). People who are born-again are born twice and die once. They don’t go to the lake of fire, but to heaven. People who aren’t born-again are born once and die twice. They do.

Eternal hell is described as a place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal, unspeakable agony of an unrelenting nature because they will be separated from God, which is eternal “torment.” (Luke 16:24; Mark 9:45-46).

Revelation 20:15 “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

But don’t worry, if you are born again you can “rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke10:20). You won’t have to worry about this terrible fate.

As long as you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, accepting His death on the cross as the atonement for your sins, you will receive forgiveness and the gift of His Holy Spirit.

Haven’t done so yet? Well, if you just read this, there are no more excuses. It’s time. Read more here.

Do we immediately go to Heaven as Christians when we die?

No more time to write today but here’s a :90 clip from R.C. Sproul. He explains succinctly—> https://youtu.be/q_U69Xz2jnA?si=fvWu-HYJ8PfaLVew

God Bless,

Coach Theo