Apostles Creed question

[waxwing]

One of the lines of the Apostles Creed is “He descended into hell”, but I read that He said to to one of criminals on the cross next to Him I will see you in paradise today (paraphrase)…was wondering how the last statement fits in with Apostles Creed line?

Thanks
ww

 

[LilyM]

Firstly ‘hell’ is a poor translation of that line. When we say it we don’t mean the abode of the eternally damned - rather to that state of limbo in which the righteous who died before His time lived, since it was only after His death that heaven was open to them.

Secondly - we’re talking eternal infinite timeless God here, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Time means nothing really to Him, nor to any of those who have died and entered eternal bliss or damnation. I think He just wanted to reassure the thief that whatever happened he wouldn’t have to wait around for his eternal reward!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

One of the lines of the Apostles Creed is “He descended into hell”, but I read that He said to to one of criminals on the cross next to Him I will see you in paradise today (paraphrase)…was wondering how the last statement fits in with Apostles Creed line?

Thanks
ww

The “Hell” spoken of was the *Limbo of the Fathers *this was where those justified before Christ’s Resurrections and Ascension waited. It is fully possible this is where the "Good Thief " went.

 

[jburgherr]

A better parallel word would have been “Sheol” which is used through-out the Old Testament for the “place of the dead”. Hell or Sheol in this usage does not mean the place of the damned, it was a place of waiting, after one’s earthly life, for the Messiah and Redeemer.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

One of the lines of the Apostles Creed is “He descended into hell”, but I read that He said to to one of criminals on the cross next to Him I will see you in paradise today (paraphrase)…was wondering how the last statement fits in with Apostles Creed line?

Thanks
ww

I made a good thread on this very issue regarding the error of how some Protestants interpreted that to mean “hellfire”.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=143144

 

[Ilroy]

One of the lines of the Apostles Creed is “He descended into hell”, but I read that He said to to one of criminals on the cross next to Him I will see you in paradise today (paraphrase)…was wondering how the last statement fits in with Apostles Creed line?

Thanks
ww

Also, the “paradise” here does not necessarily mean Heaven, it is likely what is called the bosom of Abraham, or where the righteous from before the time of Christ were waiting for Him to die and rise which opened the gates of Heaven.

Another thought I’ve heard is that we don’t know for sure where the punctuation in that statement goes. It could have read…“I tell you this day, you will be with me in paradise.” instead of “I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise.”