The Apostles Creed

[370202]

I confess to being a little perplexed by the line in The Apostles Creed, “He descended into hell”. I cannot conceive of a reason why Jesus would be subject to such a fate, even if only briefly. Can anyone explain what it is that I am misunderstanding?

 

[Gorgias]

It means that Jesus descended into Sheol (i.e., Hades), or more to the point, what’s been called the “Limbo of the Fathers”; that is, Jesus rescued the souls of the just who were nonetheless unable to attain heaven prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection. In 1 Peter 4, there’s a reference to it (“preaching to the souls of the dead”, IIRC).

Hope this helps!

 

[LegoGE1947]

It means that Jesus descended into Sheol (i.e., Hades), or more to the point, what’s been called the “Limbo of the Fathers”; that is, Jesus rescued the souls of the just who were nonetheless unable to attain heaven prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection. In 1 Peter 4, there’s a reference to it (“preaching to the souls of the dead”, IIRC).

Hope this helps!

There is another version of the Creed that reads “he descended to the dead” Whether the Church still approves of this version or not I prefer it to “he descended into hell”

 

[Corki]

There is another version of the Creed that reads “he descended to the dead” Whether the Church still approves of this version or not I prefer it to “he descended into hell”

At least in the US, the approved version for Mass used to be the “decended to the dead”. Now “decended into Hell” is the approved language.

It’s not that Jesus was subject to Hell as a fate, He chose to go there. He went to release the souls of those righteous men and women who had died before they could experience the redemption of Baptism that became possible with Christ.

 

[Joe_5859]

For any questions on the Creed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is a great place to look for answers. This line is discussed specifically in CCC 631-637:

ARTICLE 5
"HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN"

631 Jesus “descended into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens.” [476] The Apostles’ Creed confesses in the same article Christ’s descent into hell and his Resurrection from the dead on the third day, because in his Passover it was precisely out of the depths of death that he made life spring forth:

Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead, and shed his peaceful light on all mankind, your Son who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. [477]

Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell

632 The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was “raised from the dead” presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection. [478] This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ’s descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there. [479]

633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, “hell” - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God. [480] Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into “Abraham’s bosom”: [481] “It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham’s bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell.” [482] Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him. [483]

634 “The gospel was preached even to the dead.” [484] The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ’s redemptive work to all men of all times and all places, for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.

635 Christ went down into the depths of death so that “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” [485] Jesus, “the Author of life”, by dying destroyed “him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.” [486] Henceforth the risen Christ holds “the keys of Death and Hades”, so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” [487]

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . “I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.” [488]

**IN BRIEF **

636 By the expression “He descended into hell”, the Apostles’ Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil “who has the power of death” (Heb 2:14).

637 In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.

[476] Eph 4:9-10.
[477] Roman Missal, Easter Vigil 18, Exsultet.
[478] Acts 3:15; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:20; cf. Heb 13:20.
[479] Cf. 1 Pet 3:18-19.
[480] Cf. *Phil *2:10; Acts 2:24; Rev 1:18; Eph 4:9; Pss 6:6; 88:11-13.
[481] Cf. Ps 89:49; 1 Sam 28:19; Ezek 32:17-32; Lk 16:22-26.
[482] Roman Catechism I, 6, 3.
[483] Cf. Council of Rome (745): DS 587; Benedict XII, Cum dudum (1341): DS 1011; Clement VI, Super quibusdam (1351): DS 1077; Council of Toledo IV (625): DS 485; Mt 27:52-53.
[484] 1 Pet 4:6.
[485] Jn 5:25; cf. Mt 12:40; Rom 10:7; Eph 4:9.
[486] Heb 2:14-15; cf. Acts 3:15.
[487] Rev 1:18; Phil 2:10.
[488] Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday: PG 43, 440A, 452C; LH, Holy Saturday, OR.​

 

[LegoGE1947]

At least in the US, the approved version for Mass used to be the “decended to the dead”. Now “decended into Hell” is the approved language.

It’s not that Jesus was subject to Hell as a fate, He chose to go there. He went to release the souls of those righteous men and women who had died before they could experience the redemption of Baptism that became possible with Christ.

When I pray the rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in my private devotions I still recite the Creed as “he descended to the Dead” To recite it the other way reminds me too much of when I was a protestant and I listened to a cassette by Kenneth Hagin (a late televangelist) who said that when Jesus died he went to Hell and engaged Satan in hand-to-hand combat. As such I cannot bring myself to say that “Jesus went to hell” This may be approved language of the Mass but my inner being does NOT approve it!

 

[370202]

For any questions on the Creed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is a great place to look for answers. This line is discussed specifically in CCC 631-637:

ARTICLE 5
"HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN"

631 Jesus “descended into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens.” [476] The Apostles’ Creed confesses in the same article Christ’s descent into hell and his Resurrection from the dead on the third day, because in his Passover it was precisely out of the depths of death that he made life spring forth:

Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead, and shed his peaceful light on all mankind, your Son who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. [477]

Paragraph 1. Christ Descended into Hell

632 The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was “raised from the dead” presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection. [478] This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ’s descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there. [479]

633 Scripture calls the abode of the dead, to which the dead Christ went down, “hell” - Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek - because those who are there are deprived of the vision of God. [480] Such is the case for all the dead, whether evil or righteous, while they await the Redeemer: which does not mean that their lot is identical, as Jesus shows through the parable of the poor man Lazarus who was received into “Abraham’s bosom”: [481] “It is precisely these holy souls, who awaited their Savior in Abraham’s bosom, whom Christ the Lord delivered when he descended into hell.” [482] Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him. [483]

634 “The gospel was preached even to the dead.” [484] The descent into hell brings the Gospel message of salvation to complete fulfillment. This is the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission, a phase which is condensed in time but vast in its real significance: the spread of Christ’s redemptive work to all men of all times and all places, for all who are saved have been made sharers in the redemption.

635 Christ went down into the depths of death so that “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” [485] Jesus, “the Author of life”, by dying destroyed “him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and [delivered] all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.” [486] Henceforth the risen Christ holds “the keys of Death and Hades”, so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” [487]

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. . . He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him - He who is both their God and the son of Eve. . . “I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. . . I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.” [488]

**IN BRIEF **

636 By the expression “He descended into hell”, the Apostles’ Creed confesses that Jesus did really die and through his death for us conquered death and the devil “who has the power of death” (Heb 2:14).

637 In his human soul united to his divine person, the dead Christ went down to the realm of the dead. He opened heaven’s gates for the just who had gone before him.

[476] Eph 4:9-10.
[477] Roman Missal, Easter Vigil 18, Exsultet.
[478] Acts 3:15; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:20; cf. Heb 13:20.
[479] Cf. 1 Pet 3:18-19.
[480] Cf. *Phil *2:10; Acts 2:24; Rev 1:18; Eph 4:9; Pss 6:6; 88:11-13.
[481] Cf. Ps 89:49; 1 Sam 28:19; Ezek 32:17-32; Lk 16:22-26.
[482] Roman Catechism I, 6, 3.
[483] Cf. Council of Rome (745): DS 587; Benedict XII, Cum dudum (1341): DS 1011; Clement VI, Super quibusdam (1351): DS 1077; Council of Toledo IV (625): DS 485; Mt 27:52-53.
[484] 1 Pet 4:6.
[485] Jn 5:25; cf. Mt 12:40; Rom 10:7; Eph 4:9.
[486] Heb 2:14-15; cf. Acts 3:15.
[487] Rev 1:18; Phil 2:10.
[488] Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday: PG 43, 440A, 452C; LH, Holy Saturday, OR.​

Very many thanks for a most illuminating explanation. I am now very much less perplexed.

 

[Brod337]

I think really it is a metaphoric line…Christ became the scapegoat for all our sins by being sacrificed upon the cross, just as the Jews did annually in the Temple - they placed all their sins unto a goat and sacrificed it freeing them from their sins for that year. The difference with Christ was that he also removed all our for the future too (kinda)…he became the perpetual sacrifice. His descent into Hell was a further fulfillment of this - he led Adam and Eve out of Hell by the hand as a sign that he forgives all those who truly yearn for it.

There are many beautiful icons that show this moment!

 

[mercytruth]

I confess to being a little perplexed by the line in The Apostles Creed, “He descended into hell”. I cannot conceive of a reason why Jesus would be subject to such a fate, even if only briefly. Can anyone explain what it is that I am misunderstanding?

One explanation is given by the esteemed Catholic theologian and priest, Hans Von Balthazar in his book, Mysterium Paschale.

God’s peace

Micah

 

[ProVobis]

There is another version of the Creed that reads “he descended to the dead” Whether the Church still approves of this version or not I prefer it to “he descended into hell”

The Nicene Creed avoids it altogether.