Why would our Lord go to hell

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In the Prayer Apostles Creed, where it says "He descended into hell, shouldn’t it say “He descended into purgatory”?..why would our Lord go to hell?
 
My version of the creed says, “He descended to the dead.” Not hell or purgatory or limbo.
 
It’s a bad translation. Christ did not go to “hell” as we understand that term now. As per Rutherford’s reply, Christ went to the realm of the dead, called hades in Greek and sheol in Hebrew. It is not a place of eternal punishment. Take a look at this page for more info.
 
From the catechism:
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
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Of note: Sheol (the hell referenced in the Apostles’ Creed and the Scripture) is not hell as we have a modern understanding of it. It’s more of a “place of holding” for the dead until that time.
 
The “Hell” that our Lord descended to was not Hell as we understand it today. Prior to Our Lord’s death and resurrection, all deceased souls went to an underworld of the dead where they were deprived of the vision of God. Those who had been good remained there in comfort - they weren’t being punished by fire or devils - but it wasn’t Heaven because they were not seeing God. This place was called “Sheol” in Hebrew or “Hades” in Greek. We translate those words as “Hell”.

After Jesus died for man’s sins, this permitted all the previously deceased good people to finally go to Heaven and enjoy the vision of God. Jesus went to this underworld called “Hell” to free all the good souls and escort them to Heaven (or, I suppose, purgatory if any of them still needed purification at that point). At that point, Hell became as we know it today - a bad, uncomfortable place where people were deprived forever of the vision of God.

Jesus did not go to “purgatory” because prior to his death, nobody was going to Heaven, so the idea of Purgatory as a purification place for those headed to Heaven would make no sense. Purgatory is something that could only exist after souls were permitted to go to Heaven, which didn’t happen until after Jesus descended to Hell to free the souls who were waiting there.

Catechism on this here:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm
 
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He can go wherever he wants - and does.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit?
or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:
if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the day:
the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
 
Hhhhmmmmm, why is there more than one, i wonder.
 
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“Hell” is subjective, and an inaccurate translation. The Lord went to Sheol, the place of the dead, unrighteous and just, to preach the Good News to the righteous, and offer them deliverance into His Kingdom, after his death, which ended this realm of the dead and opened the gates of heaven.
 
sue1 said:
Hhhhmmmmm, why is there more than one, i wonder.
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Luke 16 [different places in the underworld]
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz′arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz′arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz′arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
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2 Maccabees 12 [atonement and prayer for their deceased brethren]
43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. 44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.
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John 14 [rooms (places) in heaven]
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
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Catholic Dogma states that Jesus did not go to the Hell of the damned,
 
To betray hell itself because He was innocent. Because He descended into hell (and why couldn’t He since He was one with the Father who is omnipotent?) hell spew out all who were trapped there. Remember that the demons did not argue with Jesus like people did but said "Son of Man, why are you judging us before it’s our time?"and recognized Him. So Jesus descended to Hell to free everyone because Hell was shamed of itself and could not contain Him who is the Blameless Lamb.
 
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anon64704623:
My version of the creed says, “He descended to the dead.” Not hell or purgatory or limbo.
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sue1 said:
Hhhhmmmmm, why is there more than one, i wonder.
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Because there’s more than one creed! 😉

You’re thinking of the “Apostles Creed”, and @anon64704623 is thinking of the “Nicene Creed”.
Roguish said:
It’s a bad translation.
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Hereiam said:
“Hell” is subjective, and an inaccurate translation.
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Nah… it’s not a bad translation, so much as it is an archaic one. “Hallowed” is an archaic translation in the Lord’s Prayer (after all, today we’d say “holy” not “hallowed”) but it stuck around because it was part of a well-known formula. In the same way, we stick with “hell” in the Apostles’ Creed because it’s a well-known formula.

As everyone has mentioned, in the context of the Apostles’ Creed, it means “the abode of the dead”, not “the fiery pit of damnation.”

And, in case you’re wondering why they don’t just change it… well, you recall all the fuss recently when the French decided to change some of the wording of the Lord’s Prayer, don’t you?
 
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It can also be translated as the “hell moments” of our lives. Being away from God is hell. Jesus always wants to take us out from the pit of sinfulness.
 
Ok everyone, thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut. I understand now.
 
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He descended into limbo of the Fathers, A part of hell, as hell just means separated from God. Where people who die in a state of mortal sin go is Gehenna. Limbo of the Fathers is a place in hell where all of the OT Jews and good gentiles went as heaven wasn’t open.But limbo of the fathers is still a place in hell like limbo of the infants, a place where unbaptized children go if they die before the age of reason. Jesus went to that part of hell to retrieve the souls there and take them to haven. Some one please correct me if i’m wrong.
 
thanks all the same guys, but some many people have answered my question, it’s getting a bit, over the top with answers. as i said, thanks all the same.
 
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