Shirley H Supporter Wife, mother, veteran in the spiritual war we all face!

John 16:3, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

Jesus was speaking to His disciples in the quoted scripture.

Acts chapter 2 suddenly a sound from heaven came, like rushing wind. All were filled with the Holy Ghost.

Jesus had promised to send the comforter, and He did!

Ephesians 4:8-10, "Wherefore He said, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that He ascended, what is it but that He has also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things."

I believe that when Jesus was crucified on that cross, He took that thief with Him. He remembered his request in faith. He ushered the thief to Hades, and took him to paradise in His loving arms.

Jesus knows everything about us. He knows the heart of even a thief asking forgiveness in his moment of death.

September 25 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Great question, Jeter!

I often wondered about this myself as I was raised in a Lutheran Church and so often, we recited the Apostles’ Creed. 

Yes, Jesus did go to sheol/hades according to Ephesians 4:8-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-20. 

There is no second chance for salvation after death/judgement: Luke 16:26 Jennifer Rothnie
cf. Hebrews 9:27 "it is appointed unto men to die once, but after this the judment" + or - nothing. 

I.e. Hebrews 9:27 (Contemporary English Version) says
"We die only once, and then we are judged."

September 26 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Frank Scimeca Supporter

Luke 23:42 states, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Jesus went to Heaven upon his death. A dead person does not get a second chance.

September 26 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

A traditional belief is that Jesus was buried and, before He was resurrected, went down into Hades, preached to spirits there, and led righteous souls out of Abraham’s bosom taking them into heaven.

There is no Scripture that confirms this or hints that Jesus was in Hades. I Peter 3:19, 20, I Peter 4:6 and Ephesians 4:8, 9 seem to, but He did not. The preaching was formerly to people who have long since died and are in ‘prison’ until the judgment. The lowest part of the earth where Jesus went was the tomb. 

Luke 16:22, 23 speaks of Abraham’s bosom which is thought to be a part of Hades. H. A. Ironside wrote, “We should not make the mistake of thinking of Abraham’s bosom as the name of a locality in Hades. The locality was paradise. Abraham’s bosom was the bosom of Abraham. In other words, Abraham, a living person, even though his body was long since dead, welcomed to that abode of happiness this child of faith when he moved out of his afflicted body.” Also, Abraham’s bosom is far from Hades, not a part of it. 

There is the common understanding that Jesus promised that the thief would be in paradise the day Jesus died. Punctuation should be corrected in Luke 23:43 to read, “Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” Compare Deuteronomy 30:18 and Acts 20:26. The thief did not go to paradise that day. The promise He made ‘today’ was for later.

After Jesus died, He was placed in the tomb where he was for three days. His spirit went into the hands of the Father as Luke 23:46 indicates. On Sunday morning, God raised Him from the dead.

It was on this day Jesus may have ascended into heaven, Ephesians 4:8. Although He would visibly do so 40 days later, there are reasons He did on this day. Jesus had told Mary not to cling to Him for He had not ascended, John 20:17. Then He told her to tell the disciples He was ascending. That evening He appeared to the disciples, saying for them to “receive the Holy Spirit,” John 20:22. The Spirit could not have been imparted on them unless He had gone to the Father, John 15:26, 16:5, 7. Later, the Spirit would also come in a special way on the day of Pentecost. 

On this day He had the time and opportunity to lead captivity (enemies) captive, to offer Himself as the sheaf of firstfruits before the Father, Leviticus 23:10, 11, to sprinkle His blood on the altar, Hebrews 9:12, and for the Father to give Him the authority above all, seating Him at His right hand, Ephesians 1:19-21, and then to return with the promise of the Spirit for His disciples. 

These details show Jesus did not spend time in Hades or take the thief to Paradise. He descended to the tomb in His burial and ascended to Heaven when He was resurrected.

January 24 2022 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report