Subject: Jesus descend into hell |
Bible Note: Dear Brad, I have done a word search for both "hell" and "hades" and got the below: hadês; (86) perh. from 1 (as a neg. pref.) and 1491a (3708); Hades, the abode of departed spirits:--Hades(10). hell (1067) : geenna; of Heb. or. [1516 and 2011]; Gehenna, a valley W. and S. of Jer., also a symbolic name for the final place of punishment of the ungodly:--hell(12). The Apostles' Creed (Chinese version) I recite at church articulate more on the sense of "hades" instead of "hell" in the English version. In that case, I think the doctrine could have been based on : Acts 2:31 He, foreseeing this, spoke [by foreknowledge] of the resurrection of the Christ (the Messiah) that He was not deserted [in death] and left in Hades (the state of departed spirits), nor did His body know decay or see destruction. [Ps. 16:10.] Then my concern will be: 1/ Does the Chinese Apostle's Creed hold closer meaning in employing Acts 2:31? (This one I will need to ask our pastor at church.) 2/ Is Acts 2:31 a more relevant scripture to the Apostles' Creed doctrine? If so, how should we understand "...He was not deserted [in death] and left in Hades (the state of departed spirits)..."? Does it bear the meaning that Jesus did go to hades but not left there? Your enlightenment will be very much appreciated. Shalom Azure |