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NASB | Ephesians 4:9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 4:9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth? |
Subject: Jesus decended into hell? |
Bible Note: Hi, Brother Mark! I see your point here. In my notes, I have the following characteristics of parables: 1. Parables teach a truth using the technique of similarity or illustration. 2. Parables are usually very short, thus they are intended to be easily remembered. 3. Parables can be described as simultaneously very simple and very complex. 4. Parables use earthly things as teaching instruments. 5. Parables have only one primary point. 6. Parables typically have three parts: (1) the setting (cultural context); (2) a story; and (3) a spiritual application. 7. Parables are intended to teach faithful disciples. 8. Parables are intended to hide the truth from the disobedient. The teaching of Lazarus and Dives fails on several points. However, I'd be rather hard pressed to confidently assert that this teaching ought to be taken as representing a literal incident. (I'm given to understand the Romanists have a site they venerate as the actual home of Dives.) The notion of any kind of actual interaction between the occupants of Hades and those of Heaven is, after all, extremely problematic. I wonder why so many of the commentators and teachers of the past considered this story to be a parable? In Him, Doc |