Subject: where is Christ battling Satan in HELL |
Bible Note: Luke 16:19-31 definitely teaches a separation in Hell(hades) as does the Jewish Talmud and oral traditions. The Old Testament righteous definitely died looking for and trusting their Messiah but to think that alone saved them negates Jesus' proclaimation that He alone was the door. To enter through a door the door must exist and while Jesus is eternal the door he provided did not exist until the second covenant came into being. The early church believed Jesus went to Hell(hades) as evidenced by the Apostles creed. Now we realize the early church fathers weren't scripture but if we discount their teaching then we have to question why Jesus ever commissioned teachers. Paul was a teacher first and scripture writter second. Now if we accept Paul's teaching that those that died after Christ go into the presence of the Lord then we have to believe the righteous dead of the Old Testament had to have some kind of entrance into heaven. If they were in Abraham's bosom at the time Jesus told Luke 16:19-31 then we have to believe someone led them to heaven. I don't see any way to ignore Luke 16:19-31 I can't believe Jesus would virtually repeat the Jewish teaching on Hades if it weren't true. To the Jew they would have to take it as being a confirmation of what they already believed. |