Bible Study Where was Jesus between his death and resurrection?

[TonyChanYT]

When a person dies, he goes to Sheol/Hades, where time stands still. Sheol is not confined to the physical space-time framework. It is in the spiritual dimension.

Matthew 27:

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Elisha's bones resurrected a dead man (2 Kings 13:21), and Jesus' physical death resurrected a group of men. These were righteous people who were given an extension of life on earth.

John 19:

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus' suffering was finished; he suffered no further in Hades. He did not go to the fiery hell, i.e., the lake of fire. That will not occur until the last day after the general resurrection.

What did Jesus do?

Jesus proclaimed the gospel to the dead in 1 Peter 3:

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.

The unrighteous died without knowing Jesus. Some would receive and accept the gospel. Peter described a scene that is out of space-time ordering. On the last day, after the general resurrection, they will hear Jesus' proclamation and believe. Jesus had to physically die himself to qualify preaching to them in Hades.

1 Peter 4:

6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

The dead spirits are not conscious presently. They will be judged after the resurrection on the last day.

Where was Jesus between his death and resurrection?

Ephesians 4:

8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

i.e., Hades, the dwelling place (storehouse) of the dead.

After Jesus died, his spirit descended to the spiritual realm of Hades, where time stands still. He preached the gospel to the dead, who would be resurrected on the last day, at the end of the physical time.

 

[for_his_glory]

Jesus never went down to hell (lower parts of the earth) to preach as scripture says He went to preach to the spirits in prison. When Jesus laid in the tomb for three days his body was dead, but His spirit was very much alive. In 1 Peter 3:19 it says Jesus being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit went and preached to the spirits in prison. The spirits in prison that Jesus went to preach to are those angels that are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Scripture does not say what Jesus preached to them, but some speculate that He was proclaiming to these fallen angels that Satan had no victory over His death. These angels are separate from the third Satan gathered with him as these angels bound in chains kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 1:5-7.

Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men means that those who were a slave to sin are now given the free gift of God's grace through Christ as being the fulfillment of the Temple sacrifices. The lower parts of the earth just means the grave being underground.

These angels that have been bound and chained in prison until the day of judgement, Jesus was making show of them openly, triumphing over them in it, Colossians 2:13-15. This means that those who come to Jesus their sin is blotted out having spoiled these angels (principalities and power) who caused men to sin and that they too will be judged and cast into the lake of fire reserved for Satan and his angels.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

 

[Randy]

I agree the only comings and goings of Jesus given during those 3 days was to preach the gospel to the imprisoned spirits. I also give weight to He was alive in the spirit in that act. Though those people were judged according to the flesh Jesus redeemed their souls. They died apart from any law given and certainly never heard of Jesus. God is just in His judgments.

he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

 

[Beetow]

.
● 1Pet 3:18-20 . . For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive
by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who
disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark
was being built.

Well; the way I see it: the Spirit spoken of by Peter was the self same "My spirit"
spoken of in Gen 6:3. In other words: the Spirit of Christ preached to the
antediluvians when they were alive rather than after they were dead; and he
would've done so by means of an inspired man; which in that day would've been
Noah. (2Pet 2:5)
_