Part 1 – How Jesus “Led Captivity Captive”

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called “He Led Captivity Captive”.

Many Christians are perplexed by the words “He [Jesus] Led Captivity Captive” in the verses below, but as we will see it is only religion’s manmade traditions that have caused the confusion.

“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, [by His resurrection] 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.)” (Ephesians 4:8-10 (KJV)

Paul above is quoting from the prophetic Psalm 68, below.

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.” (Psalm 68:18 (KJV)

There are many confusing and contradictory religious explanations offered for these verses. After close study of the words in the context of Bible truth, I have personally changed from my earlier traditional view concerning what is meant by the words concerning how Jesus Christ “led captivity captive.”

The most common misunderstanding among Christians is that they say when he [Jesus] also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” it means that upon the death of Jesus He ‘descended into hell.’ This false notion is an age-old Roman Catholic religious idea as seen in the so-called “Apostles Creed” per their Catechism, paragraphs 631, 631 and 194. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm

Many such corrupt teachings of the Catholic church were carried over to Protestant Churches even after the Reformation of the 1500’s to this day. This is more than most Bible believers today would care to admit. Just read the book “Pagan Christianity” by Frank Viola and George Barna.

Let’s now consider “He [Jesus] Led Captivity Captive” (Ephesians 4:8) within its verse context. I’ve added some word definitions with emphasis for clarification.

7But unto every one of us is GIVEN Grace [unmerited favor] according to the measure of the Gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore (considering the foregoing) he saith [as in Psalm 68:18], When he [Jesus] ascended [Gk. anabaino, rose] up on high, he led captivity captive [Gk. aichmalosia, led away as 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 [to the 3rd heaven], that he might fill all things.)

11 And he GAVE some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors [elder shepherds] and teachers;

12 For the perfecting [complete furnishing] of the saints [the believers], for the [their] work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:7-12)

Herein we are considering these three questions and answer some commonly associated questions.

  1. Jesus DESCENDED – But, what exactly is Paul thinking when he says, he [Jesus] also first ‘descended into the lower parts of the earth(Eph. 4:9)? Consider Job’s words describing his expected time in “the grave.” Job’s body did see corruption and decay in the grave to this day, but the Lord Jesus did not. The verses below tell that Jesus upon death, like Job, went to the grave (not hell) until His resurrection 3 days later.

“If I [Job] wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. 14I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm [Heb, maggot], Thou art my mother, and my sister. 15And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? 16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit [Heb. Sheol, the grave], when our rest together is in the dust.” (Job 17:13-16)

For thou wilt not leave my [Jesus’] soul in hell [Heb. Sheol, the grave]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [decay]. Psalm 16:10 (KJV)

  1. CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE: To whom exactly do the words captivity” and “captive apply? Paul is quoting the words of Psa. 68:18, “He led captivity captive,” in Eph. 4:8? We will explain the meaning these words of as we proceed.
  2. He led – Then also, what does Paul have in mind by writing, He led captivity captive” (Eph. 4:8)?

Jesus “descended?

“(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” (Ephesians 4:9 (KJV)

Actually, “He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth simply refers to how that the incarnated Jesus of Nazareth descended into the grave as applying to all people who bodily die. Paul does not teach that Jesus descended into a so-called ‘hell.’

Jesus Himself likened His three days after death to being “in the belly” of the Jonah’s “whale (Matt. 12:40). Consider the corollary Jesus draws between His ‘three days in the grave’ and Jonah “three days in the belly of the whale.” Jesus’ “descent” that Paul writes of is the fact that Christ died and was buried, being swallowed up in the darkness of death,’ while He was all the time, for three whole days, lying down in the grave [tomb],” before He was resurrected.

Jesus “ascended:

In Eph. 4:9 above Paul is quoting David’s Psalm 68:18, below.

Thou [Jehovah] hast ascended on high, Thou Hast Led Captivity Captive: thou hast received gifts for men [the 1st and 2nd resurrections]; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.” (Psalm 68:18)

This is as a prophesy of the ‘ascension’ of Christ on high. Paul says Jesus’ His ascent is to “far above” the highest “heaven,” and should be considered together with Jesus’ prior descent into “the lower parts of the earth [the grave for the dead]” This also lines up with Paul’s earlier teaching.

“… that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried [in the tomb, ocean; all called ‘the grave], and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Cor. 15:3b-4)

Captivity CaptiveExplained:

Jesus liberates believers who all their lifetime had been subject to the ‘death penalty for sin while being held “captive” to the power of ‘Sin.’

  1. His death for us” paid our sin-debt liberating us from its burden.
  2. His death as us” liberated us from ‘the dominion and power of Sin.’

“For sin [sin nature] shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but [liberated you from the Law’s demand of death for sinners, now you are] under grace.” (Romans 6:14 (KJV)

2 . How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized [reset] into Jesus Christ [‘into the body of Christ,’ cf. 1Cor 12:13)] were baptized [taken] into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, [so] that the body of sin might be destroyed [Gk. kartargeo, made of no effect, nullified], [so] that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For HE THAT IS DEAD [with Jesus] IS FREED FROM SIN [Sin’s dominion]. (Romans 6:2-7 (KJV)

Being liberated from Captivity to Sinwe are now made ‘Captive’ to Christ our Lord and Master.

  • Jesus by His blood bought us out of the SLAVE market by dying ‘for us’ and ‘as us’ – placing us into His One body, “the body of Christ” to be In Union With Him!

(Read my article at: http://www.artlicursi.com/articles/freed-slaves )

  • We then are the willing captives living our lives in service to the Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us. Having believed this and trusted Christ as Savior, true Christians serve the Lord, not from fear, nor to gain favor, but out of sheer love and gratitude. The fruit of true liberty brings us to serve the Lord, being prompted by “The love of Christ constraineth [impels] us…” (2 Cor. 5:14). Our lives are then totally reset to live in union with Christ.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized [reset or absorbed] into one body [of Christ], whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Now we must address this question directly. Did Jesus ‘descend’ into the so-called ‘good side’ of ‘hell’ as so many Christians believe?

Answer: Absolutely Not!

First, there is no such thing as an afterlife that has ‘the good or bad side of Hell.’ The word ‘hell’ does not appear in Paul’s epistles, not once! Yet. The word “grave” does appears here in the context of our coming resurrection to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor.5:1b). Paul wrote:

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)

The Greek word that is often mistakenly translated as “hell” is the Greek “hades,” which in all cases simply means the grave.” It is the equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew word “Sheol” also meaning the grave.”

This erroneous religious idea of Jesus descending into hell is taken solely from Jesus’ mocking story of “the rich man and Lazarus” given before the Pharisees is one in which Jesus mocks and makes and open show of the false teachings of the Pharisees who loved and extorted mammon [money]” (cf. Luke 16:13-14).

“And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. (Luke 16:14 (KJV)

The money loving Pharisees had concocted and taught the idea of death whereby there supposedly are two sides of hell - on the one side is eternal torment for the ‘bad rich people and the other side was to be where the good beggars’ were held after death.

To see that Jesus is presenting an exaggerated description of the Pharisees false teaching all one has to do is read the text and recognize the context of Jesus’ story of ‘the rich man and Lazarus,’ in Luke 14, 15 and 16. It concerns money in terms of the rich man, beggar. In its detail the story contains many ridiculous elements that clearly contradict the balance of Scriptural truth. Jesus here is not stating some doctrinal truth, but rather He is mocking the Pharisees to expose their corrupt teaching regarding death in order to extort money from the people of Israel. This model was and is still used by the Catholic church in their corrupt idea of paying ‘money to get ‘time off’ from Purgatory,’ called “indulgences.’ This was opposed by Martin Luther in his ‘95 Theses’ of 1517, objecting to so many false teachings of the church.

(For a full contextual explanation of ‘The Rich Man and Lazarus’ you may want to read Part 13 of my Study Series “Life, Death, and Eternal Life” at: http://www.artlicursi.com/articles/part-13-what-about-%E2%80%98-rich-man-and-lazarus%E2%80%99 )