Part 5 – Three Questions & Three Resurrections

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Life, Death, and Eternal Life.

QUESTION #1: Did Jesus descend into the “hell” or the so-called ‘bad side’ or ‘torment side’ of “Hades”?  

No! Contrary to the words of the ancient dogma called the Apostle’s Creed (AD 390), Jesus did not “descend into hell” in any way. By Holy Spirit inspiration, the Apostle Paul writes that Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth (Eph. 4:9), which the Bible calls “the grave” (Hades in Greek; Sheol in Hebrew). Jesus’ ‘descent’ that Paul wrote of is the plain fact that upon His death Jesus went tothe grave (hades).” (cf. Act 2:31). The “grave” can be in a tomb, crypt, in the ground, or in the sea.

“So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their ‘sleep.’ 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in ‘the grave,’ that thou wouldest keep me secret (hid), until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change (new spirit-body) come. (Job 14:12-14)

Please understand that there’s no such thing as the good or bad side of “Hades.” This erroneous idea also comes from Jesus’ misunderstood story of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” by which Jesus mocked the tradition of the Pharisees. Near the end of this series I devote a whole installment to explain this erroneous interpretation of the story. In that explanation, you will see the story is obviously Jesus mocking the false teaching of the Pharisees.

FACT: The abundance of Scripture is clear that upon physical death there is just “the grave” for all the dead – both “the righteous” and “the lost.” All the dead “sleep” in death in “the grave,” awaiting their resurrection to judgment and their ultimate reward.  

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (unrecoverable damnation and destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment). (Daniel 12:2)

QUESTION #2: Did Jesus go to “paradise,” the so-called ‘good side of hades’ the day that He died?

This erroneous idea also comes from Jesus’ misunderstood story of “The Rich Man and Lazarus,” which I will address in detail in a later chapter, proving it to be a mocking of the Pharisees false teachings.

To properly translate this verse (above) we must note the placement of a ‘comma’ seen after the word “thee” (above); which the KJV translators erroneously added. This seemingly minor punctuation error leads to a gross misunderstanding of Luke 23:43.

Luke 23:43 (KJV) “Jesus said unto him (the thief on the cross), Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

With the corrected comma position: “… Verily I say unto thee to day, shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Most Bible students know, all the oldest Textus Receptus, from which the Bible was translated, do not include any punctuation. Therefore, the KJV translators took it upon themselves to add punctuation according to their traditional theology at that time, ignoring the abundant revealed truth of the balance of the Bible. Concerning this oldest Greek text, the words of Luke 23:43 are correct; it’s the translation that is incorrect by the placement of the comma.

Now, by correctly moving the ‘comma’ from being after “thee,” to properly place it after the words this day,” the verse properly agrees with the balance of Scripture that telling us “Paradise” is not the immediate abode of the righteous dead, not even Jesus His self.

The facts are that the “grave” comes first, then “the 1st resurrection,” and then later “Paradise” (the New Jerusalem) is coming on the new earth for Israel’s kingdom gospel believers… at the end of all ages.

Consider these Scriptural facts that refute the erroneous understanding of “the rich man and Lazarus,” as seen in Luke 23:43 text.

  • The Bible fact is that it was not the “to day” of the Lord’s death that Jesus or anyone went to heaven’s paradise. Scripture is clear that it was only after “three days and nights” of Jesus sleeping in the gravethat Jesus rose and ascended to heaven. He then returned for 40 days before He was taken up again from the Mount of Olivet. Jesus Christ today remains sitting in heaven as the King in exile… until His ‘enemies are made His footstool’ (cf. Matt 22:44) by the Tribulation judgments, He will then return to earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom, and then the eternal kingdom on the new earth.
  • The fact is that “The Paradise of God” with its “tree of life” is currently in heaven.

Note here “How that he (Paul) was caught UP into paradise…” (2 Cor. 12:4a)

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7 (KJV)  

  • The fact is that the believing ‘thief on the cross’ will ultimately go to the “Paradise of God,” but only in “the 1st resurrection” just as other believing Jews will, to live in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on earth along with all those saved under “the gospel of the kingdom” that Jesus preached to Israel. Then the saved thief will eternally dwell in “the paradise of God,” wherein is “the tree of life,” when it comes down from heaven to the “the new earth” (cf. Rev. 22:14).

QUESTION #3: Is it true that “When Jesus’ body was buried, His soul went into “Hell”?

Of course not! The “Hell” of the Jesus’ phrase “Hell fire” (Matt. 5:22), is the Greek “Gehenna.” This is the place of “the lake of fire,” the final destination for “eternal destruction” (2Thes. 1:9) of all “the lost” of all ages.

So where did Jesus’s soul go for three days and nights after He died?

Scripture makes clear that Jesus’ soul was in “the grave,” just as it is for all men who die in human bodies. David in Psalm 16:10 clearly has Jesus saying this to “The Father” …

“You (Father) will not leave my soul in Sheol (the grave), nor will you let your Holy One see (bodily) corruption (decay)”

Thus, Jesus’s body and soul both went to “the grave,” not into the “hell-fire” (Matt. 5:22) of “eternal destruction” (2Thes. 1:9). Only non-believers will see such destruction.

By comparison, “the lost” today remain in “the grave” as the abode of all “the lost” dead of all ages. For “the lost” the grave” of “Hades” is what we may consider as the county jail where the prisoners are held “asleep,” while awaiting the “2nd resurrection,” then to “stand” (Rev. 20:12) as they appear at the final “Great White Throne” judgement that will consign them all to “the lake of fire” as the final destination of all “the lost” dead. For their names are not been written in “the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 20:15; 21:27)

The “hell” of “the lake of fire” is “Gehenna” in the Greek. Gehenna is named for Gehinnon, the literal burning trash dump outside Jerusalem’s south wall. This is a metaphor for the incinerator of the remains of the spiritless, lifeless, bodies of all “the lost” whose “spirit” has forever left them to returneth to the Lord” (cf. Eccl. 12:7, James 2:26). Being then spiritless, the living souls is snuffed out forever.

Three Resurrections to Come:

Today the souls and molecules and particles of the bodies of all the dead of all ages are still in “the grave” awaiting their “resurrection” at one of these three resurrections… to occur in this order.

  1. First will be the Rapture of “the body of Christ” (1Thes 4:13-18), to receive their rewards in heaven as their eternal home (Philip. 3:20-21, 2Cor. 5:1b). Some will rise to “reign with Him” in heaven (2Tim 2:12) in place of the Satan’s fallen host, the principalities, and powers” (Eph 6:12).
  2. Then several years later, by “the 1st resurrection” (Rev 20:6), the faithful O.T. believers and the Tribulation martyrs who “loved not their soul life unto death” (Rev 12:11), will rise to co-reign with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom on earth, and then forever on “the new earth” (Rev 5:6, 20:6). Jesus said He lost none that were given to Him. “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12).
  3. Then 1,000 years later, the 2nd resurrection is the resurrection of “the lost” unbelievers to be judged at the “Great White Throne” (Rev 20:14-15). God’s Word declares that death is “the wages of sin” (Rom. 6:23) and “after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27) and all those whose names are not “written in the book of life” (Rev 20:15) will face the “second death” (Rev. 20:14). The lost will rise only to stand and bow their knee to Christ at the final Great White Throne Judgment.

Having lost their spirit that “returneth to the Lord” (Eccl 12:7), the spirit-less bodies of the lost” will transit from Great White Throne Judgment into “the lake of fire,” which is the final consuming furnace by the process of decomposition unto “everlasting destruction” (2Thes 1:8-9). The “the lake of fire” brings the eternal end of their already spirit-less, lifeless bodies.

Note the terms the Bible uses are used are “everlasting destruction” and “everlasting fire,” (Matt 25:41) or “everlasting life,” but not everlasting torment or suffering for the lost.

The lost unbelievers, whose names are not to be found in “the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev 20:12), will be raised from “the grave,” as their body’s molecules and their is souls are brought to life again in the 2nd resurrection (Rev. 20:6, 13). They will then stand and bow their knee at “the Great White Throne Judgment,” to ultimately have their spiritless, thus lifeless bodies, and souls, “consumed (v9 below)” in “the lake of fire”

death and hell (Grk. Hades) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second (and final) death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. "(Revelation 20:14-15 (KJV)

“Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour (Heb. akal, consume) them.” (Psalm 21:9b)

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1)

Only “the Devil and his angels” will eternally suffer punishment in “the lake of fire.” This is possible only because they are created spirit beings,’ not physical beings, nor do they possess “the Spirit” of the Lord’s “breath” or “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”  

“… everlasting fire, Prepared for The Devil and His Angels: (Matt. 25:41b)

the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are (were cast), and shall be tormented (vexed) day and night for ever and ever.” (Rev. 20:10)

“The Devil and his angels,” as spirit -beings, will suffer torment… eternally, in “the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:10) at the end of Christ Millennial Rein on earth.

Then also, having served their temporal purpose, at the consummation of all ages; “death and (the grave) were cast into the lake of fire…” (Revelation 20:14a). Since there will be no more sin and death there is no need of “the grave.”

As you can see, this study raises some troubling matters for the traditional view of death and pagan idea of eternal punishment of a soul. Yet, we must be those who seek God’s truth and put aside our views no matter how long held they have been.

‘Immortality of the soul’ is a platonic (Plato’s view) belief. This then comes from Greek philosophy, expounded especially by two of the chief Greek Philosophers: Plato and Socrates. Plato, though not the first to assert the doctrine of the immortal soul, he was definitely the most eloquent one. As Werner Jaeger of Harvard University says: “The immortality of man was one of the foundational creeds of the philosophical religion of Platonism that was in part adopted by the Christian church” (Werner Jaeger, “The Greek ideas of immortality”, Harvard Theological Review, Volume LII, July 1959, Number 3).

The Catholic Encyclopedia (Topic: ‘The Platonic School’) tells us: “The great majority of the Christian philosophers down to St. Augustine were Platonists.”

“Phaedo” is a writing that gives the combined beliefs of Plato and Socrates, the two greatest Greek philosophers. “one of the main themes in the Phaedo is the idea that the soul is immortal.” These are passages from http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/phaedo.html that concern Phaedo:

“The soul is in the very likeness of the divine, and immortal, and intelligible, and uniform, and indissoluble, and unchangeable …. It goes away to the pure, and eternal, and immortal, and unchangeable, to which she is kin."

The Satanic lies of pagan thought as seen above contradict Jesus’ saying the Lord could God is able to destroy both the body and soul in hell.

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both SOUL and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

As we saw in Gen. 2:7 how God formed and enlivened Adam. Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (spirit) of life; and man became a “living soul.” Adam received God’s “breath” as the human “spirit of man” (Zech. 12:1), serving to enliven his whole being, including his soul and body.

Ecclesiastes 3:21 says “the spirit of man” is inclined upward toward God and does not go down or under. Upon death man’s “spirit returneth to the Lord who gave it” (Eccl. 12:7). The “spirit of man” never goes to the grave” – only his body and soul. With the loss of his spirit, nothing restrains the “sleep” of death from coming to man’s body and his soul.

The soul “sleeps” in “the grave” because with the loss of “the spirit,” the body dies; thus, the brain ceases to function with the mind, emotion and will of the soul.

Below we see the resurrection life of “the last Adam” actually “is the Lord of Heaven (Jesus Christ).” Today Jesus Christ’s own Spirit” can be received by any person will receive Him as ‘Savior.’ Jesus is the progenitor of a new race of heaven-bound people who bear His very “life” (Zoë, “the Spirit of life in Christ”).

“… The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam (Jesus) was made (became) a quickening (life-giving) spirit. 46 … that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (1 Cor. 15:45-47)

The life of the “last Adam” is God the Father’s very own Spirit that was in “Jesus of Nazareth.” Today the divine Triune Godhead includes the added element of Jesus’ resurrected humanity since Jesus was processed through the cross and raised from the dead to become “the life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45) that indwells every believer as their new and eternal life.

The “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2a) is offered to all men who would simply believe to receive Christ… “by faith.” It’s theSpirit of life in Christ” as the ‘Seed’ of God the Father that births His resurrected “everlasting life” into any and every believing person.