Did Jesus preach the gospel to the dead in hell?
The writer does not know how widely this view is held, but there are some who believe when Jesus died, that his spirit went to hell and preached the gospel to the dead.[i]
The question then would be if he indeed did this, to whom did he evangelize and why?
In 1 Peter 3:18-20 we read this, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who formerly were disobedient when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight souls were saved through water.”
The term preached in verse 19 is the Greek work kērussō which means to herald or proclaim. This is not in reference to preaching the gospel which is defined by a different Greek word, euangelizō. The spirits mentioned in verse 19 are not in reference to human spirits, but demon spirits. Between Jesus death and resurrection his human spirit went to the lower parts of the earth and heralded victory over the evil spirits who are confined to some sort of prison in the underworld.
These are the spirits made reference to by Peter and Jude. 2 Peter 2:4 says, “For if God did not spare the angels that sinned (Genesis 6. i.e. Sons of God), but cast them down to hell (Greek word is Tartarus the lowest and darkest place in Greek mythology) and delivered into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment.”
Jude 6 makes reference to these same wicked beings stating they did not keep their first estate or abode, but are in everlasting chains awaiting final judgment which is the eternal Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10).
This region is not where the wicked human spirits descend to, but a special place where these evil angelic spirits are consigned to.
Of course not all demons are bound. Many of them are on the earth today doing Satan’s bidding.
Another text that relates to what Jesus did when he descended is Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to an open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
The words rulers and authorities make reference to ranks of angels. Jesus defeated Satan and the kingdom of darkness when he died on the cross. His lowest point of humiliation was also his greatest exaltation because he rose from the dead (Genesis 3:1;John 12:30; 1 John 3:8).
It’s been debated whether this account is a parable or an actual event in history. The writer leans toward this being a parable. The gist of the account is that heaven and hell are real places. Lazarus was at Abraham’s side, the place of honor in comfort (heaven), and the rich man is eternally separated from God in anguish (hell).
The reality that a rich man could go to hell and a poor man go to heaven was despicable to the Pharisees thinking because they loved money (Luke 16:14). A rich man was deemed as blessed and favored of God whereas a poor man was disfavored and despised by God. In this account Jesus taught the exact opposite of what the Pharisees believed.
Due to the fact that the rich man recognizes Abraham and Lazarus give some the illusion that Abraham’s bosom and hell were in proximity due to the mention of a great gulf between the two places. What is interesting is that gulf was so wide that it was impossible for one to reach the other (Luke 16:26). We’re dealing with literally the “other side” (i.e. the abode of the dead), and from this narrative the occupants of heaven and hell communicated with one another.[ii] The writer does not believe that Abraham’s bosom was a literal place in the underworld were O.T. saints were kept prior to Jesus coming down to preach the gospel to them so they could believe on him, be saved, and then be taken to heaven; i.e. led captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8-10). The saints of old were already justified by faith when they were chosen by God and believed his word.[iii] Their spirits went to be immediately with the Lord at death. Abraham’s bosom I believe is a euphemism for heaven.[iv] We know the bible says God took Enoch up to heaven with him (Genesis 5:24). Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:1, 11). Jesus said many will come from the east and west and sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). Jesus told the thief on the cross, “this day you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Both Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration clearly indicating both were in heaven before the crucifixion (Matt 17:1-4; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:26, 27).
Scripture also tells us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8).
These texts clearly tell us a child of God even in the O.T. were immediately in the presence of the Lord after physical death or translation not in the underworld. So in the final analysis, it is unbiblical to assume that Jesus went to hell or Hades to preach the gospel to dead souls. The gospel is for the living not the dead – whether human or demonic.
[i] i.e. O.T. Saints not the wicked dead. The hell I’m making reference to is regarding the grave the abode of the dead, not the place of torment.
[ii] The writer will not present this case dogmatically for we are dealing a McCabe issue. I do not believe anyone knows for sure what was going on completely between the rich man and Abraham; the accounts seems to support the idea there were two compartments in Hades, one for the righteous (pre-crucifixion) that was some sort of holding tank awaiting for Jesus to take them away between his death and resurrection, and the suffering part of Hades, the region for the wicked dead where the rich man abided in flames and torment.
[iii] It’s important for the reader to keep in mind that the word O.T. saints received was the gospel (good news) too. It just was not as revelatory as the N.T. gospel because God had not manifested himself in the person of Jesus Christ back then. The word back then was powerful to save souls and it did, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, etc.
[iv] It’s a mystery to the writer why Jesus described heaven this way. Perhaps has to do specifically with his audience the Pharisees. They would have understood his language.
Comments