About a week ago, I started to meditate on Christ's three days in the tomb. I've always thought about the creeds that say, "and Christ descended into hell, and on the third day he rose again."
Well, I've always just assumed that He went and suffered through Hell for us for three days and at the end when time was up, He just simply left. Could there be more to it than that? Obviously, it's all speculation. Did He actually, during those three days, do battle royal with Satan and during that time defeat the gates (councils/powers) of Hell?
I really hate to go into too much speculation because it doesn't say, but I have a hard time believing that nothing happened. I was talking with Mike Osborne about it. He said that during that time, Christ preached His victory to the demons. I'm not exactly sure where he's getting it. I'm not saying he's making it up, I just don't know where his basis for that comes from.
What are your thoughts?
1 comment:
Thinking through theology...
1 Peter 3:18-20
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water."
My roommate Tim and I were discussing this a bit last night and again this afternoon.
There are other problems with the suffering in hell idea. I'm not aware of explicite verses stating that. The only thing I can think of is the picture of Jonah in the belly of the whale as a picture of Christ's death (3 days) and resurrection.
In regards to Christ punishment for the penalty of our sin. That was the Cross. OT sacrifices, the focus is the actual death of the sacrifice, the shedding of blood, nothing is brought up about what happens after it's death. NT references to Christ's perfect sacrifice, paying the penalty for sin always go to the death on the Cross, the shedding of Blood, nothing else after that (PLEASE, correct me if I'm wrong - nothings more scary than being guilty of heresy). Hell was designed as the place of eternal punishment for our sins. (Christ's death on)the Cross was designed for the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Three days as the time for Christ suffer for us in hell also leaves me with the question, what is the significance of three days? Why would less than three days not be enough for a perfect sacrifice or more than three days just excessive? Then again, what is the significance of three days either way?
Please no coming after me with pitchforks or torches, just thinking (or lack thereof) outloud.
Post a Comment