Ten Reasons Not To Reject Word-of-Faith Teachings
(Reason Three: The Divine Son of God Tasted Death In All It's Phases So You Don't Have To )
Part Two
This has certainly been the most challenging apologetics essay I have written to date. After many hours of research I have begun to understand why many Faith Teachers teach this without reservation or apology. They believe that when one grasps all that Christ has done on their behalf then they will be bold in claiming the blessings that come as a result of Christ's sufferings. They also believe that we will be more diligent in witnessing to the lost sinner.
When a person realizes the price another had to pay for what they have then they have a stronger appreciation for it. The Faith Teachers certainly have a greater appreciation of Christ Himself because of the extent of what of what they believe that He has done in the redemption of our souls.
Though I will never satisfy critics who are already bent towards destroying those with whom they disagree theologically. Nevertheless, I pray that I will help the searching soul who desires another perspective besides that of the critic. I also hope that I can convince some that the Faith Teachers have truly derived their conclusions concerning JDS from their understanding of what the Scriptures teach.
In Part Two of this essay I must now deal with Christ and hell. We will discuss His descension there (did He descend) and will attempt to answer the question as to whether He suffered there or not.
Christ's Descent Into Hell
Did Christ descend into hell? If so, did He go directly to the region where Old Testament saints resided until Christ came for them (Luke 16:19-31) or did He actually suffer torments in hell before being spiritually revived, defeating the devil, and then releasing the Old Testament saints?
Is this important? The well known 16th century reformer, John Calvin thought it was. He tells us, "... we ought not to omit his descent into hell, a matter of no small moment in bringing about redemption."[1] In our day, this seems to be a very important issue among both advocates and critics of this teaching.
From a logical aspect, it would seem plausible to say that if Christ was made sin for us, made a curse for us, and He was separated from the Father culminating in spiritual death, then He would go where "sin" would go, which is to the region of hell that brings about torment. For many of us, this would seem logical.
Modern day religion does not have a need to be logical however. Look at some of the doctrines we have floating around in modern religion that are quite illogical. We have teachings on God's sovereignty that makes Him seem like a character that is worst than the devil himself. Yet, these same people who say that God in His sovereignty caused a sick loved one to die or a little baby to suffer is full of goodness and loves us. To the regular mind, this is not logical. Yet, this illogical and unscriptural doctrine is being proclaimed in pulpits over the world.
Therefore, we cannot expect anyone to accept a premise based simply on logic alone. The Scriptures are to be our primary tool to assess and judge a premise. Yet, I have found that the Word of God is the most logical and consistent book I have ever been blessed to read. It usually takes a religious person to make it seem illogical.
Did Christ suffer in hell? We will answer this question momentarily. The first question we should answer is did He even go to hell. Concerning the historical position of this belief has, John Calvin, the 16th century reformer claims, "This much is certain, that it reflected the common belief of all the godly, for there is no one of the Fathers who does not mention Christ's descent into hell, though their interpretations vary."[2]
The Apostle's Creed, which some scholars say may have been written some time back in 200 A.D. says, "Christ descended into hell." John Calvin had words for those who were critical of this aspect of the creed: "... it will soon be made plain how important it is to the sum of our redemption: if it is left out, much of the benefit of Christ's death will be lost."[3] Church father Irenaeus (a.d. 120-202) also believed that Christ descended into hell: "...all the nations who walked in all sorts of abomination, were saved by the Lord, on His descending into Hades ..."[4] As we read more into the writings of Irenaeus, we see that his belief was based on the Scriptures as he understood them.[5]
As we look to the Scriptures themselves we cannot but affirm that Christ descended into hell upon His death. Matt. 12:38-40 seems to make this truth especially clear:
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Now Jesus said that He was going into the heart of the earth in a similar fashion that Jonah was in the belly of a fish. Some opponents of JDS mistakenly interpret this passage as the burial of Jesus' body. Yet, no grave has ever been dug so deep as to go to the heart of the earth. Therefore, to interpret this passage in this fashion is borderline ridiculous. Besides, Jesus was laid in a TOMB that was cut from a rock which seemed to be on the surface of the earth (see Matt. 27:60).
Furthermore, the Greek word used for "heart" (kardia – Strong's #2588) is usually used in relation to the center of one's being. For example, we know that sin is something that comes from the "heart" of a person (Matt. 12:33-37; 15:18-20) and Peter refers to this word as the "hidden man" (1 Pet. 3:4). As the A.T.S. Dictionary states tells us that the heart "...is the seat of the whole of man's moral being"[6] and Lawrence Richards tells us that it is "...the very core of our being."[7] Why would it mean anything else when it is used in reference to the heart of the earth? The New English Bible actually translates Matt. 12:40 this way:
Jonah was in the sea monster's belly for three days and three nights, and in the same way the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the bowels of the earth.
Why so many commentaries interpret this passage as Jesus being buried in a "grave" is strange indeed. Furthermore, if we just realized what the Bible says about the location of hell we would not have a lot of difficulty with this passage. We are told that hell is beneath (Prov. 15:24; Isa. 14:9), it is down (Ps. 55:15), it has lowest parts (Deut. 32:22), and it is under the earth (Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 5:13). It is not difficult to see that since we are on the earth and hell is beneath us and down below us then hell is obviously in the heart of the earth.
Another thing that perplexes me with the interpretation of some commentaries and the critics of JDS is the record of the book of Jonah itself. Jonah specifically states that when he was in the well, he was in the belly of hell:
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. (Jonah 2:1-4)
If Jonah is supposed to be a type of Christ and His experience during His death then we cannot interpret the experience as simply being in a grave. This would make no sense and would not be conducive with the picture that we are supposed to get when Jesus uses Jonah as an illustration. Why would Jesus use Jonah as an illustration just to talk about his burial in a grave? If Jesus meant that He would be buried in a grave then I am sure He would have simply stated that. Yet, He does not but says that He will be in the heart of the earth. Furthermore, as we already pointed out, Jesus' body was placed in a tomb.
We might also point out that Jesus did not necessarily consider His physical human body as His true being. Jesus saw His body simply as a temple that would be destroyed and raised up again (John 2:19-22). It was this body, this temple, that was prepared for Him as He Himself says, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me..." Notice the words body and me. Jesus distinguishes Himself from His body. He offers this body as a sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:10; 1 Pet. 2:24).
Therefore when Jesus says that He will be in the heart of the earth, He is not speaking of His body. He is speaking of His true essence which is His soul and spirit. And as we look at Jonah's depiction of his situation, we see that Jonah saw himself in the belly of hell itself.
As we stated earlier, hell is down, beneath, and in the lowest parts. The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus descended to the lowest parts of the earth:
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Eph. 4:8-10)
Church Father Chrysostom, while commenting on this verse says: "The lower parts of the earth here means death, by a human metaphor."[8] Once again we see that Jesus descended before He ascended. Paul seems to convey this same thought in Romans 10:6-7 when he says, "Do not say ... 'who will descend into Sh'ol?' that is to bring the Messiah up from the dead." (The Jewish New Testament)
Some opponents of JDS teach that Jesus' spirit went directly to heaven after He died (mistranslating Matt. 27:50 and some other passages often taken out of context). Yet, we see from this passage that this could not be possible.[9] Before He ever ascended, Jesus descended. This passage is not teaching that He descended from heaven to the earth. The language used here could not be sending this type of message. Even the first century apologist Irenaeus would affirm this truth in his dispute against the Gnostics of his time:
"... how must these men not be put to confusion, who allege that "the lower parts" refer to this world of ours, but that their inner man, leaving the body here, ascends into the super-celestial place? For as the Lord 'went away in the midst of the shadow of death,' where the souls of the dead were, yet afterwards arose in the body, and after the resurrection was taken up [into heaven]"[10]
If first century Christians saw the lower parts of the earth as something other than Christ coming to the earth in bodily form, how is it that over the years our Bible scholars could believe and write differently concerning this passage? Paul tells us that Jesus descended to the lower parts of the earth. The lower parts would naturally have to be hell.[11] The famous Bible Teacher, F. B. Meyer also saw that the passage in Ephesians referred to hell:
... that marvelous announcement of the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians: "He descended into the lower parts of the earth," a phrase which was constantly used among the Jews for the nethermost abyss, the unseen Hadean world, the abode of the departed. On such testimony as this, the Church in all ages has affirmed, He descended in to Hell (the word Hell, of course, standing, as it does so often in Scripture, for Hades). We do not know the full burden of our Master's message there. It is not declared: and all our surmisings must fall short of reality.[12]
Based on the Scriptural proof and verification by ancient writers we have presented, no one should doubt that Jesus descended into hell itself upon his death.
Did Christ Suffer In Hell?
I believe that the Scriptures leave us no doubt that Christ indeed descended into hell. However, did He suffer there? One ancient writer gave his reasons for why he believed that Jesus went to hell: "After his death on the cross Christ descended to hell, because it was death, working through sin, which gave hell its power. Christ defeated death by his death and brought such benefits to sinners that now death cannot hold those who are marked with the sign of the cross."[13]
If the quote above is accurate concerning the Messiah, then it may be true that Jesus did not sit in Paradise the full three days of His time in the heart of the earth. Presbyterian pastor, Dr. James O. Speed, gives us a vivid picture of why he strongly believes that Christ descended into hell:
If Jesus did not descend into hell, then what, tell me, is the greatness of the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane? Jesus prayed – not once, but several time – "Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Luke tells us that in Jesus' agony his sweat fell onto the ground like great drops of blood. What was Jesus so troubled about? Was it death itself? Others of far less stature than he have died serenely and bravely and with more courage displayed than Jesus seemed to be displaying – if death alone was the problem. Was it the agony of the cross? Yes, of course, that is part of it. One must never belittle the agony of dying that way, rejected by men; and yet, Jesus knew that his Father was close by and that the horror of dying would not be forever. Certainly it was not the matter of being sealed up in a tomb for a part of three days. Jesus knew that he had angels at his command. No, there was something else – something else that brought on the agony, something else that called upon him to pray that the cup pass from him, something else that caused him to react physically and to sweat great drops of blood. That something else was hell. As Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane saw it imminent, he felt disgust and revulsion at the kingdom of Satan welling up in him to the point of intense pain. He resisted it with the totality of his being.[14] (italics are mine)
Dr. Speed saw that because Christ was repulsed at the cup in which He was asked to drink from, this cup had to be something other than the physical torture and death that He would suffer at the hands of men, a death He constantly told His disciples that He would have to suffer (Matt. 16:21; 20:28; Mark 8:31; 10:45; Luke 9:22; 17:25; John 6:51; 10:11, 17). Because Jesus already had this knowledge and affirmed it on more than one occasion, we might agree with Dr. Speed that His struggle in the garden was something other than a lack of desire to endure physical torture and death, as horrible as this is.
Although there are some who positively do not believe that Christ descended to hell, the vast majority of critics against JDS will affirm that Christ indeed descended into hell, but do not accept the belief that Christ suffered any kind of torments there. They believe that he simply went directly to the region of the dead where the Old Testament saints were and there he preached to them during those three days (Luke 23:43; 1 Pet. 3:18-19; 4:6).
Some (not all) in the Word-Faith movement believe differently. They believe that Christ suffered the torment that we would have otherwise suffered in hell. They believe that in doing this Jesus became a complete substitute for us in every aspect possible. We have already shown that the references that the critics use to refute the position that Jesus suffered in hell. Do the above references totally dispute the position that some Word-Faith teachers take on this? I don't believe that it does.
I will deal with the critics prooftexts later. In the meantime, I will demonstrate to the reader that the position that some take that Jesus suffered in hell can be supported by a clear Scriptural presentation. Earlier we saw that Jonah was a type of Christ in his experiences. In order for something to be portrayed as a type, the experiences would have to be similar. Let us look once again at Jonah:
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. (Jonah 2:1-4)
When we read this we do not see Jonah sitting in a blissful state in the large fish's belly. Instead he is suffering torment in this hell. Jonah has been cast out of the sight of God. This is a type of the sufferings of Christ. Now some might agree with me but will tell me that this is only a type of the anguish He experienced on the cross. Yet Jesus exact words were, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." So any suffering that Jonah spent in the belly of the large fish, our Lord spent in the heart of the earth.
We not only find this implication in the type and shadow as portrayed in Jonah, but we also see this in Peter's sermon in Acts 2:
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:24-31)
The Jewish New Testament says "But God has raised him up from the suffering of death." The Duoay Rheims Translation translates verse 24 this way, "having loosed the sorrows of hell." Since the record says that Jesus' soul was in hell, it stands to reason that the sufferings of death the He experienced was in the depths of hell. Marvin Vincent in his Word Studies says this:
Pains (wdinav). The meaning is disputed. Some claim that Peter followed the Septuagint mistranslation of Ps. xviii. 5, where the Hebrew word for snares is rendered by the word used here, pains; and that, therefore, it should be rendered snares of death; the figure being that of escape from the snare of a huntsman. Others suppose that death is represented in travail, the birth-pangs ceasing with the delivery; i.e., the resurrection. This seems to be far-fetched, though it is true that in classical Greek the word is used commonly of birth-throes. It is better, perhaps, on the whole, to take the expression in the sense of the A.V., and to make the pains of death stand for death generally. [15]
So according to Vincent, this was synonymous to being caught by a huntsman in a snare. Considering that Satan had possession of the power of death (Heb. 2:14) before he was destroyed by Jesus, so this huntsman could be no other than the devil himself. Vincent is not the only one who likens the pains of death to a snare of a huntsman. A.T. Robertson also saw this analogy in His studies in the Greek:
{God raised up} (ho qeos anestesen). _Est hoc summum orationis_ (Blass). Apparently this is the first public proclamation to others than believers of the fact of the Resurrection of Jesus. "At a time it was still possible to test the statement, to examine witnesses, to expose fraud, the Apostle openly proclaimed the Resurrection as a fact, needing no evidence, but known to his hearers" (Furneaux). {The pangs of death} (tas wdinas tou qanatou). Codex Bezae has "Hades" instead of death. The LXX has wdinas qanatou in #Ps 18:4, but the Hebrew original means "snares" or "traps" or "cords" of death where sheol and death are personified as hunters laying snares for prey. How Peter or Luke came to use the old Greek word wdinas (birth pangs) we do not know. Early Christian writers interpreted the Resurrection of Christ as a birth out of death. "Loosing" (lusas) suits better the notion of "snares" held a prisoner by death, but birth pangs do bring deliverance to the mother also. {Because} (kaqoti). this old conjunction (kata, hoti) occurs in the N.T. only in Luke's writings. {That he should be holden} (krateisqai auton). Infinitive present passive with accusative of general reference and subject of en adunaton. The figure goes with "loosed" (lusas) above.[16]
The Word-Faith teachers are strongly criticized by the so called "discernment" groups (I call them "heresy hunters") because they teach that when Jesus descended in hell, He was tormented by the devil during at least part of this time. Yet both well known Greek scholars connect the pains of death to a hunter who traps a prey. The words hunter and snares could only refer to is the devil and his torments.
Furthermore, a study Greek word used for "hell" in Acts 2:27, 31 (Hade – Strong's #86) is actually used of a person in Revelation 6:8. It seems that Hades (whom I believe to be a demon) rides alongside death (whom I also believe to be a demon who is under Satan's authority – see Heb. 2:14). The Bible speaks of them giving up the unsaved dead that are in them and then the both of them being thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:13-14). A case could be made from this to show that for a temporary amount of time, these two had Jesus in a snare until He was loosed from its pangs. According to the Strong's Concordance, the same Greek word for hell used in Acts 2:27 and 31 is also used in the case of the rich man in Luke 16:22-24:
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell [hades] he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Many scholars and Bible teachers seem to separate hell into two compartments: They tell us that the place that Lazarus went to was the Paradise Jesus mentioned in Luke 23:43 while the rich man went to the compartment of hades that dealt with punishment. Yet, we don't find this interpretation in this passage. The area that Lazarus went to is called "Abraham's Bosom" while the place that Lazarus went to is simply called "Abraham's bosom." If Abraham's bosom is supposed to be Paradise, wouldn't Luke have told us since it was he who recorded Jesus' words to the thief on the cross next to his?
In Luke we see that Hades is a place of torments. Though the Bible is clear that Jesus descended into Hades upon His death, it is difficult to prove that Jesus went to "Abraham's bosom." There seems to be sufficient evidence here to make a case that Jesus suffered in hell. Besides that, the word "death" used in Acts 2:24 could just as easily be translated as "hell" according to Robertson and Douay-Rheims.
Messianic Psalms and Prophecies That Show a Suffering Savior
When Jesus was walking with His doubting disciples along the road to Emmaus, He reminded them of what the Old Testament Scriptures said concerning Him:
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)
The Old Testament, according to the Lord Himself, gives us a picture of all that the Lord was to suffer. Though the disciples were focused on what the Messiah would suffer at the hands of the chief priests and rulers (Luke 24:20), the OT Scriptures focus on both His physical sufferings as well with His internal sufferings. One of the first passages we find in relation to His internal sufferings is in Psalm 71:20-21:
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Though this might be applied to David symbolically, it's literal meaning can only be applied to Jesus Christ Himself. David never died and had to be made alive again and David never went to the depths of the earth. On the other hand, God gave David a glimpse into the future concerning the coming Messiah that the Father would send in the fulness of time. It was He who died and was made alive again. It was He who went to the depths of the earth. The New Living Translation interprets the first part of verse 20 this way: "You allowed me to suffer much hardship..."
If read in the sequence in which this Psalm is written and applied to the Lord, it would seem that the Lord had suffered while still in the depths of the earth. However, I can understand if this passage from the 71st Psalm is not enough to convince the reader that perhaps Christ suffering in hell on behalf of His people may have been prophesied. I believe however, that Psalms 88 gives us much stronger evidence of this possibility. Although a sound exposition of this Psalm would do more justice in the presentation of our case, it would require us to make this series of essays longer than we desire. Instead, I will quote the first seven verses from two different translations:
A Song, a Psalm, by sons of Korah, to the Overseer, `Concerning the Sickness of Afflictions.' --An instruction, by Heman the Ezrahite. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, Daily I have cried, nightly before Thee, My prayer cometh in before Thee, Incline Thine ear to my loud cry, For my soul hath been full of evils, And my life hath come to Sheol. I have been reckoned with those going down to the pit, I have been as a man without strength. Among the dead--free, As pierced ones lying in the grave, Whom Thou hast not remembered any more, Yea, they by Thy hand have been cut off. Thou hast put me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in depths. Upon me hath Thy fury lain, And with all Thy breakers Thou hast afflicted. Selah. (Young's Literal Translation)
A Song. A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah. To the chief music-maker; put to Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil. Of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation, I have been crying to you for help by day and by night: Let my prayer come before you; give ear to my cry: For my soul is full of evils, and my life has come near to the underworld. I am numbered among those who go down into the earth; I have become like a man for whom there is no help: My soul is among the dead, like those in the underworld, to whom you give no more thought; for they are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest deep, even in dark places. The weight of your wrath is crushing me, all your waves have overcome me. Selah. (Bible in Basic English)
In the King James Version says "... my life draweth nigh unto the grave." This has been the accepted interpretation of this Psalm. The JFB commentary gives us the definition of the word "grave" as found in the Hebrew: "grave--literally, 'hell' (Psa_16:10), death in wide sense."[17] The Strong's dictionary is even clearer on this: "Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates:--grave, hell, pit."[18] As we have already seen, the Bible in Basic English translates this word as "the underworld" while we see that the Young's Literal translation translates the word as "sheol." This word is translated this way also in the Darby translation as well as the World English Bible, The New English Bible, and the American Standard Bible. The Amplified Bible says, "... and my life draws near to sheol (the place of the dead)." Eugene Peterson in The Message paraphrases it this way, "I'm camped on the edge of hell." It is also the same word used in Psalm 16:10 which is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:24-31. This is the same word translated as "pit" in Numbers 16:27-34. This is the place where Korah and those who rebelled with him went down alive under God's judgment.
Also notice the phrase "... and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves" in verse seven (KJV). Compare this to Jonah's statement as he cried from the belly of hell, "... all thy billows and thy waves passed over me." It seems that the torments and tortures of hell are mentioned in a similar manner in these passages. These expressions cannot be applied to the writer of this Psalm in a literal fashion. This is no doubt a prophetic Psalm applied specifically to the Messiah.
John Calvin seemed to believe wholeheartedly that Christ descended to hell and suffered there. In his well known works, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin says:
If Christ had dies only a bodily death, it would have been ineffectual. No – it was expedient at the same time for him to undergo the severity of God's vengeance, to appease his wrath and satisfy his just judgement. For this reason, he must also grapple hand to hand with the armies of hell and and the dread of everlasting death ... Christ was put in place of evildoers as surety and pledge – submitting himself even as the accused – to bear and suffer all the punishments that they ought to have sustained. All this with one exception: "He could not be held by the pangs of death."[19]
Now some critics of the Faith Movement would attempt to make us believe that Calvin's teaching is different from that which is advocated by the Faith Movement.[20] Yet we have Calvin saying that Christ had to "suffer all the punishments that they ought to have sustained." Is Calvin saying that men would only have suffered torments in their soul for the rest of eternity if Christ had not suffered them on their behalf? Furthermore, what does it Calvin mean by having to "grapple hand to hand with the armies of hell and and the dread of everlasting death?" Calvin is very clear that Christ's suffering was not limited to the cross alone but He actually descended into hell itself and suffered there:
No wonder, then, if he is said to have descended into hell, for he suffered the death that God in his wrath had inflicted upon the wicked! Those who – on the ground that it is absurd to put after his burial what preceded it – say that the order is reversed in this way are making a trifling and ridiculous objection. The point is that the Creed sets forth what Christ suffered in the sight of men, and then appositely speaks of that invisible and incomprehensible judgement which he underwent in the sight of God in order that we might know not only that Christ's body was given as the price of our redemption, but that he paid a greater and more excellent price in suffering in his soul the terrible torments of a condemned and forsaken man.[21]
Dr. William Barclay, a professor at Glasgow University seems to interpret Calvin's words as meaning that Jesus literally went to hell: "Calvin took it to mean that Jesus went to hell to bear the penalties and the pains and the tortures and the punishments in our stead."[22] Although Dr. Barclay did not agree with Calvin, he did take this man's words to their literal conclusion, unlike those who would like to defend him against this. Barclay was not the only one who took Calvin's meaning literally. I.D.E. Thomas makes this assessment of Calvin's teaching:
Calvin dismisses the passage [1 Peter 3:19] with a general comment that Christ descended into Hell in order to complete His vicarious suffering. By going there He endured for a brief few hours the torments of the lost. It was a part of what Calvin called the "horrible angustiae."[23]
John Owen seems to come to a similar conclusion concerning Christ's descension in his book, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. First Owen tells us that, "His sufferings were far from consisting in mere corporal perpessions and afflictions, with such impressions upon his soul and spirit as were the effects and issues only of them."[24] Owen further states in this chapter:
The punishment due to our sin and the chastisement of our peace was upon him; which that it was the pains of hell, in their nature and being, in their weight and pressure, though not in tendency and continuance (it being impossible that he should be detained by death), who can deny and not be injurious to the justice of God, which will inevitably inflict those pains to eternity upon sinners? It is true, indeed, there is a relaxation of the law in respect of the persons suffering, God admitting of commutation; as in the old law, when in their sacrifices the life of the beast was accepted (in respect to the carnal part of the ordinances) for the life of the man. This is fully revealed, and we believe it; but for any change of the punishment, in respect of the nature of it, where is the least intimation of any alteration? We conclude, then, this second act of God, in laying the punishment on him for us, with that of the prophet, " All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," Isa. 53:6: and add thereunto this observation, that it seems strange to me that Christ should undergo the pains of hell in their stead who lay in the pains of hell before he underwent those pains, and shall continue in them to eternity; for " their worm dieth not, neither is their fire quenched."[25]
If I am not mistaken (and I do not believe that I am), Owen is teaching that Christ, for a short period of time, took our place in hell. Though I may disagree with most of Calvinist theology, I realize that Calvin and Owen are still respected by many in the church today and their theology is considered "orthodox" by the standards of those who accept them. Yet, as I have E.W. Kenyon's book, What Happened From The Cross to the Throne, I do not find many differences in how Kenyon and Calvin explained the suffering of our Savior. Compared to someone like the great reformer, Martin Luther, Kenyon was rather tame[26].
Yet, even without the witness of Luther, Calvin or any of the Church Fathers we have quoted, we still have the witness of the Scriptures that give us a strong case for this teaching. Some may attempt to water down the magnitude of the Scriptures we have referenced here in order to say "prove" that the Word-Faith movement is aberrational or heretical. This dispute may continue until Jesus returns. However, only the Lord Himself will be able to judge the motives and hearts of men on both sides of this controversy.
Conclusion to Part Two
So far we have shown that a Scriptural case can indeed be made as to Jesus suffering in hell if the Scriptures and the words are taken to this logical conclusion. Though I am defending the position that the Faith Movement takes on this, I am not as naïve to believe a case could not be presented to refute all that I have presented thus far.[27] My main point in this presentation is to bring understanding to the reader as to why the Faith Teachers believer the way that they do and that they are truly sincere in their beliefs. One does not have to agree with this teaching. There is room for charitable disagreement here.
If reasoning and proving ourselves right is the only concern we have in this debate then we will only hurt ourselves and cause unnecessary division in the body of Christ. Truly it breaks my heart when the Faith Teachers are accused of preaching "another Jesus" simply because they have taught from their understanding of the Scriptures that Christ suffered in hell.
The Scriptures leave us with no doubt that Jesus' spirit went to hell after His body expired on the cross. Though we have attempted to make a case for the sufferings of Jesus in hell, again I realize that this is subject to interpretation of the Scriptures we have presented. For example, I have dealt with Luke 23:43 briefly here and I deal with this passage more extensively in Appendix B. Yet, I realize that some would certainly disagree.
Also, how do we reconcile 1 Pet. 3:18-19 with the teaching of vicarious suffering in hell taught by some of our brothers in the Faith Movement? Some believe that this occurred after Jesus finished suffering the torments, was then "made alive in His spirit," but before He rose from the dead (this is dealt with in part three). One is free to disagree with these interpretations but it should be done charitably without the accusations and name calling often launched at the Faith Teachers.
It is unfortunate that the Word-Faith movement has been strongly criticized in this area and even accused of preaching another Jesus. Therefore, we are spending more time covering this particular doctrine than any other teaching we have dealt with. In part three of this series, we will deal with the the "born again Jesus" teaching and the important place that the Faith Teachers give to the blood of Jesus (contrary to what their critics say)
Notes
Calvin, John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. I) Edited by John T. McNeill.(Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1967), p. 512
Ibid., p. 513. We can derive from Calvin's statement that not everyone interpreted the descent of Jesus in the same manner as Irenaeus (see notes below).
Ibid., p. 513
Irenaeus Against Heresies (Book I) (Full document can be found at Christian Classics Ethereal Library http://www.ccel.org). I am not sure what Irenaeus is referring to here but it seems like he believed that there was a second chance for some after death as he says further, "... and on their running unto Him, and that they welcomed Him into their kingdom." I don't think that I would agree with his implications if I were sure that this is what he is saying. My only reason for quoting him is to show that as far back as the first century it was taught that Christ went to Hades upon His death.
Irenaeus Against Heresies (Book V) (Full document can be found at Christian Classics Ethereal Library http://www.ccel.org). Debating with the Gnostics of his time who denied the resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of man, Ireneaus gives his rebuttal: 'for three days He dwelt in the place where the dead were, as the prophet says concerning Him: "And the Lord remembered His dead saints who slept formerly in the land of sepulture; and He descended to them, to rescue and save them.' And the Lord Himself says, 'As Jonas remained three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth. 'Then also the apostle says, 'But when He ascended, what is it but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 'This, too, David says when prophesying of Him, "And thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell; 'and on His rising again the third day, He said to Mary, who was the first to see and to worship Him, 'Touch Me not, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to the disciples, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and unto your Father.'"
A.T.S. Biblical Words and Phrases (Niagra Falls, NY: Shiloh Christian Library)
Richards, Lawrence O. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1985, 1991) p. 334
Edwards, Mark J. Editor Ancient Commentary on the New Testament VIII (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 1999), p. 164
Another Scripture that would totally refute the teaching that Christ went directly to heaven upon His death is found in John 20:17. After His resurrection, Christ tells Mary, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."
Irenaeus Against Heresies (Book V)
Although I am attempting to defend the Word-Faith position in these essays, I have to admit that the fact that Christ descended seems to imply that He was not dragged down there by Satan and his cohorts. Although Satan's part in our Lord's sufferings is not taught enough, we in the Word-Faith movement should caution ourselves against "overcompensating" in our teaching when we attempt to correct this negligence in the church.
Meyer, Frederick B. Tried By Fire: An Exposition of the First Epistle of Peter (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade), p. 123
Bray, Gerald Editor Ancient Commentary on the New Testament VII (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Press, 1999), p. 252
Speed, James O. The Apostles' Creed: Fresh Water from an Ancient Spring (Atlanta, GA: Cherokee Publishing Co., 1988), pp.115, 116
Vincent, Marvin, Vincent's Word Studies (Online version available at http://www.godrules.net)
Robertson, A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures In The New Testament (Online version available at http://www.godrules.net). It is unfortunate that even learned men such as Robertson would let theological bias color some of his interpretation of certain passages. When commenting on Acts 2:27 he brings out the clear meaning of the word Hades: "{In Hades} (eis haiden). Hades is the unseen world, Hebrew Sheol, but here it is viewed as death itself "considered as a rapacious destroyer" (Hackett)." However, he goes on to qualify his own beliefs concerning this when he states, "It does not mean the place of punishment, though both heaven and the place of torment are in Hades (#Lu 16:23) 'Death and Hades are strictly parallel terms: he who is dead is in Hades' (Page)." If he quotes Hackett in saying that Hades is a rapacious destroyer, why make an implication that would seem as if Christ did not go to the place of punishment?
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) Available at Crosswalk.com
Strong, James The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984)
Calvin, Institutes, p. 513
Bowman Jr., Robert M The Word-Faith Controversy (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001), See pp. 177-178 where Bowman attempts to dispute William Dearteaga's comparison of Calvin's teaching with that of the Faith Teachers.
Calvin, Institutes, pp. 513, 514
Barclay, William The Apostles' Creed For Everyman (New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, 1967), p. 127
Thomas, I.D.E. The Omega Conspiracy (Oklahoma City, OK: Hearthstone Publishing, LTD., 1986), p. 134. Thomas points at that "... this interpretation sheds no light on the reference to Noah , nor on why should Christ preach in Hell."
Owen, John The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (Book I – Chapter Three) (Can be found at http://www.heffy.com/theology.com)
Ibid.
Though Bowman rightly points out that Calvin did not teach that God was angry towards Jesus and perhaps Calvin in Bowman's opinion did not use language as strong as that used by many of today's Faith teachers. However, keep in mind the strong statements used by Martin Luther to describe what the Bible says as Christ becoming a curse. Luther called Christ a "cursed sinner" while on the cross (see the quotes from Luther's commentary on Galatians in part one of this series of essays). Michael Horton, who actually criticizes the Faith Movement in his book, The Agony of Deceit, certainly goes beyond his spiritual mentor, John Calvin when he says, "See here the price of your redemption: God must hate his own sinless Son ... The Father must become the enemy of the Son ..." (see We Believe: Recovering the Essentials of the Apostles' Creed, Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, p. 101). Yet, the strongest statement that Kenyon ever made concerning Christ substitution is this: "His spirit became impregnated with the sin nature of the world." (see What Happened from the Cross to the Throne, Lynnwood, WA: Kenyon Gospel Publishing Society, p. 63). So even if Bowman can defend Calvin against comparison with the Faith Teachers he would have a difficult time doing the same with Luther and some modern day Calvinists.
For example as I stated further down, Luke 23:43 possibly can be taken to prove that Jesus went directly to Paradise with the repentant thief that was on a cross next to His own. However I dispute this interpretation briefly in this essay and more thoroughly in Appendix B. Nevertheless, opponents could still make a good case by referring to the fact that several Greek scholars have taught us that there are two words in the Greek that have been translated as "hell" in the King James Version. The Greek word Hades (Sheol in the Hebrew) is the place where all dead used to go before Christ went there and released the righteous ones. The Greek word Gehenna is the place that Jesus normally referred to as the place of punishment (Matthew 5:22-30; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6). However, I have already proven that Hades is used at least once as a place of torment and that it is difficult to prove from the Bible that Paradise was a compartment in Hades (see 2 Cor. 12:2-4 and Rev. 2:7). I deal with this subject in more depth in Appendix C.
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