What does the creed mean by 'he descended into hell'?
The Apostles' Creed says Jesus 'descended into hell,' but the word behind it is Hades, the realm of the dead, not the final lake of fire. Scripture's emphasis is that Christ really died, really entered the place of the dead, and was not abandoned there: He rose victorious. The line confesses the completeness of His death and the depth of His victory.
This question arose from studying Why did Jesus have to die? and What happened between the cross and the resurrection?.
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What the Scripture says
What the creed says: He went to Hades, the realm of the dead
The creed's 'descended into hell' translates the earlier 'descended into Hades,' the realm of the dead, what the Old Testament calls Sheol. Paul says that the Christ who ascended 'first descended into the lower parts of the earth,' and Jesus compared His own death to Jonah's three days and nights 'in the heart of the earth.' The confession testifies that His death was real: He did not merely appear to die; He went where the dead go.
Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.(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.)
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.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.
Hades is the grave and the realm of the dead, not the final hell
Peter's Pentecost sermon quotes David: 'You will not leave my soul in Hades,' and he applies it to Christ. Like Sheol, Hades in the New Testament is the place of the dead, sometimes pictured with the ungodly in torment and the righteous in comfort; it is not the lake of fire at the final judgment. Jesus Himself told the dying thief, 'Today you will be with me in Paradise,' and in the same hour committed His spirit into His Father's hands. Death was not heaven for Him then; it was the doorway through which He trusted His Father.
because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
He was not held there; He rose holding the keys
Peter says God raised Him up, 'having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.' Death did its worst and could not contain Him. The risen Christ announces, 'I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more... I have the keys of Death and of Hades.' The descent is not a defeat; it is the moment in the heart of the earth before the grave gave way.
whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
What about 'the spirits in prison'?
First Peter says the Spirit-anointed Christ 'went and preached to the spirits in prison,' the disobedient of the days of Noah, and 1 Peter 4 adds that the gospel 'was preached even to the dead.' Interpreters differ: some hear a proclamation of victory to fallen spirits, others an offer of grace to the dead, and the church has never made one reading a test of faith. What is certain from the whole passage is that after His death Christ was active, triumphant, and 'at the right hand of God… angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.'
Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
The point is the completeness of His victory
Hebrews says He shared our flesh and blood 'that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.' Paul pictures the cross itself as the triumph: Christ 'stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.' The descent into Hades tells us how low love went to save us, and the resurrection tells us how complete the victory is. That is why the creed does not end in the tomb; it moves from 'descended into hell' straight to the third day and the resurrection.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down); or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)”But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
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because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.(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.)
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
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