WHERE DID JESUS GO AFTER HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS?
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Where Did Jesus Go After His Death On The Cross?
a) The Apostle Peter makes reference to Jesus going to preach to those “imprisoned spirits” in 1 Peter 3:18-20:
1. Where Did Jesus Go After His Death On The Cross?a) The Apostle Peter makes reference to Jesus going to preach to those “imprisoned spirits” in 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.”
b) Jesus was put to death “in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” means that death could not hold Him. He was sinless and death are the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) but since Jesus never sinned, His spirit remained alive, even though He suffered death “in the flesh” (1 Peter 3:18). Death cannot truly occur to a Spirit Being, like Jesus was and is God. The grave has no power over sinless flesh and that is why those who are Christ’s will be raised to eternal life because His righteousness is accounted to those who believe in Him.
c) The interesting thing here is that Peter writes that Christ made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. Was this the proclamation of the gospel? Did Jesus proclaim the gospel to those who had perished in the flood or to those of Noah’s family who were saved but awaiting Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary? Did Jesus do this while His body was in the grave? There are many complexities in these verses.
d) Some believe that Jesus preached (proclaimed) the gospel to those who died in the flood and had never heard the gospel and those killed in the flood could now here it since Jesus had not yet died to save them. Those who died in the flood had the judgment of God on them through the flood, however this is inconsistent with many Scriptures in the Bible like Hebrews 9:27 which says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” It does not say after death they will have another chance. Were these who perished in the flood the ones that Peter referred to as the ones being “in prison?” It does not seem to fit in these verses or in the context of biblical doctrine.
e) Still others feel that Jesus went to those old saints of the Old Testament who were in Paradise but not yet in heaven because Jesus had not made atonement for them yet. We remember that Jesus said to the Thief on the Cross that “Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)” and Jesus didn’t say “Today you will be with me in heaven.” Are Paradise and heaven the same place? What is Peter talking about in these verses? It does not appear that the Old Testament saints needed to hear a proclamation from Jesus since there are all mentioned as being secure in God’s redemptive plan in the so called Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.
The End ...
b) Jesus was put to death “in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” means that death could not hold Him. He was sinless and death are the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) but since Jesus never sinned, His spirit remained alive, even though He suffered death “in the flesh” (1 Peter 3:18). Death cannot truly occur to a Spirit Being, like Jesus was and is God. The grave has no power over sinless flesh and that is why those who are Christ’s will be raised to eternal life because His righteousness is accounted to those who believe in Him.
c) The interesting thing here is that Peter writes that Christ made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. Was this the proclamation of the gospel? Did Jesus proclaim the gospel to those who had perished in the flood or to those of Noah’s family who were saved but awaiting Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary? Did Jesus do this while His body was in the grave? There are many complexities in these verses.
d) Some believe that Jesus preached (proclaimed) the gospel to those who died in the flood and had never heard the gospel and those killed in the flood could now here it since Jesus had not yet died to save them. Those who died in the flood had the judgment of God on them through the flood, however this is inconsistent with many Scriptures in the Bible like Hebrews 9:27 which says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” It does not say after death they will have another chance. Were these who perished in the flood the ones that Peter referred to as the ones being “in prison?” It does not seem to fit in these verses or in the context of biblical doctrine.
e) Still others feel that Jesus went to those old saints of the Old Testament who were in Paradise but not yet in heaven because Jesus had not made atonement for them yet. We remember that Jesus said to the Thief on the Cross that “Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)” and Jesus didn’t say “Today you will be with me in heaven.” Are Paradise and heaven the same place? What is Peter talking about in these verses? It does not appear that the Old Testament saints needed to hear a proclamation from Jesus since there are all mentioned as being secure in God’s redemptive plan in the so called Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.
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