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#47806 Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2009
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Our Sunday night bible study group is drawing near the end of the book of John.In chapter 19 we have come to the part where Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb.The question now is,where did His spirit go? We know that the body stayed in the tomb for three days but what about His spirit?
Many protestants believe that His spirit went to hell, saying He had to experience that in order to pay for our sins.The RCC, I believe says that He went to hell in order to set the captives free,1Pet 3:18-20.The Apostles Creed even says that He descended into hell although I understand that this wording was added in the middle of the third century.
I read that John Calvin believed that Jesus experienced hell while He hung on the cross, enduring the wrath of God as it is experienced by those in hell.
Now for my second question.It has to do with the divine nature and the human nature of Christ during that same time period.The divine nature being immutable did not die,but the human nature did.After crucifixion,the divine nature was perfectly united with a human corpse,right?The union of the two natures still existed ,but the living soul of Christ was absent from the body,right? Where was it?
R.C. Sproul says that it was in heaven.We know that based on two verses,the one where Jesus told the thief that he would be with Him that day in Paradise and the other one where Jesus said,'Father,into your hands I commit MY spirit." This leaves us to assume that when Jesus died the divine nature remained united to His soul,which was in heaven,and to His body,which was in the tomb,waiting to be reunited at the moment of resurrection.
Please comment or advise where I can find something that confirms one of these or offers a better answer as I am not fully convinced as to which of the views might be correct.I want to agree with Sproul but I'm just not sure.


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sojourner #47807 Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:18 PM
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1. Jesus did NOT enter "hell", i.e., the place of punishment where the souls of the reprobate await the final judgment. Why? because He had no personal sin, he was perfectly righteous. The sins for which He suffered the penalty for were imputed and not actually His.

You can read what the Heidelberg Catechism teaches here: Lord's Day 16.

2. The second question is related to the first, I believe. My limited understanding would have me agree with R.C. Sproul at this point.


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Pilgrim #47810 Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:19 PM
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Pilgrim,
Thank you much.It makes sense to me now.


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sojourner #47879 Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:04 AM
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I thought of two Scriptures from Hebrews, "he (Jesus) entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence." Heb 9:24b and a favorite, "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Heb 7:25 The simple and precious answer is that Jesus went to heaven and intercedes for you and I. That is so wonderful beyond all words I can muster up.

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Philip P. Bliss, 1875

sojourner #49183 Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:42 PM
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Annie Oakley
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You may find Art. 19 from the Belgic Confession regarding the two natures of Christ, helpful in answering your question.

https://www.the-highway.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/49177.html#Post49177


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