Where Did Jesus Go?

April 10

Read: 1 Peter 3:18-20, Jude 1:6

Where Did Jesus Go?

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” - 1 Peter 3:18-20

“…but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.” - 1 Peter 4:5,6

Where did Jesus go while he was in the grave for three days? Having celebrated Easter this past weekend on Sunday, so of you may have wondered what Jesus was doing those three days? There is an intriguing line in the Apostle’s Creed that reads:

“(Jesus) was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead…”

This catches many people off guard! Is this true? Where did this idea come from?

1 Peter tells us that when Jesus was “put to death in the flesh” that he was also “made alive in the spirit.” During this time when his “flesh” was dead (before his resurrection in the flesh) he “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison”. These spirits were the ones from the “the days of Noah” that did not obey God. (cf. Gen. 6) The book of Jude tells us more about these spirits:

“And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day…” - Jude 1:6

So Jesus was “alive in the spirit” and present in the land of the dead where he was “proclaiming” something to the spirits / angels in prison in chains (the ones who “left their proper dwelling”). But what was he proclaiming?

1 Peter 4:5,6 says that Jesus “preached the gospel” in the land of the dead. Was this what he was proclaiming to the spirits in prison? I think so, BUT that is rooted in listening to what JESUS says is the gospel:

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” - Mark 1:14,15

After Jesus was “put to death in the flesh” but “made alive in the spirit” he spent three days in the realm of the dead proclaiming that “the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in this!” Jesus was visiting the evil spirits in prison - kept in chains - who may have thought that God Most High’s plan had been thwarted and that the death of Jesus was the end of the Kingdom, but Jesus was there to tell them this is all part of the plan! Jesus was there to comfort those who were already dead and hoping for resurrection… they had been trusting in the messiah for resurrection some day. Imagine how scared they would have been to see the one - Jesus the Messiah - wo was their savior to be there in the land of the dead! Jesus was assuring EVERYONE in the land of the dead that the Kingdom of God was indeed at hand… that he TRULY WAS THE KING OF KINGS … and that he was going to raise form the dead. During his three days in the grave, Jesus was preaching to the realm of the dead the same way he preached to the land of the living… the “Gospel of God” as it is found in Mark 1:14,15. If it were any other gospel, it would make no sense to tell those already dead or to proclaim to spirits in chains!

The Kingdom of God with Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords encompasses ALL THINGS. Jesus had authority over ALL THINGS. The unseen and the seen… the material and the spiritual… the living and the dead! Praise to Jesus. While humanity waited for three days, Jesus preached the Kingdom of God bringing hope and promising justice. Love you guys! - JDP