Christ's Descent into Hell in Apostles Creed
The phrase "he descended into hell" appears in the Apostles' Creed following the statement of Christ's death and burial, though it was not part of the earliest versions of the creed. This clause was introduced in the fourth century, initially as an explanatory addition rather than a distinct article of faith [6]. Some manuscript traditions included only "dead and buried," others only "descended into hell," and still others both phrases, suggesting they were understood as equivalent expressions [6].
The Meaning of "Hell" in This Context
The term translated "hell" refers to Sheol or Hades—the realm of the dead, not the place of eternal punishment. Charles Hodge argues that the creed's structure supports this interpretation: "He was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into Sheol," meaning Christ passed into the invisible state of the dead [4]. This reading treats the descent as a statement about Christ's genuine death rather than a separate event after burial.
Divergent Interpretations
Reformed theology has offered multiple readings of this clause. Calvin acknowledged its importance while questioning literal interpretations involving Christ's soul traveling to a subterranean realm. He suggested that Christ "illumined [Old Testament believers] by the power of his Spirit, enabling them to perceive that the grace of which they had only had a foretaste was then manifested to the world" [2]. The Heidelberg Catechism takes a different approach entirely, interpreting the descent as Christ's experience of "unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier," which delivered believers "from hellish anguish and torment" [3].
Catholic scholastic theology developed a more elaborate framework. Aquinas taught that Christ's descent had a delivering effect only on those "who through faith and charity were united to Christ's Passion" [1]. This excluded children who died in original sin, since they lacked the use of free will necessary for faith [1].
The Exegetical Question
First Peter 3:19, which mentions Christ preaching "to the spirits that were in prison," has been central to debates over this article. Some interpreters understood this as Christ announcing the completion of atonement to souls in Hades [5]. Others connected it to those who rejected Noah's preaching before the flood [5]. The passage remains contested, with no consensus on whether it describes a literal descent or a metaphorical proclamation of victory.
Sources
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of Christ's Descent into Hell, Art. 7: Article: Whether the children who died in original sin were delivered by Christ? I answer that, As stated above (Article [6]), Christ's descent into hell had its effect of deliverance on them only who through faith and charity were united to Christ's Passion, in virtue whereof Christ's descent into hell was one of deliverance. But the children who had died in original sin were in no way united to Christ's Passion by faith and love: for, not having the use of free will, they could have no faith of their ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 52: there that the soul of Christ should go down thither to set them at liberty? I readily admit that Christ illumined them by the power of his Spirit, enabling them to perceive that the grace of which they had only had a foretaste was then manifested to the world. And to this not improbably the passage of Peter may be applied, wherein he says, that Christ “went and preached to the spirits that were in prison,” (or rather “a watch-tower”) ( I Pet. 3:19 ). The purport of the context is, that believers who had died before that time were ”
- Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. Why does the creed add,: Q. Why does the creed add, “He descended to hell”? A. To assure me during attacks of deepest dread and temptation that Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier, has delivered me from hellish anguish and torment.1 1 Isa. 53; Matt. 26:36-46; 27:45-46; Luke 22:44; Heb. 5:7-10 Lord’s Day 17 Q & A 45”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 130: the creed forbids this interpretation. It follows the clause referring to the death and burial of Christ. It is the natural exegesis of the words immediately preceding it. “He was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into Sheol,” i.e ., he passed into the invisible state. But it would be utterly incongruous to say, “He was dead, buried, and suffered extreme agony,” when it is admitted that his sufferings ended upon the cross. In the larger Westminster Catechism, 467 467 Answer to Question 50. it is said, “Christ’s humiliation after ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 130: p. 570. The majority of modern interpreters adopt the old interpretation. Bretschneider 469 469 Bretschneider, Dogmatik, 3d edit., Leipzig, 1828, vol. ii. p. 219. expresses the sense of the passage thus: “As God once through Noah exhorted men to repentance, and threatened to bring upon them the flood, as a punishment, so Jesus preached redemption, or announced the completion of the work of atonement, to the souls of men in Hades.” According to others the souls to whom Christ preached were those who in the days of Noah had rejected the of”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 130: world, as happens to all men when they die and are buried. 2. This view is confirmed by the fact that these words were not in the creed originally. They were introduced in the fourth century, and then not as a separate or distinct article, but as merely explanatory. “He was dead and buried,” i.e ., he descended into hell. That the two clauses were at first considered equivalent is obvious, because some copies of the creed had the one form, some the other, and some both, though all were intended to say the same thing. 3. The passages of S”