Answer
According to the Gospels, Jesus Christ was crucified and rose from the dead after three days. For centuries, Christians have debated what Jesus did and where He went between His crucifixion and resurrection. One belief, held mostly in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, is that He descended into the realm of the dead to free its righteous captives. This event, known as the “harrowing of hell,” refers to Jesus’ liberation of the faithful who had died and were awaiting His salvation. Critics of this doctrine argue that the key verses used to support it lack clarity.
The word harrowing can mean “plundering” or “disrupting,” as in “causing distress.” Thus, the phrase harrowing of hell refers to Jesus’ breaking hell’s power and plundering it. Jesus’ descent into hell, therefore, wasn’t for His own punishment even though hell is commonly associated with torment (e.g., Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43–48). Instead, Jesus went there to apply the victory He won on the cross over sin, death, Satan, and hell itself. He also freed the righteous dead.
The harrowing of hell doctrine is primarily based on verses in 1 Peter and Ephesians. Peter writes that Jesus was “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:18–19, ESV). According to the harrowing of hell doctrine, the “spirits in prison” are the souls in the realm of the dead. This place is called Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in Greek. It isn’t Gehenna—the place of eternal torment. Additionally, later in the letter, Peter says Jesus preached the gospel “even to those who are dead” (1 Peter 4:6, ESV).
Defenders of the doctrine of the harrowing of hell also cite Paul’s teaching in Ephesians for support. The key verse reads, “What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” (Ephesians 4:9). Supporters interpret Paul’s reference to Jesus’ descent as His journey to Hades to proclaim victory and liberate the righteous.
In contrast to the Catholic and Orthodox view, Protestant interpretations of what happened after Jesus’ death are more diverse. Many view the descriptions in 1 Peter 3:18–19 and 4:6 symbolically. Most Protestant interpretations see Peter’s words as figuratively portraying Jesus’ victory over sin, Satan, and hell, rather than a literal descent. Similarly, many Protestants view Jesus’ “descent” in Ephesians 4:9 as referring to His incarnation. They believe the verse describes His coming to earth from heaven, not His descent to Hades.
Another common Protestant view involves a literal descent into Hades, understood as a declaration of His victory over sin, death, and Satan. His purpose wasn’t evangelistic, as “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Instead, He was announcing His triumph, like a judge pronouncing a verdict at a sentencing hearing.
Another Protestant prospective is that the “spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:18–20) are fallen angels from Noah’s time. This interpretation is often tied to 2 Peter 2:4, which says God cast fallen angels “into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment” (ESV). A related view is that the “spirits in prison” are the rebels who perished in the flood, and Jesus had “preached” to them through Noah, who was filled with the Holy Spirit.
The most significant support for the harrowing of hell doctrine outside the Bible is found in the Apostles’ Creed. This early Christian statement of faith, dating back to the first few centuries of the church, summarizes key doctrines. One phrase addresses Jesus’ activity between His death and resurrection. It states that Jesus died and “descended into hell.” The Latin word translated as “hell” (inferos) refers to Hades—the realm of the dead. So, the Creed affirms Jesus’ descent into the grave, but it doesn’t specify what Jesus did during this time.
One truth is clear: His death on the cross achieved victory over sin, Satan, and hell. Colossians 2:15 highlights this triumph: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (ESV). Through His death, Jesus destroyed the power of death over humanity. In doing so, He fulfilled His purpose to “break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).
