John’s Gospel – Lesson 27

Last week we read the portions of the Gospel of John that covered the crucifixion and this week we will read the portions of John that cover the resurrection.

One aspect that I suppose should be discussed here (since Sproul discusses it here) is a little controversial and that is the question of where was Jesus between His death on the Cross and His bodily resurrection. We know where His body was, but where was His soul?

The “Apostle’s Creed” complicates the discussion with the statement that, “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead.” The Apostle’s Creed is not Scripture although it is Scriptural. Some have taught that Jesus descended into hell to complete our atonement but there are serious problems with that point of view. Note also that the phrase indicating that He descended into hell is a 3rd century addition to the Creed and we have no reason to think it is Apostolic in origin.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Jesus went to hell to free captives that were in limbo from Old Testament days but without sufficient Scripture. Calvin taught that we should use the Apostle’s Creed as it has been given to us but remember that the decent into hell occurred on the Cross. What I mean by that is that Christ paid the price there on the Cross and not by descending anywhere else. In essence, the Cross was His descent and we must remember Jesus’ last words on the Cross were, “It is finished” (John 19:30) and that He told the repentant thief on the cross next to Him, “today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

So which verses result in people thinking that Jesus descended into Hell? The verse that is most often referenced is found in 1 Peter 3. I’m going to read verses 18-22 but I’ll also be discussing the greater context of these verses.


1 Peter 3:18-22
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. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.


The greater topic here is persecution and the behavior of individuals in the midst of persecution. The recipients were suffering for their religion and this is to be an encouraging letter. It begins in Chapter 1, 2, and the first part of Chapter 3 with encouragement to holiness and to submission to the order God has established in the Church and at home. Then at verse 8 of Chapter 3 the key word “Finally” occurs to indicate summation and the goal of all the above. We are encouraged to be patient in times of trouble and tolerant of those who are reacting badly to difficult times. We should always be ready to give a defense of the Gospel with gentleness and respect so that we’ll give that same example in suffering that Christ showed. That brings us to verse 18 and we hear Peter teach that Christ suffered. Peter wants to use our salvation as an example because everything revolves around our salvation. Christ was put to death in the flesh but he was alive in the Spirit and (not to indicate a time sequence but to link to a picture of our baptism) Jesus preached in the Spirit through Noah (who was also persecuted) to those who were in spiritual bondage in Noah’s day. They didn’t respond but the 8 were saved and brought safely through the water which corresponds to baptism. Remember too that when we studied baptism I said that although our testimony in immersion is that we were baptized with the baptism that Jesus was baptized. Your testimony in water doesn’t save but you are saved by baptism because either you were there in Christ as He was in the flood of God’s wrath for your sin or you are not saved.


There is another verse that is also sometimes referenced and that is found in Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:7-10
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
     (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)


First of all remember that the picture of leading captivity captive or leading a host of captives must occur in heaven. You don’t celebrate until you bring it all to the heavenly Jerusalem. Captives are taken by his decent to the earth and perfect atonement on the Cross. Paul is stressing that the same on who descended, who walked on this earth also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. The gifts are the people given to the Church and the ministries given to the Church.


Does that make sense? I think it is fair to say there are no verses that contextually address what Jesus did for the 3 days when His body was dead with the possible exception of what he told the repentant thief that hung next to Him. However, if you want to believe that Jesus was preaching to those in hell … you will not be the only one believing that but I and many others do not.


John 20:1-10
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.


Mary (Magdalene) was not likely alone because she said “we don’t know where they have laid him.” They would sometimes name a group by the leader and they were likely going to add additional spices to those (> 75lbs) that Nicodemus and Joseph had applied at Jesus’ burial.


Seeing the tomb empty and not having understood that Jesus was to be resurrected resulted in a sort of panic and the assumption that someone in authority had taken His body away. So Mary and the others went to tell Peter and John that Jesus’ body was taken. In fact, since it was a rich man’s tomb she may have been scared that tomb robbers had violated the tomb.


When Peter and John went in they saw a strange thing. The wrappings were there and not in disorder as if Jesus’ body had simply passed through them on the way to resurrection and then the head covering was folded up. John says they didn’t understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead but when he looked at the arrangement of the grave clothes he believed that he must have risen from the grave. The arrangement was not the arrangement of a grave robber but rather the arrangement of a body that simply left them. Jesus, in His resurrection body can be touched and eat. He is embodied but it is a resurrection body and we still don’t know fully all that is meant by resurrection body. So John believed but he didn’t really understand what had happened at this point.


John 20:11-18
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.


Mary is back at the garden tomb and crying. John and Peter had headed off by now. She is grieving for the loss of both her Lord and the body of her Lord. The Angels were there at the spot of the resurrection and they used the title of honor saying, “Woman, why are you weeping?” because it was time for great joy. She didn’t know that and all she had was a deep grief. She turned and mistook Jesus for the gardener and asked Him where the body was so she could go and get it. But Jesus spoke her name and His sheep recognize His voice and she called Him Rabboni.


She seems to have grabbed his ankles and hung on. The next verse has generated a boat load of speculation. Everything from science fiction scenarios to various legal scenarios have been offered up. The simple exegesis is probably best. Jesus was just saying, “I’m not going yet, no need to panic, just go tell the disciples that I will be ascending to the Father.” Mary got the message and ran to tell the disciples she had seen the Lord.