What does the Apostles' Creed mean when it says that Jesus descended into hell?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The phrase “He descended into hell” in the Apostles’ Creed most likely means that Jesus truly died and entered the realm of the dead not that He suffered eternal punishment or offered a second chance after death (Acts 2:27; 1 Corinthians 15:3). Scripture teaches that after death comes judgment, not another opportunity for salvation, making any “second chance” view incompatible with God’s Word (Hebrews 9:27; Hebrews 11). Some connect the phrase to Jesus proclaiming victory or experiencing suffering, but these interpretations are debated and less clear from the text (1 Peter 3:18–19; Matthew 27:46). The most consistent biblical understanding is simply that Jesus fully died, just as Scripture affirms, and truly entered the state of the dead. This emphasizes the completeness of His atoning work on the cross, where He “finished” the payment for sin (John 19:30). It also highlights the importance of letting Scripture, not later creeds, define doctrine since only God’s Word carries final authority (2 Timothy 3:16–17). We can be confident that Jesus truly died, truly rose again, and fully secured salvation for all who trust in Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament uses Sheol to describe the “realm of the dead,” not only a place of eternal punishment (Psalm 16:10; Psalm 49:15; Ecclesiastes 9:10).
  
• Old Testament teaching consistently presents death as followed by judgment, with no reversal or second opportunity (Daniel 12:2; Job 7:9–10).
• Isaiah 53 foretells the Messiah entering death and then being vindicated and raised by God’s power (Isaiah 53:10–11).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Historically, biblical creeds were written to summarize biblical doctrine. In the case of the statement about Jesus descending into Hell in the Apostles' Creed, there is doubt as to why it was added and what the original supporters of that language meant. This has led to four views. Below is each view, along with a Scriptural argument for or against that view.
• View 1: Perhaps the most traditional view, this view understands this statement as simply a reflection on the reality that Jesus descended into the land of the dead. The Latin word translated as “Hell” is a more generic term, such as Sheol or Hades, and thus has a broader meaning than what we think of when we say “Hell.” Assuming they simply meant the region of the dead, then this aligns well with Scripture, which teaches that Jesus really died (1 Corinthians 15:3; cf. Acts 2:27).
• View 2: This view argues that Jesus actually descended into Hell (not simply the land of the dead) to preach the Gospel to those who had come before Him, giving them a second chance. Scripturally, a second chance after death is problematic. First, we learn that “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27), which means there’s no longer an opportunity for grace after death. Second, Scripture teaches that saving faith was expressed in God’s promises by many long before Jesus (Hebrews 11), meaning that the offer of salvation was not limited to the time after Jesus came, and was already available before He came.
• View 3: In 1 Peter 3:18–19 we read, “For Christ also suffered once for sins … 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.” This view also believes that Jesus entered actual Hell, but, instead of offering forgiveness, He was there to proclaim He was victorious. While it’s possible that Jesus did declare His victory, this verse is itself heavily debated in meaning and could refer to fallen angels in prison or the human dead from Noah’s time.
• View 4: This last view is minor, interpreting the language as figurative references to Jesus’ suffering on the cross. We do learn that Jesus was in agony (Luke 22:44) and even felt abandoned by God (Matthew 27:46). However, while perhaps broadly true, the original creed does not appear to refer to suffering in a figurative sense, so it’s a difficult argument to support.
• In the end, it’s best to understand the Apostles' Creed in light of the first view: Jesus truly died and, like others before Him, really entered the land of the dead. Pressing too much into saying that Jesus entered literal Hell goes beyond what Scripture teaches. That said, we simply do not know what all Jesus did or experienced for the three days He was dead, so as long as we don’t contradict other Scripture, we want to avoid being overly dogmatic about events during that time.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Various creeds were created in early Christian history in response to surrounding heresies. The Apostles’ Creed was no different. Its earliest version, in the second century, sought to clearly summarize the Apostles’ teaching to guard against Gnosticism. Over time, it was expanded to include the statement about Jesus descending into Hell.

Creeds are useful when they accurately represent Scripture. They help us quickly understand particular truths and learn and memorize them. However, as language changes, meanings for words change. Additionally, contextual pressures can introduce obscurity into the original or revised language. Because of the risks for error or misunderstanding, if creeds are used to define Scripture, they quickly become unhelpful, even dangerous tools.

As we have seen, the language about Jesus descending into Hell in the Apostles’ Creed could have meanings ranging anywhere from benign to undermining Scripture. Thus, even when it comes to creeds that summarize Scripture, we must test them by Scripture. It doesn’t matter how old a creed is or long it has been accepted within Christendom—it does not have binding authority on us. Only Scripture has that. Regardless of what the Apostle’s Creed meant, Jesus truly died for sin and rose again to bring salvation to humanity. That is what we must believe and confess to be saved!

UNDERSTAND

• The phrase "descended into hell" was a later addition to the Apostles' Creed.
• The Latin word translated "Hell" refers to the realm of the dead rather than the place of eternal punishment.
• The interpretation that it means a second-chance gospel after death must be rejected as it directly contradicts Scripture's teaching that death is followed by judgment.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that even historic creeds require careful Scriptural evaluation shape the way you approach Christian tradition and doctrinal statements?
• In what ways does the reality that Jesus truly died (fully entering the realm of the dead) deepen your appreciation for the completeness of what He accomplished on your behalf?
• How do you personally navigate theological questions where Scripture is genuinely silent or ambiguous?

ENGAGE

• What does the development and evolution of the Apostles' Creed reveal about how the early church wrestled with articulating Christian doctrine, and how should that history inform the way Christians use creeds today?
• How should the church handle doctrinal statements in historic creeds that are either ambiguous or potentially inconsistent with Scripture?
• What does the debate over 1 Peter 3:18–19 reveal about the importance of careful exegesis?