What was Jesus Doing on Saturday?
What was Jesus doing on Saturday between His death and resurrection? This question has been asked and answer in a number of ways over the years. I will not answer this question once and for all. But I think it is a good thought to have as we get ready for Easter.
One fact we know is that Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) In Old Testament theology when a person died they went to "Hades." Hades, however, is not Hell. Hades was the "place of the dead." It is not purgatory. Rather, Hades was a two compartment location that held all the dead, believers and unbelievers. In the account Jesus tells of the rich man and Lazarus dying (Luke 16:19-31) He describes a place where the lost were and where the saved were. The rich man, being lost, was in torment while Lazarus, the saved man was in peace. So, we can be assured Jesus went to Hades after His death.
Some have tried to argue from 1 Peter 3:18-20 that Jesus went Hades, or Hell, to preach to them so they could have a second chance. This interpretation is flawed on many fronts. The passage says He "made a proclamation" to those in in Hades. This proclamation was not a second chance of the gospel. Rather, it was a declaration that the punishment for the lost was as sealed as the blessings of the saved. Jesus took the thief on the cross to this place of blessedness.
Ephesians 4:9-10 gives us a little more information about what was happening between Friday and Sunday. Here the Apostle Paul says, "He (Jesus) descended in the lower parts of the earth." Again, many various interpretations have been suggested for this phrase. But one possible interpretation is that Jesus descended in Hades. What appears to be true from this passage is that when Jesus left Hades He took with Him all the saved people who were waiting for their release. He emptied out the side of Hades that had held believers from Abel to then.
During Friday Jesus was waiting to demonstrate that He was ALIVE. Sunday morning was the day to fulfill Scripture and to demonstrate that He won! Today, as you move through the day, gain hope in anticipation of tomorrow morning, Easter Sunday. Unlike the women who came to the tomb to complete thew burial process and were shocked to find a resurrected Saviour, we will come to church tomorrow fully aware that He is no long among the dead ones. Rather, HE IS ALIVE.
Tags: Alive, Easter, hades, hell, Hope, resurrection, saturday, Sunday
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