Christ and Salvation

Where was Jesus between death and resurrection?

Christians agree that Jesus truly died, was buried, and rose bodily on the third day. They differ over how to describe his human soul during Holy Saturday: as descending victoriously to the realm of the dead, as proclaiming triumph particularly to imprisoned spirits, or as remaining under the state and power of death without a separate saving mission to hell.

The question

Where the disagreement lies

The question draws on the creed’s phrase “he descended into hell”, Jesus’ promise to the thief, Peter’s use of Psalm 16, and difficult passages in Ephesians and 1 Peter. Much disagreement comes from the changing meanings of “hell”: the realm of the dead, the place of final punishment, or the full experience of death and burial.

Key texts

Different Perspectives

TransparencySources, generation and reviewHuman review pending

AI generation record

System
OpenAI Codex AI assistant
Generated
19 August 2026
Review
Human review pending

The AI synthesized the content from the listed biblical, scholarly, and ecclesial sources. Associations describe broad affinities, not formal endorsements by every person or tradition represented.

  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, Christ Descended Into Hell

    Official Catholic teaching on Christ’s descent to the realm of the dead as the victorious Saviour.

  2. Orthodox Church in America, Great and Holy Saturday

    An Orthodox liturgical account of Christ’s descent into Hades and victory over death.

  3. Wayne A. Grudem, 1 Peter: Tyndale New Testament Commentary

    An evangelical commentary defending a proclamation of victory to imprisoned spirits associated with Noah’s day.

  4. Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 50

    A Reformed explanation of the descent as burial and continuation in the state and power of death.