Did Jesus preach to those in Hell after His death?

Tuesday Night Skype Scripture Study, May 7 2013

Elder Dennis Trudgen
Question: Why do ***** believe that Jesus went to Hell for 3 days after his death?
Actually, a majority of professed Christians hold this belief and recite the Apostles Creed which includes the line, "he descended into hell." According to internet sources, this line was added after 600 AD.
Ephesians 4 : 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
I Peter 3 : 18-4:6 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (continued below)
Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
By which - Spirit, his own Divine energy and authority.
He went and preached - By the ministry of Noah, one hundred and twenty years.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
He went - To wit, in the days of Noah.
And preached: though the language is consistent with the supposition that he did it by the instrumentality of another, to wit, Noah
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison: he was in the days of Noah; and that Christ also, under the Old Testament, acted the part of a Mediator, in his divine nature, and by his Spirit discharged that branch of it, his prophetic office, before he appeared in human nature; and that the Gospel was preached in those early times, as unto Abraham, so before him.
Wesley's Notes
3:19 By which Spirit he preached - Through the ministry of Noah
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
As to the old world, Christ sent his Spirit; gave warning by Noah. But though the patience of God waits long, it will cease at last. And the spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, are committed to the prison of hell, where those that despised Noah's warning now are, and from whence there is no redemption
I Peter 3 : 18-4:6 (continued) Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. 1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it
strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For for this cause was the
gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Christ Preaching the Gospel Through His H.G. is a Common Theme of Peter
I Peter 1 : 9-12 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
II Peter 1 : 21, 2:4-9 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost…. 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
New International Version (©2011)
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—
Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Bibles teach Purgatory
Tobit 12:9 states that “alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin.”
Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins ….Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms maketh an atonement for sin”. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 3:3, 30
2 Maccabees 12:43–45 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. 44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for
those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.
Luke 12 : 57- 59 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? 58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.
Scriptures Teach that This Life is the Only Time for our Work to be Performed
Zion’s Hymnal p. 155
Work, for the night is coming,
Work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling,
Work ’mid springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter,
Work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night is coming,
When man’s work is done. Vs 2 When man works no more. Vs 3 When man’s work is o’er.
II Corinthians 5 : 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Alma 16 : 228-234 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God: yea, behold, the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. 229 And now as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore I beseech of you, that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; 230 For after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness, wherein there can be no labor performed. 231 Ye can not say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. 232 Nay, ye can not say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. 233 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; 234 Therefore the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the
devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.
Alma 9 : 40, 41, 46, 51 40 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man, in which he might repent; 41 Therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state, which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead….46 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto man that they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment; even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end…51 Wherefore he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good;
Helaman 5 : 51 But behold, your days of probation are past: ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation, until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure;
Alma 19 : 84, 90-91 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man, to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God…90 Therefore, as the soul could never die,
and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal; that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord; therefore it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death; 91 Therefore as they had become carnal, sensual and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.
II Nephi 15 : 10 But behold, for none of these can I hope, except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the straight path, which leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day of probation.
I Nephi 4 : 52 52 For the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation; 53 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness, they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; 54 Wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God to be judged of their works:
II Nephi 1 : 66-69 66 And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free. 67 And men are instructed sufficiently, that they know good from evil. 68 And the law is given unto men. 69 And by the law, no flesh is justified, or, by the law, men are cut off.
Romans 1 : 18-20; 2: 11-15 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:… 11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Revelation 20 : 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
After death one is assigned to either Paradise or Hades, reserved unto Judgment
Ecclesiastes 12 : 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Luke 23 : 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
Hebrews 9 : 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Luke 16 : 26 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Jude 1 : 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Alma 19 : 44 And then shall it come to pass that the spirits of those which are righteous, are received into a state of happiness, which is called Paradise; a state of rest; a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles, and from all care, and sorrow, etc.
Everlasting punishment vise Eternal
In the New Translations, all references to everlasting fire/chains/destruction/habitation/punishment are replaced with eternal.
Everlasting - Strong's G166 – aiōnios 1) without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be 2) without beginning 3) without end, never to cease, everlasting Mosiah 1:74-76 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit: for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; For he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God, contrary to his own knowledge. I say unto you, that there are not any among
you, except it be your little children, that have not been taught concerning these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, Galatians 6 : 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
II Thessalonians 1 : 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Matthew 18 : 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two
feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Matthew 19 : 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Matthew 25 : 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Matthew 25 : 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
I personally do not believe that I Peter 3 : 18- 4:6 is referring to Christ preaching to the souls assigned to hell after His death because:
1. There would be no purpose as once a person is assigned to this place he cannot return
2. Throughout Peter’s epistles, he uses this same example, Christ uses His Spirit, through prophecy (using His preachers) to preach His Gospel among the Gentiles of old.
3. He specifically uses the Example of Noah in this place as he wants to show that “water” now saves us (through baptism) whereas it once was used to destroy the ungodly.
4. If he were preaching the doctrine of Gospel of repentance to those in Hell, why would he only single out these from the time of Noah?
5. From 1 Peter 4:1-6, we see that that the Gospel messaged was preach unto them that they might live accordingly while in the flesh.