The Messiah's Spirit left His body at the moment of His death. Where did it go?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Nov 21, 2017
66
26
18
#21
Christ didn't preach to spirits in prison after he died. That would be pointless because repentance only pertains to the living. That passage in Peter refers to the spirit of Christ speaking through Noah to the now (but not then) departed spirits of disobedient men that are currently imprisoned in sheol.
1Pe 3:18 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:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
 

tanakh

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2015
4,635
1,041
113
77
#22
The last thing Jesus said from the cross is ''Father into your hands I commit my spirit'' From that I assume his Spirit returned to the Father.
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
5,928
685
113
#23
From Adam Clarke's commentary:

1 Peter 3:19

By which - Spirit, his own Divine energy and authority.

He went and preached - By the ministry of Noah, one hundred and twenty years.

Unto the spirits in prison - The inhabitants of the antediluvian world, who, having been disobedient, and convicted of the most flagrant transgressions against God, were sentenced by his just law to destruction. But their punishment was delayed to see if they would repent; and the long-suffering of God waited one hundred and twenty years, which were granted to them for this purpose; during which time, as criminals tried and convicted, they are represented as being in prison - detained under the arrest of Divine justice, which waited either for their repentance or the expiration of the respite, that the punishment pronounced might be inflicted.


This I have long believed to be the sense of this difficult passage, and no other that I have seen is so consistent with the whole scope of the place. That the Spirit of God did strive with, convict, and reprove the antediluvians, is evident from Genesis 6:3; : My Spirit shall not always strive with man, forasmuch as he is flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.

And it was by this Spirit that Noah became a preacher of righteousness, and condemned that ungodly world, Hebrews 11:7, who would not believe till wrath - Divine punishment, came upon them to the uttermost. The word πνευμασι, spirits, is supposed to render this view of the subject improbable, because this must mean disembodied spirits; but this certainly does not follow, for the spirits of just men made perfect, Hebrews 12:23, certainly means righteous men, and men still in the Church militant; and the Father of spirits, Hebrews 12:9, means men still in the body; and the God of the spirits of all flesh, Numbers 16:22; Numbers 27:16, means men not in a disembodied state.
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
11,159
2,376
113
#24
The last thing Jesus said from the cross is ''Father into your hands I commit my spirit'' From that I assume his Spirit returned to the Father.
Not necessarily! When Jesus resurrected, He said to Mary, "Don't hang on to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." When Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" it means to protect it, to entrust, the keeping of. Therefore, it does not specifically mean that Jesus spirit returned to the Father.

"For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let your Holy One see decay." - Psalms 16:10

First, Jesus says "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol" which would be the place of departed spirits. Then He says, "nor will You let you Holy One see decay," which is in reference to His body not decaying.

Therefore, when Jesus died, His body was put in the tomb and His spirit departed and went down into Sheol/Hades. Three days later when it was time for Him to resurrect, His spirit returned to His body where He became immortal and glorified. His resurrection fulfilled that prophecy which says "For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let your Holy One see decay."

As another proof of this, Jesus told the man crucified next to Him, "today you will be with me in paradise." Therefore, since both men died that same day, Jesus was referring to their spirits departing from their bodies and going down into Sheol/Hades which was the same place that Abraham and Lazarus were, which was that place of comfort/paradise.
 

Deade

Called of God
Dec 17, 2017
16,724
10,531
113
78
Vinita, Oklahoma, USA
yeshuaofisrael.org
#25
Why don't you join with you RCC buddies when dealing with purgatory/paradise teachings. That is where they come from:
Main article: History of Purgatory

While use of the word "purgatory" (in Latin purgatorium) as a noun appeared perhaps only between 1160 and 1180, giving rise to the idea of purgatory as a place[12] (what Jacques Le Goff called the "birth" of purgatory),[13] the Roman Catholic tradition of purgatory as a transitional condition has a history that dates back, even before Jesus Christ, to the worldwide practice of caring for the dead and praying for them and to the belief, found also in Judaism,[14] which is considered the precursor of Christianity, that prayer for the dead contributed to their afterlife purification.

From Wikipedia
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
#26
Not necessarily! When Jesus resurrected, He said to Mary, "Don't hang on to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." When Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" it means to protect it, to entrust, the keeping of. Therefore, it does not specifically mean that Jesus spirit returned to the Father.

"For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let your Holy One see decay." - Psalms 16:10

First, Jesus says "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol" which would be the place of departed spirits. Then He says, "nor will You let you Holy One see decay," which is in reference to His body not decaying.

Therefore, when Jesus died, His body was put in the tomb and His spirit departed and went down into Sheol/Hades. Three days later when it was time for Him to resurrect, His spirit returned to His body where He became immortal and glorified. His resurrection fulfilled that prophecy which says "For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let your Holy One see decay."

As another proof of this, Jesus told the man crucified next to Him, "today you will be with me in paradise." Therefore, since both men died that same day, Jesus was referring to their spirits departing from their bodies and going down into Sheol/Hades which was the same place that Abraham and Lazarus were, which was that place of comfort/paradise.
Paradise is the 3rd heaven and so yes that is where Abraham and Lazarus are.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
113
#27
The last thing Jesus said from the cross is ''Father into your hands I commit my spirit'' From that I assume his Spirit returned to the Father.
No it did not. That is why we have this prophecy in Scripture quoted by Peter:

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [SHEOL]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10)

Jesus said that He would be in the heart of the earth (Sheol/Hades) for three days and three nights. So that is where His soul and spirit were, while His body lay in the tomb. And God did not leave Him in Hades, since He was gloriously resurrected immediately after that. And even though this is addressed to God the Father, we know from other Scriptures that Christ ad the Holy Spirit were all involved in His resurrection.
 
T

theanointedsinner

Guest
#28
Why don't you join with you RCC buddies when dealing with purgatory/paradise teachings. That is where they come from:
Main article: History of Purgatory

While use of the word "purgatory" (in Latin purgatorium) as a noun appeared perhaps only between 1160 and 1180, giving rise to the idea of purgatory as a place[12] (what Jacques Le Goff called the "birth" of purgatory),[13] the Roman Catholic tradition of purgatory as a transitional condition has a history that dates back, even before Jesus Christ, to the worldwide practice of caring for the dead and praying for them and to the belief, found also in Judaism,[14] which is considered the precursor of Christianity, that prayer for the dead contributed to their afterlife purification.

From Wikipedia
this website was about to become purgatory for me, until God send me friend(s) who can be able to relate to me, understand me, guide me, share our struggles, and we can bow our heads down in prayer thanking God.
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,585
3,616
113
#29
Ecclesiastes 12:7 - "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it."

Luke 23:46 - "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit. And having said this, He breathed His last."

However, 1 Peter 3:18-19 says - "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison."

Are the 1 Peter verses referring to the Messiah's preaching to the spirits in prison during the time from His death to His resurrection? Or are they referring to a different time? And if it is referring to the former, when do the Ecclesiastes and Luke passages occur?
1 Peter 3 : 18- 19 refers to where Jesus went to preach to the spirits in hell during the 3 days and 3 nights His body was in the tomb..

In Jesus case since His is God manifested in the flesh all such other scriptures which refer to what happens to the spirits of men does not factor into it..

1 Timothy 3: KJV
16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
11,159
2,376
113
#30
Paradise is the 3rd heaven and so yes that is where Abraham and Lazarus are.
Hello carl11,

The word "paradise" is not exclusive to referring to heaven. The garden of Eden was also referred to as "paradise" but was not in heaven. Since the scripture states that the rich man was in Hades and He could see Abraham and Lazarus and that it is stated that there was a great chasm (gorge, canyon, ravine, gap, fissure, etc.,) then it is obvious that the rich man, Abraham and Lazarus were all in the same location, but were separated by that chasm so that no one from either side could over. Therefore, when the rich man asked Abraham to go have him dip his finger in the water and touch his tongue, Abraham said, "remember in your life time you received your good things and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted and you are in agony." That place of comfort that Abraham and Lazarus were in, was that place of paradise.

Jesus mentioned this place when He told the man next to Him that "today you will be with me in paradise." Jesus was referring to the departure of their spirits from their bodies going down to that place of comfort where Abraham, Lazarus and the rest of the OT saints were.

However, you are correct in that Abraham and Lazarus, as well as the rest of the OT saints are now in heaven, because they were removed from Sheol and are now in the presence of the Lord, which is now where every believers spirit goes at the time of the death of the body.
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
#31
Hello carl11,

The word "paradise" is not exclusive to referring to heaven. The garden of Eden was also referred to as "paradise" but was not in heaven. Since the scripture states that the rich man was in Hades and He could see Abraham and Lazarus and that it is stated that there was a great chasm (gorge, canyon, ravine, gap, fissure, etc.,) then it is obvious that the rich man, Abraham and Lazarus were all in the same location, but were separated by that chasm so that no one from either side could over. Therefore, when the rich man asked Abraham to go have him dip his finger in the water and touch his tongue, Abraham said, "remember in your life time you received your good things and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted and you are in agony." That place of comfort that Abraham and Lazarus were in, was that place of paradise.

Jesus mentioned this place when He told the man next to Him that "today you will be with me in paradise." Jesus was referring to the departure of their spirits from their bodies going down to that place of comfort where Abraham, Lazarus and the rest of the OT saints were.
Paradise is heaven there is no doubt about it. As far as Lazarus the rich man and Abraham were to a degree all in the same place and that would be the grave. But as far as all together alive and seeing each other is not possible due to the fact that Lazarus and Abraham were in paradise.
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
11,159
2,376
113
#32
Paradise is heaven there is no doubt about it. As far as Lazarus the rich man and Abraham were to a degree all in the same place and that would be the grave. But as far as all together alive and seeing each other is not possible due to the fact that Lazarus and Abraham were in paradise.
Really Carl, in the grave? Having a conversation with Lazarus in a place of comfort and the rich man in a place of torment in flame? Does that sound like the grave to you? As I said, the fact that Abraham was speaking with the rich man, that they could see each other and they were separated by a large chasm demonstrates that they were in the same location under the earth in Hades. I also told you that the word "paradise" is not unique to just referring to heaven. Why do you people continue to resist the truth at every turn?
 

shrume

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2017
2,193
464
83
#33
Really Carl, in the grave? Having a conversation with Lazarus in a place of comfort and the rich man in a place of torment in flame? Does that sound like the grave to you? As I said, the fact that Abraham was speaking with the rich man, that they could see each other and they were separated by a large chasm demonstrates that they were in the same location under the earth in Hades. I also told you that the word "paradise" is not unique to just referring to heaven. Why do you people continue to resist the truth at every turn?
Have you considered the possibility that you're not speaking the truth?

Your primary error is in believing that the parable in Luke 16 is literal. We know from dozens of OT scriptures that when a person dies, he is dead, with no thought, no emotion, no work, he cannot praise God, and more.

Death is death, not some other form of life.
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
#34
Really Carl, in the grave? Having a conversation with Lazarus in a place of comfort and the rich man in a place of torment in flame? Does that sound like the grave to you? As I said, the fact that Abraham was speaking with the rich man, that they could see each other and they were separated by a large chasm demonstrates that they were in the same location under the earth in Hades. I also told you that the word "paradise" is not unique to just referring to heaven. Why do you people continue to resist the truth at every turn?
Paradise is only found 3x in the Bible and each one of theses cases it refers to the 3rd heaven. As far as the story of the rich man and Lazarus it can be readily shown that it is a parable. Now just because there are names used and places does not mean it is not a parable. There is a reason why Lazarus named was mentioned and not the rich man.
 

shrume

Senior Member
Jun 26, 2017
2,193
464
83
#35
Paradise is only found 3x in the Bible and each one of theses cases it refers to the 3rd heaven. As far as the story of the rich man and Lazarus it can be readily shown that it is a parable. Now just because there are names used and places does not mean it is not a parable. There is a reason why Lazarus named was mentioned and not the rich man.
Paradise will be on earth, carl. Atwatukee is right about that.

Ps 37:11) But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Mat 5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
#36
Paradise will be on earth, carl. Atwatukee is right about that.

Ps 37:11) But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Mat 5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Yes the true believers will inherit a new earth. But it does not say the new earth is paradise, we could say it is paradise as a expression but the 3rd heaven, is paradise; which would be more of a accurate statement.