Apr 1, 2015
Jesus defeats all of God’s enemies, including the last enemy, death, in his death, burial, and resurrection. By taking on death for us, he defeats it for us. Death has been swallowed up in death, because the one who died for us is life. There is no indication here of a Harrowing of Hell or an emptying of Hades, as in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox views, but instead a simple affirmation that Jesus has taken away death’s sting by experiencing it for us and thereby conquering it.
What would you encourage evangelicals to think of when they hear or recite this phrase [”He descended into hell”, from the Apostles’ Creed] in worship services?
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/death-has-been-swallowed-up-by-death