A Hell of a Day: Holy Saturday

Last updated on: April 17, 2017 at 9:49 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

A Hell of a Day: Holy Saturday 2017-04-17T21:49:40-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today is the day that Jesus went to hell, the place of the dead, with hope. If everyone else rightly abandoned hope in the inferno, Jesus came full of hope, faith and love and set the captives free.

Death fought Hope and Hope won. As a boy, I used to think of Holy Saturday as the “day off” in the Holy Days. God died on Good Friday and the tomb was empty on Easter morning. Holy Saturday felt like a hallway to go from the funeral to the party.

This was . . .mistaken. Paul says: 8Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”a 9(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?b 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Killing God was Hades shattering, because Jesus, fully God and fully man, went to the place of the dead with His divine nature. Death could not contain the Divine and so in the language of the ancients: Christ harrowed Hell. While I am sure this was harrowing for some denizens of this dark place, the image is more of a looting of Hell. Jesus went, preached the good news that the Word had become flesh, and set captives free. Ancient Christian tradition says that the righteous dead, including our Mother Eve and our Father Adam, were led forth in victory. Holy Saturday marked a cosmic victory that split open the tomb on Easter morning! Every Sunday most Christians (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) affirm the truth of this idea when they confess in the Creed of Jesus: “He descended into Hell.*”

Nobody is forgotten. Everyone has a chance. Eve and Adam stood before one tree and chose to learn good and evil by doing evil. Jesus was raised up a different tree and died, partly so that that original pair could be redeemed. They paid the price for choosing badly, but then heard the good news and chose differently. They were redeemed! Justice was done and love found a way to honor justice while having mercy.

When I am asked about those “who do not hear” the Good News of Jesus, this truth gives me comfort. Jesus descended to the very place of the dead to preach and set free those that would listen. Nobody was forgotten. What happens at the moment of death? Are we confronted with one last moment of clarity and allowed to choose? I do not know, but this much is sure: a God who would descend by choice to the place of the dead will be just, merciful, and loving.

Nobody will be in the great City of God who was not brought there by Jesus. For some subjects of New Jerusalem, they will have waited for Jesus to redeem them. For many of us, God will give us the faith and grace to appropriate what Jesus did for ourselves. A blessed few had the great change happen in their lifetimes . . .

Good Saturday was Hell’s day made heavenly!

———————

*I am using the older English usage where “Hell” can refer to Hades or the place of the dead. “Hell” is also used as a word for the place of eternal punishment, the lake of fire. Jesus did not go to this second sense of Hell!

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

April 14, 2017

Today is a Good Friday

Next Post

April 16, 2017 Truly, He is Risen and is Reigning

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did the wise men follow to find Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A map A prophet A star An angel

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »