His sermon in Acts.2v14-39., covers 26 verses, which are dedicated to the truth of our Saviour being crucified and suffering the “pangs of Hades,” in order to make Atonement for our sins, and procure our Salvation. On the Day of Pentecost Peter stands up and preaches the truths that he had previously vigorously rejected. 16v13., their attitudes were transformed and they became of “one accord,” Acts.1v14. However, after ten days in the Upper Room with the other disciples, prolonged prayer and earnest seeking of God, and the ministration, and illumination of the Holy Spirit, Jn.14v26. They were, however, still “clinging,” like most of the people, to the false hope that the Messiah would deliver them from the Romans, and they were longing and expecting Jesus to do it. Jesus had warned the apostles about being influenced by the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees. 16v13.Įven after being with Jesus for 40 days during His Post Resurrection ministry, the minds of the apostles were still largely “blinded” to the truth regarding His death, descent into Hades and Resurrection, for they asked Jesus, “wilt Thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel”? Acts.1v6. He would have to withhold this truth from them until after His Resurrection, when the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, would make it known to them. Also, because of their rejection of the truth about His death, descent into Hades and Resurrection, they were unable to bear other vital truth that Jesus had wanted to teach them. Because of their repeated and determined refusal not to believe the vital truths about His rejection by Israel’s religious leaders, and His death and atonement, they were filled with fear and overwhelmed with grief and sorrow when on the night of the Passover at the Last Supper, Jesus warned them again that He was about to be taken from them. However the Apostles repeatedly rejected this vital truth from the lips of our Lord, even after God the Father spoke to Peter, James and John, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and instructed them to listen to what Jesus was trying to tell them. The Lord Jesus, repeatedly tried to teach His Apostles about His approaching death by crucifixion, and His descent into Hades and His Resurrection, during His earthly Ministry.
Tertullian, one of the early Church fathers stated that the belief that Jesus descended into Hades and preached there, had been held in the Church since the days of the apostles, his testimony is of great value since Tertullian censured anything that was new.
Can you remember, if, or when, you heard a sermon on how Jesus descended into Hades, and suffered its horrific birth pangs? This important “truth” has been held by the Church from the Day of Pentecost, and was taught by our Lord during His earthly and post-resurrection ministry to the Apostles and His Disciples. Peter majored on Christ’s descent into Hades in his first sermon on the day of Pentecost, and Paul and Peter did the same in their writings. It is a most appalling fact that few preachers preach at any depth on the terrible emotional bruising and dreadful mental pressures that Jesus suffered all His life, and during the anguish, torment, and horrors of Gethsemane, His Passion, and His descent into Hades. By His stripes (literally "bruise"), we are healed
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