Forest Keeper asked about that part of the Creed that speaks of Christ’s descent into hell:
“Could there be any room on this issue?... How do you see it?”
Dear FK, let’s first of all remember that the Creed (a word derived from the Latin “credo,” a verb that means, “I believe,” the first word of the Creed, or at least the Latin translation thereof), whether Apostles’, Nicene or Athanasian is intended to teach the truth about God and thereby to proclaim what God has done to save man. In other words, the Creed is fundamentally Gospel, good news, as opposed to being Law, that which we are to do but haven’t. It should be read in that light, just as the ten Commandments are fundamentally Law and not Gospel, and should be read in that light.
Regarding Christ’s descent into hell the best place to go for what Lutherans believe is the Book of Concord of 1580 (well worth the price!). There in the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article IX, it reads in full (it’s a very short article):
“Different explanations of the article on Christ’s descent into hell have been discovered among some of our theologians just among the ancient teachers of the Christian church. Hence we let matters rest on the simple statement of our Christian Creed, to which Dr. Luther directs us in the sermon that he held in the castle at Torgau in the year 1533, “I believe in the Lord Christ, God’s Son, who died, was buried, and descended into hell.” Herein the burial and the descent into hell are differentiated as distinct articles, and we simply believe that after the burial the entire person, God and man, descended into hell, conquered the devil, destroyed hell’s power, and took from the devil all his might. We are not to concern ourselves with exalted and acute speculations about how this occurred. With our reason and five senses this article cannot be comprehended any more that the preceding one, how Christ has been made to sit at the right hand of the of the almighty power and majesty of God (note: what is being referred to is the preceding Article VIII of the Formula of Concord). We must only believe and cling to the Word. Then we shall retain the heart of this article and derive from it the comfort that neither hell nor the devil can take us or any believe in Christ captive or harm us.”
In other words, and briefly, I would explain it this way in this week wherein we observed the 69th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor when all the battleships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk or seriously damaged. Why did the U.S. fasten upon the idea of signing the instrument of Japan’s surrender in Tokyo harbor on board the battleship U.S.S. Missouri? To show in a most graphic and irrefutable way to the Japanese people, the American people, and the people of the world who won. Here was another U.S. battleship sitting in the midst not of Pearl Harbor but Tokyo harbor, untouched and untouchable, from whence it would safely sail out and home. What clearer picture could be offered to the world that had seen all the terrible photos of Pearl Harbor from four years previous that Japan lost and the war is over?
That hell could not hold the Christ, the Firstborn among many brethren, is an immense comfort to all who will follow Him in the faith, that death and hell cannot hold one who belongs to Christ. They are powerless before Him.
The Scripture verses that speak to this, chiefly 1 Peter 3:18-19 and Colossians 2:15, taken together, point at this as the true understanding. What you stated in your post is essentially the Roman Catholic position (I don’t know if you know this). See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, American Edition, pp. 164, paragraph 633. On this, please note that in the same volume, paragraph 635, footnote 484, that John 5:25 is cited as proof that Christ preached the “Good News” to those in this supposedly (not!) intermediate place (wherein is the so-called limbus patrum). This is a complete misapplication of John 5:25, as an examination of that context will show. Jesus was not there speaking of the physically dead, but was speaking to His audience, the Jews (i.e. Pharisees), who were dead in trespasses and sins (i.e. unbelief).
Hopefully, this pretty much answered your question.
Thanks for your answer. I can't say that I have any problem with this approach as it seems to not wish to address the issue. That is perfectly fine. I fully agree that burial and descent are distinct occurrences and that His descent resulted in a demonstrable victory.
What you stated in your post is essentially the Roman Catholic position (I don’t know if you know this). See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, American Edition, pp. 164, paragraph 633. On this, please note that in the same volume, paragraph 635, footnote 484, that John 5:25 is cited as proof that Christ preached the “Good News” to those in this supposedly (not!) intermediate place (wherein is the so-called limbus patrum).
I have to disagree with you here as I categorically deny any and all notions of purgatory or limbo. While I would agree with parts of the Catechism concerning this subject I disagree that anyone was converted "in hell". Once physical death occurs, it's over. Since the resurrection those who die and are saved go immediately into the presence of the Lord. In addition, I would agree with you that John 5:25 is used completely out of context in the Catechism. It is obvious that Jesus was speaking of the spiritually dead.