Christ was Buried

One of the most neglected accounts of Christ’s work is the fact that He was buried. Christ’s burial is proof that He truly died, which in turn proves the validity of His resurrection! For this reason, it was important for the early Church to affirm Christ’s burial.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV

The phrases “Christ died” and “He was raised”—are references to His burial. In the following verses, we see that:

• It was prophesied – Isaiah 53:9
• It was fulfilled – Matthew 27:57-60
• It was confirmed by His death –  John 19:38-40

It was a common practice for the bodies of crucified criminals to be thrown into a ditch to be eaten by dogs and vultures. But God had determined that His Son would be buried with honor.

If Christ had been alive, would not Joseph and Nicodemus have discovered it?

Everyone was convinced of His death—

• Roman soldiers (Mark 15:44-45; John 19:32-34),
• Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:50-53),
• Nicodemus (John 19:39),
• and the several women who witnessed the crucifixion and the burial (Luke 23:55-56).

WHERE DID CHRIST GO WHEN HE DIED?

Christ went to Hell?

Some proposed that Christ went to hell when He died, but a close look at the passages that seem to support it proves otherwise.

• Ephesians 4:8–10 -Paul means only that Christ descended into the grave.
• 1 Peter 3:18–20 – The Son of God preaches by the Holy Spirit through Noah to the people of Noah’s day.

“Christ preached to the spirits in prison” means “Christ preached to people who are now spirits in prison when they were still persons on earth.” (Grudem).

“In Scriptural language, therefore, to descend into Hades means nothing more than to descend to the grave, to pass from the visible into the invisible world, as happens to all men when they die and are buried.”

Charles Hodge

Christ was in the paradise with the Father

We affirm, and I believe that the Scripture is clear that Christ did not go to tell but went into the presence of His Father.

• Affirmed by His words to the thief – Luke 23:43. At Christ’s death, His spirit passed immediately into the presence of God. At the resurrection, His body and spirit were once again united. It is significant that the word “Paradise” is used only two other times in the New Testament, and both times it refers clearly to heaven (II Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7).
• Declared by His last words on the cross – Luke 23:46. Christ went to be with the Father at the moment of His death. It is a declaration of strong confidence. Matthew Henry writes, “[Christ] commends His spirit into His Father’s hand, to be received into paradise, and returned the third day.”
• Promised by the Father through the Psalmist – Psalm 16:10, quoted by Peter –  Acts 2:27 (Hades). Jesus’ spirit never went to hell, but on the cross, He suffered the full wrath of God that is poured out in hell. We are entirely rescued from the agony and torment of hell because of His death. His burial verified His death, ensuring eternal life for those who trust in Him alone

Without Christ, God’s wrath will be poured out upon the head of rebel sinners on the last day.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

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Note: This lesson is from our weekly Youth Bible Study Based on Paul Washer’s Discovering the Glorious Gospel.

Cover from lehollaender

References:

• On the question, if Christ went to hell, read Wayne Grudem’s article entitled: HE DID NOT DESCEND INTO HELL: A PLEA FOR FOLLOWING SCRIPTURE INSTEAD OF THE APOSTLES’ CREED (1991)
• Washer, Paul. Discovering the Glorious Gospel. New Albany, Mississippi, Media Gratiae, 2016.