Don't Be Deceived by Chris Whitcomb - HTML preview

CHAPTER 8.

THE CRUCIFIXION AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS DIED.

A very informative reverence to what happened at the cross is captured in the following scriptures in the Bible;

Ephesians 4:8-10 “Wherefore saith, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

1 Peter 3:18-19. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;”

1 Peter 4 :6 “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. “

Luke 23:42-43 “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise”

Ezekiel 26:20 “When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; “the Lord here speaking to Tyrus.

In three of these scriptures it is mentioned that Jesus went to

 the lower parts of the earth

 preach to the spirits in prison

 preached also to them that are dead

In the fourth scripture it mentioned that the thieve asked Jesus to remember him when he comes to his kingdom and Jesus answered him by saying “verily I say unto thee today shalt thou be with me in paradise”. If you read Jesus’ answer in the NIV it says, “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” Question is, did the translators put the comma in the correct place because the Bible was written without any commas. This sentence can also be read as “truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise”. The same sentence with the first saying that specific day and the second a futuristic promise. What is the truth? If we consider maths then the first

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3 scriptures said he went to Hades to set the captures free, to preach for the dead who were kept in the lower parts of the world. That is 75% versus 25% and if the comma position is changed, then the score in favour of the first 3 will be 4 out of 4, 100%.

The answer to all these questions is captured in Revelation 1:17-20.

‘And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that live, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”

Jesus did go to hell and to death because he now has the keys to both these places. He could also have gone to paradise but except for the one scripture at the cross there is no other scripture indicating anything happening during the period of the crucifixion of Jesus. There however is a very informing description written in the gospel of Nikodemus in the Apocrypha books, but also in Matthew 27:51 to 53 it says “and the graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many”

Part 2 of the gospel of Nicodemus with the title “Christ visit to Hell”, Chapter 17

Joseph of Arimathea asked some of the Jewish leaders why they are surprised about Jesus’s resurrection, while there were a lot of dead people who Jesus also brought with him. Those people were seen by many people in Jerusalem. Two of the sons of Simeon were amongst those and they now live in Arimathea. The two sons were then taken to the synagogue in Jerusalem where they were asked to swear that they will tell the truth about how they were resurrected and what they saw happening in Hades. The brothers asked to be given pens and paper and wrote what they experienced.

In Chapter 18 of Nicodemus’s Gospel, they said that they have been in hades with all the other dead people who have died since the beginning of the world. At midnight they saw a bright light like the sun rising started shining. The light fell on everybody, and they could see each other. Abraham and all the other progenitors and profits were very glad and said the light is coming from a very bright source. Isaiah who was also there said this light comes from the Farther and the Son and the Holy Spirit. He said that he prophesied that the land of Sebulon and Naftali who sit in darkness will see a bright light. John the Baptists also came and said that he baptised Jesus and said, “look there is the Lamb of God who will take the sins of the world away.” He continued by saying that God send him to them to tell them God’s son is on his way there and that everybody who will believe in him, shall be saved. Those who don’t will be judged. If you see him, you must fall and praise him. You

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only have this one change to repent and convert. You will never have another change.

In chapter 19, Set, Adam’s son said that he was send by his farther to fetch some oil because his farther was very sick. This oil will be found from a tree of God’s goodness. He should pray and asked God to send an angel to take him to that tree. An angel did appear to him and told him the following:

“You cannot get some of that oil now. God’s unique Son will be sent to earth 5 500 years after the creation of the earth as a human. He will anoint himself with that oil and rise from the dead and wash your farther and his offspring with water and the Holy Spirit. Then your farther will be healed. Everybody was very happy when they heard this news.

The very interesting dialog is captured in chapter 20