Christ's "Descent into Hell" in the Creed

The phrase "He descended into hell" in the Creed has a long history, and so does the interpretation of it.

History of the Creed

The so-called "Apostle's Creed" is an evolutionary product of the need for a Baptismal confession of faith.  This began in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and slowly progressed toward the west.  Each region or church might have some variation of this, but it was used to certify the authenticity of the public confession that a person made who was to be baptised.

History of the Phrase "He descended into Hell"

According to reputable sources, the phrase "He descended into hell" appears in the Creed about the year 400.  As this baptismal creed became standardized in form in the west, the phrase in question became a fixed part of it about 750.

What the Phrase Means

First, note that the word "hell" does not refer to a place of torment.  It refers to the "abode of the dead," or "sheol" in Hebrew.  When Jesus Christ is said to have "descended into hell," he did not descend to endure punishment.

The Reformed tradition mostly interprets the "descent" as a reference to Christ's suffering the pains of our punishment on the cross, or refers to the descent as a summary of the "died and was buried," indicating the fullness of the state of death that was his.

Note that Acts 2:22-32 refers to Christ being raised from the realm of the dead.  This implies that when he died, he entered the realm of the dead -- sheol.

A list of standard Scripture references is: Job 38:17, Psalm 68:18-22; Matthew 12:38-41; Acts 2:22-32; Romans 10:7; Ephesians 4:7-10, 1 Peter 3:18-20, and 1 Peter 4:6.  From:  http://www.creeds.net/ancient/descendit.htm

Though we've mentioned some data to substantiate the credal statement from the Scripture, the discussion of this subject often proceeds to speculate on Christ's supposed deliverance of the Old Testament deceased believers from the good side of sheol.  Regardless of the outcome of any discussion on this aspect of the subject, it is not referred to in the creed.

Useful links for a fuller discussion (even the Pope's is good):

http://www.tenth.org/qbox/qb_000716.htm
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP890111.HTM
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a5p1.htm
http://www.eaglewing.org.uk/theology/creed/descent.html
http://www.vorthosforum.com/export/Articles/Did%20Jesus%20Descend%20Into%20Hell.pdf