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Did Jesus go to Hell?

March 30, 2026 · 41 min

Show notes

What happened to Jesus on Easter Saturday? The apostles creed claims that Jesus 'descended into hell', reflecting a wider Christian motif called the 'Harrowing of Hell.' To find out more about this belief, Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones asks our resident expert, Helen Bond, who is currently writing a book on the subject.

They explore questions like:

  • Is the 'Harrowing of Hell' alluded to in the gospels?
  • When did Jesus go to hell and what was he doing there?
  • How strong is the biblical foundation of this idea?
  • How is the Harrowing depicted in the Gospel of Nicodemus?

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In this week's bonus episode, Professor Helen Bond unpacks a tricky text in 1 Peter which some have read as the biblical basis for the harrowing of hell.


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Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 + 5 produced by John Nelson.

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